章 2: Chapter 2: Despair
Rosan loved the freedom that being outside granted him.
He loved the wind that brushed against his face, the noise of the wildlife, the palm trees, and the sunny weather.
Rosan loved everything about Baterilla… except for the lizards.
Rosan really really really didn't like lizards — you know, let's not get into that.
It had been one week since the redhead had confronted his mother. Since he had begged her to not exclude him from her life of pain.
Patting himself on the back on how perfectly and maturely he handled that, Rosan was confident the scolding he had given his mother had solved most of their issues!
After their talk, Rouge had a few instances when the pain of pregnancy was too much to deal with and when that happened, Rosan would be right there. The boy took to soothing her and rubbing her back to ensure that his mother understood that she wasn't alone.
It seemed to help because the pain would quickly abate soon after.
Neither realized that Rosan was subconsciously using Modification to make the pain go away. Rouge had an inkling, but she was just glad that the pain was gone. The redheaded boy clearly didn't know much about his Devil Fruit, if he didn't realize what he was doing, but it seemed to adhere to his wishes in some ways.
That brings us to our current moment.
Rosan was sitting cross legged in the same clearing that he had found and ate his devil fruit. He had been wanting to speak to Modification again and practice what he could do, but Mama had been strict with her punishment this time (he was rather spoiled) and the redhead didn't wanna risk making her genuinely upset.
The four year old shuddered at the thought. For someone so sweet, Mama was really scary.
Rouge had decided, after one week, that Rosan had been adequately punished. The strawberry-blonde had very clearly warned Rosan about what would happen if he decided to do something so dumb again and her son nodded rapidly in agreement.
Rosan couldn't help but shiver as he saw the look on her face. Underneath his Mama's smile, was a terrifying demon that new Devil Fruit user swore he would not bring out. The 4 year old refused to be the idiot that suffered her ire.
Though it was hard to believe, Rosan was in fact not stupid whatsoever!
…Darn, he was getting off track. He tended to do that a lot didn't he. It wasn't his fault! Everything was just so interesting! There was always something else grabbing his attention and once his attention got grabbed, he jumped to it like —
Rosan smacked his cheeks with both hands in order to stop himself from doing it again and actually began to focus. Once he focused on something, nothing could stop him!
Now, he needed to speak to Mod-chan before something stopped him.
Not that anything could!
…
"How am I supposed to get Mod-chan to speak to me again?" He mused. Maybe she was sleeping? He wouldn't wanna wake her up in that case because if someone woke him up from his sleep, he'd go crazy! U-unless it was Mama of course!
"I do not require sleep," A monotone voice spoke and Rosan yelped as he jumped and hit his head on a branch.
Rubbing his head, Rosan whined in pain and said, "Can ya warn me before you do that please. I got scare — y-you nearly scared me there!" he hastily corrected himself. He suddenly stopped and a look of confusion came across his face. He didn't say that out loud so how did she?
"Hey… are you some type of wizard? How did you know that I wanted to talk to ya?" Rosan asked.
Modification explained swiftly and told him, "I'm a voice inside of your head so, it stands to reason that I can read your mind." Rosan nodded his head at her explanation without much issue. It made sense so he wouldn't argue.
"Wait!" he suddenly exclaimed.
If she could hear his thoughts then… "Why didn't ya speak to me at all until now, Mod-chan!" The boy asked in childish fury. He had been avoiding speaking out loud to avoid getting in trouble with Mama but, if he could speak to her in his mind, then he'd have nothing to worry about!
Modification for their part was surprised. They took a bit longer to reply and asked "You… wanted to speak to me?"
Without hesitation Rosan said, "Well duh, we're friends! Don't be so dumb, Mod-chan."
As he spoke to the voice in his head, Rosan realized that he made a very important oversight and the boy said, rather loudly, "Wait wait Mod-cha — I mean Mod! I never asked if you were a boy or a girl!"
The redhead moaned at how he forgot something as simple as that. "I'm sorry I heard your voice and thought you were a girl, so I called you Mod-chan this whole time… Please tell me you aren't a boy, I'd feel so bad!" The boy finished and he held his head in his palm.
Modification, for their part, was utterly baffled at this boy named Rosan. He wanted to speak to it? Called them friends? Asked for its gender? Modification did not have a gender. Such trivialities had never mattered to the fruit. Yet, they seemed to matter to this boy.
Just who was this child?
He made absolutely no sense to the Devil Fruit. It showed, because the fruit was delayed in the answer that it gave.
Rosan waited patiently, full of remorse. The boy was getting more and more upset because the silence seemingly confirmed his mistakes.
He was actually really torn up about this. Modification, not wanting to see him upset any longer, made a decision in that moment.
"I apologize for taking so long to respond. To answer your question, pertaining my gender, I am in fact a girl. There's no need to be upset, you were right," She placated him and wasn't that just strange? The, now identified woman, had no gender before hand, yet she had gone out of her way to make sure this strange boy was no longer upset with himself.
Well, guess she was a girl now.
Rosan brightened up immediately at that "Really?! Awesome, I knew it! People sometimes think I'm a girl too so I'm glad I didn't be dumb like them!" He babbled excitedly and Mod-chan felt something stir at that.
Huh, how odd.
"May I ask you a question Rosan?"
Rosan sighed and Mod assumed he was about to deny her request. Imagine her surprise when the boy said, "Mod-chan," in a scolding tone "Don't be so dumb, dummy. Of course you can ask!"
Mod was surprised by his response, but Rosan wasn't finished. "And stop that! You use too much big words I don't know. We're friends so you don't have to speak to me like that y'know!"
Modification could not believe what she was hearing right now. She was getting reprimanded by a boy who probably couldn't even count to 100 (He totally could!)! It would have been funny, if not for the fact that she actually felt properly scolded!
How had he managed to make her feel bad? What was this boy? Was it because he had called her a friend…?
"Rosan you called me your… friend, what do you mean by that?" Mod asked softly.
Rosan blinked in confusion and his eyes widened before morphing into guilt. "Oh… I'm sorry," he apologized glumly. "I was so happy to get a new friend but I didn't think about the fact that you may not want to be my friend," the redhead said in clear distress.
One of the few chances he had to make a friend and he already ruined it.
Great job Rosan.
"This boy must be protected at all costs," Mod decided right then and there. He was far too cute for his own good and seeing him so upset over her question, had her rushing to reassure him. "I'd love to be your friend Rosan!"
The boy startled a bit before beaming in pure joy at her and it made Mod want to smile too. "I just wanted to know why you wanted to be friends with me? You haven't know me for long, so why?" She was genuinely curious as to why he was so eager.
As Rosan heard her speak his face split into a megawatt smile, his eyes practically glowed and the sharp fangs of his teeth, gleamed to match his excitement. Barely composing himself, Rosan eventually said, "Well you said we're gonna be together now, until I die right? Well, I'm never gonna die so we're gonna be together forever, Mod-chan! We might as well be friends!"
