Chapter 8: Reaper, The Angel of Death 3
"P-please w-warn me next time," she begged the boy and the two momentarily remained stationary in the air.
"Don't worry Meiko, you can trust me. I won't drop you, I'm strong," Rosan promised. She simply hugged him harder and he gave her a reassuring squeeze in response.
Eventually, she settled down and gave Rosan a shaky nod, indicating that she was ready. "You may want to hold on to your hat," he recommended and with that, Rosan spread his
dark wings and took off.
Flying was the most incredible feeling ever, Meiko decided.
Once she got over her fears, she let out a shout of joy in Rosan's arms. The height was not so scary when she didn't look down and the feeling of the cool wind on her, madly
grinning, face felt amazing!
She felt so safe in Rosan's arm! The 11 year old knew he wouldn't drop her so it allowed her to let go of her fears and embrace her excitement.
Rosan couldn't resist the smile that made its way to his face at the look on Meiko's face. The girl looked like she was having the time of her life, as she held one hand on her
sunhat.
He was glad she was enjoying this, flying was probably his favorite thing to do and to see that she shared his love for it, satisfied him.
"I wonder why~," Mod cooed.
"You sure have become talkative Mod-chan," Rosan couldn't resist pointing this out.
"I can't help it. Since you're too cool to speak now, I have to pick up the slack," was her snarky response.
"Who made you this sassy?" Rosan wondered.
"You." All playfulness disappeared, as Mod-chan spoke in the most deadpan voice yet and Rosan sweatdropped at the drastic shift in tone.
She really meant that huh?
"You…may have a point," he conceded.
"Of course I do," she harrumphed and Rosan just knew she was crossing her arms.
They weren't far from the island so they made it there far sooner then Meiko would have liked. Rosan clutched her tighter, as he suddenly angled himself downward and began
descending. The land mass got closer and closer and Meiko noted that he was flying directly towards a large castle.
Rosan reached the floor with barely a sound and as he softly landed on the floor, he put Meiko down and furled up his wings.
Meiko was reluctant to let him go, but she eventually unwrapped her arms from his shoulder. "Please tell me we can do that again?" she pleaded with puppy dog eyes and Rosan
almost melted at the adorable sight. He gained control of himself quickly and just nodded.
"Seems like someone else is good at using how cute they are," Mod accused and Rosan groaned.
How was it his fault that he knew how to abuse his looks? Use every advantage you had.
"Of course Meiko. We can go flying again whenever you want," she hugged him in glee and the redhead returned it.
A whistle interrupted them and Meiko jumped before hastily removing herself from him, red faced. Rosan simply turned towards the source of the noise and was met with Aiko and
Akemi both staring at the two with an impressed and wide eyed gaze respectfully.
"S-sorry for interrupting Reaper-sama," Akemi bowed nervously.
"Didn't think you had emotions honestly," Aiko shrugged before looking at Meiko. "Getting yourself such a cutie? I'm seriously impressed," she finished, causing the blonde to
blush in embarrassment.
"Aiko. Akemi I trust you had a good night," Rosan nodded towards the sisters and he was satisfied to see the amount of respect they had for him.
"It was incredible! I hadn't seen my sister in over a year, so we have a lot of catching up to do," Aiko naturally took the lead. Bowing lowly, she told him in a serious voice "You
have my eternal gratitude for saving this island and my sister. Whatever you want Reaper, I'll do my best to help you."
"I will keep that in mind, Aiko," Rosan said, easily slipping into his Reaper persona. "For now, we will stick with our current deal, I do not desire to take advantage of you all."
Her respect for him only grew and she bowed deeper. "I have a few concerns that I'd like answered though," she began, leading them back to the castle and she shot a curious
look at the blonde "Who is she?"
"A friend," was his clipped response and she reluctantly dropped it.
"N-nice to meet you both," Meiko waved at her. Aiko and Akemi smiled at her and waved back.
She was a polite one!
"How did a sweet girl like you, end up with an asshole like them," Aiko asked pointing a finger at Reaper. The Shinigami ignored them all, as he kept walking and she stuck her
tongue out at him, which he also ignored. The older sister grumbled to herself.
Jerk.
"He kidnapped me," Meiko responded truthfully and that gave the sisters pause. They looked at her with wide eyes at what she just said and she stared back in confusion.
"S-sorry but," Akemi stuttered. "D-did you say he kidnapped you?"
"Mhm!" Meiko nodded, seemingly not bothered in the slightest.
They opened and closed their mouths, no doubt wanting to ask dozens of questions, but Reaper simply said "Don't bother," and that was the end of the conversation.
The rest of the walk continued in silence and Aiko shot Reaper a wary look. Kidnapping this wealthy looking girl, freeing an island from a tyrant, brutally murdering said tyrants
subordinates...
Just who was he?
"Reaper are you a revolutionary?" She asked curiously.
"No," was his response and she scowled at his short answers. He wasn't revealing anything about himself and it was grating on her nerves. The asshole could at least afford to
elaborate!
They arrived to the castle (which Aiko and some other islanders had a blast cleaning up. She was sure some of them were still throwing up at what they saw.) and made their way
to the office. Meiko glanced around in awe at the size of the castle and the various artifacts on the wall.
It practically screamed wealthy! If the rest of the island was like this… then she now knew why Rosan wanted money from them.
"Reaper, I'm sure you don't plan on staying here so… how exactly do you plan on collecting the beri every 2 weeks?" Aiko asked curiously. Meiko also wondered what exactly this
technique was, Rosan had said he'd rather test it on something that was not on her, to avoid any potential risk.
"I have my ways," he said cryptically, not sparing them a glance. "You don't need to worry, I've got it all covered."
Aiko looked a bit unsure but she just shrugged and nodded. If he said he had it handled, who was she to doubt him?
"You are going to be moving into this castle," Rosan announced suddenly, causing her eyes to bug out in shock.
Maybe now she could start doubting him.
"W-what? Why?" Aiko asked in disbelief. Reaper stared at her and she got the sense, that he was raising a brow at her stupid question. She blushed a bit and glared at him.
"Convenience for the both of us," he said simply. "Someone needs to be here to give me the beri and I'd rather not be kept waiting. You are the only one I trust to not mess up
and you are the leader of the island anyways so this castle is yours," he finished matter-of-factly and Aiko spluttered in surprise.
"Wait wait wait, since when am I the leader of Fregate? The others didn't agree to this!" she tried protesting and Rosan internally snorted.
Was she serious?
"Since I decided. This is not up for debate. You are the delegate I chose for the island and if the others have any protests, they won't say anything regardless, cowardly bunch that
they are."
She found herself nodding in agreement and realized that he was right. The others couldn't even step up when Reaper had asked for a representative so how could they be trusted
to make sure things on the island were running smoothly.
She didn't have to like it though.
"Relax Aiko, you just have to be here on schedule every 2 weeks. You were already planning on getting this island back on its feet so I would assume I'm not adding any
unnecessary work," Reaper said and she nodded reluctantly.
She could do that, someone would need to do that anyways. She doubted the rest of her people had the leadership qualities so she'd need to be at the forefront.
"Now," Reaper claimed as they arrived to the office "You two stand out here for a moment," he directed towards Aiko and Akemi, who both nodded with some curiosity at his
demand. What was he planning on doing?
Rosan made his way, Meiko in tow, into the room and gently shut the door behind him. After a moment of deliberation, he walked towards the wall closest to the office desk and
looked for the spot with the most space. He moved a painting out of the way to give himself more room and threw it somewhere.
Looking at the now more spacious zone, Rosan nodded to himself.
This would do just fine.
Meiko watched all this transpire, with anticipation on her features. What was her crush about to do?
