Archive of Our Own ^beta

Naturally, Law had zero qualms about Poison Pink joining the crew. He was too starstruck to ask his million and one questions, but Penguin and Shachi had been more than happy to step in. Was it true that she’d never been sick? Was it true that she was bulletproof? Was it true that she felled a giant single handed at just twelve years old?

The questions eventually moved from Germa 66 myths to their new reality. What was the line that had won her over? Did they need help reorganising Ikkaku’s room – Penguin and Shachi had dismantled and reassembled theirs themselves and had learnt every mistake to avoid. Did she want some boiler suits to wear, or would she, like Law and Perona, stick to regular attire?

The only person to take issue with Reiju joining the crew was Perona; she was the pink princess of the Polar Tang, and she was not about to give that title up to a Vinsmoke! How dare Reiju just waltz in like she was part of the crew? Reiju sat through her tantrum, only moving to dodge the ghosts that were darting about the room at random, flooring Penguin and Shachi in particular somehow. She assured Perona, once she’d quietened, that she intended to keep a strict low profile, and Perona’s position was far from threatened. Law supported Reiju’s words, despite a stage whisper from Shachi not to ever side with Reiju over Perona, and assured her that no one could replace the Ghost Princess. Perona still spent the next several hours pouting at Reiju, who just ignored her until she was ready to use her words.

Reiju’s transformation was a short one. In a boiler suit and one of Ikkaku’s beanies, she barely looked different to the rest of the crew. The suit was baggy, Reiju having to upsize several times for a suit to fit around her chest, and Perona took her measurements for a better bra, one that would support rather than enhance her chest. The only link back to her homeland was the Raid Suit can that hung from her beltloop by a butterfly shaped carabiner.

Not that the Raid Suit was used; it was a last resort. Not much use lying low if she was going to transform at the first sign of danger. She just felt safer knowing it was there, that if the situation was dire, if Penguin’s harpoon and Ikakku’s hammer failed, if Law and Perona’s devil fruit powers failed, if her and Shachi’s physical strength failed, she still had one more trick she could fall back on. And every time she didn’t have to, every time the Heart Pirates backed her up, fought beside her as their chosen equal, pulled together as a beautiful, messy team they made sure she had a place in, she felt a little safer among the gaggle of idiots.

Twenty thousand leagues under the sea, she could dress however she liked. Like most of the crew, she stuck to the boiler suits. Storage was limited on the Polar Tang, so having several of the hard-wearing, easy-wash, reliable suits just made organising the wardrobe easier. Plus, after a lifetime of tailored pink outfits, her own father looking her over to make sure she was ‘presentable’ and ‘attractive’, his sons eventually copying his invasive behaviours, the only women in the fort hired to constantly adjust her and preen her – the suit was freeing. She was, the first time in her life, able to roll out of bed, throw on a single item of clothing and go. Any preening in the mirror was her choice. Anyone putting their hand on her body was her choice. Any time spent on her appearance was her choice.

Reiju let herself in to the navigation room. It was warm, much of the crew having peeled down the top half of their suits and tied it around their waists. Ikkaku had as well, in just a tank top as she crawled under the desk, screwdriver in hand to tighten the last screw holding the desk in place – the last thing the crew needed in a chase was furniture coming loose. Penguin and Shachi were at the controls, pointing out sea plants that looked phallic.

“Brought you coffee,” Reiju called to Ikkaku, shaking the iced drink.

“Is that for everyone or just Ikkaku?” Shachi piped up before Ikkaku could respond.

“Just Ikkaku, obviously. I only have two hands.”

“Damn these girlfriend privileges,” Shachi turned to Penguin, “Why do you never get me coffee?”

“Because I’m not your girlfriend,” Penguin replied.

Ikkaku climbed out from under the desk. “Thanks, honey.”

Ikkaku pecked Reiju on the lips. Penguin and Shachi made gagging noises.

Reiju tugged on her suit, “Why is it so hot?”

“It’s just the climate we’re sailing through,” Shachi said, “So long as the current doesn’t change, touch wood,” he tapped the side of his head, “We’ll be in cooler waters before nightfall; Bepo found the quickest route through. If we’re not, we’ll pester Captain for the AC.”

Air-con and heating were only turned on at the extremes to avoid draining the Polar Tang’s fuel supplies. Reiju had never known the need to bundle up, but there was a closet full of blankets and Ikkaku had let Reiju wear one of her big hoodies and Reiju had been toasty enough to doze off into her dinner. It was just in the warmer waters that there was a struggle; the only thing to do was strip off.

