Chapter Text
Chapter Fifteen: Baby Steps on the Right Path
Annette read over the letter carefully, apparently Kameko had been apprehended by a rather peculiar individual who was not releasing him after a month. And it sounded like he was learning a lot. The Haunter laughed as it floated around. Yuzu was taking care of the twins, who were now over two months old. Annette was thirteen, since she was an April baby, Sakura and Sumomo were now seven years old, being born April first. Loup was born in May. Annette had asked her father what she could do to become stronger one day and Darius just looked at her.
“Annette, what kind of strength are you looking for? You excel with the rapier, you have a keen business sense.” he told her as he knelt down to her eye level. “However what it means to lead, differs to each person. Some will lead arrogantly and harm others, some will be too lenient. True strength means saying no when it matters, to cut off what does not produce good and lasting fruit.”
“Hoooh?” a voice called out and Darius’ head turned as a young man around eighteen or nineteen sat there his head tilted. He was wearing a bubble helmet and what could only be described as a space suit. Though the helmet had a crack in it as he grinned. Eyes watching them were like looking through a kaleidoscope, but fractiles of red, dark red, and light red, but his pupils were white. Everyone in the restaurant were prostrating themselves trembling. “How very interesting! Wow! You aren’t as rotten as most nobles! Amazing! Amazing!”
Shinsei flew towards him but Claire and Yuzu grabbed him as the young man’s grin widened as he tilted his head back and towards him. “Don’t mind me! I’m just here to see why Do-chan was sniffing about.”
“Give me back Umeka!” shouted Shinsei, the young man laughed as he clapped his hands together. “And wipe that smug look off your face!”
“Well, I got banished.” the young man said as he took off his helmet and threw it behind him as it broke. Lottie gave a looked as she cleaned it up, the young man watched before picking up one of the shards with his bare fingers and got pushed back towards the group. His white blond hair sweeping across his face, a patch of red on his hair looking like a blood stain on the top of his head. “However I thought it would have been boring if they pushed the pretty little flower into exhaustion. So I hid her! Poor little thing is still waiting for her big brother, ah you and your sister are cut from the same cloth. She worked hard and still never came to me for guidance! You should be a proud older brother! Even though your personality is wild like the boar child I also have! And not that pig fellow who ate the Ino Ino no Mi Model Wild Pig. What was his name… Alexander. Not Alexander, I call the boar child Inoko for now.”
Shinsei stared before punching him. “WHY THE HELL DID YOU GET BANISHED?!”
“Well I was looking for anyone who had D. in their name and was planning on releasing them into Mary Geoise, actually do you have the Will of D.?” the Noble asked as he rested one leg over his knee as he rested his cheek against his palm. “After all, you do swear to kill us all and I’ve been looking forward to that.”
“Why are you so weird?!”
“Hm? I’m weird?” the young man asked as Claire sighed. “Well aren’t all humans pathetic and pitiful? And since we regard ourselves as the highest form of humanity. Doesn’t that just make us the most pathetic and pitiful?”
“Do you have a name we can call you by?” Claire asked as Rockefeller came up to punch him as well. “Not now! You are steering the ship!”
“Yes ma’am.” Rockefeller said before skulking off and dragging Shinsei with him. “Don’t be botherin’ them now or you might now get the information you want.”
“Name? What did my parents call me? It was long and boring.” the young man said as he tilted his head to the other side as Suika copied him. “How about, for now, you can call me Tatsumaki!”
“Tatsumaki, how many fingers am I holding up?” Claire asked as she held up one directly in front of her. Tatsumaki stared before smiling, it still wasn’t reaching his eyes.
“Oh I haven’t been able to see people properly since I saw my father kill a family for merely asking for medicine.” Tatsumaki mused as he held up a finger. “Everything looks like rotten filth and so I look for people that aren’t as filthy. I think my father or mother called it Clarity, but… they said it was supposed to reveal who is truly Noble, but all the nobles are filth. So I think it’s because they are just hopeless trash, so I kept up appearances but it got boring and unfulfilling, until I saw the glowing monkey and the fiery heart who died. They weren’t clean but they shined. So much defiance.”
Bonk! Yuzu’s fist smacked him on the top of his head. He didn’t respond as he blinked a few times.
“Where is Umeka?” Yuzu asked as she checked his eyes, the white fading from the pupils before they began to shine as he took her by the hands. “No. Where is Umeka?”
“Well I snuck her onto an island with a hot spring, I even put the boy raised by boars there as well….” Tatsumaki said as he bounced on his heels despite being 187 cm. “Last I checked I think she actually snuck aboard the Relaxing Repose which is currently the new ship belong to the Sunhat Captain.”