Rosan closed his eyes and focused hard. What he was about to do… it had taken a lot of brainstorming but he had finally figured it out.
The redhead had only thought of this due to having a mindscape and due to the bags he had given to Demon and Meiko respectively. The same bags that were somehow linked to
a room in his ship.
He hadn't thought about it at the time… but the more he did, the more he realized the massive implications of just what he had done.
How had he been able to connect that bag to his ship? He had connected the two with a thought and an application of Modification, but the more he delved into it, the more
potential he saw in the technique.
The conclusion he came to, had the boy grinning wildly.
Manipulation of space.
The redhead had been modifying space and it had slipped right under his nose this whole time. Even with other techniques, Rosan always manipulated space to achieve his
modifications.
With that realization, Rosan had been hard at work to crack it.
There was a medium between the bag and his ship that allowed them to link. Rosan wanted to find that medium and make it his own. It was a secret project that he had been
working on in the mindscape and thank god for that, because Rosan didn't want to accidentally (he would not risk it) cause the end of the world by ripping an accidental tear into
space.
His research, had given birth to the discovery of a Pocket Dimension.
A Pocket Dimension!
Rosan actually had access to a Pocket Dimension and had expanded it to levels that would be suitable for his needs.
"The ability to find a Pocket Dimension and turn it into your own… I don't think I would have never thought of that," Mod remarked and she was smiling fondly at her
charge. "You're incredible, Rosan."
Rosan puffed up at the compliment. It had taken a lot, he had been practicing it nonstop in his mindscape, even sacrificing sleep, but the results were more than worth it.
The Pocket Dimension was not exclusively his though. In theory, the small space had always been there and, with the right Devil Fruit, someone could access it but as far as Rosan
knew, he was the only one who could fully utilize it.
Anyone else that could access it, even partially, would have to be killed. It was too much of a risk, even if they couldn't utilize it to the same degree he could. Imagine if word got
out that the pocket dimension was real and the wielder of the Mod Mod no mi, a fruit already coveted by the World Government, was the only one who could access it.
Rosan was sure all 3 Admirals would converge upon him, given the chance.
Confident in his abilities he may be, Rosan was not foolish enough to think he could take out 1 admiral. 3 would be overkill.
His access to the Pocket Dimension was why Rosan didn't need to stay on this island. Concentrating a considerable amount of power, Rosan's voice rang through the room.
"Modification: Save Point."
A nearly invisible door formed on the wall that he had just cleared up. It flashed momentarily, alerting Meiko before completely vanishing. None could see it, but Rosan knew it
was there.
Save Point was a technique that connected a source of Rosan's choosing to the pocket dimension. Like this, Rosan would be able to enter the confusing dimension from his ship,
locate the door that led to Fregate and collect his beri all in a matter of moments. To others it would look like he was teleporting and in a way they were right.
It was an incredible technique and it had been hiding under his nose this whole time.
Rosan wanted to actually turn himself into a save point so he could enter at any location, but that was proving to be difficult. It seemed turning a person's body into a source for
another dimension wasn't easy. If it failed, then he'd just have to find a medium like what he planned for Meiko.
Rosan explained this to Meiko and she widened her eyes in disbelief. "Rosan that's i-incredible!" She exclaimed, not quite believing her ears. The girl was in a bit of a daze at his
explanation and she was having trouble fully processing it.
Manipulation of space? Something like that was possible? It sounded as amazing as it did dangerous to the blonde girl.
"Mod-chan is capable of doing some really scary things. Your Devil Fruit is so strong," she told him and she felt how proud he was.
Rosan was about to say something before he stopped and just put a hand on Meiko. She got a little dizzy as Rosan said "Link," before it quickly faded. She blinked for a couple of
seconds wondering just what he did.
"Don't mind him, Meiko," a familiar voice made the blonde jump 10ft in the air with a startled yelp. "Rosan is a show off and he wants to prove to you just how amazing
I am," Mod finished, sighing in exasperation.
Meiko whirled around to look for Mod-chan. She sounded like she was right by her but it felt a bit… closer. Wait, was Mod-chan in her head?
"Yes I am!" she heard clapping, as Mod-chan confirmed her suspicions. "Rosan linked the two of you without dragging you into his mindscape so this way, you can
talk to me and to him," Mod explained to her.
"What can't you guys do," Meiko asked in slight fear.
"Swim/Swim", They said simultaneously and she sweatdropped.
"It seems to be a success but I'd like to have a bit more control over it before I use it on you. I need to ensure that it's 100% safe...," Rosan informed her.
"In the meantime, find a medium that you would like me to use," He finished and she beamed in appreciation. Rosan was so considerate and she cherished that feeling it gave her.
"Okay, I'll find something!" Meiko smiled and Rosan nodded.
He called in the sisters and as they walked in, they looked around and noticed nothing out of the ordinary. They might have noticed the painting was moved, but they didn't habit
this room enough to know.
"This is where we'll meet," Rosan told them getting a grunt out of Aiko and a shaky nod from Akemi.
"Um Reaper-sama," Akemi called and flinched as Rosan faced her.
Meiko idly wondered why they were calling him Reaper.
"Identity reasons," Rosan's voice chimed in her head. "I'd like to keep my identity a secret. Having this Reaper alias, allows me to do what I please and if things go wrong, I can
just go back to being Rosan," he told her and she nodded at his logic.
Giving himself a free way to live his life normally, if Reaper did something dangerous, was smart. She now understood why he asked her if she wanted a disguise. The sunhat did a
good enough job hiding her face and so did the sunglasses with her eyes but she refused to change her appearance.
Her appearance was unique to her and she refused to change it. It's what made her special and changing that would be changing who she was.
Rosan respected her decision and at her explanation, the boy had even told her that he would limit how much he changed his personal appearance due to what she told him!
The idea that she was actually changing the boys perspective on things, left her beaming in joy. Despite how stubborn Rosan could be, he always kept an open mind and was
willing to change if he needed.
It was one of the things she liked most about him.
"What is it Akemi?" Rosan snapped Meiko out her musings, as he looked at the nervous woman.
The woman looked like an absolute mess and Meiko felt strangely sympathetic with her. She wilted a bit under his gaze and avoided eye contact.
That confused Rosan.
"You are the one who called me, yet you won't even look at me?" he asked making her flinch. She trembled a bit at his words and the woman looked like she was very close to
breaking down.
"You could stand to be a little less intimidating, Rosan," Meiko suggested.
"I agree, you can be quite scary," Mod chimed in.
"But…she called me? I'm not understanding how I could possibly be in the wrong." She wanted to laugh at how genuinely confused Rosan sounded.
He was too cute sometimes.
"Boys," Meiko sighed in disappointment.
"Boys," Mod agreed.
"This was a mistake," Rosan's voice came out flat and they both laughed at his misfortune.
Aiko shot him a glare and said "Could you be a bit more gentle, Reaper. You know what she went through," and Rosan fixed his gaze on her.
He tilted his head at the older sister and asked "I'm aware. But then, why would she call my attention in the first place?"
"What happened to her?" Meiko asked curiously.
"She was raped and held as a prisoner for over a year," Rosan explained her situation and Meiko looked horrified.
Who would put someone through that?! Being r-raped and held prisoner? The blonde wanted to throw up at the thought and Rosan sent her a soothing pulse which calmed her
down. Meiko tried hard not to let sympathy show on her face.
She failed miserably.
"She's trying her best right now! Don't be such a dick, Reaper," she snarled and Akemi frantically tried to calm her down. "It's bad enough that she had to be in that hellhole for a
year, you slaughtering every single person while she was in the room didn't make her situation better," the woman was baring her teeth at Rosan now.
Akemi truly feared for her sisters life right then and there.