It was as simple as that but Rosan said it so earnestly and so matter-of-factly, that there was no doubt he meant it.
Mod was prepared to speak, but she realized Rosan wasn't done speaking. She watched as his eyes went downcast and instantly, the Devil Fruit got worried for the boy she was quickly growing fond of.
Oh no… she was already whipped.
"Sometimes it gets really lonely..." He started and this was the quietest she heard him speak yet. "I don't really have any friends," he admitted depressingly. "There's only one person near my age and she doesn't even look at me when we talk… I have Mama, but I don't wanna bother her because she's busy with her stuff." Rosan's eyes got a bit foggy as he continued "I don't have anyone to play with, so I come to the forest and just do whatever I want. But, even that can't distract me all the time."
Mod felt increasingly worse as Rosan continued spilling his heart out to her and she felt her own heart pang in sympathy. This was clearly eating the boy up inside and seeing as he likely had no friend to vent to, she wouldn't speak until he was done. As his friend, she would gladly let him get this off his chest.
True to her observations, Rosan continued unhindered. "You sounded so surprised when I wanted to speak to you! I think Mod-chan is lonely like me, so I was thinkin we could just be each other's friends!" He tried to sound excited, but it did little to mask the desperation in his tone.
It tore at her newly discovered heart strings to see the boy, she had so quickly grown attached to, so distressed.
"Since we share bodies, it'll be hard to hide stuff from each other so, we might as well get comfortable with each other or it could get really bad. The best way to do that, is to be friendly with each other so we might as well be friends!" Rosan kept rambling on reasons why they should be friends and it honestly hurt to see how much he craved attention.
Mod felt something unfamiliar surging through her as he tried to convince her on why it was a good idea to be his friend. It was clear that this boy was unbearably lonely sometimes. She felt a flash of surprise and respect for the boy acknowledging that he could easily get attention from his mother, but refused to just for the sake of her being at even a little more peace.
It was as incredible as it was worrying to realize that this boy was only 4 years old and it flared instincts in Mod that she didn't know she had.
It only took a moment for her to recognize this steadily increasing feeling as a strong sense of over protectiveness and… the Devil Fruit wasn't as against it as she thought she would be.
No in fact, she welcomed this feeling wholeheartedly.
Rosan was a caring child who just wanted the best for those he liked. In his eyes, even someone like her who, for all intents and purposes, was an intruder in his body. She was just an opportunity for him to finally make a friend he no doubt longed for.
As the feelings inside started developing, Mod slowly began to find her own resolution.
She had never quite met someone like Rosan and he intrigued her to a degree the Devil Fruit had never felt. His cheerful demeanor and unwarranted confidence was quite endearing to her and she wished to see him grow up.
This was the first time her user had been someone so young and she felt an unsettling feeling stir inside her at the thought of Rosan meeting the same fate as the wielders before him.
That feeling was so strong, that she made absolutely sure that fate wouldn't befall him.
The resolution that was building inside of her only strengthened and Mod made up her mind right then and there. She would help young Rosan in any way that she could with all the knowledge she had amassed and ensure his safety because he was the first person who didn't want to use her for their own selfish gain. It felt… nice to be shown such affection and so, she decided to return the feeling in the only way she knew how.
It was the least she could do for living freely inside of him without his permission.
Rosan had gone silent, awaiting her response in barely concealed nervousness. She smiled fondly at how much the redhead anticipated her answer. She appreciated how considerate he was and decided to stop his suffering before he jumped to conclusions.
Something told her the boy was very close to doing just that.
"Rosan." The child perked up as he heard her call him and he listened intently, eagerly awaiting her response. "I'm flattered that you even asked. As long as you are alive, you can always rely on me to be there for you," Mod said as sincerely as possible. Rosan was one of a kind and the first person to extend a hand to her.
She would be his closest companion if she had to be.
Stunned, Rosan listened with wide eyes before breaking out into one of the largest grins she had seen yet (and she had seen a lot). His little sharp fangs were glistening and Rosan wiped the lingering tears away. The 4 year old boy began to cheer in pure elation at what he heard and Mod felt flattered that she was capable of eliciting such a reaction out of him.
He was genuinely overjoyed that she wanted to be friends and it filled her with an unexplainable warmth. Another part, felt a slight amount of sadness that the redhead was so desperate for companionship in the first place.
"Rosan deserves all the friends in the world," Mod thought to herself as she took in his adorable glee with fondness. It was their loss if they didn't want to be around the ray of sunshine.
By now, the boy had jumped up from his crisscross position, in favor of launching himself around the clearing. A little red missile shot around the entire forest yelling his joy to the world. It was incredibly infectious to witness and she was in no rush to stop him.
Mod really was whipped already. She wanted to protect everything about this boy.
It took 5 minutes for Rosan to settle down. The little boy sat, brimming with excitement, and Mod smiled at it all. The Devil Fruit had her doubts before, but seeing his reaction had wiped all of it away. She would do her absolute best to keep this boy safe.
She had no regrets so. Which is why she decided to tell the boy something extremely important right then and there. "Rosan there is something I have to tell you about that's incredibly urgent…"
"So… you're super important, a lot of people want you, and they'll try and hurt me to get you huh?" Rosan rubbed his chin, like how the adults did, as he contemplated what Mod-chan had just told him.
"Yes, that's about right," Mod-chan replied and Rosan nodded at her confirmation.
After he had eventually settled down, Mod-chan had told him she had something important to tell him and so, he listened intently to what she had to say.
A bit of what she had said was confusing, but Rosan had gotten the gist of it.
Mod-chan wasn't just a Devil Fruit, she was a highly prized one that a lot of people would kill to have. The seagull guys especially, seemed to really like her and frequently got their hands on her. She had told him that they would, without hesitation, take him and turn him into a weapon if they were aware that he had her so, he needed to be careful.
Sucks for them, Mod-chan was his now, not theirs and it would stay that way for as long as he saw fit.
Rosan hummed in thought as he finished digesting the information. He didn't wanna be used by other people for their own gains; Getting captured was one of the last things the redhead wanted. The boy wanted to be free to make any and all decisions for himself and he would be darned if the seagull men took that away from him.
Above all else, Rosan wanted to do as he pleased and he absolutely refused to let himself be shackled.
"Okay Mod-chan, I believe you! What should we do? N-not that I don't already have a plan!" Rosan asked her. The boy was trying to put on a serious front but he was completely failing due to how adorable he was.
Mod couldn't muster up the courage to tell him such a thing though.
The Devil Fruit, for her part, was surprised at the absolute trust Rosan displayed in her. "You believe me?" she asked in slight shock. "Many would doubt me due to the negative light I am painting the World Government in."
Was he simply being naive? She would have to help stamp that out as quickly as possible for his own sake, if he was. It would do no good if someone else used the boys good nature for their own gain.
To Mod's surprise, Rosan's visage turned uncharacteristically dark, as a scowl appeared on his face. "I don't like the Seagull Men —" He began with a surprising amount of venom in his tone. "—They made mama hurt because they won't leave and I won't forgive them for that."
