Chapter 8: Reaper, The Angel of Death 1

Watching Rosan practice above the ship, with his newly acquired wings, was her new favorite hobby, Meiko decided.

There was something enthralling about watching him repeatedly circle the air. It was like watching an Angel perform. The 9 year old looked amazing and Meiko idly wondered if

she could get him to fly her around too.

After achieving Shinigami, Rosan had been seen practicing nearly nonstop with the obsidian black wings. The heterochromia said he wanted to accommodate himself with the

newly acquired appendages and it also doubled as stamina training for the boy, due to him not being accustomed to flying.

"It's really incredible isn't it?" Meiko asked offhandedly to the approaching figure. She was still looking up at Rosan so she assumed that it was Demon.

Not hearing a response, the blonde glanced down and flinched at the royal purple eyes burning a hole into her.

Ah. This wasn't Demon, this was Angel. That would explain the silence.

Nervously, Meiko waved at the white clad clone and was not surprised in the slightest, to see no response.

No. Instead, she was rewarded with that same judgmental stare the clone seemingly loved fixing her with.

She really to wonder why the clone hated her so much...

Meiko sighed, preparing to watch Rosan from somewhere else but she abruptly stopped herself.

This wasn't fair! Why did she have to move just because the mean clone didn't like her? She had been nothing but nice to them both (even treating them like their own people!)

and she had received nothing but scorn from the older clone of Rosan.

She was nice to Demon and in return, Demon was nice to her. So why did Angel hate her so much?

Determinedly, Meiko turned around to face the clone ready to give her a piece of her mind, only to lose all confidence at the questioning glare Angel shot at her.

No fair! She couldn't stand up to someone so intimidating and the clone knew it too, judging by the smug look in their eyes.

"Angel," a soft voice rang out catching both their attention. "That's quite enough, Meiko has done nothing to deserve such treatment," Demon said calmly, patronizing his twin.

Angel proved to be just as stubborn as Rosan however and crossed his arms pointedly looking away. "She's done enough," was his simple response.

Demon shook his head in exasperation. Seems like it wasn't the first time they had this argument and Meiko felt a surge of appreciation at the fact that the red eyed clone was

defending her even when she wasn't around him.

Demon decided this time though, that enough was enough.

"I would be surprised, if Master hasn't already noticed your unnecessary contempt for her, Angel," Angel's eyes widened in dread as realization hit him. "I doubt you want him to

be the one approaching you about your less then stellar personality before you're ready. It'll most likely lead to you being forced to tell him that."

That? What were they talking about?

Based on Angel's frightened expression, they didn't want Rosan knowing yet. Meiko wondered what it was but it wasn't her place to pry so she wouldn't pry. If they were hiding it

from their Master, then she was definitely not privy to it.

Helpful soul that she was, she'd still try to offer her two cents though.

"Um…" Meiko began and flinched slightly as they both focused their attention on her. Steeling herself, she said "I won't ask about the specifics but...Rosan probably already knows

that you're hiding something."

Seems that the thought had never crossed either of their minds.

The blonde watched them both pale slightly at the realization that Rosan probably did know.

Did they really think the redhead wouldn't know? Waving her hands, she frantically reassured "Don't worry! He's probably just waiting for you to approach him! I doubt he's upset

with you guys but waiting too long will only make things worse on his side."

That calmed them down a tad, before Angel warily asked "How would you know that? We're literally clones of him and he hasn't shown any indication of knowing," and it was the

truth. If Rosan did know, he was doing an incredible job at appearing ignorant to the fact.

Meiko smiled. It was the first time Angel spoke to her with something other then barely restrained contempt. "It's just a feeling I have," at their doubtful looks she sighed and

decided to delve more into it. "Rosan is really observant, he's very good at detecting emotions and even I can tell how nervous you guys are. He might have picked up on it a

while ago. Though, the fact he hasn't approached you guys about it, means he isn't too worried about it!"

They nodded, fear slowly vanishing, at her explanation. The twins stared at each as they deliberated something for a moment before nodding and turning towards her.

Could they read each other's mind? That was really cool! She'd like to be able to do that with Rosan someday…

"I'm sorry about Angel," Demon began. "She's been really stressed since she's gotten emotions and you and I, are the only people she can properly take it out on."

Angel bowed in apology while rubbing the back of his head with a sheepish expression.

Meiko grinned brightly and said "It's okay! I thought you really didn't like me and it was making me a bit sad. I'm glad it's just stress though! I can help you with… wait, she?"