"Oh I'm sorry, did you want me to tell the goons to wait one moment while I deliver your darling sister to you?" Rosan asked sarcastically, taking a step forward. "Thanks, but no
thanks. I'm not someone who likes to waste time and searching the island, for the remnants, would be far more trouble then gathering them in one location."
"Rosan did you really kill those people with her in the room?" Meiko asked Rosan, with a disappointed tone.
"I fail to see the issue. I told her to hide under the bed then to close her eyes. Whatever she saw is on her," Rosan said rigidly and Mod-chan readily agreed with him.
"Rosan is no ones babysitter," Mod said, rather coldly and it caught her off guard. "Akemi is an adult who didn't take much of his advice and she suffered the price for
it."
Meiko flinched at their callous replies. It was a stark reminder, that the boy and his Devil Fruit were not saints. Everything the two did, was for themselves and the people they
cared for. This whole island could perish and she doubted either of them would bat an eye.
It was quite a terrifying thought how little care the 9 year old had for the lives of others. Why did her parents have to…
Her breath hitched and she forcefully disregarded those thoughts. It would do no good if she broke down here in front of everyone. She didn't want to cause any trouble for Rosan.
Aiko held her ground but was pulled back by a visibly terrified Akemi. She knew what Reaper was capable of and if Aiko made him upset… she really was going to be an only child!
Bowing deeply, the younger sister hastily stuttered out an apology. "I-I'm sorry Reaper-sama f-for Aiko… she's r-really hotheaded a-and c-combined with her p-protective streak, it
makes her say dumb things often."
"Do not apologize for the attitude of someone else," Reaper said in a stony tone and she immediately stopped talking. She began fearing for the worst and Aiko seemed to realize
that she might have aggravated the wrong person, if the way her expression shifted indicated anything.
She hated her sisters mouth sometimes.
"Akemi," Reaper said grabbing her attention. "It's alright to be afraid."
Aiko's eyes widened in surprise at his words.
Was he...?
"What you went through… no one should ever have to go through that," he began, causing her lip to wobble.
"It's okay to feel fear. Fear is a driving force. But, do not allow that fear to drag you down. Don't let that fear control you," Reaper let out a small breath as he spoke.
"The people who hurt you, they're gone now. I made sure of it." Her lip quivered as his words struck into her.
"Do not let your memories of them defeat you because they can't get to you anymore. That fear… it's healthy. It will ensure you never want to feel like that again. What's not
healthy, is allowing that fear to determine how you live. You must control your fear, not the other way around. No matter what, you must never stop fighting," the masked man
concluded, backing away from the woman, who regarded him in pure shock.
Akemi felt as if a weight was lifted off her shoulders.
The full scope of the situation had hit her all at once. They couldn't hurt her anymore. All those months of misery, gone in a blink of an eye. Her tormentors were gone and it was
all because of the black clad figure in front of her.
The Angel who had saved this island.
Her savior.
Akemi tried to bite back her tears.
She failed miserably.
Something grabbed her and once she identified it as Aiko, all the floodgates released. Clutching the hem of her older sisters white shirt, Akemi shook as sobs wracked her body.
She felt so relieved. It was like she had finally woken from a never ending nightmare and it was overwhelming.
The girl could do nothing but cry and her older sister knew just how to deal with that.
"Shh, everything's gonna be okay Sis. I'm here for you." Aiko, who's anger had dissolved, shot Reaper the most grateful look she could muster. She had no clue how she was
going to even start talking to Akemi about her trauma. The cloaked figure had managed to assuage both of their fears in one speech and she was eternally grateful for that.
Reaper may have been an ass, but at least he cared a little.
"It's good to know that you still have an aptitude for speeches," Mod smiled at Rosan and the boy snorted in amusement.
"He does this often?" Meiko asked looking at Rosan in shock.
"Mhm," she nodded. "Rosan could turn even the most rebellious folks loyal to him, if he wanted too!"
"Wow, Rosan," Meiko awed, before asking "Why don't you become like a Pirate Captain or a Marine. You have so much charisma!"
Rosan let out an uncharacteristic snarl and it made her jump in surprise. "I have no interest in becoming a pirate and I'd rather die then become a Marine," he growled and she
flinched at his tone.
Meiko wondered just what happened for Rosan to harbor such resentment towards both. She had wanted to be a Marine, so it kind of stung that there was a possibility her and
Rosan could have been enemies.
The blonde shivered to herself.
She didn't like her odds against the 9 year old.
"What did the Marines do to you, Rosan?"
The redhead simply said "I'll explain it to you one of these days," and left it at that.
Mod-chan sighed fondly, much to his annoyance. "Such trust already? Meiko, you sure are doing a number on him," she teased them both.
Meiko turned scarlet. There was no way Mod-chan knew right?
There was no way!
"Rosan, out of curiosity, how do you think someone with a mix of blond and red hair would look?" Mod asked curiously. The lady sounded down right devious.
Oh Kami, she knew.
Meiko felt lightheaded at the blatant question Mod-chan asked.
"Blond like Meiko's?" Rosan asked in return and Meiko felt like she was going to combust on the spot. "I think blond with red streaks and vice versa would look good. A 50%
combination of both, would be questionable but it could work," Rosan finished.
"Hmm and what about you Meiko? How do you think a child with those colors would look," Mod asked and Meiko swore she was going to throttle the woman.
She wasn't being subtle at all! Child?! T-that was so far into the future. This hypothetical question was totally unnecessary… though she did feel happy that Rosan approved of their
future—-
No, bad Meiko!
"Meiko, are you alright?" Rosan asked her.
"Are you sick? You're awfully red," underneath that worry, was too much mirth and Meiko promised to herself, that Mod-chan would be getting assaulted the next time she
saw her.
Before she could answer, she was mercifully saved by the sisters.
"Reaper," that was Akemi speaking and the girl looked at him with such reverence, Meiko felt her stomach twist. "Thank you so much!" she bowed at a straight 90 degrees.
"Y-you saved me and made me realize that they can't hurt me anymore, you have my utmost gratitude and rest assured, I will make sure Aiko lives up to your expectations," she
vowed with a shaky smile on her face.
"H-hey I'm not that bad," Aiko protested and was summarily ignored. She scowled and promptly turned away from them.
"If there's anything you need, please let me know!" Akemi bowed once again before smiling brightly at Reaper and, after a moment's hesitation, hugging him.
Meiko gaped in disbelief.
Was that a blush on her face?! W-who did she think she was?! Meiko was utterly outraged! If only she knew Rosan's real age, she probably wouldn't be looking at him with those
stupid, gushy, brown eyes of hers.
"Thank you Akemi, I'll be sure to let you know," Rosan nodded, not hugging her back but choosing not to break it.
Akemi didn't seem to mind. In fact, Rosan not pushing her away only made her hug him tighter.
Meiko glared at Rosan. This was his fault! He shouldn't be entertaining this at all! The blonde didn't need to be here to watch this anymore so she wouldn't be. She crossed her
arms and, without any prompting, left the room.
They all watched her go in confusion, though Aiko had a knowing look in her eyes.
"Meiko?" Rosan called but she didn't stop.
"You're a jerk Rosan," was all she said.
Rosan looked at her retreating form with nothing but confusion.
What did he even do?
Mod-chan sighed and Rosan got the sense she was shaking her head. "Meiko was right, boys really are stupid," was all she said which only amplified his confusion.
"…?"
Rosan was blunt.
He very rarely sugar coated his words and his honesty, was often confused for rudeness. The redhead didn't really care about that though. If someone was hurt by his honestly,
they could grow a spine and deal with it. He didn't think he'd ever be put in a situation where he wished he had more tact.
Dealing with Meiko, seemed to give him a lot of first times though.
