章 23: Chapter 14: Grim
"Master…," Angel's voice began in slight confusion. "...Who is this?" she eventually asked as she regarded the filthy… person? Thing? Girl...? Angel was confident that it was a girl at least.
"This is Maro," Rosan said as he nodded his head to the small thing hiding behind him clutching his left hand. The boy didn't seem care that the filthy girl was currently dirtying him.
Unfortunately, Angel did.
Her eyes narrowed as she took in the girl's appearance and a sneer made its way onto her pretty face. Who did this person think they were? Touching her Master in that condition? She must have a death wish because right now Angel was well on her way to —
"None of that," Rosan said blandly and her sneer immediately vanished. She stared at her creator for a moment before looking back at the girl.
She was small (even smaller then Master!) with fair skin and… was that blue hair? The girl may as well have been naked with how little her clothing was protecting her and the temperature left the skinny little thing shaking. Angel couldn't even see much else because of how dirty the girl was but she at least had some cute, orange eyes.
Why was this… Maro with her Master? Why was she clinging so hard to him? Was she trying to piss Angel off?
"I'll explain to you and Demon in detail after we get her some water and a shower but, as of today, she will be traveling with us," Rosan explained, still dressed as Reaper. His obsidian wings were furled up and his scythe was nowhere to be seen.
"N-nice to meetcha, I'm…Maro," The girl sounded unsure, testing the name on her lips and Angel raised a brow.
"You don't know your name?" She asked rudely and the girl flinched at her harsh tone. The dirty girl hid even further behind Master's back and Angel's eyes narrowed into a full on glare as she buried her dirty face into the redhead.
Coward.
"She didn't have a name until I gave her one 10 minutes ago," Rosan explained, seemingly not bothered by the events happening at the moment.
"Master… You what?! Did Master Mod ask you to do this?" Angel asked in confusion. Master had named this girl Maro? Why?
What? What was even going on?
"No, I'm just as surprised as you," Mod admitted with a small smile on her face. "He made this decision of his own free will."
Angel understood the implications of what she was saying and an almost brilliant smile made its way onto her face. Instead, she settled for an eye roll.
Whatever. He said he would explain it to her and so she would wait until then.
For now…
"I just cleaned the parts of the ship that don't have grass and I don't need her dirtying it up, Master," The redheaded clone said with her hands on her hip. "Take her to the shower and get rid of that sorry excuse of article we're calling clothing please."
"Okay," Rosan obediently said. He suddenly picked the girl up, who let out a surprised yelp, in order to make sure she didn't further stain the ship and made his way to their bathroom.
Angel watched them go, hands still on her hip, and waited for them to vanish. When they did, a smile made its way onto her face and she rushed to go find her brother.
When she spotted Demon, reading his books, she jumped onto him in joy. "Demon!" she yelled ecstatically, as the more composed of the two barely flinched.
"What is it, Angel?" He asked, not looking up from his book.
"We have a new passenger on the ship!"
Demon actually stopped reading his book so that he could look at his sister. His eyes were wide as he heard her and he said "We have a what?"
"I don't know the details but Master will explain it to us later!" She gushed.
Her purple haired brother nodded his head before a puzzled look appeared on his face. "Why are you so happy about this? You hate people," he pointed out and his older sister nodded her head.
"I do!" She agreed readily with his accurate assessment. "But, Master invited her on the ship. On his own!"
A minute pause.
Demon dropped his book as he heard that. "HE DID?!"
"YES!"
"B-but Master hasn't made a decision for himself in so long?!"
"I KNOW!"
"That means… is there actually a chance Master can turn back into the way he used to be?"
"I'm not sure Demon but, this is a good step in the right direction. It was never going to be easy but, now I feel like we actually have a chance!"
Her twin brother smiled gently at the hope in her eyes and they shared a brief hug.
"We'll get him back Angel,"
"I know, no matter how long it takes. We just need to shower him in all the love he deserves."
Demon nodded resolutely.
There was a small ray hope now.
"We're here, now if that's all —," Rosan said preparing to leave.
"Wait!"
"?"
"Can ya… Can ya help me please? I dunno how to use one of these a-and I don't want ya ta leave me…"
Rosan stared at her for a moment.
"Mod-chan?" He questioned. He distantly remembered Robin telling him that something like this was generally not okay. But, if Maro wanted it…then he needed to consult this with his partner.
She had told him to do so after all.
"I… I'm not used to this," she admitted. "Normally, you're the one barging into people's bath times but this one wants you too… I'd say it's fine then?"
Rosan nodded at that. "Okay," he told Maro and she looked immensely relieved at his acceptance.
Angel would throw a fit if the girl didn't properly clean herself anyways, so Rosan would help her out.
He looked down at himself and noted that he was still Reaper. The redhead dispelled his wings, getting a gasp out of Maro, and promptly removed his cloak.
Maro didn't know too much about Reaper. She heard many rumors about him but, she didn't know how he looked or what he really did. That's why she stole from him. She didn't actually know that this was Reaper until he found her and introduced himself.
What she did know though (at least until now) was that Reaper was not human. That was generally agreed upon. No one had ever seen his face or any part of skin ever from the Shinigami.
As she looked at the Angel of Death removing his clothing, Maro came to a new conclusion.
Reaper was definitely human.
Rosan had finished removing his clothing and neatly placed them to the side. He looked over at Maro, who was gawking at him, and looked at her attire.
"I'm destroying that," he said blandly, pointing lackadaisically at the bluenettes rags. She just continued staring at him with her mouth open and with wide eyes.
Rosan would need to brush her teeth as well.
"Y-y-you're…," she stuttered a bit and Rosan tilted his head.
Ah.
"I realize now that I have yet to introduce myself officially. You only know me as Reaper," the redhead said and he filled their large bath with water. He preferred showers, less chance of drowning, but he didn't think he could properly clean her in a shower.
Bath it was.
"I am Portgas D. Rosan and I am the one who is called the Angel of Death," he introduced quietly as he tested the temperature of the water. After nodding in satisfaction, he stepped inside slowly and felt the slight tension leave his body.
Maro snapped out of her daze, though she was still shocked, and quickly followed suit. The dirty girl hesitated a bit and Rosan simply looked back at her.
"I dun wanna get the water all dirty wit you in it…" she said. The orphan hadn't really thought this through. She was happy that he agreed to join her but now she risked getting him all filthy…
"Thank you for your concern," Rosan said as he grabbed everything he'd need to scrub this girl down. He eyed her for a bit and promptly grabbed even more.
"You have nothing to worry about, my bathing system has a filter that works at an immaculate pace," the redhead explained.
"…" Maro shot him a puzzled look and Rosan realized that she probably lacked education.
"Do you know how to read?"
"...No."
"I suspected. Even if you dirty the water, it will be clean."
"Ah!" A look of understanding dawned on her face and she finally stepped in the water. Maro half expected it to be freezing like what she was used to, but the delightful gasp the bluenette let out as the warm water made contact with her, was full of happiness!
It felt incredible! This was the most pleasant experience in the water she ever had!
"Move in front of me so I can wash your hair," Rosan commanded and she hastily moved to follow his order. The boy instructed her on how to use everything and, though her head was spinning, she understood the gist of it.
The 11 year old marveled at how nice everything felt and she let out a happy moan as Rosan began the process of cleaning her unkempt, dirty long hair. Taking a page out of his book, she began to scrub herself as instructed.
They worked in silent, with the only noise being the sound of scrubbing, water, and a small girl full of wonder.
That silence was broken by the newest resident of the White Rose.
"...Master?" Maro called testing the word she heard the scary, redheaded girl say and finding that she liked it.
"You plan on calling me Master as well then?" Rosan stated in monotone, as he rubbed a spot that had Maro melting.
"Y-yes?" she said unsure with herself due to not being able to tell how he felt.
"Very well, what did you want to say?"
Maro fidgeted a bit. "...Yer really pretty," she eventually said and the scrubbing on her hair paused for a moment.