Meiko now understood why Angel was so cranky all the time. They may have been a clone of Rosan, but Angel was also a girl.

The blonde girl could understand how being trapped in the wrong body, could lead to some resentment. The white clad clones attitude was somewhat justifiable, especially

considering Meiko was a girl in the right body!

Still, their reaction when she asked why they hadn't just told Rosan, had been less then stellar.

Meiko was beginning to think that she was the only one on this ship who didn't fear Rosan. The clones were convinced that if they told Rosan that a clone of the boy identified as a

girl, he would lose it and destroy the both of them! Meiko couldn't help the unladylike snort that left her at their sheer panic.

Honestly, they were being ridiculous! Rosan wasn't some merciless demon! The boy would be confused, but there was no way he'd destroy them over something so trivial.

It's no wonder they strove for perfection! They were of the opinion that Rosan saw no value in subjects that could not do their job right. The redhead wasn't like that at all! He

valued the things that belonged to him and that included the clones. It's why he didn't have an army of clone Rosan's just running around causing havoc. It would undermine

Angel and Demons value!

The clones really did allow their reverence for Rosan to cloud their judgment.

"Do you guys really think Rosan would throw you away based on something like this?" Meiko asked incredulously. The confused looks she got from the twins, made her realize

they really did think that.

Okay. Clearly they were going to need her to be a medium for them. She could do that. She needed to do this because at this rate, Rosan really would start getting suspicious!

"Alright, I'll start the conversation with Rosan," Meiko told them suddenly. "I won't be able to tell him though, it'll make him upset with, if I'm the one telling your secret," she

explained kindly. Rosan was an honest person and he preferred to handle things himself. As such, he expected others to be the same way when dealing with him.

Both nodded hesitantly, though they still looked unsure of the decision to just outright tell him. Meiko flashed a reassuring grin and said "Don't worry you two! If Rosan really does

react badly, which I doubt, I'll convince him to keep you guys! You really are making a big deal out of nothing though, Rosan is surprisingly considerate!"

They relaxed, a bit more confident, and finally finished planning.

"Meiko…I wanted to apologize again for being such a bitch to you," Angel said and she actually looked ashamed at her rudeness. "It's just I was already in a cranky mood and

seeing you get along so easily with Demon and Rosan, made me unjustifiably upset with you. I was wrong to think like that though. You're a genuinely sweet girl and from now

on, I will support you in your endeavor for Master's heart!"

Meiko's face turned red as a tomato at the words of the white clad clone. "I-I d-don't know what you m-mean b-but thank you for your kind words! W-we should get prepared,

Rosan will be on the way soon," were her embarrassed words, before she bolted away from the clearly amused clone.

"You were right Demon, teasing her really is fun!" Angel smiled at her twin.

"I told you. It's adorable seeing how red she can get," was Demon's cheeky reply.

Rosan landed to the sight of Angel, Demon and Meiko all awaiting his return. Willing his wings away, Rosan regarded them with curiosity.

They looked like they wanted to tell him something. Based on how nervous Angel and Demon were, it likely pertained to them. Meiko looked relaxed but determined, giving more

validity to his claim. Was she there to protect them? From him?

"Mod-chan, how afraid are the twins of me?" Rosan asked her curiously with a raised brow.

"They are terrified of you, Rosan. They are of the opinion, that you'll discard them the moment they make a mistake," She replied softly.

Really now? Did he really give off such an air, that his own clones would be scared of him? Rosan figured clones of himself would know him better then anyone else but maybe that

was not true. That was partially his fault, he hadn't made them with the intentions of being perfect copies of himself. They simply looked like him.

Well, best to dissuade them of such thoughts then.

"Oh? Are you ready to tell me about what you've been hiding?" Rosan asked curiously and his answers were questioned when his clones flinched backwards in shock. Were they

truly unaware that he knew? Wow, fear really did cloud a person's judgement.

He was very aware that they were hiding something. They always looked like they had something to say before catching themselves and Rosan just pretended to ignore it. If they

didn't want to tell him yet, then he'd wait for them to be ready.

As long as it didn't jeopardize anyone on the ships life, Rosan honestly didn't care.

The redhead decided against doing anything else as they opened and closed their mouth in disbelief. They were probably processing the fact that despite knowing, Rosan had still

opted to leave them alive for committing a crime as great as hiding something from their Master.

Rosan saw Meiko glance over at the two in exasperation. The blonde had not seemed aware of what they were hiding before so maybe they had told her while he was flying? That

had to have been it because the girl was terrible at keeping secrets.