Reiju unbuttoned her suit, revealing her sports bra. She’d fallen in love with the plain garment; no metal to stick into her, no padding to roll up, no silly frills on the off-chance someone saw her mid-battle. No back ache, or at least very little. She could even pick the colour and went with sunflower yellow – Ikkaku’s favourite. No one in the navigation room batted an eye, except a little smile from Ikkaku at her favourite colour on her favourite person.

Her Raid Suit can dug into her hip at an awkward angle as she tied the suit. She tutted and unclipped it, putting it down by her coffee.

“Don’t mix those up,” Penguin joked.

“Hmm?” Reiju asked.

Penguin picked the Raid Suit can up and tipped it, making a chugging noise.

“Be careful with that!” Reiju cried.

It was too late. The button was pressed to the top of Penguin’s beak of a nose and clicked.

Penguin was swallowed in neon pink light. Reiju’s instincts kicked in, and she dragged Ikkaku and Shachi to her, shielding them both with her body.

The light was hot, swallowing the whole room in shocking pink. It lapped at her skin and made the hairs on the back of her neck rise like it was pumping adrenaline into the air.

As Ikkaku squeezed in tight to her, as the skin of her back heated until it itched, Reiju found herself wondering if a normal, unmodified human could even survive the transformation. Memories of transforming in a dense crowd, the light fading to a circle of burnt bodies around her and a wider circle of burnt soldiers screaming in agony, their skin bubbled and mouths agape – these images plagued her nightmares. The thought of Penguin, burned up over a silly joke, made bile burn in her throat. How stupid could she be, carrying Germa 66 technology about so casually?

The light faded. The air stilled. Reiju didn’t dare move, didn’t dare release Ikkaku and Shachi. Shachi struggled, his face pressed into the side of Reiju’s chest.

“Damn,” a voice behind Reiju said, “I really don’t have the figure for this.”

Shachi twisted out of Reiju’s grip and sucked in much needed air. His eyes clapped on something and a laugh filled his cheeks. Reiju glanced over her shoulder.

Penguin was stood, holding the dress up to his chest. The skirt frumped over his hips, the tights were overstretched on his thighs, the boos weren’t even on his feet but rather he was perched on top of them. His hat was gone to reveal a slick of ink black hair with a curious stripe of blond stretching back from each temple.

“Penguin Pink!” Penguin chimed, winking with a peace sign. He wobbled atop the boots and stumbled with a “Fuck!”

Shachi and Reiju broke into peals of laughter as Penguin landed on his ass. Ikkaku giggled into her hands. Penguin was splayed on the floor, shaking with his own laughter.

Shachi pulled himself together first, whoops still coughing from his chest, tears in his eyes. He helped Penguin to his feet, the smooth tights sliding on the floor and making him fall into Shachi’s arms.

“Shit,” Penguin mumbled, “Sorry.”

Shachi just waggled his eyebrows at Penguin. He held Penguin up and peered down his body, lifting the edge of the skirt to peek underneath.

“Pervert!” Penguin squeaked, flicking him on the ear.

“Your undies have disappeared,” Shachi said.

“Wait, what?” Penguin tried to adjust himself, “Oh fuck, they have!”

“You’re gonna wanna wash this,” Shachi said to Reiju.

“It self-cleans in the can,” Reiju said.

“Oh dip, that’s cool.”

“Why does it make your panties disappear?” Ikkaku said.

Reiju shrugged. “There’s panties built into the dress. Can’t have peeks of my underwear in the newspaper if I’m not wearing any, I guess.”

Ikkaku was looking at Reiju with the same horrified expression she gained every time Reiju talked about the Vinsmokes. “What the fuck kind of logic is that?”

Reiju shrugged again.

Penguin was simultaneously holding down the skirt to cover his dignity and holding up the top half as if he hadn’t been topless when Reiju had walked in. His chest tattoos were bright on his beige skin; a whale for Shachi and the Heart Pirates’ Jolly Roger. Reiju had tried to get that same Jolly Roger tattooed, but her bulletproof skin had simply broken the tattoo gun.

“Uh… Reiju…” Penguin said, his amusement melting away to genuine discomfort, “How do I get my clothes back?”

“Press the button again,” Reiju said, “It’ll change you back.”