"Thank you."
The scrubbing resumed and the newest resident relaxed a bit. Her new master wasn't very expressive but, it was kind of endearing in a way.
"I'm a boy, by the way."
Maro dropped the rag she had been holding in disbelief.
"I'm naked and you still couldn't tell? We have much to teach you."
So her hair really was blue. Not only that, it was a beautiful shade of azure blue.
Rosan looked the girl, dressed in a black night gown that was too large for her, up and down and nodded in satisfaction at a job well done.
"S-sorry again for callin ya a girl," Maro said in shame and Rosan blankly stared at her.
"It's fine, you are not the first," he said bluntly before stepping up to the girl and modifying the clothes to make it fit. The redhead made sure they were on her malnourished frame correctly before he began to walk away.
He was not surprised to hear footsteps hastily following after him.
A hand tentatively grabbed his arm and when she noticed Rosan not rejecting the gesture, Maro got a bit more bold and clutched him tighter.
Rosan did nothing and she smiled slightly.
The redhead made his way over to the kitchen, little follower in tow, and thought about what to make. He stared minutely at the girls pathetic frame and decided to get her on a balanced diet immediately.
It's a good thing he had been observing chefs and reading elaborate cookbooks. He could copy their steps perfectly and make something decent for all of them. The 12 year old would be able to make her something good.
Meiko had also taught him many recipes of food that he particularly enjoyed.
"Oh! Master!" A voice called and he saw that it was Angel, accompanied by Demon.
Rosan nodded at them both and Maro fearfully hid behind him.
Angel narrowed her eyes as the bluenette avoided their gaze. "Wow, you sure can clean up. You actually look like a decent human now," she scoffed, making the girl flinch again.
Demon bopped her on the head and said, "Behave," and his twin sister simply grumbled in annoyance, but acquiesced.
The purple haired clone walked over to the cowering bluenette who looked at him with a curious, yet hesitant, gaze. He flashed her a smile and she hesitantly smiled back.
"It's nice to meet you, I'm Demon and that rude girl behind me, is my twin sister Angel," he said, patting the girl gently. "Don't mind her, she's nice once she stops hating you." It wasn't very reassuring, but that's just how his sister was.
Despite that, Maro tentatively said "Nice to meetcha, I'm Maro."
"Maro? That's a good name," Demon smiled and she blushed happily at his compliment. She was adorable but really malnourished. The red eyed doctor in training would need to run a diagnostic on her if Master was okay with it. He was already thinking of the necessary equipment she'd need and what diet to get her on that would help catch up her development.
Meanwhile with Rosan and Angel.
"Master, where did you go after you led her to the shower?" Angel asked curiously. She had half expected him to be getting dinner ready but he was not in the kitchen and so she assumed that he was in his room handling something.
"I was bathing Maro," Rosan said bluntly, as they all walked to the kitchen.
Angel paused.
Demon paused.
Rosan, sensing something was wrong, paused with a tilted head.
Maro, seeing that Rosan stopped, paused as well with a nervous gaze.
"...Together?" Angel asked confusedly as she took a look at the oldest triplet. He was currently in a loose, sleeveless red shirt, that looked very comfortable, and some black sweatpants.
Master only switched into clothing like this after he bathed.
"Yes," was his neutral answer.
"...Master, you pervert," Angel scowled furiously and she pointed an accusing finger at Rosan while glaring with pure malice at Maro, who squeaked. Demon gawked at how bold his sister was and Maro didn't know what a pervert was.
It didn't stop her from hiding behind Rosan though. Angel scared her.
"I'm not a pervert," Rosan said calmly as he remembered the conversation he had with Aiko and Akemi. He had deduced right then and there that he wasn't a pervert and he was sure even after some time he was still not one.
He wasn't sure why Angel was suddenly calling him one. Had he done something wrong?
Angel spluttered in anger. "Y-yes you are! Why are you bathing with her? Y-you haven't even known each other for long!"
"Because she asked and Mod-chan said yes."
Curse Rosan for being like this. If you asked him something there was a solid chance he'd say yes unless Master Mod said no.
"Why are you upset?" Rosan asked with a tilted head. "Did you want to also bathe with me?"
Curse Rosan for being like this. How dare he try to embarrass her without meaning to.
"Stupid Master," she grumbled as she turned on a heel and made her way over to the dining room.
"?" Rosan was not sure why she was mad. "Mod-chan?"
"Angel is jealously protective of you and Demon. She doesn't want anyone to just walk up and take advantage of you."
"Ah, I see," Rosan blinked. "I don't think Maro is capable of taking advantage of me. Even if she were, you would be able to tell me."
"Don't worry Rosan it's just… it's Angel's way of coping. She cares about you two more then ever right now and that girl is shouldering her own sense of duty,"
Rosan nodded at that. "I understand. In that case, I will ensure I don't step over them."
"You're such a sweet boy Rosan," Mod smiled gently at him.
"Of course! Father is the best!" Ram agreed.
"Thank you."
Conversation over, Rosan began walking towards the kitchen again, Demon and Maro in tow.
He would have to apologize to Angel while he was at it.
Maro drooled as she looked at the assorted dishes presented before her.
"Gross. Close your mouth," Angel said as she fixed a plate and Maro quickly listened to the taller girl.
Angel and Demon didn't need to eat, but that didn't stop them from enjoying their Master's cooking.
He was really good now!
The boy in question, had already begun eating at a moderate pace. He was a clean eater and looked pristine while doing so. The area around him was currently spotless as he ate his food.
Maro was the opposite. The orange eyed girl tore into her food like a man possessed. She refrained from using utensils (she didn't know how) and grabbed at everything with her hands.
Rosan, while cooking, had explained some of her situation to them. It wasn't a lot due to him focusing on the task, but they knew that she was a homeless orphan.
Demon was nice enough to let her be. The girl probably hadn't had a proper meal in years and no one seemed willing to teach her anything. Let her enjoy herself for a bit.
Angel was not.
"Okay, that's enough. I'm not gonna pretend like I'm okay with this," Angel scowled as she got up and moved over to the ravenous Maro. The girl looked up in fear, with her mouth full to the brim and instinctively shrunk in on herself. The purple eyed clone didn't miss how the little chipmunk held her food a bit closer to herself.
"I can barely put up with a normal human and you're much lower then what I'm used to," Angel said rudely and Demon sighed at his sister. He had a feeling she was going to end up saying something.
Rosan paid them no mind.
"You can't read, you have worse social skills then Master, you got Master all dirty, you shower with him and now you're telling me you can't even eat properly?" Angel was full on glaring now and Maro was trembling in fear. There was only so much the haughty clone could take and this girl had managed to piss her off in one day!
"Angel —," Demon tried but his sister just glared back at him and he shut up immediately. The purple haired clone couldn't go against his sister when she got like this.
He stole a glance at Rosan in hopes that he would intervene.
The 12 year old was content to eat his food. No doubt he was hearing this but he just did not care enough to get involved.
"Worst of all, you have the audacity to wear those clothes and dirty them," Angel snarled and Maro was convinced she was about to be assaulted if the way her eyes were darting around was any indication. "You should never have been allowed to put those clothes on but your taking advantage of Master's current state!"
"I-I'm sorry…" Maro whispered.
Angel was face to face with the bluenette now, who trembled at the proximity, and purple glared heatedly into orange. "I'm not Master. We may look the same, but unlike him, I will never accept you. You will never be able to compare to Mei—,"
"Angel."
The clone immediately stopped and straightened up as she heard her Master. "Yes, Master?" she said, turning to face him no sign of anger in her eyes.
She could never direct those eyes to her Master. He didn't deserve them.
Maro let out a sigh of relief as the focus was taken off of her. The orange eyed girl trembled slightly at the memory of raw hate in Angel's eyes. She was sure that if given the chance, the redhead would have gladly killed her.
Rosan looked at Angel with that empty gaze of his, food done, and he got up to meet her.