"Rosan, Angel has something they want to tell you," Meiko told him bluntly, pushing his white clad clone forward. Rosan felt Angel's nervousness spike, as he focused his dual

colored eyes on him and the boy tilted his head at the fear in his eyes.

Was he really that unapproachable?

"I'm not sure if you realized, but you have literally sprouted all black Angel wings, Rosan. You look like an actual Shinigami when you have your hoodie up as

well so I think you already know the answer to that," Mod told him bluntly and Rosan hummed.

Fair.

"A-ah master!" Angel stammered and it only amplified as Rosan raised a brow at him. "I-I j-just wanted t-to inform you about s-something regarding m-myself," his purple eyed

clone let out a sigh as he finished speaking. He looked at Rosan expectantly, as if afraid he'd shut him down.

When did he even give off the impression that they were expendable? Was it because of how easily he created them? Rosan frowned at that thought, which caused Angel to wince

in fear as he thought it was directed towards him.

There was value in everything, especially things created by him. The 9 year old needed his clones to know how valuable they were to him, easily produced or not.

"Angel," Rosan began "I am not a tyrant. If I've ever given you a reason to believe otherwise, please notify me and we may talk about it. But, I believe I have been fair enough to

label your reaction as unnecessary."

Both Angel and Demon had the decency to look ashamed at their reactions. "I-I'm sorry Master it's just…I don't really know where to even begin," Angel said, head held low.

"Try from the beginning," their leader told him patiently.

Rosan wasn't upset with them. He was actually more curious about what would cause them to have such a reaction.

Maybe they had killed someone?

"Right. The beginning," Angel said, before steeling himself. "Well it all started when Master Mod gave us the ability to feel. You're probably aware, but we didn't have emotions

when we were first created. We were allowed to keep the ones granted to us due to your gracious nature, which we are eternally grateful for!" He said with a bow

Taking a deep breath, he continued by saying "It's just…well…how can I put this…" Rosan decided not to rush him and watched as Meiko, along with Demon, put a reassuring hand

on his shoulder.

Rosan smiled to himself.

It was good to see them getting along. Angel, for whatever reason, harbored a strong dislike for Meiko and he had been about to confront the clone about the reason why.

Seems they figured out and solved their issues on their own though.

"Master," Angel spoke up again after a moment catching his attention "I've been extensively looking into my new personality and… I have deduced that I'm not a boy," he

confessed while nervously looking at the floor.

Rosan blinked as he heard that.

Huh.

What?

"I'm sorry?" Rosan asked. Had he perhaps misheard his clone? No. Rosan and, by proxy, his clones wouldn't make a mistake like that.

"I'm not a boy Master, I'm a girl," Angel told him and he blinked in confusion. A clone of him was a girl? How did that even work? They should have been a near 1:1 copy of him

even with the added personality given to them by Mod-chan. Had Mod-chan given Angel a personality that would make him (her now) more attuned to being a female?

"Mod-chan did you—"

"Nope, I simply gave them a personality. Gender preference was never in it," she interrupted him immediately, sounding terribly amused.

Well there was that question answered.

Rosan was genuinely perplexed. For one, he didn't know they even had preferred genders. The redhead wasn't really thinking about things like this when he created them. There

was no intricacy when making them… he just wanted to spend as much time as possible with Doc and looting the island would cut into that.

Hence Angel and Demon being born.

Were they really afraid of telling him something like this? Rosan knew his clones feared him slightly, but this was ridiculous. Did they really think he'd throw them away at the

slightest error? As much as the man influenced him, Rosan was not Doc.

He'd never be Doc.

Looking at them again, Rosan was surprised to see Angel with a resigned expression on her male face. Why? He hadn't even said anything yet…

Oh right, he hadn't said anything yet. They were probably jumping to unreasonable conclusions due to his silence. Angel probably thought he was about to destroy her if the look

on her face meant anything. Demon even looked like he was about to intervene as well, if the way he was positioned indicated anything.

Even at the risk of himself, he'd defend his sister?

Rosan idly wondered if they got that from him, before discarding that thought. A good sibling wouldn't leave their infant brother alone with a stranger.

"…" Mod-chan frowned at his negative thoughts.

Rosan stopped thinking such thoughts and focused on the topic at hand. He should probably do something about this. He'd have to fix the error inside of Angel.

The dual eyed boy began walking towards his older clone with a purpose and her eyes widened at the grave look in his eye. She wanted to take a step back, but she was rooted

firmly to her spot with .