Mod honestly didn't know that cheerful Rosan was capable of holding such a grudge.
"I believe you, Mod-chan. Everyone says the seagull men are good people… but good people wouldn't kill someone who hasn't even been born yet," Rosan declared simply and that was that.
As far as he was concerned, the Marines had long since solidified themselves as his enemy anyways and Mod was just giving him another reason to be wary of them. How dare they just do whatever they wanted? They would pay. But, not yet because Rosan wasn't strong yet. But soon, he'd be the absolute strongest!
He'd be so strong, no one would even think to mess with his loved ones. Rosan felt his resolve strengthening and he gained a fire in his eyes.
Previously Rosan didn't have a set goal. The boy was content to live with his mother, just enjoying his life with her and his unborn sibling (who he knew was going to be a boy!). Now though, he had something to work for and he'd put his 100% in working towards it.
Rosan would become the strongest. He didn't care about ifs or buts. The boy would reach the top of the mountain and deal with anything that threatened his loved ones.
That was a promise.
Mod, being apart of him, felt all of this and she was awed at the pure conviction the boy radiated. His belief that he would become the strongest was simple and straight to the point. There was absolutely no room for doubt and, despite the little combat experience he had now, she believed him wholeheartedly.
She felt proud at the absolute confidence he emitted. Some would call it arrogance, but she knew better. Rosan was aware that it wouldn't be easy and he was willing to put in the effort to reach his goal.
The Devil Fruit would help in any way she could.
He had asked her what she wanted to do and, with his conviction, she felt more assured that this was the right course of action. "First, I suggest using my abilities in moderation. Due to the nature of Modification, it's very simple to disguise it as another Devil Fruit and that's what I'd like you to do. Only tell those who you have absolute trust in, my name."
Rosan nodded approvingly at her request. It made sense, telling the whole world he had Mod-chan, would definitely be a bad idea until he was strong enough to defend himself.
"Second, if you would allow, I'd like to personally modify you a bit… Only if you agree of course!" She hastily added, not wanting to rush into things. "Since you've consumed my fruit, you've already gone through some natural changes. Your body and mind were already quite impressive but they've only been upgraded now that you have me. I'd like to add a bit more quality of life however to help you as much as possible."
"Quality of life? Like what?" Eyes sparkling with curiosity and interest, Rosan was utterly fascinated by what she was talking about. Everything she was saying, was really interesting and ego boosting! His body and mind were already impressive? Of course it was! He was Rosan! He definitely wasn't blushing at the compliments Mod-chan had thrown at him.
Nope, not at all!
"Mostly simple things that will enhance your body. For instance, You'd have full control of your body and, with my assistance, we can properly regulate it of dangers. It also comes with the benefit of having a mindscape, which-" Rosan quickly interrupted, though reluctantly, "Sorry Mod-chan but what's a mindscape? It sounds cool but I never heard of one."
Mod nodded at what he said. It wasn't a surprise, not much bothered learning what a mindscape was because having one was nearly impossible. "Your mindscape, simply put, is a mental representation of you; how you feel, your character, likes, etc. Through your mindscape you will be able to regulate your body, speak with me, and even train a little bit. You can only train techniques and mentally however. Physically is not an option and you would still need proper rest. You're a growing boy after all."
Rosan nodded at the information as he processed all she said before a spark lit up in his eyes. "Wait wait... That means I'll get to see you! Hell — I-I mean heck yea! I wonder how you look? Are you tall, what color is your hair? You must be so pretty! We can get to know each other better like this! What are ya waiting for Mod-chan?! Let's make the mindscape, quick quick!" Rosan was practically vibrating with excitement at the revelation he had come to.
Mod was truly baffled. All the benefits that came with having a mindscape and the revelation that had sold Rosan, was the fact that he'd be able to see her? She didn't even have a gender before the boy had assumed she was a woman and she only agreed to it for the sake of not wanting to hurt his feelings. Now he wanted to meet her face to face?
Honestly, what a demanding child!
She could already tell how much of a handful he would be.
Sighing in exasperation, the Devil Fruit said "I'm glad you're so receptive to the idea Rosan. In theory we can see each other face to face and, since you're looking so forward to it, I'll get started on it right away." After a moment's pause she added, "Also, I must confess, I don't have an appearance. Is there anything in particular you prefer?"
Beaming, the child bluntly said, "Nope, I got nothin!"
She sweatdropped at his honest answer. It pained her to admit it, but she wasn't even surprised at his response. The Devil Fruit had already gotten used to the boys quirkiness and had expected an answer like that.
His antics were quickly becoming endearing to her and already they filled her with fondness. It was actually quite astonishing. Only one day of speaking to him and she had gotten so comfortable with the boy so quickly, that he had changed her entire character!
Rosan was quite the terrifying child in his own way. She had no doubt that in the future, he'd be an absolute force to be reckoned with.
Mod was looking forward to it.
"In that case, would you have a problem if I used you as the basis of my appearance?" She asked hesitantly.
Rosan, without even thinking about it, easily replied, "Sure that would be so cool! You can be like my big sister! It'll be so awesome!"
The redhead felt Mod smile and returned it brightly, as she said, "Thank you Rosan, I'm truly honored. In that case it will take about a week for me to finish the mindscape."
Feeling a teasing feeling well up inside of her, she smiled and said, "You should probably start heading home now. I doubt your mother would appreciate you being out this late."
With wide fearful eyes, Rosan noted that it was indeed getting very late and that yes, his mother would definitely not appreciate that. He quickly scrambled to rush home and all the while, Mod-chan giggled quietly at him.
Rosan changed his mind. Mod-chan was mean and he definitely was gonna give her a piece of his mind after he evaded his mother's wrath!
Mod kept laughing at the boy's misfortune. If she could continue to mess with Rosan like this, she could quickly see the beauty of their friendship.
Rouge shivered slightly as a cool breeze brushed against her. Winter was swiftly approaching and not even Baterilla was exempt from the effects.
She idly tightened the blanket surrounding both her and Rosan, as she leisurely sipped on some coffee. Her little Rose hummed in delight as he snuggled deeper into her body, intently focused on the book he was reading.
It honestly amazed her that someone as hyper active as Rosan, could actually sit down and read a book on his own accord. Reading was one of the few things that could get her son to sit and focus which always lessened her worry for him. Best of all, he actually liked reading!
The freckled woman didn't have to force him to do the task and that was great for her when the boy was being too hyper!
She noticed that her redheaded son had been much happier over the past few days. Despite his attempts to hide it from her, which was quite hypocritical if she said so herself, the boy had looked terribly lonely and it broke her heart.
Rouge knew he was hiding it from her because he didn't want to add more to her plate and that warmed her heart, but she didn't believe in favoritism and if her little boy was in need of some TLC, she would gladly give it to him.
Most of the children on the island were a few years older then Rosan. They had tried to intimidate little Rosan, to show just who was in charge, but he had thought it was a game and promptly beat them all into submission after they got into a fight. Rouge honestly hadn't known Rosan liked fighting but, looking at the wild grin on his face as she cleaned his bruises, told her everything she needed to know.