"Your anger is misdirected," he said bluntly and Angel went stiff. "I did not bring Maro onto this ship to replace Meiko. Nobody will ever be able to replace Meiko."
Angel hated this so much. He was supposed to show something, anything when talking about her best friend, his lover yet he couldn't. Master was a husk currently and the female clone could not stand that thought.
"Maro is interesting," Rosan said and Angel's eyes narrowed in anger. "She has nothing at all. No home, no name, no food, no family, nothing. Yet, she is the only person I've met so far who was bold enough to steal from Reaper," Rosan explained and Angel's eyes widened at the revelation.
She had stolen from Master? Is that what put her on his radar?
"When I caught her, instead of giving up like everyone normally does in the face of Reaper, she sought an escape route and even resorted to attacking me. I found it… interesting that the one person who showed the most courage to me was someone who had nothing at all. So I decided to give her something."
"Maro is not Meiko's replacement. She is my student. I will be training her to become Reaper's partner. Those were my sole intentions, nothing less and nothing more," Rosan explained and Angel felt relief flood through her system at the revelation.
I-if that was all then…Angel didn't mind it too much.
"I'm sorry," Rosan suddenly said and Angel felt her heart drop as she heard that.
"M-Master, There's no need to apologize! I jumped to conclusions a-and I should have waited for your full explanation," she bowed deeply in shame.
"I should have explained it all sooner. It was inconsiderate of me to let this feeling stir inside of you and I unintentionally made it worse. I bathed with her because she did not understand how anything worked and I gave her the clothing because there was nothing else she could wear" the redhead said and Angel felt guilt well up into her at how upset she had gotten.
"It was an oversight on my behalf and one that should not have been allowed to happen," Rosan finished and Angel immediately scooped him into a hug.
"I'm sorry Master… I was too rash!" Angel mumbled. "I-I… I just miss her so much and I saw a new girl a-and I just… I just couldn't stand the thought that you were replacing her so soon," she admitted with tears welling up into her eyes.
"…" Rosan stared at her for a moment, before he hugged her back. "...I miss her too."
It had been a split second but, in that split second, the sheer brokenness in Rosan's voice overwhelmed everyone there.
"I miss her more then you could imagine Angel… I would have given her everything. I would tear the whole world apart just to bring her back. But, I can't even properly grieve because I feel nothing at all," he admitted and the emptiness in his voice just solidified it.
"I visit her every single day and not once have I shed a tear. I don't feel sadness, I don't feel anger, I don't feel happiness. I feel nothing."
"Why? Why am I unable to cry for the girl that I love?" he asked vacantly and everyone there broke down, unable to handle such an innocently asked question.
"Oh Rosan," Mod said with tears streaming down her eyes. She covered her mouth as grief overwhelmed her.
"Father I'm so sorry… I wish I got to meet Mother…," Ram sobbed and Mod pulled the small girl into a hug. Rosan's weapon cried into the warm embrace of his Devil Fruit and they found comfort in each other.
Demon had abruptly left the room without a word but his tears were visible for all to see.
Angel felt like the worst person in the world. Deep down, a part of her had thought that Rosan had moved on. That the oldest triplet had already forgotten about Meiko. He never grieved, he continued with his work, he rarely mentioned her and when he did, it was in that same empty voice he always had.
Seeing him bring this Maro aboard had only solidified her thoughts. Master had moved on and Angel was not even remotely done grieving.
None of them were, except for him.
But, that wasn't the case. Master couldn't grieve and that was its own type of hell. His lover, his soulmate had died in his arms and he could not even properly mourn about it.
It was utterly terrible.
"Do you remember Meiko's last words to me, Angel?" Rosan asked softly. "She wants me to live for the both of us and that's the only thing pushing me forward."
"M-Master… I promise I'll do everything in my power to help you get better again," Angel said.
"Thank you but, I'm not a person who believes in promises anymore," Rosan said calmly and Angel sadly nodded in understanding.
Who could blame him?
"Instead, we will diligently work towards the goal Meiko set for all of us. I can't promise that I'll find a new reason but, I won't die until I do."
"That is why I brought Maro on board. She managed to interest me and as such, I wish to explore that," Rosan said truthfully as he looked at Maro.
"I am using you for my own gain, my own interests, you are here solely for my own selfish wish. Despite that, do you still wish to accompany us?" Rosan asked the girl who had been observing everything with wide eyes.
Maro didn't know anything about what they were talking about but the mood was suffocating the young girl. The orange eyed girl didn't even realize she had begun crying and she hastily dabbed her tears away!
It was too much for her!
But Rosan, her Master, was asking her a question. It stung when she heard it but now she understood a bit of why he was the way he was.
He had no emotions! It made so much more sense now!
Maro deliberated his question a bit and came to a decision quickly. "Yer the only person who looked at me without wantin me dead. Ya said you were gonna give me a purpose and… I wanna have a purpose. Without you it's back to a life of nothin and… I don't wanna live like that no more," she said sadly, remembering all the years of struggle on her island.
Angel's eyes went soft in guilt as she realized she had been lashing out on this little girl for no reason.
Rosan stared at her.
"So you wish to stay then, Maro?" He asked and Maro found herself captured in his gaze again. She had never seen such a unique shade of eyes. It was even more noticeable without his hoodie on and with his hair in a bun like that. The red and purple hypnotized her. It was so…
Mesmerizing.
"Yes. I wanna stay Master. Please, make me something," she answered in a daze.
Rosan nodded his head.
"Naturally. I am not one to lie."
"I'm sorry."
Maro stumbled as she heard that. The bluenette directed a wide eyed gaze towards Angel who was looking at her with… not quite an apologetic expression but it was an upgrade from the raw hatred in her eyes earlier…
"I shouldn't have lashed out at you like that," Angel said and the girl looked like she really didn't want to say those words.
Angel really didn't but she wasn't arrogant enough to disregard her mistakes. Haughty she may be, but she didn't let pride blind her. That's what humans did and Angel was better then them.
Except for Master of course!
"Ah gee," Maro said in embarrassment as she rubbed the back of her head. "It's alright! I don't really get much but… you all lost someone really important right?" At Angel's hesitant nod Maro said "I… I don't wanna replace her, I swear! I just wanna have a purpose besides livin to live," she admitted.
"Yeah and I disregarded that so I'll make it up to you," Angel said looking the skinny girl up and down. Without all the dirt and grime, she was actually a little adorable but her mannerisms were atrocious.
"Ya will?" Maro asked with wide eyes. "Ya don't hav ta go through the trouble of that, honest!" The orange eyed girl waved her hands rapidly.
"No it's fine, I want to do this anyways because honestly I can't stand the way you do things," Angel said honestly with a shrug. "I'll teach you to be better then those humans because right now, you're barely better then an animal," the pretty redhead finished confidently.
Maro blushed in embarrassment at her rather rude wording but she was beginning to figure this was just how Angel acted. "W-Well if ya insist, I won't say no!"
"Good, I won't let you hold Master back in any way at all!" Angel said, holding her hand out.
Maro stared at it in confusion.
"Shake it, idiot."
"Oh…right, sorry!"
"I have so much to teach you…"
"Sorry…"
"Stop apologizing."
"Ok, I'll try… sorry."
"…"
"...Sorry."
RAM was exactly what Rosan wanted in a weapon. It was perfect for his fighting style.
"Thank you Father," she gushed at his praise, practically radiating in happiness.
Rosan rapidly spun his staff before quickly transforming it into a scythe and slamming downwards then, as he lifted it back up, he morphed it into a hand held double barrel and shot out something that were not quite bullets but held even more destructive capabilities.
He idly spun the pistol and it morphed back into its default form, amethyst ring nestling perfectly onto his ring finger.
"Wow," Maro said with wide eyes forgetting for a moment that Angel was helping her learn how to read.
"Master is amazing," Angel said, not minding because Maro was praising her Master! "Now, read this sentence again. Properly," she demanded and Maro quickly got back to her task.