Yuzu blinked before laughing.
“Umeka is going to be fine.” Yuzu called out as Shinsei poked his head around the corner as Seiji brought out a chicken pasta covered in cheese. With a side of broccoli cooked in brown butter with more cheese. He yanked Tatsumkai out of Yuzu’s hands, seated him, placed the food in front of him before walking back saying. “He’s too skinny.”
“You sound like my mother!” Yuzu called back before looking at him. “Last recorded weight.”
“Hmmm, I’m not sure. I began leaving Mary Geoise to see the outside world when I was seven by claiming that I wanted to claim something as a World Noble but really I wanted to see how filthy and pathetic the world was. Only those with D. in their name had a shine, not bright and shiny like the sun, but they became shapes to me.” Tatsumaki mused before poking at the food. “Wow, it looks a lot better! And… simple?”
“You eat it, not poke at it.” Seiji said, Tatsumaki stared at it before a fork was pushed into his mouth. “Eat and don’t waste food!”
Claire shooed everyone out of the restaurant because the guests were too nervous, but they all moved the tables and chairs to the deck. Once they were gone, Claire and Yuzu sat in front of him as Tatsumaki ate. Annette was watching carefully.
“What is Clarity?” Yuzu asked, Tatsumaki had a strange smile on his face. “Other than what your parents told you. How do you perceive it?”
“Oh, hm. It’s like I can see the state of the heart. I can’t hear it, well sometimes I can. It’s like someone just pulls the wool off my ears. Apparently it was to see the true state of godliness, to prove what we were.” Tatsumaki explained as he leaned back chewing the broccoli. “It was a rare ability in my family’s bloodline, marked by the strange eyes and pupils.”
“What did you see when you looked at us?” Claire asked as she knelt in front of him.
“Well every human has a darkness in them, it’s almost like seeing sins crawling up their back. Clinging to them. It’s the same with you, but it’s also different. Doctor lady looks like she’s getting cleaned and you don’t look like you’re of this world. Like someone is washing your sins away, but it’s not you. And like flowers are always coming from you.” Tastumaki chuckled before leaning back to look at Darius his pupils flickering back to white. “Waaah! You have serious flowers coming from you when you look at your wife and daughter!”
“Why did they just exile you?” Yuzu asked, she knew a World Noble’s execution would have been quieter and less dangerous.
“Because, I made sure no child could be born into our family again. So I’m the only one who could produce an heir.” Tatsumaki laughed and everyone froze. “So to kill me means that the Clarity ability they wish for will be destroyed.”
“So you can see our true nature, and only once in a while hear our thoughts.” Yuzu mused as Suika played pattycake with Tatsumaki. Who had no idea what she was doing but played along while copying her emotions. “But not our hearts?”
“No, not your hearts, it’s not that powerful.”
“But you can tell sin.”
“It’s warped and gross and it’s on everyone. All the darkness, I cried the first time my ability activated and they brought me to these strange guys to see why I wasn’t reacting the way I should in Mary Genoise. I saw where the empty throne was and it was thick and oily… I broke even more. To the point where I laughed, because there was no god who saved me. They all just called me broken, so I broke them.” Tatsumaki said as he continued to play. “But… I guess I got bored even with that. I think I was five, so everything being like that became normal.”
“And processing normal emotions in that kind of environment is not healthy for childhood development, even from a young age.” sighed Yuzu, Tatsumaki began to poke at her cheek with Suika. “How did you view the world?”
“Well in a similar way, but more broken and wherever anyone touched it became more filthy.” Tatsumaki said before looking at Annette who was watching him. “What is on your mind?”
“I don’t trust you.” Annette said calmly and Tatsumaki laughed but Annette cleaned his face. “I pity you. But you can’t take care of yourself can you?”
“Well… being the highest version of humanity, we believe ourselves invulnerable. So my parents never taught me, that’s why death threats never bothered me.” Tatsumaki said as Suika poked at his cheek.
“What are you thinking Annette?” Darius asked as Annette looked at her father and smiled, it wasn’t a mask but there was mischief in her eyes.
“Well, since I want to become a leader and Monsieur Tatsumaki knows the ins and outs of the political world and has a charisma none of us has and the brains behind it. Maybe… we should start a lemonade stand after disguising Monsieur Tatsumaki as a normal citizen that we hired?” Annette said as she clapped her hands together as Tatsumaki blinked. “After all, Shinsei….”
“Who?”
“Umeka’s brother.” Annette explained as Suika styled Tatsumaki’s hair. “When he threatened to kill Tatsumaki he explained that he looked almost excited. Which means death or pain doesn’t bother him. So maybe an appropriate punishment is to have him live amongst people and see them without using Clarity.”