The boy was definitely a fighter.
She had been sure to lightly scold him, despite knowing he wasn't at fault, so that he could understand that you don't just beat people up for fun. Though, she was glad that he was willing to defend himself. A world like this would gladly pick on the defenseless.
But now, the older kids, with their bruised egos, avoided him like the plague and the few kids his age, wanting to fit in, soon followed suit. None of the kids wanted anything to do with him and, though he didn't mind at all (claiming he was way too awesome for them, which Rouge agreed with), the effects of being lonely, still slightly hurt the 4 year old.
Though there was that one girl, Shizuka. Rouge was sure she had a crush on Rosan, but the poor girl always got overwhelmed by her little boy's personality. His larger then life attitude and cheerful disposition was too much for the child to handle. Every time they met up, the boy would speak about anything and everything, to the point where she was reduced to generally not saying a word to him just so she could comprehend it all.
Worst of all, her silly Rosan just assumed that she didn't like him either so he stopped trying to talk to her. He completely disregarded the fact that the girl said on multiple occasions that she wanted to marry him.
"Poor girl," Rouge idly thought. Choosing to have feelings for her son of all people. Rosan was much smarter then he looked, but the boy was sorely lacking in social skills.
Well, at least she didn't have to worry about him finding the wrong girl too early. Her child had been blessed with good genetics and was going to grow up to be a looker and Rouge didn't want to have to fend off all his suitors. Like this though, those poor people attracted to Rosan would be lucky to even get a glance from the boy.
She had been getting ready to talk to him and make sure he was okay, when he came home late that day in a better mood than she had seen in a long time. Her son had apologized profusely for being late but despite that, he was smiling like he had won the lottery. The strawberry-blonde was happy that whatever weight was on his shoulder, had been lifted and it made her rest easier knowing he was happy again.
No doubt gaining an ability that he could focus his attention into, was helping with that in spades.
That had been a week ago and since then, he had been going out far more frequently. Rouge had to admit, despite being pleased that he had ways to occupy himself now, she did feel a slight pang of loneliness at times.
After Rosan had confronted his freckled mother, the two of them had begun to rely on each other far more. So him going out so frequently now, stung a little bit.
When it came to her however, nothing could escape Rosan's perception. That morning he had taken one look at her, right as he was about to go outside again, and promptly dropped everything he was about to do to instead hang out with his "super amazing Mama!" and that's how they ended up here, Rosan snuggling her under a warm blanket, reading a book, as she hummed a tune and drank her coffee.
Honestly, she was beginning to think it was impossible to hide anything from the 4 year old. It was like he was able to tell how she felt at just a glance. It was a scary ability of his and she was sure in the future, when he was older, it would be incredibly useful.
The two enjoyed each other's company, inside their home, sitting on a couch under the blankets, just enjoying their respective presence. She absentmindedly read the book with Rosan, something about dragons, as they both hid away from the cold weather. Though she didn't mind it as much as Rosan (he absolutely despised the cold), it still made her uncomfortable.
Rosan looked so comfortable she doubted he had any intention of leaving his spot on her lap. Knowing him, he was probably going to fall asleep soon in her grasp and she'd be cooing too hard at the adorable sight to move him.
She felt a little guilty about keeping him inside, so she would try to convince him otherwise and let him have some fun outdoors.
Rubbing a spot on his soft hair he especially liked, she struggled to contain her laughter as he melted into her touch, practically purring in delight. Rouge softly asked him, "Don't you want to go outside today, little Rose?"
Without even looking up, Rosan replied, "Nope, I don't wanna. It's way too cold, Mama! Also, you were sad, so now I wanna be with you."
Rouge sighed at his simple and blunt declaration, there was no point in arguing with him. Short of forcing him to do it, which she would never do, Rosan would definitely not change his mind. Still, blushing lightly, the mother was flattered that Rosan enjoyed spending time with her so much. She nuzzled his hair to hide her blush and began tickling his belly, catching the child completely off guard.
"Pffft — kahahahaha! Wait, Mama stop! I — wait wait! This ain't fai —" the boy was unable to finish and he helplessly devolved into more laughter. Rosan tried desperately to fend off her assault, but Rouge was merciless. She would tickle him until she felt like he had enough for being so adorable!
After what felt like eternity to the boy, but was actually just another minute, Rouge finally stopped.
Rosan lay flat on the floor, completely defeated and out of breath. The boys cheeks were flushed, matching his mother's in hue and he had a massive pout on his face. Sitting up after a moment's struggle, Rosan mustered up the angriest glare he could possibly muster to direct towards his mother!
He failed miserably but that was besides the point.
"T-that was cruel Mama! I didn't even do nuthin and y-ya know how ticklish I am," Rosan angrily declared, puffing his cheek in indignation.
Rouge had since stopped laughing and nearly melted at the sight. Composing herself, the mother said, in the most calm voice she could muster, "I'm sorry little Rose but, I have a good reason for doing it."
Rosan impatiently looked at her as she deliberately paused in her explanation. This had better be good or else she'd face his wrath!
Deciding to stop teasing him, she said, "You're just too cute my little Rose! I couldn't help it."
Okay, so maybe she wasn't done teasing him yet. Could you blame her? It was really fun messing with her adorable son.
Rosan stared at her in disbelief, mouth wide open and a deep blush painting his features. Rouge couldn't hold it in anymore and devolved into another fit of laughter. He had so much confidence yet, compliments still threw him for a loop.
Rosan, having finally had enough of her teasing, let out a battle cry and tackled her. Though his assault was perfect and well executed, his mother was a formidable opponent. Rouge took it all in stride and hugged the redhead lightly against her frame. The strawberry-blonde began rubbing the weak spot that was his soft hair and all the fight was drained out of the Devil Fruit user, as he instantly melted in her grasp.
The redhead sighed in bliss at the feeling. Yes, his mother was formidable indeed! He would spare her for now.
He would pointedly ignore how Rouge had not stopped laughing the entire time.
Rosan was practically buzzing with excitement!
He had been waiting for this day since Mod-chan had told him about it and it was finally here!
Dusk was swiftly approaching and Rosan idly shivered. The steady summer breeze that normally accompanied the island, had been replaced with a chilly wind that he felt in his core. The trees that normally swayed heavily had come to a near standstill in wake of the new weather. Even the sun dimmed down, temporarily conceding to nature.
Despite how much Rosan hated the cold, he marveled at how incredible nature was. An unyielding, unstoppable, overwhelming force that could never be stopped.
He wanted to be like that. Rosan wanted to be as dominant as a force of nature. Then nothing would be able to stop him! He'd be like a hurricane and sweep everything up!
The redhead was sat cross legged in the same clearing he always inhabited. Instead of his standard tee and shorts combo, Rosan had decided to dress appropriately for the weather. For his top half, he was adorned in a comfy purple hoodie that reached slightly below his waist and in the middle, was a red star. His lower half was just as simple, sporting snug black sweatpants. The cuff of the pants were tucked neatly into some snug black boots. To wrap it up, both his hands were covered in protective gloves.