Angel was still as scary as ever…
Rosan stared at the ring for a moment before morphing it back into a pistol.
All of his weapons had the same color variation in some way. Purple, silver and black. Depending on the weapon, the dominant color varied. The gun for example, was predominantly silver and his scythe was predominantly black but, they all had the 3 colors in some way.
"I'm surprised you are able to generate your own ammunition. It means that I don't have to get my own gun," Rosan said idly and he felt Ram puff up.
"What type of weapon would I be if I couldn't even use such a common weapon. I use a combination of modification and my innate abilities to create them. As you can see, they are not your average bullets and are reinforced."
"Impressive, I suppose it is a good thing I ate the Philosopher's Stone then. Can you transform into other types of guns?"
Before he had even finished asking his question, the pistol transformed into a shotgun, and then a sniper. She even changed into a bow!
"I made the right decision making you Ram," Rosan said softly making the girl flash the brightest grin yet.
"I aim to please father!" She gushed.
"You really are quite impressive Ram," Mod praised and Ram hugged the older woman.
"Thank you Auntie Mod! I wanna be as useful as you!"
Mod blushed. "Please stop calling me Auntie…"
"No!"
Mod sighed in defeat.
Rosan continued practicing with Ram and he had to admit, they were an absolutely perfect fit. Everything felt natural. He was right to use his blood to make her, they were made for each other. The redhead didn't feel like he was using a weapon, he felt as if he were using an extension of himself.
Just like he wanted.
"W-will ya be teachin me how ta fight like that Master," a quiet voice said, causing Rosan to look over at Maro and tilt his head, as he contemplated her question.
"Eventually, we must not skip steps however. Your body is severely underdeveloped due to the conditions you've lived in and your education is lacking. Thank you for offering to teach her by the way, Angel," Rosan said and Angel beamed with a blush on her face.
"Of course Master! I won't have someone so unrefined working by your side! I'll whip her into something extremely exceptional!" She said with utmost confidence.
"I appreciate that, you didn't have to, yet you are doing it regardless."
"Anything for you Master!"
Rosan smiled before looking at Maro again. "I will have to think up a routine for you but for now we will just be building you up. We have much to do."
Maro nodded, determination in her orange eyes and she said "Right Master! I won't let ya down!" She grabbed the book and began peppering Angel with questions. The girl was taken aback but she smiled in pride and began answering them.
Rosan stared at the two for a moment before going back to practicing with Ram.
Angel was hard to get along with because of her general disdain to everyone but, once she warmed up to you she was quite pleasant to be around. You just needed to get used to her mannerisms.
They would get along fine.
"Rosan, who is this?"
Aiko stared at the small little thing fidgeting around. She was clearly not used to the scrutiny of other people because she was hiding behind the, for once, taller boy.
"This is Maro," Rosan answered. "Maro this is Aiko, she is the reason I found you," Rosan said introducing the two.
Aiko and Maro's eyes went wide at that.
"Y-yer the reason Master found me? Thank ya!" She bowed but remembered Angel telling her that someone like her shouldn't bow to a human. She hastily raised her head in fear of retaliation but remembered the haughty redhead was not there.
"Nice too meetch — I-I mean, i-it's nice to meet you, I'm Maro," the girl said sounding a lot more proper then previous days.
Angel was a merciless slave driver.
Aiko recovered quickly and held out her hand. "It's nice to meet you Maro, I'm Aiko. Me and your "Master" have been friends for about 3 years now," she greeted.
Maro grabbed her hand and gently shook it. It was awkward but Aiko smiled at how cute she looked. The girl was concentrating on doing it right and it was adorable to witness.
"Now Rosan, what do you mean I'm the reason you found her?" the leader of Fregate asked, with a raised brow at the preteen.
Rosan explained how he found her and Aiko's mouth opened in realization.
"So that mission I sent you on, thanks for that by the way, is how you found her? Huh. Neat," Aiko said and Rosan nodded.
"So what do you plan on doin with her?" The gray haired woman asked.
"I'm training her," Rosan said simply and her eyes went wide.
"For your Reaper stuff?" A nod and Aiko looked worriedly at the little girl. "Do… do you really think she's fit to do things like that?"
"We'll see. If not, I don't have much of a use for her besides allowing her to stay on the ship," he said bluntly and the bluenette flinched at that.
"Bit harsh, Rosan," Aiko frowned and the boy tilted his head.
"Was it? I apologize. I was simply stating the truth."
Right, he had no emotions. He just spoke his mind now... not that he didn't do that already.
Aiko sighed. "So that means she's gonna be the Grim to your Reaper eh?" she asked.
"Grim…" Rosan said with a tilted head. "That is a fine name. Thank you Aiko," he told the gray haired girl softly.
Aiko blinked. "You didn't have an alias for her before?"
"No, I was actually going to ask you to find a name for her like you did for me."
"Hey don't just blatantly admit to using me like that."
"Why? You're good at it."
"...Thanks, I guess."
"You're welcome."
Aiko sighed again. Rosan would always give her a headache no matter what.
"Grim? But I thought my name was Maro…?" The bluenette spoke up in confusion.
"I'll explain it to you later, Maro," Rosan replied.
"Kay," she said with a nod.
"How much does she know?" Aiko asked in shock.
"She doesn't have a proper education," was his response.
Aiko sighed.
She didn't even want to know.
When Angel wasn't hellishly conditioning her mind. Rosan was hellishly conditioning her body. The boy had her on a strict workout regimen meant to help her body catch up in development and though it was working well, it hurt.
He was merciless. Maro thought Angel was bad but Rosan was completely ruthless.
Maro collapsed on the floor after she finished her final lap, drenched in sweat, and she panted in exhaustion. She greedily drank the water offered to her from Demon and she shot him the most grateful look she could muster.
The kind twin smiled at her.
Everything hurt. She was so sore. Master had run her through the ringer and it showed. The poor girl couldn't even move to hold the water by herself.
At least Demon was the one watching. Angel would have probably poured the water on her instead of personally letting her drink it.
Worst of all, Master himself was still going. She looked in disbelief at how effortlessly he was running around the room that was way too large for the ship.
He had overlapped her more times then she could count and he was still going strong.
When he finally stopped, she was convinced it was only because the obvious hunger on her face was downright pathetic, not because he was tired.
At least he always made an amazing amount of food. Maro was thankful that she got to eat such good meals instead of the usual garbage that she was accustomed to.
She thankfully hugged Demon's neck, as he picked her up piggyback style.
The training was working wonders. Already, when Maro wasn't sore, she felt stronger then ever! Master Rosan really knew what he was doing.
Along with that, Angel, while rude, also knew what she was doing! The bluenette felt really smart now and the way she spoke, was getting a lot more refined! In no time at all, she could already feel herself getting better than she had ever been.
Rosan looked at Maro in contemplation.
To be frank, the girl was a prodigy. She didn't seem to realize the speed at which she was learning, was not normal.
Rosan knew she had potential. That's why he decided to take her along. But not only was she a prodigy, she was a blank slate.
The boy could perfectly mold her into whatever he desired specifically because she lacked anything. She was a sponge that was soaking things up at an impressive rate and the redhead was impressed that no one had picked up on her capabilities.
There was only one issue though.
Maro was not suited to be a weapon.
The 11 year old had potential to be an incredible fighter… but she was a gentle soul. She would not be able to kill someone because it was not in her nature. Just from his interactions with the girl, he knew that she wouldn't be able to do so.
He would have to curb that.
The 12 year old needed to get rid of this before it became a problem. So he would do it immediately.
"Good, A weapon who can't kill is no weapon at all," Ram said somewhat coldly.
"…" Mod wasn't particularly close with Maro so she didn't feel the need to defend the girl from Rosan's act of cruelness.
"Maro, after we eat and shower, you will be coming with me," Rosan told the tired girl and she looked at Rosan in curiosity.
"Fer what, Master?" she said slipping back into her old dialect. She always slipped back when she got too tired or too excited.
"Something that needs to be done."