Shachi stepped back, and on Reiju’s gesture scurried to hide behind her. Penguin squeezed his eyes shut before he pressed the button a second time.

The light to return to civilian clothing was much dimmer than the initial transformation for reasons that have never made sense to Reiju. One of her brothers, she didn’t even remember which one, once told her that there was no need for the return to civilian clothing to be so grand, so eye-catching, so destructive. She’d pointed out that it would be much quicker to change without the extra light and sparkles, and could even be done subtly if they had to hide, not to mention that it wouldn’t kill off their own soldiers. He just kept rolling his eyes at her.

Outside the transformation, Reiju had to admit it was debilitating. Even dimmed, the light was totally encompassing, overstimulating each of her senses with pink, leaving her frozen to the spot with awe.

The light faded, Penguin still clinging to the can, eyes still squeezed shut. His cap was perched atop his head, his suit and boots both unfastened.

Shachi peered over Reiju’s shoulder. “Uh… is I meant to do that?”

“The can hasn’t figured out buttons,” Reiju said, “The technology inside disassembles and shrinks clothes to store, then grows and reassembles it on your body. Attempts to teach it was a button is left us sewn into the clothes entirely.”

“Most of your shirts were blouses,” Ikkaku said, “With, like, twenty buttons.”

“Yep. It can’t do bra hooks either.”

“So,” Penguin tucked his hat tighter over his face, returning his face to comfortable shadow, “It makes your underwear disappear so you don’t flash anybody, but then doesn’t button your clothes up so you’re flashing people after the battle anyway?”

“No, I just went home in the Raid Suit.”

“Good plan,” Penguin straightening his suit out to button, “But Ikkaku, hun, when you flay Judge alive can I get a couple of kicks to his head? ‘Cause this is weird and creepy.”

“’Course you can,” Ikkaku said.

Reiju giggled. Penguin made a start on his buttons and paused.

“Are my boxers on backwards?” he said.

“Oh, yeah, it struggles with that too. It’s the similar shapes.”

Shachi tugged on the front of Penguin’s suit, peering down. “No, looks right to me.”

Penguin covered his crotch with his hands. “Do you mind? You’re exposing my dick!”

Shachi smirked at him and tugged him close. “My dick.”

“Hey!” Penguin spluttered, “I’m trying not to flash the lesbians!”

“I am also trying not to get flashed,” Ikkaku said, staring at the ceiling.

“Oh shit, my bad,” Shachi let go, and Penguin turned around to finish buttoning himself up.

Shachi took the can and handed it back to Reiju. “You can still use this, right?”

“Yeah,” Reiju said. She looked the can over, “No damage done.”

“Can you get the stuff out to clean it? We got soap if you need it.”

“I told you; it cleans itself – wait! Shit!” Reiju grabbed Penguin’s shoulder.

Penguin turned with a flail, almost tripping on his undone laces.

The front of his hat was squeaky clean, the name drawn across the front, complete with the smudge above the U where Shachi and Law had made him jump mid-paint, ware completely gone.

“Oh no,” Reiju covered her mouth, “I’m so sorry, Penguin.”

Penguin pulled the hat off and looked it over, the pull making the two blond stripes stand on end.

“I’m so sorry,” Reiju said again.

“Hey, hey, it’s fine,” Penguin said, “I’ve got fabric pens, I can re-draw it.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine,” Penguin pulled her into a hug, “It was an accident. No harm done.”

“But your hat…”

“Is fine. I can rewrite my own name, don’t worry about it. It was a silly accident, and now we know not to mess with your can. We’re okay.”

His hand was rubbing along her shoulder, his skin warm. Ikkaku was hugging her from behind, and Shachi had reached into the huddle to pat her on the head.

“We okay?” Ikkaku said.

Reiju nodded. “Yeah.”

“Tell you what,” Shachi said, “While the pens are out, if we can find Bepo taking a nap the pens are perfect for drawing on his face!”

Penguin and Shachi grinned, wide and wicked. Reiju huffed a laugh; they changed up so fast she couldn’t keep up with them.

“That’s mean,” she said.

“That’s not a no,” Shachi said.

And so, the afternoons was spent drawing on old boiler suis, Reiju designing the tattoos she couldn’t get. Bepo woke from his nap with glasses and a joker smile and couldn’t work out why everyone kept giggling at him. Penguin and Shachi took their punishment on the chin, handing their pens over to Law and winking to Reiju behind his back.