Demon, fear visible on his face, stepped in front of her ready to sacrifice himself first.

Meiko watched all this transpire with confusion clear on her face.

As Rosan approached them, he spoke up. "Demon, please move aside. My concerns lie with Angel," he politely commanded but his black clad clone didn't move an inch.

"Master...I can't let you get any closer to Angel," he said resolutely and blood red stared into red and purple. Rosan and his clones were the same height but Demon felt so much

smaller looking into the dual eyes of his creator.

Angel violently snapped out of her reverie due to the fact that her brother was putting himself in the face of certain death. "Demon, move! He doesn't have a problem with you so

please don't throw your life away!" she pleaded but Demon shook his head and stayed there.

"Admirable," Rosan began praising him, before saying "But Demon, that wasn't a request. Move."

Demon could only watch in horror, as his body moved against his will and stepped aside leaving Angel exposed to Rosan. Dread pooled in his stomach as he watched his Master

stare down his sister.

He was about to witness her die and there was nothing he could do about it. Worst of all, his Master, who he viewed as his king, was going to be the one to do it.

This couldn't be happening. This had to be some sick joke. His revered leader killing his twin? The thought made Demon nauseous.

Angel knew this was bound to happen eventually. She just hoped that Rosan didn't get upset with Demon because he had tried to intervene. Her little brother just wanted to

protect her...she didn't know what she would do if her twin died because of her.

Standing face to face with Rosan, Angel could see the tell tale sign of Modification. Glowing eyes stared into resigned purple. His face remained blank, not betraying any thoughts.

Rosan slowly raised his left hand and inched it closer and closer to her. "Master please!" She heard Demon plead but Rosan ignored him in favor of closing the distance between

them. This close, she could smell the scent of flowers that her Master always had.

It smelt nice, pleasant.

Closing her eyes, Angel accepted her fate. She resisted the urge to flinch as Rosan's soft hand made contact with her cheek. His body radiated heat, but it was cool to the touch.

It was rather jarring.

"Modification:…," She heard him begin and Demon's panic was palpable through their connection. Angel sent him a warm, loving, pulse and his fear only intensified.

She was gonna miss him.

"...Swap."

...

Death didn't feel much different from living. Actually maybe it felt even better! Angel could still breathe and think normal. The female clone wasn't aware that she could even go to

the afterlife…her body even felt different too! It felt rightWait… she wasn't dead?

Hesitantly, Angel opened her eyes again to look at the amused gaze of her Master. His dual eyes glowed in mirth and he removed his hand from her cheek.

Meiko couldn't hold it in any longer and she started laughing uncontrollably causing both Angel and Demon shot her an incredulous look. The girl was clutching her belly, as she

gasped out "R-Rosan who knew you could be so playful?!"

Their leader let out an amused snort. "Did you two really think I'd kill you over something as trivial as you wishing to swap genders? Do you take me for some type of Devil?"

Rosan asked, actually looking annoyed.

"Fear is healthy, fear is necessary for survival. But fearing me to such an extent…it's offending. You two are my subordinates and any subordinate of mine, is valuable. It's why I

have only you two," He chastised and they both looked ashamed of themselves.

Meiko decided to intervene "Rosan... he's a bit cruel, but he would never destroy you just because you want to be a girl, Angel. Despite how he acts, Rosan is actually kind of a

sweetheart! All you had to do was tell him and he'd help you!"

They looked at her in disbelief. Rosan? A sweetheart? Even Rosan looked surprised by her statement, if the way his brow raised indicated anything.

"Meiko, how did you know I wasn't planning on killing her?" Rosan asked curiously, with a tilted head and the blonde gushed.

Angel and Demon looked shocked at Rosan's question. Did Meiko know from the beginning that their leader wasn't going to kill her?

"There's no way you would kill her over something like this Rosan!" Meiko said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. To make matters worse, Rosan was nodding along

at her reasoning, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Did that...make them stupid?

"Well, Angel," Rosan began, catching her attention. "I hope in the future, you won't be so reluctant to tell me something like this. Efficiency is important after all. I am your

creator, but that does not mean you should treat me as some untouchable God. Besides… what is the point in worshiping a God who won't even hear out your concerns?" He asked

and Angel felt a weight get lifted off her shoulder at those words.

...He was right. Angel and Demon were being stupid and they had put Rosan on a pedestal that he didn't tell them to put him on. He had even allowed them to keep their

personalities because he didn't want them to be mindless slaves!