"M-Master? W-what are we doing?" Maro asked with wide, nervous eyes.
"What needs to be done," Rosan said blankly as he stood before the terrified pirate. He was holding his signature scythe, though it looked different. The pole was pure black and the blade was silver. Running through the middle of the entire weapon was a purple streak and the part he gripped was the same purple.
Captain John was a pirate captain with long black hair, black beady eyes, and a full beard. He was currently being subdued rather easily by Rosan, who was dressed as Reaper, and was shaking in fright.
Maro herself, was similarly disguised in a cloak like Reaper's as well. Her cloak was an inverted version of Rosan's, being an all white with black streaks and she, obviously, lacked his set of black wings.
"This is Captain Jack, bounty: 2 million beri. A barbarian of a pirate who kills, steals and rapes. He is scum of the world and as such, he needs to be dealt justice."
"You will be dealing that justice, Grim," Reaper said bluntly, as he stared at the girl.
Realization dawned on her and she began trembling as Rosan tossed the mans tied up body in front of her. Her trembling increased tenfold as Rosan placed a dagger in her hand.
It felt heavy in her palms and Maro wanted nothing more then to throw it away.
"Master… I-I can't do that," she whispered. "P-please don't make me do that!" she begged, hoping that he could see reason.
"Why?"
She shook at the simple, uncaring question. "I… I just can't. It's so wrong a-and I don't wanna be the reason he dies!"
"Then what purpose do you have for me?" Rosan asked and she froze.
"If you cannot fight for me, what use do you have? I am not training you to bring about world peace, I am training you to become a weapon. You are going to become my right hand, killing is a necessity in this cruel world and I will not have you holding me back. One mistake and you could get us both killed."
Tears sprung into her eyes at his harsh words but she remained silent. She couldn't argue against his words but she just couldn't do what he wanted her too. It was just...wrong.
"...Despite everything you've gone through, you still have beliefs you cling to. You are a noble person. That is admirable," Rosan complimented.
"How unfortunate, I don't need a noble person."
Maro felt her heart stop as she heard the cold declaration. "W-what? Master w-what do ya mean," she said as she nervously switched back into her old way of speaking.
"I am Reaper, the Angel of Death, do you think the world calls me that because I simply look like a Shinigami? No, I am a killer. I hunt people down and I take their lives. How can you possibly expect to be the right hand of Death when you won't even kill?" He wondered and his head tilted to the side.
"You are useless to me, I don't need you. A weapon who cannot strike down it's Master's foes, is not worthy of being called a weapon," he finished coldly.
The bluenette felt her world stop as she heard that.
Master… didn't… need her? She was useless to him? I-If she was useless to him then… wouldn't he abandon her? Wouldn't he leave her behind to the world she had lived in before?
No. No no no no no. She didn't want that. She didn't want to go back to her previous life of constant hunger, hatred and loneliness. Master was supposed to give her something! This was that something?
Yes, yes it was.
"I… I don't wanna be useless to you Master… I'll do it," she said shakily and Rosan tilted his head at her.
"Okay," was all he said and she gripped her dagger. Looking down at the fearful man, Maro felt her stomach crawling at what was about to happen but she quashed it.
Master said this man would receive judgment and, as his right hand, it was her job to do so. It was either him or her and she would always choose herself over a random person.
"Please don't…," Jack said and she stopped what she was doing as the words reached her. The fear, the desperation, it was too much for her.
The dagger clattered onto the floor.
She really was useless. Master had been fine before, he did not need deadweight like her to hold him back and get him killed.
Reaper stared blankly, not betraying any thoughts.
"You are kind," he said before grabbing his long black and silver scythe and swinging down in a powerful arc.
Maro watched in horror as the blade pierced Captain Jack with no effort and the man let out a strangled gargle. Blood splattered and some landed on the bluenette herself.
She couldn't help it. She turned and retched.
Rosan looked utterly unfazed by what he had done.
"Kind people do not make it far in the world," he said bluntly to the heaving bluenette. "You are my weapon yet, you have a set of values that contradict my own. That is unacceptable. As you are now, I have no use for you."
"Discard your current values because they are not my own. You fight for me, you live for me, you kill for me. This is what it means to be my weapon. You exist for my sake. You are Grim, the right hand of Reaper."
"If there is a next time, you will be killing the target." There was no room for argument and Maro, who had finished throwing up, nodded weakly.
She would never disappoint her Master again. He was right, that man was scum of the Earth. He would not have hesitated to kill her yet she could not even kill him in return. People like that would take advantage of people like her. If he were not tied up, he would have absolutely struck Maro down.
Maro was weak. And she absolutely hated that.
Being weak was why her life had been nothing but hell. If she were strong, nobody on her island would have been able to cross her. If she were strong, who would stop her from taking what she wanted. If she were strong, she would not be hungry. She would not be homeless. She would not struggle to survive.
She would not be useless to her Master.
Rosan watched her with a blank gaze.
What he had done was harsh, but it was necessary. This world was not one that favored those who were kind. The ones who stood on top of the world, the Celestial Dragons, were proof of this.
If the world favored those who were kind, the Celestial Dragons would not have everything. They would not rule the world. Someone more deserving would.
Someone like Meiko.
But instead, Meiko, the kindest person, was dead and the Celestial Dragons were still alive.
And Rosan was still alive.
Maro was inherently kind. Rosan would never be able to fully curb a person's nature and that was never his intention from the start. But, he would put a wall over it. Let her use that kindness to those who deserved it. That's what he should have done with Meiko, even by force.
He would not make that mistake again.
"Come, you need to be bathed," Rosan said blandly and he picked up the girl.
Maro did not resist.
The two vanished, bodies left behind without a care.
"Master…what happened?!" Angel asked as she looked at Maro in slight shock.
The girl was a mess. She had tear streaks in her eyes and blood (Angel doubled checked and was relieved to find that it wasn't hers) on her body. Not only that, it was clear the girl had been vomiting because she made no move to clean the remnants from around her mouth.
"I was off showing Maro what she got herself into," Rosan told her bluntly and Angel's mouth went into an O at that.
"I guess she didn't take it too well then?" The redheaded clone asked and Rosan nodded in confirmation.
"She was unable to even kill a criminal I handpicked due to how irredeemable he was," Rosan said softly and Maro flinched terribly at the memory.
Angel sighed as she saw the violent reaction from the girl. Right, not everyone was as exceptional as her Master. The 3 original inhabitants of the ship were used to killing. It never phased them because the people they killed deserved it.
Rosan had been conditioned for 6 months to be a weapon for Kami's sake!
But, Rosan had never been normal and it was an oversight on their part to think everyone would be like them. The Mod Mod no mi user was always an oddity even before his capture on Daybreak.
"So she's not suited to being Grim?" Angel asked.
"No, she is a liability and I don't need liabilities."
"What will you do now? Will you kick her off the ship?"
"No!" That had been Maro who spoke up. "I-I don't wanna go! Please let me stay, I-I c-c-can b-be useful!"
They both looked at the terrified girl.
"Just because you are useless to Reaper, does not mean I will kick you off," Rosan told the tiny girl. "You have nowhere to go, you may stay on the White Rose. Besides, you already know my name, how I look, and that I'm Reaper. It would be foolish to let you go."
Maro felt her heart constrict. She was being allowed to stay on the ship out of some form of pity and for the fact that she knew secrets. She was not here on her own merits, she was here because leaving would only hurt Rosan in case she wanted revenge.
Was this the limit of her existence? Being kept around due to knowing things that she could potentially leak?
That was so pathetic.
"Master… I can, no I will be useful to ya," Maro said and that determined look that had intrigued Rosan in the first place was back. It was the look of a person who would do anything in their power to survive. It was the look that made the redhead decide to take her in the first place.
"Even after seeing what is expected of you and being given an option to stop…you still wish to continue?" Rosan asked softly an he tilted his head.
Without hesitation, Maro said, "Yes."
Determined, burnt orange, eyes stared into empty, royal purple and blood red, eyes.