She had been ignoring him, for some reason, ever since they had left the castle. Rosan normally wouldn't have cared but he didn't even do anything!
Was she upset that he had killed all those people? Leaving them alive, would have been more trouble then it was worth. It would mean that there was always the chance for an
attack in the future and Rosan did not feel like dealing with that.
He tried to get her to explain just what he did, but the blonde was stubborn in her silence.
The Shinigami politely greeted the approaching villagers, who looked at him as if he was some deity that didn't deserve to walk amongst them.
Rosan hadn't expected to get that reaction out of other people but it made sense. He had just saved them from their long time tormentor, after all. Coupled with the fact that he
had wings resting on his back, they probably thought he was some type of guardian angel.
A stupid assumption, but he wouldn't dissuade them.
But, back to his main issue. Rosan had tried to coax a reason out of Meiko and she didn't even bother giving him a response back. Her refusal to speak to him, was beginning to
irk the boy, especially considering he wasn't sure what he had done to her.
Their issues could be solved if they just talked so why did she refuse to talk?
Coupled with the fact that Rosan despised being ignored, it was no surprise that he was slowly boiling over. Grabbing her arm, he dragged the, clearly surprised, girl into an
isolated area and firmly held her against the wall. He was glaring at her now, though it remained hidden, and he chose to speak aloud this time.
"Stop. Ignoring. Me," the black clad figure grit out, as his grip tightened on her. "I don't know what you're deal is, but I'm getting fed up with how you're acting right now."
Meiko flinched slightly at his steely stone and he noted that she was trembling ever so slightly, but Rosan just wanted to know what her problem was.
"I'm going to ask you one last time before I'm over it. What's your deal?" he growled.
Meiko felt tears brimming in her eyes at the forceful tone. "R-Rosan, you're hurting me...," she whispered and she bowed her head.
Rosan's eyes widened and he hastily let her down. The redhead backed away from her and began wondering, what exactly was wrong with him.
Guilt washed over him at her tone. He had gone and done it again, hadn't he? Letting his emotions get the better of him… Was the situation even that serious to get worked up
about?
Rosan was a complete mess and he cursed himself for it. At least he had managed to reign himself in faster then normal.
"Meiko I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you," he tried to apologize to the girl but he knew that wasn't enough.
"C-can you escort me back to the ship please," she muttered not looking at him. Rosan saw a stray tear hit the floor and he felt knots forming in his belly.
"...Alright," he eventually said with a sigh. With her permission, he reluctantly grabbed her and they took off.
The fly back was silent.
Dropping her off on the ship, Rosan opened his mouth to apologize again but shut it, seeing no point. He already apologized once and doing it again and again, would change
nothing.
Meiko awkwardly said she was going to get dinner ready and Rosan made an excuse that he still had some business to do on the island.
Not waiting for a response, he flexed his wings and took off. Demon and Angel wisely stayed silent.
Why did he keep doing this? He overreacted. Again.
Damn it Rosan.
He needed to dedicate some weeks to just controlling his emotions. He had thought he was getting a better grasp at them but with Meiko, all logic was thrown out of the window
and his emotions continued to get the best of him. Still, she didn't deserve to be a constant victim to his errant emotions.
He would make this up to her.
"Try getting her a gift?" Mod suggested and he nodded. That was perfect. Rosan would get her a gift.
"Thank you Mod-chan. By the way, do you know why she was upset with me?" Rosan asked curiously.
"I do, but I don't feel like telling you," Mod said.
Rosan sighed and just dropped the topic. Mod-chan could be such a brat.
Returning to the island, Rosan went to the plaza he had been to when he first arrived on Fregate. This island didn't have much of anything at the moment but maybe he'd be able
to find something suitable here? Meiko wasn't the type to care about the price of a gift.
No it was the intentions that mattered to her.
"Oh Reaper-sama!" A familiar raspy voice called out. Looking in the direction of where it came from, Rosan was greeted by the form of the old man from before who had tried to
scam him, waving the figure over. Shrugging his shoulders, he simply walked up to the man.
"Planning on scamming me again?" The Shinigami greeted conversationally and he was pleased to see the man rapidly shake his head in denial.
"No! How could I ever dream of scamming our savior," he looked genuinely disgusted at the thought and Rosan nearly snorted.
How quickly people backtracked when learning new info. How fast they changed when someone did something favorable for them.
He hated that.
Rosan didn't detect any insincerity, so he chose to believe the man.
"Why did you call me over here?" he asked bluntly. Rosan wasn't quite in the mood to entertain some old man at the moment, so it had better be a good reason.
The old man cupped his chin and looked at the fully cloaked figure.
He could not see anything that would suggest who Reaper was. He wondered what Reaper's actual gender was? Everyone assumed that he was a boy because that was just easier
to remember but who really knew? The Angels voice sounded like they could be either gender. Eventually he said "You looked as if you were searching for something,"
Rosan nodded a bit surprised and said "I'm looking for a gift," and, after a moment of deliberation, he added "I do not want your expired fruit."
"Please stop bringing up the events of yesterday!" The old man had the decency to look embarrassed and Rosan couldn't help but smile to himself at how tormented he looked.
Outwardly he just nodded.
The elder adopted a thoughtful look. "Is it for the lass you were walking with earlier? She did look rather upset with you," he pointed out, before hastily taking back what he said,
as Reaper just stared at him. He didn't say a word but the man got the message well enough.
"Keep talking and something bad will happen to you."
A light bulb went off, as an idea came to his head. He told Reaper to wait one moment and vanished to who knows where.
The masked redhead just watched the mans retreating back.
Rosan waited for about 3 minutes, before the panting old man came rushing back with something.
In his hands he held a small case that fit right into his palms. "I think this will do the trick," the old man said, before handing the case to Rosan. He gingerly took it and opened it
without delay.
A shining red orb, the size of a marble, dangled from a long chain that ended with a clasp. It shone in response to the brilliant sun and Rosan raised a brow at how expensive they
look. The gift came in a pair of two and he hummed in contemplation.
Earrings. The man had gotten him a pair of earrings.
"Like it?" the elder puffed up proudly. "It's made of ruby and it was far too gorgeous for me to give up to those ruffians so I hid it from their sights. I believe they would be the
perfect gift for the lass," he finished with a grin that revealed a lot of missing teeth.
Rosan had to admit, they were a sight to behold. Meiko would love them for sure and they were red. "How much do you want for them?" he asked, looking up from the earrings.
He began digging around inside of his cloak before he was stopped by the elder.
Waving his hands frantically, he said "I could never charge our savior," and Rosan frowned at that.
He was not a fan of special treatment and that applied to himself.
"I insist! Consider it an apology, for trying to charge you a ludicrous price for the fruits yesterday,"
Rosan simply sighed and accepted. That was fair, he supposed. Rosan grabbed the box from the man with a simple "Thank you," and pocketed the earrings. The Shinigami bid the
man a farewell, stretched his wings and took off in a gust of wind.
The onlookers looked on in awe at the sight of Reaper soaring away in a matter of moments.
He wanted to get them to Meiko as soon as possible.
Meiko was a bit glum as she made dinner.
She knew she was overreacting a bit… but Rosan didn't have to get so rough with her! She...didn't think he would have reacted like that.
Rosan was normally much more in control of his emotions.
Ever since he blew up that one day she figured out her parents were gone, he never overreacted like that again.
"Rosan knows he messed up," Mod chimed in, making the blonde jump in fright at the voice.
Mod-chan could still speak to her? Was Rosan able to hear this too? "No it's just you and I," she informed the blue eyed girl.
"I didn't know we could talk, just the two of us," Meiko gasped and Mod hummed.