She felt really silly at the moment.

Rosan agreed with her if the knowing look in his eye indicated anything. He let out a snort and Angel blushed in shame. "I hope we can be more honest with each other in the

future. Enjoy your new body," was all he said and he inclined his head.

Enjoy her new body?

Angel gasped as she looked down and saw the changes that took place. She was a couple inches shorter now with a small bulge around her chest area. Her ponytail had grown

from shoulder length to around mid back and the spikes in her hair smoothed out slightly. Her eyelashes became longer and her lips a bit thicker. Her already soft expression

somehow became even softer due to the transformation.

"Wow Angel, you look amazing!" Meiko cheereed excitedly. "Is this how Rosan would look if he was a girl? I'm kinda jealous…" she mumbled and Angel felt a dust of red fleck her

cheeks.

"She is not an exact replica of how I would look as a female because it's apparent that she is her own person. We bear a large amount of similarities but she has key details that

makes her Angel," Rosan informed the starry eyed Meiko.

Meiko whirled on Rosan as he said that. "Doesn't that mean you know how you would look if you were a girl?" She demanded and their clones raised a brow at the validity of the

statement.

Rosan simply said "I would rather not answer that question," and left it at that. Meiko whined and kept pestering him but he remained steadfast in his response. The only sign he

was even acknowledging what she was saying, was the small smile on his face and the slight glow in his eyes.

Rosan he— Angel felt so dumb for ever fearing her master. He was right, the 9 year hadn't personally done anything to warrant the degree of fear that they felt. They had unjustly

labeled him as a terror due to his actions on Daybreak but he had never directed that rage to them...

All she had to do was tell him about her problems and he would have tried to help. Even if he disagreed with the notion that Angel was a girl, the boy would not destroy her. That

wasn't the type of person he was. Rosan was pretty open to things like this, that's why he was so good at Modification.

Angel would never doubt him again.

She felt tears brimming and before she could stop herself, the female clone engulfed Rosan in the tightest hug she could muster. Rosan let out a grunt of surprise and her actions

caught up to her.

Hastily, she stepped back with wide eyes. "I-I'm sorry Master I don't know what came over me it's just, I'm really happy and I couldn't really control myself! Next time, I'll be able

to control myself but for now, please punish me as you see fit!" She bowed lowly, accepting any punishment that would come her way.

After a moment of silence, she looked up only to be greeted by Rosan and Meiko's deadpan stare. "Sorry Master…old habits die hard," she sheepishly rubbed her head and her

fellow redhead simply sighed with a shake of his head.

"It's fine. Like I told Meiko, I don't mind being hugged by you guys. I'm just not used to it at the moment. Forgive me if I am a little stiff, I'm still trying to get accustomed to

positive contact," Rosan said apologetically and she nodded in complete understanding. "Though… in your excitement Angel, you seem to have forgotten someone," he pointed

out.

Angel yelped as she was scooped up and engulfed in a bone crushing hug. Her expression turned warm as she felt the pure relief radiating off of her twin brother and without

hesitation, she returned the hug. "I thought I almost lost you…" her twin mumbled and she whispered reassuring words to him.

"Sorry about that Demon," Rosan tilted his head with a hand on his chin. "I was feeling a bit mischievous so I figured I'd mess with you three. Meiko was able to catch on

immediately though... so it was really just you two," the redhead hummed curiously.

"I figured it would be funny to show you both how silly your fear is. Perhaps I went overboard?"

Angel and Demon both sweatdropped at his contemplation. Overboard was a bit of an understatement. That prank was way too cruel!

"Well whatever the case, it all worked out well. You two don't need to worry, the only reason I'd ever actually destroy you both would be if you betrayed me. I do not tolerate

traitors," Rosan explained easily.

The twins nodded at that. There was nothing to fear then, they were completely loyal to Rosan and Mod.

"You two have a special bond," the Mod Mod no mi user suddenly told them. "Cherish it with your lives. Prioritize it, even over your loyalty for me. Having someone willing to

protect you, despite fear paralyzing them, is a precious relationship worth savoring," Rosan finished and they widened their eyes at what his words.

Master he was…he was the best!

"Yes Master!" They chanted at the same time bowing deeply to the boy.

Rosan nodded, finally satisfied and prepared to leave. Meiko, predictably, followed right behind him and decided to strike up a conversation.

"Do you want some tea Rosan?" Meiko teased with an impish grin. "You don't normally talk that much so it must be bad on your throat."