"How admirable," Rosan said.
"Okay, we will resume your training. Failure is not an option."
"Yes Master! I won't let ya down."
Rosan nodded minutely and said "Now, go bathe."
Maro looked at Angel who scoffed but nodded. Since teaching her, Angel had taken it upon herself to teach Maro the importance of self care and how to do it alone.
Maro still hated bathing alone though and Angel refused to let Rosan (who didn't really understand why) bathe with her. Though reluctant, the redheaded clone began bathing with her instead.
Rosan knew she secretly enjoyed having another person to interact with. Demon had been hard at work with becoming a doctor and he was making such great progress that Angel didn't want to frequently disturb him.
His female clone could talk to him whenever she wanted but, Rosan was not the best to have a conversation with. Formerly, he used to be but things had changed.
Maro was good for both Angel and Demon. They needed the distraction. The middle child of the Rosan trio bore an unnecessary amount of stress onto herself and the youngest was a rather gentle soul who enjoyed helping people. Rosan and Angel were not ones that needed help often but Maro did.
It's why he would have let her stay on his ship regardless of if she were Grim or not. It was his job as their leader to ensure that they were doing fine and he didn't miss how Angel was warming up to the girl or how Demon was happy to actually be able to help someone and employ what he learned.
"How does the failed weapon's presence help you, Father?" Ram said curiously. The silver haired girl didn't really like Maro. As of right now, she was a liability that could cause harm to her father if she faltered. She was a weapon with no edge and Maro would never approve of that being around Rosan.
"It doesn't help him," Mod said bluntly. "But, Rosan is trying to see if, in the future, it does."
"He's really making an effort to honor Meiko's final wishes. I'm proud of you, Rosan," Mod said with a sad smile on her face.
"Thank you Mod-chan," Rosan spoke quietly. "Even if she can't be my weapon, maybe she will help unlock my emotions."
He doubted it but he would try.
"I see. In that case, I will honor Mother as well and maybe stop my hostility towards Maro," Ram said softly. "Besides, the look in her eyes tells me that she will become a suitable asset for you Master!"
"I believe so too, Ram," Rosan agreed, as he thought about his prodigious but gentle student. She learned quickly, her skills were developing at a rapid pace and it wouldn't be long before the redhead felt comfortable taking her on his trips.
For now though, he would continue at the pace they were at currently. Maro would be strong if he had anything to say about it.
He did say he would give her something didn't he?
That something was food right now. They needed to eat.
Maro ducked to avoid incoming fist and retaliated with an upward kick. She cursed as her leg was easily grabbed and she lost her balance. Before she could fall, she quickly palmed the floor to regain her footing and launched herself back.
The 11 year old wasn't even able to capture her breath because the moment her feet hit the floor, her target appeared directly in front of her. She gasped in shock and hastily threw a punch that was effortlessly blocked. A returning punch in her gut stopped all thoughts of continuing the fight.
The bluenette collapsed onto the floor and coughed harshly at the blow.
Master was a monster. That hadn't even been his full power and she couldn't keep up at all.
It's not like she was weak either. Master had been ruthlessly training her for months now and it was working wonders for her.
No longer was she extremely malnourished. Though she was still skinny, the girl's body had begun filling out due to the diet Rosan had supplied her with. She was beginning to look fit for her age and her muscles were developing nicely on her slim body.
Her fair skin was clear of dirt and practically glowed and she had cut her azure blue hair to chin level with bangs that covered the left side of her face, stopping right above her left eye so as to not block her vision, (it was easier to manage like this). She was wearing a white sports bra and equally white leggings, courtesy of Angel. Her stance was a lot more confident now and her burnt orange eyes looked far more mesmerizing on her improved body.
Angel had actually complemented how she looked! "Cute," she had said and that left Maro blushing in happiness for 10 minutes.
She didn't feel very cute right now though.
"You are improving," Rosan said softly as he relaxed his muscles. The 12 year old was dressed in a red tank top with some black gym shorts on and all his accessories in the correct place.
He was not even breathing hard. Her master had too much energy.
"Don't feel too down," Angel said. "You couldn't expect to match Master so soon. He's very strong and you're only just starting!"
Demon nodded in agreement as he handed her some water while rubbing her back. "Master calls himself a monster for a reason. His strength is absurd even without Master Mod."
Maro greedily drank the water offered to her. "Thank ya," she said before cursing at Angel's glare. She couldn't help slipping into her former speech especially when she was tired!
Then a thought suddenly occurred. "Master?" she called looking at the oldest one there.
"Yes?" he replied.
"Who's Master Mod?" Maro asked curiously.
Oh, right. Maro didn't even know what his Devil Fruit was. Did the girl even know what a Devil Fruit was?
"One of them things ya eat that gives powers, yea?" She asked and Rosan nodded.
"I knew ya had one but I didn't know much else," she said.
Rosan hummed at that and Maro liked how pleasant it sounded.
"Mod-chan?"
"You can tell her, she should know everything about your abilities if she is to be your partner," Mod replied.
"Okay."
"Mod-chan is my partner," Rosan began and then he explained the abilities of the Mod Mod no mi fruit to her and who Mod-chan was. Maro's eyes were wide in interest the entire time he told her about it.
"That's amazin Master! I didn't know ya had such a useful ability!"
The bluenette was fascinated. She had no clue Devil Fruits could grant such unique powers. No one had ever bothered telling her about the illusive fruits before so she had only heard about them in passing.
To know her Master had such a strong one…
"Can I meet her, Master Mod I mean?" Maro asked in excitement.
Rosan thought about just letting Mod-chan take over his body, but his student probably wanted to personally meet her.
"Objections?"
"None," Mod said, a little surprised that someone was so eager to meet her.
"Then I have none either," Ram said simply.
Right, Ram didn't like Maro. Not until she was able to prove her worth at least.
"Okay," Rosan said and he extended his hand for Maro to grab. The girl, getting the hint, grabbed it in confusion.
"It's best to close your eyes the first time," Rosan suggested and Maro acquiesced.
Maro noticed Rosan's dead eyes glowing and the boy said "Modification, Link: Users Rosan, Maro."
The bluenette's confusion morphed into shock as a wave of dizziness hit her. It was such a bizarre sensation and Maro had no clue how to properly describe what was happening to her. The best way to explain it was that she was moving while being completely still.
At least it wasn't as bad as Rosan's pocket dimension. How the boy moved like nothing was wrong with that place, was beyond her. She had been left violently shivering the first time they entered it and the redhead had been forced to pick her up and move her.
The sensation finally stopped and Maro was once again confused. The reason why was because the girl was trying to process the reasoning for it suddenly being so unbelievably cold.
The girl hesitantly opened her eyes and gasped at the tragically beautiful sight before her.
It was a forest but, unlike standard forests, there was no green. Everything was white due to the combination of ice and snow and even the trees were frozen. It was snowing and Maro had to wonder just where they were.
It was hauntingly beautiful but looking at it, filled the bluenette with no joy.
"This is my mindscape, it is a representation of who I am as a person," her Master's voice suddenly said and she looked towards the boy who was just as under dressed as her but, seemingly unaffected by the cold.
"Why a-a-aren't ya c-cold?" Maro asked, teeth chattering as she shivered.
"Modification regulates my body depending on the weather to shield me from its effects," Rosan explained.
Rosan's Devil Fruit was amazing.
"Thank you, now follow."
The bluenette followed after the retreating boys back in curiosity. At one point, they had to stop because she was shivering so much and Rosan, without looking back, placed a jacket onto her.
She looked in awe as it suddenly materialized and she thanked her Master, who just waved her off, and said "It was delaying us, that's all."
The two eventually arrived to a large, hot pink, house with vegetation that, was growing despite the cold, and a scarce amount of trees surrounding it. The white door was shut tightly and the floor wasn't as icy as other parts of the forest.
Before they could even approach the house, the door burst open and a figure rocketed out. Maro went stiff on instinct, but the figure ignored her completely and jumped on Rosan. The boy had clearly been expecting this because he didn't even get pushed back from the force.