Yes, Rosan was the picture perfect definition of prepared (Mama had made sure of it). So that begged the question... WHY WAS HE WAS STILL SO FREAKING COLD?!
As that thought passed through his head, a breeze brushed into his already rosy cheeks, causing him to let out a squeak of surprise. Rosan grumbled embarrassingly at the noise he let out and knew Mama would have laughed at him if she heard it.
Kami, he hated the cold so much.
Suddenly an idea popped into his head. "Mod-chan? Can you make me feel not so sucky against the cold?"
After a moment, the voice, he was growing comfortably familiar with, spoke up and told him "Yes, I can regulate your body temperature to suit your needs, depending on the weather. Would you like me to apply it?"
Nodding rapidly, Rosan exclaimed, "That's amazing! Mod-chan you're so awesome!" He marveled as the chill of the cold suddenly stopped bothering him. The breeze was still there but, where before he could barely handle it, now it felt totally normal!
That was soooo cool!
Mod blushed at his compliments and tried to change the subject due to the embarrassment she currently felt. "T-thank you Rosan but, don't we have another thing to discuss?" She asked knowingly.
Rosan's eyes widened as realization hit him and a large grin split his face. "The mindscape! It's ready, right?!" he asked excitedly. The boy was positively brimming with energy and Mod couldn't help but match it with a smile on her face.
Mod confirmed that it was in fact ready and Rosan cheered in joy, practically bouncing around the clearing in his happiness. "Yes! I get to finally see how you look, Mod-chan! I'm so excited! I waited an entire week for this and now it's time! C'mon, c'mon! I wanna go right now, Mod-chan!"
Mod definitely understood how people could feel overwhelmed by Rosan. When he got going, it was incredibly hard to get him to stop. Clearing her throat to get his attention, the redhead stopped chattering and listened intently to what she had to say.
Smiling that he respected her enough to stop instantly, Mod said, "Because mindscapes are normally impossible to achieve, it may be a bit difficult to enter yours. But don't be discouraged! You will be able to do it in time"
Nodding in understanding, Rosan grinned and said, "Don't worry Mod-chan, I won't get sad! So, how do ya do it?"
"Close your eyes and focus. Look for where you "feel" the deepest concentration of my ability. It's not easy to locate but once you find it, take grasp of it and imagine yourself next to me —"
"Wow Mod-chan, is that you?!" A voice cut her off, making her eyes widen in disbelief. "You're so pretty!" Rosan gushed as he took in her appearance. After a moment he glanced around in wonder and said, "This place is so awesome too!"
Mod couldn't help but open her mouth in shock as she looked down at the grinning boy.
B-but how? It wasn't incredibly difficult to enter the mindscape but still, it wasn't something a person simply got on their first try.
Yet here was the tiny little boy, purple gaze with tiny pupils shining, as he drank up her appearance.
Was he really that impressed with how she looked?
As if reading her thoughts, Rosan nodded rapidly. "Yea Mod-chan, you look incredible!" He confirmed as he beamed up at her in awe.
Unable to hide it, Mod flushed in embarrassment. She looked down at herself, the Devil Fruit wasn't sure if Rosan would have liked it, but it seemed like she was worried for nothing.
Mod stood at a modest height of 5'8 (172 cm). She had taken a page out of Rosan's book and her skin was a bronze hue just a shade lighter then his. Framing her heart-shaped face was a drape of purple hair similar shade to Rosan's eyes. It was styled into a hime cut that reached to just above her rear. She was fitted in a long, dominantly black with slight amounts of white on it, dress that reached all the way to her shoeless feet. Most notably however were her eyes. Two blood red orbs, lacking pupils, shined, as they directed their widened gaze to the boy who was at least two feet shorter then her.
Rosan, finally snapping out of his reverie, practically launched himself at her. She was shocked when he crashed into her but his light weight, meant she didn't stumble. Her apprehension was quickly wiped away as tiny little arms wrapped around her slim waist.
"I'm so happy to finally meet you Mod-chan! You're so pretty y'know? Your hair, it's so beautiful and your eyes are so bright, just like mine! Now that I know how to get to you, I'm gunna visit you so much now! Kahahahaha! We can have sleepovers now! Wait... weren't we kinda having them already? WELL, we can have even more!" Rosan cackled, speaking a mile a minute in his excitement.
In hindsight, it was only a matter of time before Rosan's entire character broke her. Having it happen now, instead of later, was probably a relief because this boy was very clearly insane.
Despite the revelation on Rosan's mental state however, Mod hesitantly wrapped her arms around his tiny frame and flashed him the first smile she had ever done in this new body. Rosan happily flashed her his signature grin, as he radiated an overwhelming amount of warmth and joy.
Mod was beginning to understand how Rouge felt. Despite the fact that this boy would very well be the death of her, the purple haired woman wanted nothing more then to protect him.
Finally satisfied, Rosan let her go and plopped himself down and began to observe his surroundings. "So this is my mindscape eh? Wow! This is exactly what I would want! Good job me!" the four year old said, praising himself with a pat on his back.
Mod deadpanned at how shameless Rosan was but she had to agree that it fit him well.
Rosan's mindscape had taken the form of a seemingly endless tropical forest. Trees reached high into the sky and were densely packed together. Not even the sun could pierce the green foliage. The grass was cut low enough where even someone as tiny as the redhead would not be bothered by it. The only noise, besides the two of them, were the leaves rustling against the gentle breeze. In an area, where not as many trees lay, a large hot pink house was stationed. It looked to be a two story building and just from the outside, he could tell it was barren and empty except for the bare necessities.
No matter, Rosan would change that soon enough. But that was for another time.
Mod finally managed to compose herself enough to speak. "Hello, it's nice to officially meet you," She began and Rosan's eyes began shining in excitement.
He could hear her in person now! It felt so weird to hear her soothing neutral voice in person and not as a voice in his head. "Like this, I can formally introduce myself. I am Modification, the Devil Fruit known as the Mod Mod no Mi and the partner of Portgas D. Rosan and it is my goal to ensure he achieves whatever it is he desires." She smiled down at Rosan as she concluded what she was saying.
Rosan understood quickly what she wanted and immediately followed her lead. "Nice to meetcha, Mod-chan! I'm Portgas D. Rosan! I wanna become the strongest in the world so that no one messes with the ones I love! I hope Mod-chan can be my partner before, when, and after I become the best," Rosan beamed, as he held out his hand expectantly.
Mod held out her hand as all apprehension was wiped from her form. No matter what, she would put her entire being into supporting Rosan. That she was sure of. It was the least she could do. As they grasped each other in a firm but friendly handshake, that quickly morphed into a hug, a deeper connection formed between boy and fruit.
A pair of red eyes, hidden from view, watched them the entire time.
While in the mindscape, Mod had taken the opportunity to explain basic things about her fruit usage and how he could use it.