"Do you know how to swim Meiko?" Rosan asked in return and the girl immediately stopped talking. The redhead resisted the urge to snort as she pouted at him.

He knew her too well.

"Rosan, who's Master Mod?" Meiko suddenly asked him, remembering a part of the conversation where Angel mentioned a "Master Mod". Rosan paused and she followed suit.

Right, he never told Meiko about Mod-chan, just that his fruit was Modification.

"There's no harm in telling her about me. Maybe one day, she can even come to the mindscape!" Mod said and he could tell that she was beaming.

Rosan couldn't resist the urge to snort. Mod-chan was not being subtle about how much she liked the blonde. At Meiko's questioning glance, Rosan decided there would be no

harm in telling her.

"Master Mod is Mod-chan," Rosan began, continuing to walk and she followed. "Long story short, she's the voice inside my head. In a more detailed description, she's the Devil

Fruit that I ate and she has been watching over me since I was 4 years old," he finished with a fond smile. They had been together for a majority of his life now and he never

regretted it.

"Oh stop!" Mod said with bright blush on her face.

Meiko's blue eyes gleamed as she heard about his closest friend. "Can she hear everything we talk about?" At Rosan's nod she asked in rapid succession "What does she think

about me? Will I ever be able to meet her? Oh! How does she look?!"

Rosan silenced her with a raise of his hand. "Mod-chan actually really likes and appreciates you for treating me normally, despite everything. She's quite fond of you and has been

wanting to meet you for a bit."

Meiko blushed in happiness at Rosan's words and waited patiently for him to answer her other questions.

"You can figure out how she looks when you meet her. As for when you can meet her… I don't see the harm in bringing you to her right now," Rosan mused while cupping his chin.

Meiko was excited but curious. How could he bring her to Mod-chan? Wasn't she a voice inside of his head?

"Follow me to my room," Rosan decided and Meiko hastily followed after the shorter boy.

It was honestly adorable how short he was. Meiko wasn't the tallest around and if she got her mother's height, she wouldn't be tall ever but she would enjoy looking down at

Rosan while it lasted. She wondered how tall he would be when puberty inevitably struck the 9 year old.

Her face felt a bit hot imagining an older Rosan and she slapped her own cheeks.

Best to focus on other things... Like his room.

Meiko liked entering Rosan's room, it was spacious and felt like she was in his sanctuary. It was like she could get a glimpse of him with his guard down, when he stepped in here.

The way his shoulders relaxed a bit and the tiny exhale he let out, made her smile warmly.

The room was far larger then the exterior suggested and it's flowery scent wafted easily through the air. She idly noted, that the bounty of Nico Robin was missing from the stand.

Meiko really wanted to know more about their relationship… but she would hold off until they got closer. Though, the 11 year old felt like she was making amazing progress with

him!

She would go as far as to say Rosan was fond of her!

"You may want to lay on my bed," Rosan suddenly told her and she froze.

W-w-what?! Lay on his bed?! S-so soon!

This went a little past fond!

"R-Rosan aren't we moving too fast?!" A bright red Meiko, asked him. S-sleeping on the same bed as him w-was indecent! She liked him b-but she had limits!

"What are you talking about… oh," Rosan realized with wide eyes.

"Meiko that's not what I meant at all," the boy said, sounding uncharacteristically flushed. "Where exactly is your mind taking you? I just wanted you to get comfortable for what

I'm about to do."

Meiko blushed even deeper. "Rosan you pervert!" The blonde exclaimed, with her hands on her cheeks. She didn't think the boy was so perverted! She was flattered b-but they

were too young!

To her shock, a tiny dust of red appeared on Rosan's cheeks and Meiko squealed at how cute the sight was. "Y-you," Rosan stammered and Meiko couldn't resist the urge to engulf

the shorter boy in a hug.

"Don't worry Rosan! Even though you're a pervert, you're really adorable!" The blonde gushed and she ignored Rosan's urge to throttle her.

"You're as big of a pervert as your mother, Meiko," Rosan sighed, defeated before forcing them both down on the bed.

Before she could tease him even further, he said "Modification, Link: Users Rosan, Meiko," and she shut her eyes at the sudden vertigo.

When Meiko opened her eyes, she was shocked to see an expanse of green instead of wood. The deck of the ship had a lot of grass on it, but this was too much. Looking around,

she came to the conclusion that she was not even on the ship anymore.

The area she was in was so full of nature, it was just breathtakingly beautiful. Large healthy trees covered much of the area and she was under one currently, completely shielding

her from the constant downpour of rain.