Maro was about to help her Master, but she stopped when she noticed that the unknown figure was…nuzzling him?
"Father~," the figure gushed and Rosan wrapped his arms around the now identified girl.
She was the same height and had the same skin tone as Rosan with long, wavy silver hair, styled into twintails, that had dark purple streaks running through them. The tips of said silver hair were dipped into more purple and gave the girl a rather exotic appearance. She had full lips, long eyelashes, a button nose, and the most intriguing eyes Maro had ever seen!
The combination of red and purple in her eyes reminded her of Master Rosan!
She was wearing a black and purple Spanish-style double breasted coat that extended past her knees and stopped just above her boots.
The girl was as pretty as Angel! She looked like some sort of combat royalty princess and Maro found herself gaping at the close proximity between her and Rosan.
"Greetings, Ram," Rosan greeted and the girl purred as he rubbed her back.
"I missed you, Father!" She exclaimed.
"You saw me yesterday."
"I know~."
Maro sweatdropped at their reaction and Ram seemed to finally noticed her because her expression turned serious in an instance and it almost looked as if she were glowering at her. Those mixed eyes of hers were narrowed and her pretty face was rather unamused.
Seriously, why did everyone on the ship have a problem with her?
"Ram," Another voice, more mature then anyone on the ship, called and the one known as Ram, instantly morphed back into happiness. She nuzzled into Rosan, who just accepted it with that same blank expression of his.
The bluenette looked towards the source of the voice and felt her jaw drop. Standing before her, had to have been the prettiest woman she had ever seen!
Tall, just a little taller then Angel, with a curvy figure and perfectly lustrous hair, the figure before her was stunning. Her skin was a bronze hue that was only a little lighter then Rosan's with full, pouty lips and sharp blood red eyes eerily similar to Rosan's left eye. She had long purple hair, styled into a hime cut, that stopped right above her butt and a long black dress streaked with white.
Upon further inspection, she saw that there was some sort of cube design thing on her chest.
Maro was left blushing as she realized that she had been unintentionally staring at the woman's boobs.
She was downright gorgeous.
"Why is everyone on this ship so damn attractive?" She thought to herself. Angel, Demon, Rosan, Maro and this mysterious woman (who had to be Mod-chan) were all lookers.
"Because their appearances are based on me," Rosan said bluntly. Maro snapped to attention as she heard that and the realization hit her that they had heard all of her thoughts.
Ram had a smug smile on her pretty face and practically preened at the, obvious to her, compliments.
"Of course we're all attractive! Have you seen Father? He's been good looking since he was a baby!" She spoke like it was the most obvious thing in the world and, though she looked the least like Rosan, she was still very attractive in Maro's eyes.
The woman, who had to have been Mod-chan, blushed slightly and said "Thank you for the compliment Maro. Rosan has told me multiple times but it's nice to hear an outside source confirm it."
This woman was trying to make Maro fall in love with her.
Mod blushed deeper and Maro realized that she could still be heard.
"I-I u-uh s-sorry bout that… I u-uh didn't mean for ya to hear that." Maro felt like she was about to combust on the spot. This was so embarrassing. She held her head in her palms and moaned miserably.
Ram was laughing wildly as she clung onto Rosan, who just watched the entire exchange. No doubt he would have joined in on the teasing if he could.
Mod cleared her throat to move the topic forward and Maro mentally thanked the lady. Ram instantly stopped laughing when the woman shot her a glare and the silver haired girl cowered behind Master.
Maro decided right then and there that Mod was up with Demon as her favorite people on the ship.
"I appreciate that Maro," Mod said with a kind smile on her face. "I'm Modification, or Mod for short. It's nice to meet you," she held out her hand and Maro hastily went to shake it.
"That's Ram," Mod informed her as she pointed towards the silver haired girl. Said girl stuck her tongue out at Maro. "Forgive her, she is Rosan's weapon and she is not that fond of you."
Maro shot her a questioning glance for both of the things she said and Mod was kind enough to answer her.
"The ring you've seen Rosan use, the one that can transform into any weapon, that's Ram. Rosan created her because he wanted a flexible weapon that fit his fighting style. As for her not being fond of you… well Rosan is turning you into a weapon as well and you aren't doing a very good job," she explained making Maro remember the exact moment she was probably talking about.
"Father doesn't need deadweight like you helping him. You'll only get him injured or worse," Ram growled and Maro flinched at the acidity in her tone.
"So far, you've proven to be a failure of a weapon and, a weapon who can't do their job correctly, is a weapon better off destroyed."
Not even Angel was this mean to her. Maro nervously stepped closer to Mod at the look in the weapon's unique eyes. Her words were incredibly cruel and the bluenette didn't like how much they affected her.
Her tone was different then Rosan's. Maro knew now, after spending time with him and from Angel, that Rosan just spoke what was on his mind and due to not having any emotions, he saw no need to censor what he said. The boy was practically a robot.
Ram was different. Her words were just as much of a weapon as the ones she could morph into. The ring truly didn't think she was useful at all and saw no purpose in her being here and she spoke with enough venom for Maro to know that she was trying to hurt her.
Maro did not want to be left alone with this girl.
"Ram," Mod chastised "I thought you said you would stop your hostility."
Ram scowled and her mixed eyes were narrowed. "That's before I knew I'd have to meet her face to face. Father I don't think you need someone like her supporting you," she declared, looking at Rosan.
The 3 looked at the boy, who's expression had not once shifted, and waited to hear what he had to say.
"Everyone fails at least once, Ram," Rosan eventually said. "It's what makes a person human. I have failed my fair share of times and I've lost everything as a result."
Their eyes wavered as guilt crept into them.
"To condemn Maro because she failed once, especially after she made the resolve to continue down this path, would make me a hypocrite," Rosan informed the silver haired girl.
Maro felt her heart flutter at the boys words and she felt a newfound loyalty stirring inside of her.
"Rosan, Mod, Ram… I will become a weapon worthy of being your partner. Worthy of being acknowledged by all of you. You 3 may reject how useful I am now but, I will become your best supporter yet. That is a promise."
Maro felt fired up and her orange eyes were practically shining in determination. Distantly, she realized this was the only reason she was alive. She fought so hard to survive solely because the world rejected her existence.
These 3 were doing it right now. That was unacceptable.
"So petty," Mod said, with a smile on her face as she proudly looked at the girl who finally stood up for herself.
"I like that look in your eyes! It's the look of someone who will be useful to Father!" The gleam in Ram's eyes was psychotic and she grinned wildly, sharp canines on full display.
"I believe you," Rosan said making her eyes widen in shock. "That determination is the same look you had when you told me your reason for living. You will become a valuable asset and I'll help you get to that."
Maro felt tears well into her eyes at their words. They… they believed in her? No one had ever believed in her.
No, that wasn't true. From the moment he had given her a purpose, Rosan had believed in her. The first person to ever believe in her had been believing since they had met. She had just not seen the obvious.
The orange eyed girl locked eyes with the heterochromatic boy and she felt her loyalty spike.
She would not let him down. Maro would do everything in her power to become strong.
For him.
"Master," she called, sounding more confident then she had ever sounded.
"Yes?" Rosan replied with a tilted head.
"I want a Devil Fruit," she claimed.
The thought had been lingering in the back of her mind since Rosan had introduced the fruit to her but now, seeing how useful his own was, Maro wanted one that she could call her own.
Mod's delicate purple brow was raised in surprise and Ram's grin was blinding.
Rosan stared at her for a moment with his head still tilted. Eventually the boy said "Okay," which left her grinning happily.
"I have just the one for you."
Misadventures of Robin and Rosan – 8
Robin and Rosan are 10 and 6 respectively.
Robin gets captured by a crew she infiltrates and Rosan goes to save her.
This crew was more paranoid then Robin could ever imagine. Her being tied up and bruised was a testament to that.