The 4 year old was surprisingly intelligent and was quick on the uptake of things, though at the end of it, the boy decided to give her freedom to change what she deemed fit. She just had to discuss it with him and all would be fine. The trust he had in her, to give her such freedom, was touching but she needed to make sure Rosan was not this trusting to everyone he saw.
Rosan didn't notice how late it had gotten. The sun had long gone and he was sure if he went into town, there would not be a single person in sight. Panicking at the time, Rosan hastily got up. "Oh no Mod-chan, It's so late! I have to get home before Mama kills me!" The little boy quickly got up and began his quick journey home.
Oh man, he had so much explaining to do. Rosan sent a quick prayer hoping that Rouge was feeling merciful at the moment.
Mama wasn't home.
Rosan had rushed home in record time in order to tell his mother what happened and hoping that his excuses would hold up with the freckled woman. The redhead quickly unlocked the door and burst into their house, apologies already on the cusp of his lips. Said apologies died in his throat, when he realized his mother wasn't sitting in her rocking chair waiting for him. The child was briefly confused, before guilt overtook him.
She must have gotten tired, waiting so long for him, and had gone to sleep in her room. Dang it, he was being a bad son by ignoring his mother's wellbeing and flooding her with unnecessary stress.
Rosan quickly, but quietly made his way to her room to check up on her. It was too dark to navigate but Rosan refused to open the lights. If she was sleeping then he wouldn't want to disturb her.
Right on cue, everything became visible and Rosan sent a mental thanks up to Mod-chan. "Think nothing of it," was all she said. With that, Rosan continued, now unimpeded by the dark, to his Mama's room. He finally made it to her room and slowly cracked the door open an inch just to confirm his suspicions that she was sleeping. He just wanted to see her. The boy didn't want to wake her up so he'd check up on her and go to sleep himself.
There was nobody there.
Now Rosan was getting worried. "M-Mod-chan, d-did somethin happen to Mama?"
He gasped as he asked, "Did someone t-take her?"
Mod quickly soothed Rosan's worries before he could delve into those what ifs. "That is unlikely. There are no signs of a break in." She had been observing their surroundings the entire time due to knowing that there was no way Rouge would go to sleep, without knowing of Rosan's whereabouts. "Furthermore, I noticed that one of the coats on the hanger have gone missing. The most possible outcome, is that your mother left on her own accord."
As Rosan absorbed the new information, a light bulb went off in his head. Slamming a fist against his palm, Rosan exclaimed, "She's at the hospital!"
Mod was impressed at how quickly he had deduced that. "Yes. That is most likely the explanation for why she is out so late. Well done, Rosan." The boy beamed at her praise, feeling quite proud of himself.
Rosan was excited! Mama being at the hospital could only mean one thing. The baby was on the way! Grinning in excitement, the redhead prepared to depart the house again.
Rosan began sprinting towards the hospital as he quickly left his home. "Mama probably doesn't want me to be there," he whispered to himself. "Is there anyway we can spy on her without getting caught?" the child asked his newest friend.
Mod confirmed that there was a way and Rosan grinned in excitement.
He quickly made his way into the town with a spring in his step. It was incredibly late and extremely dark but, thanks to Mod-chan, he could see just fine. Everyone had long since retreated into their homes and Rosan should have been the only one out.
Things were never quite that simple though.
"Rosan —" Mod suddenly began urgently "—Stop! You need to hide!"
Immediately, Rosan skid to a stop, confusion making its way onto his features, as he heard what Mod-chan said. He complied however and quickly tucked his tiny frame into a nearby flower shops display plant.
Soon enough the reason for Mods concern revealed itself.
A veritable giant, in comparison to Rosan, turned the corner. Tall, tanned, broad-chested, the muscular man surely struck intimidation into whatever he focused on. His hair and goatee were black, with sideburns beginning to whiten. He wore a dark double breasted suit with a white shirt and a red tie. What stood out the most however, were his shoulder pads. Whereas the normal were red and blue, this man's shoulder pads were black and red.
A marine and an important one at that.
Rosan's tiny pupils narrowed into slits, as the man, who was holding a lantern, lumbered past him. He didn't dare make a sound as the man walked directly past the hidden child.
Thankfully, the boy wasn't noticed and Rosan allowed himself a breathe as the giant kept on walking...
Directly towards the hospital.
Rosan's eyes widened in terror, as the implications struck him. That incredibly strong marine was walking to the hospital. The hospital where his mother was at. The hospital where Marines had ruthlessly killed any pregnant woman's child.
The hospital where his pregnant mother was currently at.
The hospital where his pregnant mother was currently at.
A foreboding feeling made its way into little Rosan's stomach. T-this couldn't be happening. The Marines... they had left weeks ago! They had finally given up! So why?! Why was there such a strong one here now? WHY WAS HE HERE?!
"Mod-chan, who is that?! Why is he here? You recognize him, right?!" Rosan asked frantically and it was true, Mod did recognize him. It was hard not to. But, breaking this news to Rosan would be so hard.
"Rosan… that's "Garp the Fist." He's a vice admiral and he was bestowed the title, Hero of the Marines. He's also known as the rival to... the late Pirate King, Gol D. Roger," Mod told the 4 year old softly.
Rosan felt dizzy as he processed that information. This person, Garp, knew his father. Worst of all, they seemed to have history with each other.
That man... was his dad's rival?
That man was his dad's rival and he was walking towards the hospital.
That man was his dad's rival and he was walking towards the hospital.
That foreboding feeling, in Rosan's stomach, solidified into pure dread.
His mother was in danger.
Rosan stamped down the urge to rush into action. He stood no chance against that man and so, he needed to act with caution. "Mod-chan, I'd like to spy on that man but from a distance," Rosan said, voice completely serious.
Mod was impressed that the boy was able to understand the severity of the situation. "There is a way. Give me a moment, I'll upload the directions to you directly." The Devil Fruit replied, sounding just as serious as him.
It only took a moment before Rosan received said info. He lightly touched his head at the influx of information but the moment soon passed. His eyes glowed with knowledge and the redhead knew exactly what he needed to do now.
Nodding determinedly, Rosan quickly looked for the object that he needed. Finding it quickly, Rosan picked up the tiny rock and clutched it tightly. With glowing purple eyes, the redhead said "Modification: Transform."
Before his eyes, the boy watched in awe as the rock's form changed into that of a mechanical fly. It whirred a bit as it flew around before resting lightly on Rosan's palm.
He wasn't finished however. "Modification, Vision Pair: User Rosan," he whispered.
Rosan was heavily disoriented at suddenly being able to see through two point of views. Quickly shutting his own eyes, lest he give himself a headache, he temporarily shut down the robo flies vision so he could gather himself again.
Finally, he opened his eyes again and stared at the fly in wonder. "So I can just order this thing around and it will listen to me?" Mod hummed in confirmation and Rosan's eyes gleamed at the potential this ability had. "I want you to follow that old man okay? If you lose him, fly towards the hospital. I think that's where he's headed."