Was she inside of a rainforest? How did Rosan get her here?

"Welcome to my mindscape," a familiar voice rang out and she looked to the side to see Rosan right next to her. The boy was looking at the rain with a slightly cathartic expression

on his face and he didn't even flinch as the drops impacted him.

Rosan seemed to thoroughly enjoy the rain. Maybe it reminded him of his freedom?

"Mindscape? What's that?" Meiko asked curiously. Rosan faced her, with that same expression, and told her.

At Rosan's explanation, Meiko felt her eyes bug. A physical representation of a person's mind? One that only he could seemingly activate? That was incredible!

Rosan agreed with her, if the way he puffed up slightly was an indication.

"Follow me, I want to introduce you to Mod-chan," the redhead said, walking without hesitation into the rain. Meiko was surprised to see him look and sound so relaxed! He acted

so unlike how he usually did and she much preferred the way he acted now.

The boy was normally rigid and tense, like a frozen wall. She was so used to seeing cold indifference, that seeing him so… loose was a welcome surprise.

He paused as he noticed she wasn't following him and sighed. Turning back, he materialized an umbrella and handed it to her.

She accepted it with a beaming grin (that Rosan rolled his eyes at) and followed after the wet boy. Idly she noted that the redhead's hair was no longer in a bun. Instead, he let it

run freely and his red spikes were matted down by the rain.

"You should let your hair down more often Rosan," Meiko said speaking over the patter of the rain. "I really like it like that," she gushed. Seeing his hair in a bun, kind of felt like

he was hiding who he was in a way! With his hair down, Rosan felt more like himself.

At least, that's what Meiko thought.

"I normally keep it in a bun for combat purposes but…I can see about letting it flow free in the future," he replied.

She smiled happily at the fact that he was listening to her and they continued to walk in a comfortable silence. Eventually, they made their way to a large, hot pink house. It

looked about two stories high and was surrounded by many flowers and fruits. The trees around the house were much shorter and it looked like a perfectly maintained garden.

Meiko looked at it with glittering eyes. The house looked incredible! She could tell a lot of care went into the surrounding area and she appreciated the efforts of whoever did.

Rosan entered without knocking and proceeded to wet the entire floor. The boy looked at the floor for a moment, before continuing to walk without a care in the world. Meiko

rolled her eyes at the boys rudeness.

"You should have dried off first, Rosan!" Meiko slightly admonished her crush, who simply shrugged in response.

"She's right, Rosan," A soft, feminine voice agreed with her. It sounded wise and playful all in one. It was very soothing to the ears and Meiko felt herself instinctively relaxing. The

blondes gaze snapped up towards the approaching figure and she gaped. "You can make an umbrella at will, yet you choose to hassle me so," she finished.

"Can't help it Mod-chan, the feeling of the rain on my skin, feels good," was Rosan's easy going response and Meiko stared, shocked at how at ease the redhead was.

The now dubbed Mod-chan was a sight to behold. Long purple hair framed a bronze (a shade lighter than Rosan's), heart shaped face with striking crimson, not unlike Rosan's,

pupiless eyes. She was taller then them both by a fair margin and was donned in a long black dress with white on the edge of her arm sleeves and at the bottom of her dress. Her

nails alternated between purple and red paint and her bare feet were similar. The woman's plump lips were formed into a small smile and she happily regarded the two of them.

Meiko couldn't resist gawking at the woman standing before her. She was that gorgeous!

Meiko turned scarlet as she realized she said that out loud. Oh Kami, that was so embarrassing!

The lady flushed, mumbled a low "Thank you," and bashfully looked away with an endearing smile on her face. She felt Rosan's amusement, as the boy drank up her sudden

shyness.

"I-I'm sorry I didn't realize I said that out loud! I didn't mean to embarrass you," Meiko frantically apologized. The woman fought off her blush and waved her off.

"I-It's fine. I thought I got used to Rosan's compliments, but it seems I'm not as adept as I thought I was," she mused, still a bit red faced. She coughed a bit and decided to

properly greet the girl.

"Meiko I'm so glad to finally be meeting you! I am Modification but you can call me Mod. I'm Rosan's Devil Fruit and I've granted him the abilities of the Mod Mod no mi," the

purple haired woman smiled warmly at the girl and extended one of her manicured hands.