She looked at him, Suika was still styling his hair. “And father… I would like to request treating him like your own child, so punishment and discipline isn’t just something he could brush off but something used for correction.”
“Correction?”
“Like saying no and if you don’t listen, you have to organize the stockroom.” Annette suggested as Tatsumaki ate the pasta with keen interest.
“Why not the garden during off time?” Suika asked as she finished putting little bows in Tatsumaki’s hair. This seemed to catch his interest.
“Garden?” Tatsumaki asked, while all the others talked around him. “I’ve never had one of those before.”
“Why do you suggest that?” Annette asked as she crouched in front of Suika. The three year old was in a little pink dress with her neck length light brown hair bound up in a small side ponytail. Suika’s citrus eyes looked at Tatsumaki who noticed the little pips.
“Well, Tatsu-kun said that he was five when his powers turned on, right? Well Suika is still learning how to read and write and count now. So… maybe Tatsu-kun can’t do those things? Because he mentioned that everything people touched got stained and since Tatsu-kun couldn’t make out fingers… maybe he just never learned how to count with his fingers?” Suika suggested and Tatsumaki tapped his fist against the palm of his other hand.
“Ah, you could do that?” Tatsumaki asked and Annette realized how bad it was for him for about thirteen or fourteen years.
“Have you really been unable to see anything good in the world?” Annette asked him and Tatsumaki shrugged.
“There were some, like Mjosgard, he came back a little less stained, and you guys. But the world is just broken, so anything we touched became just more dark. Like good is there, but the darkness kind of stains a lot more.” Tatsumaki said as he finished up his food. “But it’s not like because of people’s good the evil just vanishes. Doctor lady over there… when she bonked my head it was like there was someone else there with her. Something I’ve never felt before. It wasn’t like she was overwhelmingly good, but like someone good was there with her. Telling me to rest and it kind of… turned off Clarity.”
“Ara!” Sumomo said as she walked in, her black hair in a braided bun as her golden citrus eyes looked at Tatsumaki. “Good thing I have some spare clothing. You do not look good in that. This way!”
Suika took Tatsumaki by his hand and let him follow Sumomo, Akashi and Shinsei were watching him carefully. Annette frowned before deciding she was going to take her fencing classes seriously, as well as studying up on basic reading, writing, and math so she could help Tatsumaki and Suika with their studies. Especially when Tethys was off completing her trials.
-Meanwhile-
Tethys was sitting down next to a giant bee hive wondering how she got locked into a dance match with the queen bee as a part of her Bug Type trials. She had finished the trial and had gotten a lot of honey from it. But she had just sent it back to the Silver Lining. A News Coo, obviously tamed by Loup, delivered a bentō. Seiji had put together a creamy parmesan and three cheese chicken pasta with broccoli that had been cooked in brown butter with even more cheese on top. Next to her was the only girl on the island. Her name was Mitsune, she was the daughter of a fox Mink and a human. “Thank you for calming them down.” Mitsune sighed, Tethys was gnawing at a piece of chicken, her vibrant red hair out of her ponytail. “I think the queen just decided not to listen to me.”
“Well, she probably just sees a potential threat to the hive, a new queen wanting to force the old queen out.” Tethys mused as she leaned forward. “Also she said you have two left feet and the inability to wiggle the right way.”
“Oh.” Mitsune sighed as her orangey hair fell in front of her face. Tethys’s Bug trial clothes were in the same lime green color she always saw on the Pokedex. She was wearing a lime skirt that was asymmetrical with some shorts underneath. The shirt’s collar was curling around her neck surrounding the trial stone. Her golden wrist gauntlets shined with the Insect Stones slid into the slots. The Log Pose sitting in the third slots. The gold armlets on her biceps, her lightly tan skin a little more covered than usual.
“Do you have plans for the future?” Tethys asked as she looked at Mitsune with her warm purple eyes.
Mitsune’s gold eyes sparkled as she clenched her fist. “I want to see the New World, maybe meet other Minks… but, really? I want to meet Charlotte Katakuri, actually meet him. Not just be hiding in the bushes admiring the fact that he’s huge and carries around a spear! Like, I want to ask him for advice wielding a polearm! Since this place is really close to Fish-Man Island. I think the queen bee also got a crush on him.”
“And you? You’re what… twenty?”
“Twenty three. And hey! I can enjoy watching a silver fox.” Mitsune laughed, both her and Tethys fist bumped. “So where are you going next?”