It buzzed in affirmation and flew off without haste.
As for Rosan, he sprinted back home. Making it in a record five minutes, he quickly went into his room and got comfortable, the child quickly went into his mindscape and rushed to Mod. She scooped him into a hug to ease his worries and noticed the redhead was trembling.
"T-that man… h-he's so strong, Mod-chan," Rosan said and Mod looked at the trembling boy in sympathy. "I… I never wanna be that helpless again, Mod-chan. Never."
"I know, Rosan," the Devil Fruit said soothingly and she gently rubbed his back in order to get him to calm down. "We will become strong, I swear," she assured him.
He buried himself deeper into her and murmured out, "The strongest."
"The strongest," Mod repeated as they continued their embrace.
For all his bravado, Rosan was still only 4 years old. It was moments like these, where Mod was afraid of the target she had painted on his back.
After a moment Rosan disentangled himself from the hug and reactivated the vision on his bug. Due to being in his mindscape, the vision of his robo bug had expanded into a television view so that they could both watch.
Boy and Devil Fruit, watched with bated breaths.
Rouge had been laying down on the hospital bed before a commotion caught her attention.
"Wait sir you can't go there!" The voice of her doctor said, before being shoved away by a large hand. A large figure entered the room and it only took her a moment to recognize him as Monkey D. Garp.
Holding his lantern up Garp asked, "Are you Portgas D. Rouge?" His deep voice came out as a question.
Rouge nodded and that was it. Garp walked over to a corner and stood there in complete silence. She looked at the man in slight concern, recognizing who it was, but it was too late to suddenly stop the process. Besides, Roger had nothing but respect for the man before her and so, she would trust him.
Rouge knew it was finally time. The marines had left and had shown no signs of coming back. She felt a sense of relief flood through her body.
She would finally be giving birth after 20 long months. The pregnant woman had endured and endured but finally, it would all be worth it. With that, Rouge closed her eyes and finally stopped resisting.
The fly had finally made it into the room. To avoid detection, it had hid itself onto the roof. It silently observed what was currently transpiring.
In Rouge's arms, was a wailing infant. She cradled it gently and a smile full of pure love made its way onto her face. "If its a girl Ann. If its a boy Ace. Those were the names we decided on so, as of today, this babies name, is Gol D. Ace." Tears spilled from her eyes as she clutched the baby close to her, kissing him gently on the head.
Garp silently watched the exchange.
Slowly but surely, Rouge felt all the strength leaving her body. As she faded, the mother of two looked at Garp in worry and said, "I… have one… more. His name... is Rosan. Please, take him with you."
She was quickly losing the power to speak.
"Rouge! Stay with us, Rouge!" The doctor spoke frantically, closing the distance to see if there was anything he could do. Garp could only stare in horror as the stress of holding a child for so long, finally caught up to her. Everyone in the room came to the conclusion at the exact same time.
Rouge was dying.
"My little Rose, I'm so sorry but it seems like I broke my promise. The 3 of us can't be together after all," Rouge whispered softly.
"I hope you can forgive your mama for being such a liar again. You never did like liars," The mother of 2 said. As she spoke, the tears fell down her cheeks even faster.
"Please Rosan, as his older brother, I hope you can take care of Ace and the both of you grow up into exceptional young men." Sobs wracked her body but even then, she continued. "You're a brilliant and kind young boy Rosan and I know under your guidance, Ace will grow into an amazing person too." Finally, the strength fully left her body. As she closed her eyes, a peaceful smile made its way onto Rouges face.
"I'm so sorry I won't be able to see you flourish, my little Rose," the woman apologized and it sounded so sincere and heart wrenching, that the onlookers couldn't help but shed a few tears.
"Never forget that mama loves you."
And with that, Portgas D. Rouge mother of Gol D. Ace and Portgas D. Rosan, the woman who held a baby in her belly for 20 long months, through sheer willpower, died.
Unheard to all, the fly crashed into the ground and shattered into pieces.
Rosan's had been forcefully ejected from the mindscape from the shock of the situation.
The little boy violently shot up, as the memory replayed in his head over and over and over again.
No no no no. That wasn't real. That couldn't be real. He was in his bed so he had to have been dreaming! Right! That was it! That had to be it! None of what happened was real. He would go to his mothers room and she would be just fine!
Yes, he was sure of it. He would find her sleeping peacefully, still pregnant.
Hastily Rosan got up and rushed over to his mothers room. Though he knew what he would see deep down, the 4 year old still deluded himself. Mod didn't have the heart to tell him. How could she? How could she tell the boy that what he saw was no dream?
Rosan desperately burst into her room. "MAMA, I'm sorry I was late I was testing stuff out with Mod-chan!"
A deafening silence, was the only thing that greeted him.
Rosan refused to give up though. Quickly, he ran to the dining area where his mother was normally at. Surely Rouge would be in her signature rocking chair, caressing her belly like always! "Mama! I'm sorry for rushing you, you don't have to have the baby yet, I can wait! Please! I h-h-had a dream a-and if y-you h-have him, y-you might die!"
The silence was damning.
Reality finally began to set in as Rosan realized that it wasn't a dream.
He had watched his mother die. That had been very real.
The stress of holding a child for so long had killed her. Rosan knew holding the baby for so long couldn't be good. That's why he begged her to have it as soon as possible. He knew this couldn't be healthy for her.
Now, she was dead. She was dead and he would never be able to see her again.
Rosan didn't realize he had collapsed onto the ground. It hurt to breathe. The redhead felt his whole world shattering as everything came crashing down.
She had promised him that they would be able to finally be together after everything was done. She promised him so why? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY DID SHE LIE TO HIM?! HOW COULD SHE LIE TO HIM? AFTER EVERYTHING THEY WENT THROUGH —
Then it dawned on the hysterical boy.
Ace.
If it wasn't for Ace, Mama would still be here. Ace had caused his mother to die. His mother had died for Ace. If Ace had never been born, his mama would still be here. Ace had killed his mama. Ace had killed his mama. Ace had kille —
"Rosan!" A voice snapped him out of his spiral. "That's enough! You need to snap out of it." Mod sounded incredibly worried for the boy having a mental breakdown.
Rosan slapped himself as the magnitude of what he was thinking, finally caught up to him. An overwhelming guilt filled him then and there and the boy wanted to crawl into a hole and hide.
Had he really put all the blame on his little brother? He was the worst of the worst. It would never be Ace's fault. How could it be? He hadn't asked to be born. Not even an hour old and Rosan had already failed as an older brother.
He didn't deserve his mother's praise. He didn't deserve anyone's praise. He was the worst brother ever. Ace would be better off without him.
Wait... that was right. Ace would be better of without him.
Rosan's visage hardened. "We need to leave Mod-chan. That marine is coming after us and if he figures out that I have you, it's game over for the both of us."
Mod was worried; Rosan was currently bottling his emotions up.
"...What about Ace?" She asked tentatively. Surely Rosan wasn't going to leave his baby brother behind?