"My connection with Rosan is constant, but when we speak to each other I have to focus on him. When it's the both of you, I have to focus on the both of you,"
She explained and Meiko was nodding. "I chose to focus on just you this time."
Her mouth formed an O at the explanation and she nodded in understanding.
"I'm not asking you to excuse his actions, but please understand that, due to extreme circumstances, Rosan is not very good at things like this," Mod-chan began,
with a frown on her bronze face. Meiko could tell that her blood red eyes were furrowed a bit too.
"What do you mean?"
"Rosan he… he hasn't had anyone properly teach him about many things. The only ones he had were Robin and myself and well… one is an introvert, who had a
rough upbringing herself and the other is a Devil Fruit, who lacked emotions until meeting him," Mod informed her.
"We tried our best to teach him about these things and we were making good progress too! But, as you can imagine, getting captured and tortured everyday for
6 months didn't positively help with his malleable mind..."
Yeah that would change anyone much less a child.
Meiko nodded in sympathy. He was only 9 years old and it was safe to assume he had been sailing the seas at a very young age.
"Since he was 4 to be exact," the woman clarified and Meiko felt her eyes widen in dread at that bit of information.
S-since he was 4?! That was suicide! What made him decide to travel at such a young age?! It couldn't have possibly been anything good, judging by Mod's tone.
"It wasn't by choice but you'll have to ask him to elaborate," The Devil Fruit said sadly and Meiko nodded in understanding.
Rosan would tell her when he was ready!
A child's mind was very easily influenced. It didn't sound like the circumstances that caused Rosan to leave at 4, were very good so, it was very possible that his mind was already
in a not so stable state and Daybreak made it worse.
Meiko could understand Rosan's point of view a lot more now. The fact he was making a genuine effort to change himself, was a good sign that he knew of his shortcomings.
Rosan was seriously awesome! His maturity at only 9 years old was awe inspiring and Meiko wanted to follow his example.
"That boy… I love him like he's my own son and he might as well be," Mod admitted fondly and Meiko's electric blue eyes, went soft at her gentle tone.
"Seeing him so broken before, broke me and watching him slowly but surely gain the light in his eyes from before makes me happier then you could imagine and
it's all thanks to you Meiko," The earnest tone in her voice shook Meiko to her core.
"B-because of me? What did I do Mod-chan?" The girl asked with a confused expression on her fair skin.
"Nothing except being you, sweetie," Mod-chan began kindly and the girl flushed at the compliment. "You're bringing out the suppressed emotions in Rosan, that no
one else is able to, and it's putting him in unfamiliar territory."
"Rosan… I would never have expected him to be so accepting of another person so soon, due to what he went through, but your managing to shatter any barrier
he has put up and it's bringing my old boy back," Mod-chan sounded a bit choked up, as she spoke and Meiko sent nothing but sweet reassurance to the purple haired
woman.
Mod needed this. The woman was attached to Rosan but it was clear she couldn't talk to him about everything. How could she tell the boy that she wanted the old version of him
back? It was unbelievably selfish and worst, Rosan would try his hardest to go through with her wish.
His love for her was deep and he was willing to go through hell and back for his long time partner.
She knew Rosan would be furious if he found out she was keeping info from him, so she needed an outlet. Sweet, caring Meiko was the perfect choice and the little girl had no
problem being a listening ear.
Mod-chan was really starting to love this shining girl.
"Don't worry Mod-chan! Together, we can slowly but surely help Rosan get better," Meiko spoke with such sureness, all Mod-chan could do was laugh and believe her.
"You're an amazing person Meiko," Mod-chan started, getting a blush out of the little girl. "That's why I approve of your pursuit in Rosan's heart!"
A ticked off expression formed on her face at the memory. "Mod-chan what exactly are you doing?!" she bellowed at the Devil Fruit.
"Whatever do you mean," Mod-chan asked innocently and Meiko wanted to strangle the woman right then and there.
"Asking us about a blond and red haired child? Could you be more obvious?!" Meiko asked, completely exasperated, as she waved her hands animatedly.
"Just wanted you to know, that I know!"
"W-why didn't you just tell me like this?!"
"… The chance to tease you, was too good to pass up," the purple haired woman admitted sheepishly. She let out a nervous laugh, as Meiko tried to burn a mental hole into
her.
Mod-chan, sensing danger, tried to salvage the situation.
"W-well Rosan and I both know you have feelings for him, but only I know that it's evolved from more then just a crush," Mod-chan explained, causing her to turn a
deep shade of red.
"When did you find out?" Meiko was curious, she only recently found out that her feelings ran deeper. Did Mod-chan always know that it would end up like this or did Meiko give it
away?
"When you did," was her response. "I saw the way you were looking at Rosan when he said he wanted to keep you safe. The realization on your face made me
realize too."
"H-how were you able to tell but not Rosan?" She stammered and Mod-chan sighed in fondness.
"Due to spending a prolonged amount of time around Sachie—," she flinched from the restrained venom in the woman's voice at the mention of her mother "—Rosan has
gotten quite good at picking up when people are attracted to him."
That didn't really her answer and she said as much.
"Let me finish," the woman requested politely and she nodded and apologized. "It's fine. The problem is that Rosan is only good at detecting lust due to it being
more… negative in nature. You don't feel lust for Rosan, your attraction to him is pure in nature and that's why he isn't able to tell how deep it runs."
"He's good at detecting negative emotions but not more positive ones when regarding himself? But why?" Meiko mused.
"Rosan he… he doesn't have a very high opinion of himself," Mod admitted and the blonde couldn't help but ask why.
"It's two things, really. He was forced to leave someone behind and…he thinks someone else has abandoned him. Coupled with the fact, that his time on
Daybreak Island has caused him to view himself as a monster, you can imagine that he probably doesn't think anyone, barring I, loves him," she answered and the
woman sounded upset.
Clearly Mod didn't believe that but Rosan would not listen to her because of how intertwined they were.
Meiko's eyes softened in sympathy. She understood well what it was like to have low self esteem. Being ignored by your parents for years, really helped in giving you confidence
issues.
Her crush didn't seem to have any confidence issues. In fact, Rosan's confidence bordered on arrogance but... that probably only extended to his skills and not his character...
She really wanted to help him with whatever problems he had because the redhead had been helping her tremendously with her own confidence. She wanted nothing more then
to return the favor to the boy who deserved it.
"I'm trying myself but maybe, with the 2 of us, he'll finally start to see reason," Mod said with a hopeful tone and Meiko nodded rapidly.
"Honestly that boy is so self punishing sometimes," she exhaled fondly and Meiko had to agree. For someone normally so compliant, Rosan really could be insufferably
stubborn. But, it was apart of his charm and it was another reason on a long list of why she was so infatuated with the boy.
In a much better mood, Meiko hummed as she began making dinner. She wanted to make seafood today after seeing a recipe so she quickly took out the necessary ingredients.
Rice, shrimp, salmon, beans, tomatoes… these were some of the things she grabbed.
Satisfied with her selection, Meiko quickly got to work.
The 11 year old was just about to finish, when Rosan showed up. The boy did his best not to startle her and, seeing that she was still busy, opted to keep his mouth shut. She shot
him a small smile and he relaxed a bit, though he still looked tense. He felt guilty and that warmed her up considerably.
It always made her smile knowing that he really did care.
The blonde decided she would hear what he had to say first and so she made them both a plate of her dish (it was something called Paella!) and ate in silence. She beamed at the
delighted look in Rosan's eyes and began to eat her own food in return.
Rosan finished before her. He always finished eating first, despite normally having a larger plate of food but he was considerate enough to not leave, even after he was done! They
normally talked about mundane things as she finished her food and the peace was calming.
This time, he opted to stare at her while she ate which made her flush in embarrassment.