It was a lapse in judgment on her part and one she paid dearly for.
The girl struggled in her bindings to no avail. She was currently being suppressed by seastone so her abilities were out of the question. She was completely trapped.
Just great. How did they even get their hands on seastone? If she knew they had it, she wouldn't have bothered infiltrating them.
"Still struggling eh?" One goon laughed at her and she stared neutrally at him, refusing to show emotion. He didn't appreciate that because a slap greeted her right cheek and she collapsed onto the floor.
"You probably think you're so smart, bitch," he snarled at the fallen girl. "Captain had you all figured out. He knew there was something fishy about you and so we went ahead and captured ya."
Despite the sting in her cheek, Robin had retained her previous expression and leveled the man with an even stare. "I have not even done anything and you immediately capture me? I didn't imagine you'd be so afraid of a little girl," she remarked and flinched as he slapped her again.
"Shut your fucking mouth," he growled out and he looked like he was about to strike her again but a banging on the door, telling him lunch was ready, stopped him. He glared at her one last time before exiting the room, leaving Robin by her lonesome.
The girl let out a pained sigh at the bruises and she closed her eyes.
She missed Rosan.
The connection between him and Robin had been abruptly cut.
There was only one thing that would cause that.
Seastone.
Robin-nee had been captured.
Robin-nee had been captured because of a plan that he made.
Robin-nee had trusted him with the plan and because of it, she was captured.
Rosan was going to make whoever did this pay.
"For once, I agree with you. How dare they touch Robin," Mod scowled in barely contained fury.
Rosan said nothing and that was worrying enough. Rosan always had something to say. It was in the redhead's nature.
As they approached the ship she was captured on, Rosan placed his disguise on and prepared for combat. It was nighttime and his ship was being hidden well in the darkness. There was also the fact that it was camouflaged and most of the members were probably sound asleep barring their scout.
There would be hell to pay.
Robin was awoken rather abruptly as someone gently shook her.
She was tempted to ignore it but the hands were much too small to be a crew member. They also felt very familiar.
The brunette opened her blue eyes and was greeted by darkness and a purple glow.
The 10 year old couldn't help the smile that reached her face. "Rosan?" she whispered and the 6 year old nodded his head before removing his hoodie to show her his adorable face.
Robin could have kissed him at that moment! She was so relieved to see him.
Rosan began working on removing her bindings and Robin chose that moment to start questioning him.
"Crew?"
"Sleeping. One was awake, but I threw him overboard."
"Noise?"
"None. Snuck in. They don't know I'm here… Yet."
"Are you okay?"
"...Are you okay?"
"I'm doing better now that you're here."
"…"
Rosan undid her ropes and paused as he saw her handcuffs. The boy tilted his head before he rummaged around for something. He pulled a simple nail out and modified it into a key.
The handcuffs clicked open and Robin let out a breath as the effects wore off.
"Welcome back, Robin," Mod said warmly as their connection was reestablished.
Robin smiled in relief. She didn't like not being connected to Rosan. It left her with her own thoughts and those thoughts never made her feel good.
"Thank you Mod-chan," she replied.
"Back where you belong," Rosan said and she rolled her eyes at how possessive he was.
She gratefully grabbed the boys hands and he hauled her up. The girl couldn't help but wince as she stood up and of course, Rosan did not miss it.
His bright purple eyes suddenly roamed her entire body and Robin paused as he grabbed her chin and inspected her face.
The look of sheer hatred in his eyes terrified her.
"Did… did they do this to you?" Rosan asked and his voice was so quiet that Robin struggled to hear.
"...Yes they did," she eventually answered. There was no point lying to him. The child was amazing at detecting lies and it's not like she wanted to protect the crew. She was just afraid of his reaction after she did say yes.
The boys expression turned hauntingly cold and he simply said "I see."
"Wait here."
Robin could do nothing but obey the order. She sat in the seat her captive had been sitting in and collapsed.
She distantly realized that she was shivering and stopped it immediately. The Hana Hana no mi user would never be afraid of her dear Rosan. It was just… at that moment he had actually scared her. The look in his glowing eyes had terrified her and she wasn't sure if it was just the night sky but, his sclera had looked black.
A child should not be that scary. Especially not one as adorable as Rosan.
The sounds of combat began soon enough. There was screaming, flesh hitting flesh, people begging for mercy and then silence.
Robin finally regained enough energy and made her way out of the room. What she saw, left her mouth open.
Rosan was standing there with a litter of bodies surrounding him, all unconscious.
The boy looked utterly serene, hoodie down, and looked as if he had not just taken an entire crew on by himself.
He detected her and turned towards her. "Robin-nee," he called and she felt herself straighten up at his tone.
"Tell me which one hurt you."
It didn't take her long to find the culprit. He had a shaggy beard with messy black hair.
"I-it was him," Robin said shakily, pointing a finger at him.
Rosan's cold eyes turned into hatred so quickly it left Robin reeling. The redhead marched over to the man's body and ruthlessly slapped him awake. He let out a startled yelp and instantly shut up as he saw said hatred.
"You think you can put your hands on my Robin-nee and get away with," Rosan snarled. "I'll make you regret the day you even looked at her," the boy finished before extending his hand and cupping the man's face.
"Modify: Sensitivity," he intoned and nothing happened outwardly.
Robin didn't even know Rosan could modify something like your sensitivity. That was utterly terrifying and could easily win him a battle if he upped it against a person unused to pain.
Like he did now.
Rosan withdrew his left hand, before morphing it into a fist and slamming it into her captives left cheek.
The agonized shriek he let out would be embedded into Robin's mind for a while. The man sounded as if he were being killed and Robin knew that if his sensitivity really had been upped, it was very likely that it was what he felt.
Rosan didn't even flinch at the scream. The redhead repeated the process with his other fist and slammed it into his right cheek this time. He repeated this process with his left hand again and then did the same with his right.
The man wailed in agony and began to plead for mercy.
"Oh dear," Mod said but she didn't sound disappointed.
The brunette watched Rosan repeatedly whale away at the man who's screaming only got louder and louder before it cracked. Only when he finally blacked out, did Rosan stop his brutal assault.
The boy picked the offender up and threw him into the ocean.
Rosan looked around at the discarded bodies and repeated the process.
Soon, he was done and he made his way over to Robin. The anger from his eyes had vanished and as he looked at her, they morphed into something far more caring.
He pulled her into a hug and said "I'm sorry for scaring you."
Of course he knew. Nothing got past this boy.
Her eyes softened as she heard him apologize and she, without hesitation, hugged him back. "It's okay Rosan, it just caught me off guard."
She had never seen him so angry. Robin had no clue Rosan's mean streak went this far. The boy had turned downright murderous after seeing the bruises on her skin and the sounds of the crew, as she was recovering, were ones of pure agony.
It was scary but… it's not like the anger was directed towards her.
No, the anger was because of what happened to her. Someone had gotten angry on her behalf…
Robin was touched and she hugged Rosan tighter.
Rosan was scary, but not to her.
No, Rosan would never scare her.
Character Sheet: Maro
Name: Maro
Alias: Grim
Age: 11
Gender: Female
Summary: Born on an island in the North Blue. Maro is an orphan who has been struggling to survive since she could speak. Seemingly hated by everyone on her home island, the girl spites them by continuing to live despite their wishes. This determination to prove the ones who hate her wrong, has piqued the interest of Portgas D. Rosan and the boy decided to take her onto the ship so that he could train her. She works hard to prove herself as Reaper's partner, Grim.
Appearance: Fair skin with varying outfits supplied to her by Angel. Normally white in some way (due to being Angel's favorite color).
Height: 4'8 (142 cm)
Hair: Silky, azure blue hair that's chin level with bangs that cover the left side of her face, stopping right above her left eye so as to not block her vision.
Eyes: Burnt orange.
Likes: Demon, Mod, Angel, Rosan, Food, Sleeping, and being useful.
Dislikes: Hunger, being left alone, being useless, people who deny her existence.
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