Rosan bit his lip at the decision he was about to make. "Ace has someone to watch over him. You don't Mod-chan. Besides, I don't deserve him. You heard what I was thinking, I'm awful."
"That's not true, Rosan."
"Maybe... but I need to make sure the marines don't get their hands on you Mod-chan. Going right into one's hand, especially one like Garp, is a bad idea. So we need to leave the island on our own."
"I… understand," Mod said but she didn't sound happy at all. "But, will you be okay?" The worry in her tone was palpable and Rosan flinched.
His mask nearly cracked but, very quickly, he had composed himself.
He couldn't grieve, not yet. He needed to get off the island first.
"I-I'll be fine. We need to get out of here though. Who knows when that man will show up?" Rosan's voice was a near whisper as he spoke.
Rosan quickly began gathering essentials; clothes, food, drinks, and his toys. The boy was like a whirlwind, gathering them as quickly as possible. After a moment, he had stuffed everything into one bag, that he had modified to be bigger. "Mod-chan is it possible to make this bag smaller? I wanna put it in my pockets," he asked and, after a moment, Mod gave him the instructions of what to do and he held out his hand to touch the bag. After a short "Modify: Size," the formerly massive bag, had been shrunken.
Tucking it in his pocket, Rosan tried to think about how he could escape the island.
He could try to steal a ship, but his little body wouldn't be able to get it ready quick enough. He didn't have the ability to fly either. Even if he did, he doubted he'd be able to fly long enough to reach another island.
Rosan went back to his room, as an idea suddenly formed in his head. Finding what he was looking for, Rosan held it up triumphantly. In his hands was a toy boat that was white and blue. "Mod-chan, do you think I can modify this into an actual boat?"
Mod blinked at his question. That… wasn't a bad idea.
No, in fact it was a great idea!
She would most likely need to take over to ensure the boat was made perfectly but, the concept was brilliant. "It's possible, I will need to take control if you don't mind. I need to make the boat sailable." She affirmed. Luckily, she already knew how to do that.
Nodding in agreement, Rosan quickly tucked away the boat. He had to go now before Garp came after him. He was sure he had a lot more time, but he needed to widen the distance as much as possible between him and that monster of a man or else he'd get caught.
If that happened, the 4 year old had no illusion of what would happen if they fought and he tried to escape.
Rosan grabbed his bag and began to depart from his, now former, home.
He would miss his home terribly but, there was no reason to stay here anymore.
With that, Rosan took off into a sprint. As he burst through the door, a picture frame fell onto the floor.
It would be years until Rosan ever saw this house again.
4 Hours later
Garp had a bad feeling when he couldn't sense anyone in Portgas D. Rouge's home. That feeling turned into trepidation, as he realized the door was left ajar. Holding little Ace in one arm, Garp burst open the door.
Nothing. There was nobody here.
Glancing around, Garp didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. No signs of a struggle and everything was left in place. Besides the fact that the door was left open, it would be hard to tell that there was anything wrong in the first place.
But there was something wrong. There was no child here.
Garp had known Roger had another kid. The Pirate King had said his oldest son was not his biological son, but that didn't matter to him. The man's final request, was for him to take care of the both of them and the Vice Admiral respected him enough to actually follow through with it. These kids didn't deserve to be punished for something their father did.
The Hero of the Marines couldn't really do that though, because one of those kids was currently missing.
Garp paused as he stepped on something. Bending down to see what it was, he noticed that it was a picture frame. The marine held it up and he saw a redhead, Rosan, he presumed hugging Rouge as tight as possible. Rosan, so full of joy, had a wide grin on his face and Rouge, while much more subdued, radiated an equal amount of happiness.
Well, at least he knew what the child looked like. The kid looked fairly unique so he shouldn't be too hard to find. Though that begged the question —
What exactly happened here?
4 hours earlier
A dinghy sailed calmly through the night. It was inhabited by only one person. A little boy, no older then 4, sat there, as the events of the day finally caught up to him.
After Rosan had departed, he quickly made his way to a body of water opposite of the Marines ship.
As he arrived, he removed the toy boat from his pocket and laid it on the floor. Rosan closed his eyes and let Mod-chan take control of his body.
Rosan's eyes snapped open, irises glowing red, instead of purple, to signify Mod taking over and she bent down quickly to rest her tiny palms onto the boat.
"Modify: Form," she said and in an instant, the toy boat had rapidly grown in size. It had taken the size of a dinghy and the plastic had been modified into a buoyant material, capable of floating. She knew that Rosan would not be able to paddle with his frame, so she used Modification to passively power it.
That brought them to their current situation. The dinghy sailed steadily through the ocean, as Rosan curled into himself. He had successfully escaped the island.
But at what cost?
Rosan's mask, that he struggled so hard to maintain, cracked. The stress of the entire day had finally reached him and the poor 4 year old could no longer hold it in. Tears spilled as painful sobs wracked his tiny frame.
"M-Mama why? Why did you leave me?" He couldn't explain it right now, the boy felt so lost. "What am I supposed to do now mama, I-I miss you," The boy said miserably, as he hiccupped repeatedly.
In a matter of moments, he felt himself dragged into his mindscape where Mod-chan had already been waiting for him.
Wordlessly, she scooped the boy into a tight reassuring hug and Rosan fully broke down. He babbled incoherently as his body shuddered from pure grief. Why had it all gone wrong? All he wanted, was to be with his Mama a-and now she was g-g-gone.
The boy sobbed even harder.
Mod felt a terrible guilt fill her.
She caused this. It was her fault that Rosan had so willingly separated himself from his brother. He had done it so that the marines could not get access to her again. All so he could protect her when no one else would. The Devil Fruit felt tears welling in her eyes, at the pure agony Rosan was currently in.
Still, Mod refused to make a noise. The Devil Fruit would be here for him in his hard times. She was all he had left and she would never fail him.
Even if Rosan had lost faith in the world, she would make sure to be a steady source of trust for this boy.
That was a promise.
The anguished sobs of a, suddenly orphaned, boy rang through the night and Rosan wailed his pain to the world.
"WAHHHH!" He cried and cried.
Character Sheet – Modification (Mod-Mod No Mi)
Type: Paramecia
Summary: A mysterious devil fruit that is highly prized by anyone that happens to know of its existence. Not much is known about this fruit except for that fact that it's highly guarded by the marines. Curiously, she seems to be the only fully sentient Devil Fruit. Currently wielded by Portgas D. Rosan.
Appearance: Tan skin, slightly lighter then Rosan's. Her appearance is heavily inspired by Rosan.
Height: 5 feet 8 inches
Hair: Long purple hair styled into a Hime cut.
Eyes: Red pupil-less eyes that glow in the dark.
Outfit: Long black dress with slight amounts of white on the sleeves and stomach area. She is usually seen bare foot. Her nails are painted a mixture of purple and red due to those being Rosan's favorite color.
Likes: Rosan
Dislikes: ?̴͓̖̆́͛̕?̴̪͔͒?̸̗͚͈̌́̍̎.
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