There was something about his eyes that just gave them such an intense feel. Whether it was the fact that they were two different colors, or that they subtly glowed, she didn't
know but it made keeping eye contact with him, really difficult.
Rosan's presence was hard to ignore.
She finally finished eating and once she sighed in satisfaction, Rosan decided now would be a good time to talk.
"Meiko…" he said softly, grabbing her attention. Taking a deep breath, the redhead said "I wanted to apologize for being so rough with you… I keep letting my emotions get the
best of me over simple things and it's only causing you harm."
Meiko opened her mouth to tell him that it was okay but Rosan would not let her. She was too forgiving for her own good and he would never get better, if she just forgave him
after every transgression.
He needed her to at least be a little upset, dammit.
"Meiko it's hard to feel bad when you're not even upset," Rosan sighed out and she sheepishly tugged one of her twintails.
"I'm just trying to understand things from your perspective is all, Rosan!" The 9 year old let out a deeper sigh at the compassionate gaze she shot him and dropped it.
"Well whatever the case, I still want to make it up to you."
Pulling out the box, he said "I got you a present as an apology... and as a thanks for putting up with me," and he presented it to her.
Meiko's eyes shone in curious delight and she easily accepted the box out of his hand.
She loved getting gifts! She used to get them all the time when she was younger and they never failed to fill her with joy, no matter what it was. It was just the fact that someone
wanted to get her a gift that made her love them!
The 11 year old opened the box and her eyes widened in shock at what she laid eyes on. Inside of the box, was a pair of really beautiful earrings.
They were a ruby red pair of orbs, that dangled slightly on a short chain. They were in perfect condition and seemed to glow in the lighting. The earrings were light to the touch,
but held a weight to them, that let her know it was likely not fake.
They were absolutely gorgeous and Meiko loved them.
She let out a squeal and crashed into Rosan. In her excitement, she planted a kiss right on his cheek and didn't even flush in embarrassment.
"Thank you thank you thank you!" she exclaimed, smiling brighter then he had ever seen. "I love it! Wait just a sec, I'm gonna try them on right now," before he could say
anything, she took off.
Rosan absentmindedly touched his cheek. Huh, he wasn't expecting such a strong reaction. He guessed she appreciated it.
Mod smiled knowingly.
The Mod Mod no mi user walked out of the dining room, just in time to run into Meiko again. He was about to say something, but paused as he took in her appearance.
Gone was her night robe and in its place, was a long frilly red dress that was streaked in black. It had no sleeves and flared out at the bottom. She had on the earrings he gave
her and they complimented her current outfit well.
Rosan felt his mouth go dry and he stared at her with wide eyes.
"Wow~," he heard Mod-chan say and he had to agree with her.
"Well how do I look?" The blonde asked, spinning in a circle. "I love these earrings! Oh I know!" Meiko suddenly exclaimed to the frozen Rosan. "I want you to use them as a Save
Point so I have an excuse to always wear them," she told him and Rosan could only nod, as he soaked in her appearance.
She looked stunning.
Red looked really good on her. Her silky blond hair, always tied in those twintails, looked even brighter and Rosan felt the urge to stroke it. Pupiless, electric blue eyes shone in
excitement, as she looked at him in pure adoration. The admiration in her eyes, as she flashed her pearly whites at him, staggered Rosan a bit.
Admiration just for him.
Rosan regarded Meiko, as if he was actually seeing her for the first time.
Hate them he may have, Doc and Sachie were not ugly by any means. In fact, the married couple were quite the attractive duo and Meiko seemed to have inherited a perfect mix
of her parents.
In the future, the girl was going to grow up to be quite the beauty and Rosan suddenly felt a small sense of disdain, at the attention she'd likely be receiving in the future. He
hoped she didn't pay any of them attention because he deserved all the attention.
Her button nose, her large, caring, blue eyes, that looked at him like he were an actual person and not an object, the way her lips curled whenever she smiled at him, her golden
blonde hair just thinking about it, suddenly made his chest pound.
The redhead felt a bit lightheaded looking at her.
This was new. What exactly was this feeling—
Rosan felt his eyes widen in dread, as realization finally hit him.
Oh. Oh no.
"Oh yes~," Mod said in a sing-song voice.
There had to be an explanation for this! Surely he didn't…
Rosan recalled the innocent kiss on his cheek and felt his face turn hot.
T-this couldn't be happening! He couldn't be... not to her of all people!
"Rosan, are you okay? Your face suddenly turned red," Meiko said, clueless about his internal dilemma. Rosan tried to tell her he was fine, but he choked on his words the moment
he looked at her.
She looked really good in that dress.
"I-I'm fine Meiko," the redhead wanted to curse at his slipup.
Rosan didn't stutter.
Meiko caught it immediately.
Quick as a flash, she placed a dainty hand on his forehead in concern. Rosan knew it was just her inner doctor kicking in but she was close. Too close.
Rosan didn't know what was happening. He couldn't think straight and he couldn't keep his eyes off of her. She smelt really good. Like strawberries. Rosan really liked
strawberries.
His mind was completely betraying him right now and that was unacceptable! He needed to get it under control right now or else he might do something regretful—
"Are you sick? I've never heard you stutter before," she sounded worried. Worried for him. Just for him. Rosan had never gotten sick before in his life, but he was tempted to say
yes, just so she could keep her eyes on him.
Like right now.
She had her attention focused solely on him and Rosan liked that.
Rosan really liked tha—
Ah shit.
"You finally realized!" Mod sang and for once, Rosan had no comeback. How could he after the revelation of what he was feeling, made itself clear to him.
"Rosan?" Meiko asked in concern and the object of his new affections, was invading his personal space like no ones business. Rosan found he didn't quite mind Meiko being in his
personal space— this was bad.
This was really bad.
Rosan had fallen for Meiko. Hard.
The victorious cheers of Mod-chan, rang through the night, confusing poor Meiko greatly.
Chapter End
Bonus!
The Misadventures of Robin and Rosan – 4
Robin and Rosan are 9 and 5 respectively.
Summary: Robin gets sick. Rosan tries to help in the best way possible. You can imagine how well that goes :).
Rosan wanted to cry.
Why did he want to cry, you ask?
Because Robin was dying and nothing he did made her feel better. The girl had been bedridden for a week now and no matter what she told him to do for her, she didn't get better.
She was clearly dying and the thought brought the little boy to tears.
He had wanted to bring her to the hospital but she had told him they would sooner call the Marines, then treat the Devil Child. When Rosan mentioned disguising her, she said
"We don't have enough funds at the moment to afford a hospital bill, Rosan," and put her foot down. Robin had told him she'd be fine in no time so there was no need for that.
Rosan was reluctant to believe her.
"Rosan, I think you're overreacting," Mod tried but Rosan shook his head in denial. He was currently sitting outside of Robin's room because she didn't want him to be close to
her. The girl was worried that he would catch whatever she had.
Jokes on her, he couldn't get sick! He had never been sick a day in his life!
"Neither of us are doctors Mod-chan, how do we know it's nothing serious!" He whimpered and his Devil Fruit sent him a soothing pulse that helped little. If only he had been a
doctor, he could—
Wait a minute. All they needed was a doctor right? Rosan didn't have to bring her to a doctor… he could just bring a doctor to her!
Slamming his fist against his palm, the redhead got up in excitement. They were currently stationed near an island because the swaying of the ship made Robin dizzy.
"Robin-nee?" Rosan called knocking softly on the door. He patiently waited for her to respond and eventually the sick girl spoke up.
"Y-yes Rosan?" Her weak voice called out. She sounded so tired and Rosan felt his heart breaking. Robin-nee seemed infallible at times so seeing her like this, made him really
sad.