“Well, I’ve already completed my Water, Flying, Electricity, and Bug trials. I still have a lot more to go.” Tethys sighed as she extended her blades out of the side of her gauntlets as she checked the sharpness. “Fourteen to be exact.”
“Well… how much time do you have?” Mitsune asked and Tethys paused.
“We normally give ourselves a time limit of a month.”
“Well if any of them are for haunted dark places, you can always try to find Kuraigana.” Mitsune suggested and Tethys coughed a bit. “What?”
“I have a friend who is hanging around there for his own training, it is not a haunted place.” Tethys told her. “Just looks haunted.”
“Oh… then I might know an actual haunted island then.” Mitsune grinned as her fox tail moved behind her. Her shirt was a normal t-shirt but it looked massive on her. Tied with a belt that looked it had been in style a century ago.
“Mistune… where do you get your clothes from?” Tethys asked carefully.
“Mainly finding them after shipwrecks, it’s just me and the bugs on this island after my parents died.” Mitsune said as she looked at the shirt, her fair skinned fingers grasping the fabric. “I got this a while ago, like when I was twelve?”
“You’re… 6’5” and pretty slim, that shirt must have belonged to a giant or something.” Tethys mused as she lifted her hand, the lime green gauntlet scarf that was attached to the armlet looped downwards. “Don’t tell me you stole it from this Katakuri person.”
“No, he showed up when I was nine and just starting beekeeping. I got beat up and the honey got stolen. That was after mom and dad died.” sighed Mitsune as she kicked at a rock. “Anyways! Let’s go! I think I know where your next trial is. I heard there were some problems with a volcano beast.”
“Fire is pretty interesting to try to calm. Let’s go!” Tethys called out and the two cheered. Tethys noted that Mitsune wasn’t like what most would be considered a fox woman. Especially since she was a little more flat chested than any other woman she had seen in this world. ‘Plus she isn’t showing much off. Me thinking, she might be embarrassed or something.’ Tethys thought as they headed out.
-Two Years after The Summit War of Marineford-
“Monsieur Tatsumaki!” Annette called out as she walked into the chapel to see Tatsumaki setting it up with flowers all over the place. Suika, who was about five years old, was handing him flowers as he stood on the ladder. “Amazing!”
Now fourteen years old Annette was standing at 165 cm (5’5”) and her soft pink hair was swept back into a bun. “I’m sure Lottie and Seiji are going to love this for their wedding!”
“Of course! Ever since Mitsu-nee brought the bees onboard, the flowers have been doing really well!” Tatsumaki said before thinking before pointing up. “Also because He gave me advice!”
“You’re dreams are doing much better then?” Annette, since Tatsumaki had turned off Clarity, one of his recurring nightmares ended. He had told her since he saw just goodness being buried by sin that he would once in a while he would see a throne. Unlike the Empty Throne, this one was filled and all he saw was pure goodness. To the point where he would cower and scream hiding his head because he couldn’t understand. Now Tatsumaki was wearing a yukata that Shinsei had thrown at him because apparently being a World Noble meant that they couldn’t even dress themselves. Tatsumaki just didn’t realize how clothes worked because all he wore was a white robe that resembles a spacesuit and that bubble helmet with a skirt. Now it was a red and black yukata and tan hakama pants.
“Did He ever explain why your family had Clarity?” Annette asked as she sat in a pew. Looking at the flowers getting prepared for the wedding in a few days.
“He said it was because my ancestor, who was wise eight hundred years ago asked to see things the way He sees everything to see what could be done to change the evils. He said because of the love shown that Clarity would be given, but if love for all faded, then Clarity would only activate to show what He saw.” Tatsumaki sighed as the door burst open as Yuzu walked in, the one year old twins, King and Jack, were in their stroller. Both with full heads of black hair and sharp eyes like their father. King had dark eyes like Ace and Jack had citrus eyes like his mother. Also, for some reason and not genetically possible, they had freckles. Annette laughed, Akashi came running in with some ribbon. His black hair pulled back into a ponytail again. The bright pink stripe standing out as did the two red stripes in his hair.
“Alright, which color is it again? I got the yellowy white and the blue.” Akashi asked as he held them up, Annette looked between them. She knew that some people had a hard time distinguishing the colors so her and Lottie just wanted a light blue and cream colored ribbons. So Akashi fulfilled the order. Mitsune walked in holding more flowers, she was wearing a better fitted shirt and skorts. Something she had been obsessed with since she found a style that worked with her flat chest and tall build. And still kept it above her knees. Her shirt was a t-shirt, that worked well with the overall skort she was wearing. Tethys walked by, now sixteen, her hair up in a high ponytail, Loup now eight walking up with some sheer fabric.