He would make sure she got better!
"I'm going out… is there anything you need before I go?" He asked her gently.
After a moment of silence, she said "Sorry but can you get me some water and a wet rag please?"
"Don't apologize Robin-nee, I'm on it!" with that, he took off to get the requested items. Quickly retrieving the items, he made his way back to where she rested at record time.
Opening her door softy, Rosan made his way to the 9 year old, looked at the flushed Robin and promptly replaced her rag. He touched her forehead and winced at the
temperature.
She was burning up. That only reinforced the idea, that he needed to get a doctor to check up on her.
He carefully placed the water to her lips and she greedily drank it all. He planted a soft kiss on her cheek and hugged the girl before stepping back. She relaxed easily at his warm
touch and Rosan smiled in return.
Touching her arm gently, he said "Modify Target: Rest Mode," Robin shot him a grateful look as he put her to sleep and soon she was quietly snoring away. Rosan modified her,
numbing her body, so that she would feel less pain.
It would allow her to sleep easier.
Satisfied, the 5 year old got up and prepared to get off the ship. He placed one of his Bugs near Robin to alert him if anything went wrong with her. He'd be here as fast as
possible in the case something did happen.
Rosan set off to find a target. He had to help Robin-nee in any way possible.
"Rosan… are you sure this is a good idea?" Mod asked unsure of his plan.
"It'll be fine," he whispered, scouting the house of interest. It was night time and he was currently stalking his targets home.
He had been watching him all day using his Bug and decided he would be the perfect target to help him.
He was a plain, unassuming man with messy graying hair. He seemed like a bit of a pushover, which is why Rosan chose him for his mission today!
If the man didn't want to hear him out…then well, he'd threaten him of course!
If that failed… the redhead wasn't a murderer by any means so he wasn't going to kill him out of frustration. He'd just mix with the man and force him to do it! That was another
reason why he had picked the pushover, there was no way he had more will then Rosan!
Rosan didn't like the idea of forcefully controlling somebody, because it was a gross violation of a person, but desperate times called for desperate measures.
"Rosan, this is kidnapping," Mod said in a deadpan tone. The boy's plan, really made her question his sanity sometimes. He seriously wanted to kidnap an entire person and he
saw no issue with it at all!
Honestly, he gave her such a headache sometimes!
"I gotta help Robin-nee somehow, Mod-chan," he hissed. "If they don't wanna help her by choice, then I won't give them one."
With that, he secured his hoodie and jumped down the building he was on into an alley. He didn't want to risk getting spotted.
That would be pretty bad.
He stealthily made his way to the Doctors house with nothing but determination. He soon arrived to the house and, stopping at a wall, the redhead touched it and closed his eyes.
After a moment, he modified a large hole into the wall and quietly stepped through.
All the lights were shut off but that didn't impede Rosan. Thanks to Mod-chan, he could see just fine in the dark. As he glanced around, Rosan thought to himself that it was a nice
house.
It was much bigger then his own home at Baterilla but that was to be expected.
Mama wasn't a doctor. Actually... how did Mama get money? They were always well off and Rosan never felt like they were lacking in any...
It was probably Roger. Gross.
Rosan Scanned the entire house for signs of life and eventually spotted two near the top.
Upstairs then.
Rosan spotted the stairs and slowly trudged up to his destination. He idly thought about robbing the man silly but shook his head. That was not what he came here to do and the
man would be less inclined to help him if he realized that the redhead robbed him.
Robin-nee was much more important.
Eventually, the 5 year old made his way to a room with its door shut firmly. Holding his head to it, he idly heard snoring from two people.
Was he married? Oh well, that didn't matter. He didn't need his wife.
He slowly turned the door knob and quietly opened the door. Making his way to the sleeping couple Rosan did the most natural and efficient thing that came to him.
He slapped the man awake.
"You are such an idiot, Rosan," Mod sounded tired of his antics and Rosan blinked in confusion at her words.
The Doctor woke up with a start from the blow and before he could even begin screaming, Rosan had covered his mouth with a "Shh," and used his superior strength to restrain
the man.
His flailing eventually woke up his wife (he assumed) and she was about to scream but immediately stopped as Rosan fixed her with a gaze. Rosan held a finger to where his lips
would be and she thought about going against it, but seeing the grip the stranger had on her husband, she wisely stopped.
She looked to be in much better shape then her husband with shoulder length black hair and scared brown eyes. She was sleeping in her underwear and she seemed to just
realize because she quickly covered herself up, with a small, embarrassed yelp.
The man eventually stopped flailing, as he realized the futility of it and Rosan patiently asked him "You done?" At the mans nod, Rosan said "I'm going to remove my hands and if
you scream, I will knock you out. Okay?" He nodded fearfully and Rosan removed his hands.
Thankfully the man was smart enough to not scream, Rosan would have been really annoyed if he had to drag his bigger body to the ship. Still the fearful look on their faces was
not really what he was hoping for.
"It's almost like you broke into their home," Mod said, sarcastically and Rosan shushed her.
He needed to break the ice here and show he wasn't that hostile.
"What's you guys names?" Rosan asked them both and they flinched at his sudden question. They looked at each other then back at him, as he stood there without a care in the
world.
Eventually the woman (the doctor really was a pushover) decided to speak up. "I'm Hana a-and this is Goro," she said pointing at herself and then her husband.
"It's nice to meetcha," he said, purposely not introducing himself. "As much as I'd love to get to know you more, I need your help Goro," Rosan directing his attention towards the
doctor.
"M-me?" He asked in confusion pointing a finger at himself. Rosan nodded at the still tense man in affirmation.
"A…companion of mine, she's sick and I need you to give her a personal checkup to make sure there's nothing wrong with her," Rosan said, unable to keep the worry out of his
tone.
Hana's eyes softened a bit at that information and Goro's widened in disbelief. "Y-you broke into my house to t-tell me that?!" He gaped, almost not believing what he was
hearing. "W-why didn't you just wait until I was actually in the hospital and bring your friend there?"
Rosan shook his head no. "I can't do that, it has to be personal. I just need you to follow me back to my ship, do the checkup and then we'll pretend like this never happened," he
told the doctor.
Goro started shaking his head rapidly in denial. "No no no! I can't do that! If you want a checkup you'll have to schedule an appointment at the hospi—"
He froze, as the intruder suddenly appeared right in front of him. If Rosan had his hoodie down and his mask was off, the man would have seen the boys snarling visage but
thankfully, he was only subjected to his very palpable anger.
That still didn't help him.
"Listen. This girl means everything to me. If anything happens to her because you refused to help, I'm going to lose my mind and I'm going to take out my frustrations on you,"
he snarled at the, steadily paling, doctor.
"I'm going to give you two options. You either get up and follow me to this ship willingly, or I drag you there and force you to do it and don't even think about sabotaging the
process because I swear to Kami, any pain you've felt before, will not be enough to prepare you for what I'm going to do to you," he finished, getting closer and closer until the
hem of his hoodie touched the man's forehead. This close, Goro could see a white mask and faint purple glow.
A tap on his shoulder, made him look over to his wife who was looking at Rosan with soft brown eyes. Her black hair bobbed, as she shook her head and the woman said "Honey, I
think you should help them. They seem very stressed right now and this seems like an act of desperation."
"I don't think this person is used to asking people for help and they look like they're in a rush. Despite the crudeness, they were still willing to give you the courtesy of asking you
for help," she finished and Rosan looked at her happily.
Goro looked like he wanted to argue, but one look in Hana's firm eyes, let him know it would be futile. Letting out a sigh of defeat, he said "I need to at least get some equipment
for a basic check—"
"I already handled it," the hooded figure interrupted him. "I took everything I thought you would need and just put it on my ship… I'll return it all after you're done," his even tone
finally broke through, as a hint of impatience seeped into his voice.
Goro gawked at him. "Y-you broke into the hospital too?" at his quick nod, Goro was tempted to question them, but decided the headache was not worth it and closed his mouth.
At Hana's urging, he hastily got up and requested to take a shower at least. His wish was granted albeit reluctantly by the short, black clad individual.
Goro, not wanting to try his patience, quickly took a cold shower to ensure he was fully awake.
Getting out of the shower, he was confused when he didn't see anyone in the bedroom. He quickly got dressed, fearing the worst and made it downstairs only to see Hana and the
mysterious figure having a seemingly pleasant conversation.
They were both drinking milk and Hana was laughing about something the figure said. A plate of cookies were being munched on as well and, while the figure still had his hoodie
up, he saw a white mask with a black rose on it lying next to him on the counter.
They both faced him at the same time, though he got the feeling that the masked figure had sensed him long ago and greeted him. "Welcome back, honey!" Hana greeted him
cheerfully. She was dressed in a simple white robe that covered her modesty. "Our dear friend here, was just telling me about his escapades! He's quite the charming individual
you know?" she said cheerfully and the figure next to her laughed happily.
Goro opened and closed his mouth, at the sight of the masked boy rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. Dear friend?! He had been gone for 10 minutes! What even happened
in that timespan?! He finally settled for lamely saying "I'm ready to go," and left it at that.
Rosan nodded and he put his mask back on. Securing it firmly on his face, he got up and hugged Hana, which she happily returned and the woman pat him gently on his back.
"Bye Hana! I'll make sure to bring your husband back in one piece! Though, I should have done this during the daytime since he needs the sunlight," he bid her farewell and she
just laughed knowingly, as if they had known each other forever.
"He would have said no if the sun was out!" She joked, waving him off. "I hope your friend is okay! To throw away your pride for her… you two have a very strong relationship! I
kind of envy you for that," the brown eyed sighed despondently and Rosan pat her shoulder in sympathy.
Why did he suddenly feel so outraged by her statement!?
What the hell had he missed in the 10 minutes he was gone? His wife and a burglar…getting along like they knew each other forever?!
He really needed a smoke.
Finally done bidding each other farewell, they departed his home. The boy told him wait one moment, vanished behind his house and came back not soon after. "What were you
doing back there?" Goro asked curiously and the figure simply said "I was closing something."
He learned that, for the sake of his waning sanity, it was best not to question him and just followed the boy wherever he was being taken. They walked at a rather brisk pace and
the Doctor had to wonder how this short figure was so quick.
Rosan shook in anticipation, as they got closer and closer to their destination. Finally someone would be able to check up on Robin! He needed to make sure she was absolutely
okay and this was the best way to do it.
"You never cease to amaze me, Rosan," Mod said, voice full of exasperation. "I don't know how you managed to make friends with someone who's house you broke
into but only you could do it."
"It's cuz I'm awesome Mod-chan," Rosan grinned smugly. Mod simply agreed with a "Yes you are Rosan," and ended the conversation.
The 5 year old knew Mod-chan was proud of him, the woman didn't wanna admit that she was just as worried as Robin-nee as Rosan was, but the purple eyed boy could see right
through her.
At the pace they set, it didn't take long for them to arrive to the White Rose. Goro was panting at the speed they set off at while Rosan stared ahead, perfectly fine.
They boarded the ship and Goro had to take a moment to appreciate its design. He had never seen such a sleek ship! The design, layout, and interior looked far more advanced
then any ship he had ever seen.
A ship this unique must have cost a fortune!
Rosan grabbed a glass of water and they walked at a much more moderate pace to her room.
The boy finally arrived at Robin's door and he told Goro to wait a moment. Not bothering to knock, Rosan entered the room without hesitation. Robin's room had been slightly
changed to accommodate the medical supplies he had borrowed from the hospital.
The girl in question, was wide awake and looking at him with confusion in her blue eyes as she, no doubt, noticed said equipment. She tried to speak but Rosan shushed her and
put the glass of water to her lips, which she greedily drank up. The girl let out a sigh of relief, as her parched throat was momentarily satisfied.
Rosan decided now would be a great time to tell her the news.
"I found a doctor that will check up on you Robin-nee," Rosan said bluntly. Predictably, her eyes widened in disbelief.
"H-how?" she croaked out and the 5 year old explained what he had done today. By the way her eyes narrowed, Rosan was glad that she was currently incapacitated, else he'd be
in trouble!
If the girl had not been sick, Rosan was sure he would be getting an earful but the moment she tried to berate him, she began coughing and gave up. The purple eyed boy gave
her another sip of water to ease her pain and he smiled softly at her thankful expression.
Robin had to wonder just how insane her lovable partner was. She was feeling a certain type of resignation at what he told her.
Did he seriously break into a doctor's house?! Then proceed to ask him for help? After slapping him awake?!
Rosan had to have some loose screws, right? He was so polarizing in his actions, that it made her head spin. Everytime she thought she got used to him, he went and did
something new!
The brunette had made it loud and clear that she didn't need the help of a doctor and that it was just a fever but Rosan clearly wasn't of the same opinion. It was cute that he was
going so far to make sure that she was alright
"Don't try to deny me, Robin," Rosan chastised her and the concern in his voice was obvious. "I need to make sure you're not dying and neither of us are doctors. So, I got an
actual doctor."
Her eyes softened at the worry in his tone and, with a defeated sigh, she nodded her head in compliance and placed it back on the pillow. Rosan grinned in victory and called Goro
in.
She warily looked at the doctor through half lidded eyes and she idly felt Rosan touching her. After a moment, they linked up and Robin let out a relieved sigh at not having to use
her actual voice.
He had gotten really good at knowing what she was thinking.
"Can we trust him?" Robin asked the boy.
"We can. I already warned him what would happen if he tried anything… Also, I get along well with his wife," Rosan told her.
Somehow, Rosan telling her he was friends with the wife of the man, whose house he broke into, was one of the more normal things he had done.
The man looked slightly uncomfortable but resigned. As if he just wanted this all to be over with.
She honestly felt a bit bad for him. It was hard to deny Rosan when he wanted something (spoiled brat) and to be woken up this late must have been arduous for his aging body.
He wasted no time in running various tests on her. She didn't put up resistance to anything and with how intently Rosan was staring at the man, she doubted he would try
anything funny.
He didn't seem to recognize her so that was good. It could be potentially disastrous (for him) if he did.
He soon finished and turning towards Rosan, said "Your friend will be fine. She has a particularly harsh variant of the Flu but give her some rest and make sure she doesn't exert
herself and she'll be fine in no time."
Rosan sagged in relief at the news he received. It warmed her heart how worried he was for her and she didn't (not that she could) resist when Rosan wrapped her in a hug.
"You're going to be okay Robin-nee!" he exclaimed aloud, hugging her tightly. She let out a coughing laugh, as she tried and failed to hug him back. The boy didn't mind
whatsoever and he more than made up for her lack of energy with his own.
"Wait… Robin-nee?" A voice suddenly spoke up causing them both to freeze. They both looked at Goro at the same time, as the man began connecting the dots. Realization slowly
made its way onto his face and he took a good look at Robin.
The doctor paled.
"Oops, guess I have to make sure he stays silent about this," Rosan said sheepishly, eyes glowing with the telltale sign of Modification. He wouldn't jam him because he actually
liked his Hana! She would be understandably upset if he brought back a vegetable.
"One day, I will go a week without getting a headache from you Rosan," Robin replied.
"I'm afraid, that's impossible," Mod said, in the most defeated tone ever.
Rosan just laughed nervously.
Bonus End!