“Sumomo and Sakura are busy.” Loup mumbled, with a slight pout on his face. Claire, who had been supervising with Annette, knelt down in front of him. She was still in her early thirties and had Annette shortly after marrying Darius when they were nineteen. “It’s not fair, why do they have to spend more time getting outfits done?”
“Because, mon petit loup, Sumomo is always trying to make Sakura look absolutely pretty. I’m sure Sakura wants to play with you too, non?” Claire explained as she handed the muslin fabric to Annette. Mitsune head back, being the second patissier on the ship so Lottie didn’t have to stress a lot. Mitsune was very good at products made with honey or had honey on them. Loup’s pout wavered as Claire took him outside. Rockefeller, who had his black hair down for once. Shinsei and Curio actually helping him wash it for the wedding. Since the deck was sealed in a way that water would dry quicker but not create a dangerous slippery mess when a massive amount of water was on it.
“Do not worry Loup-Garou, it may be a bit before things go back to normal. After all there is a wedding.” Claire explained as she sat him down on a step. “But that doesn’t mean she dislikes you. It means she is a part of the celebration.”
“Why can’t I be a part of it?” Loup asked.
“You are, you get to help bring the rings up to them. Since King and Jack want to steal them half the time.” Claire brushed his blonde hair back. “Seiji said that you are always protecting those rings.”
“Because Tethys said that they are important in some traditions.” Loup replied and Claire nodded her head. “What does it symbolize?”
“An unbroken, eternal bond of love, trust, and commitment between partners.” Darius said walking behind them as he placed a hand on his wife’s shoulder. Claire was dressed in a light summer fashion but still for a rich woman from Kalos, but still motherly. Darius was wearing a casual formal, almost like he was comfortable in a button up white shirt and nice slacks. Though his was tan. “On the left hand, so the one they marry holds them with their right hand. A place of great honor.”
“Oh, like how an eternal never changing love allows for us to be seated at the place of honor.” Loup replied and Darius nodded his head. “I like that. Most of the places in our world that we’ve been to, like Kalos or Galar, always likes fancy rings with big stones. So I thought it had to do with the stones.”
“Mainly because jewels and gems show value. It is why the husband often wears a simple band, while the wife is adorned with a precious jewel. Because to him his wife is more precious and priceless. That the jewels mean nothing to him as long as he can stay by her side.” Claire said as she placed her hand over Darius. “Or it is a fond memory in the shape, a birthstone, something that connects them.”
“And the wedding?”
“A celebration, an honoring of vows in front of witnesses. Like a baptism.” Claire’s voice wasn’t wavering as Darius sat down next to her. “It is so those there can be witness to a bond that should never be broken. No matter what. Sickness, healthy, rich, poor, through the fights, and through the peace. Something that many couples can forget. Just like how one can forget that love also means respecting and honoring your partner and to the other, love needs to be shown alongside honor and respect.”
“Like how Akashi says that both male and female has strengths and weaknesses that can be covered by another?” Loup questioned and Claire nodded her head. “Oh, I like that.”
Coup looked out before noticing a ship sailing. “Captain.”
Darius looked up as Annette looked out. A ship was approaching. Then a familiar head came out onto deck.
“Kameko.” Anentte whispered. He had been gone the entire time, likely because of training and the woman named Perona. Almost a year and a half maybe more since he had gone to train. Akashi grinned as he rushed out, starting to grow a little bit. Though he wasn’t going to hit his real growth until they were about sixteen or something. When the ship pulled up, Kameko jumped over. He had already gotten to six feet tall and it was obvious that he was still growing. His white and light blue hair was pulled back into a ponytail.
“Kameko-kun! OI!” Akashi waved as Muramashi waved, while eating a vanilla egg custard with caramel on top.
“Akashi-kun.” Kameko said as he jumped over as Perona looked over a frown on her face. “I will visit my lady.”
“You better! I’m stuck with Mihawk!” Perona protested. “That place needs at least some sustainable food!”
“Did you want to eat here for today before heading back?” Annette suggested and Perona was on the deck within seconds.
“It better be as tasty as those cakes!” Perona called out as she twirled her parasol around. Her red heels clinking against the deck as Kameko gave her a look.
“And Monsieur Mihawk?”
“Psh, he’s probably just sulking in the castle.” Perona said as she waved one hand before entering the dining room. Mihawk was sitting there cutting into a steak with elegant grace. A Marine walked in, turned around, and walked past Perona whispering. “Well Suika isn’t in there.”
Darius turned his head as he hid a laugh. His shoulders shook his 206 cm tall frame, his red eyes glancing away. His short neatly styled soft pink hair looking relaxed.