Grasping the offered hand, Meiko smiled up at the woman and said "It's so nice to meet you Mod-chan! I'm Suzuki Meiko and I'm 11 years old! I like helping people, learning new

recipes, and spending time with Rosan! Did you decorate this house? It looks incredible!"

Surprisingly, Mod shook her head no and told her "Rosan is the one who decorated everything actually."

Surprise bloomed on Meiko's face as she looked at Rosan in disbelief.

"What?" Rosan asked "Is it that surprising that I'm the one who designed everything?"

The 9 year old looked genuinely offended at her shock and he looked away in annoyance.

Meiko smiled brightly at how less guarded Rosan acted in his mindscape. He looked so much more genuine and comfortable around his long time partner!

She secretly hoped he would one day be this comfortable around her.

Meiko learned a lot about Mod-chan and Rosan's relationship in her time here. The woman had been with Rosan since he was 4 years old and Meiko laughed hysterically, as she

was told about the tale of him eating her without the knowledge of what she was and nearly tearing up at her foul taste. Rosan blushed in embarrassment at the memory and

mumbled "It looked good," which only caused her to laugh harder.

Her gaze softened as she heard of how Rosan had extended his hand to the woman and how, disregarding the fact she was inside of him, they were inseparable. She loved

hearing about the dynamic duo and how Mod-chan did everything to protect little Rosan.

He sounded like he had been such a headache to deal with!

Rosan watched the genuine happiness on both their faces and allowed himself to smile as well. Meiko and Mod-chan got along scarily well. The two spoke to each other as if they

were old friends and Rosan didn't know if that was a good thing for him or not. He was leaning more towards the second option due to Mod-chan and her sudden love of teasing

him.

Meiko especially loved hearing tales about his escapades. Who knew that Rosan was so reckless?! Attacking an entire ship when he was 4? Raiding a groups personal island? Using

a hand cannon to destroy part of a forest because he saw a giant lizard? That one in particular got a deep blush out of the boy.

She couldn't picture the calm and collected Rosan as such a wild person. He sounded like he was crazy! She just gaped at Rosan the entire time Mod-chan regaled her with tales.

Worst of all, the boy didn't deny anything! He just sat there with a faint blush on his cheeks, demeanor screaming guilty.

All of this was true?!

"Rosan did you really do all of these? I didn't think you were so insane!" Meiko exclaimed in glee. Rosan didn't say anything but offered her a nod and she laughed in joy. Meiko

didn't think learning about Rosan's past would be so fun but here she was.

"He is isn't he? He used to give me and Robin so much trouble—" Mod cut herself off as she realized her mistake.

The atmosphere turned a bit tense as silence washed over them all. Rosan's lips were slightly pursed and Mod-chan looked guilty. Meiko was confused at the sudden shift but

remained silent.

Was talking about Robin a sore spot for them?

Rosan let out a soft sigh and said "We've been here long enough Meiko, let's go for now okay?"

Mod-chan looked a bit upset, so Rosan got up to give her a warm hug. She looked surprised but gratefully returned the hug back. "Don't be upset Mod-chan, I'm not mad or

anything. It's just this silence is awkward," Rosan told her bluntly.

She nodded in agreement, still wrapped in a hug, and said warmly "You're right, we've been here long enough and you two need to eat something before going to sleep."

Meiko felt her heart warm at the sight of how close the two were. She had thought Rosan had no one to trust but she was wrong!

As long as he had Mod-chan, he would never be alone.

Angel and Demon, Mod and Rosan... Meiko was envious that they were able to have such a strong bond with each other. It hurt to admit, but she felt a tad isolated…

Maybe she was the one who had no one?

Meiko shook her head vigorously at the negative thoughts. She should stop thinking like that, it wouldn't be very good for her. The blonde lightly slapped her cheeks for good

measure.

Looking up, she saw both Rosan and Mod staring at her with an unreadable look in their eyes. She flushed at the 2 set of eyes on her. Had they seen that? She should at least try

to explain herself.

She yelped as Mod-chan suddenly grabbed her and engulfed her. She was crushed into the taller woman's frame, as Mod-chan hugged her warmly. She flushed but hugged the

pretty lady back. She smelt sweet and Meiko felt safe in her grip.

"Meiko," she heard Rosan say. Looking at him she saw a bit of sympathy in his gaze "If you ever feel isolated, feel free to come to me. You were there to offer me reprieve, during

my dark times, so I'll be here to return the favor," he said, voice uncharacteristically warm.

How had he known?

"Rosan is an empath… he's good at knowing how people feel. He may be a bit harsh, but he does value the feelings of people he cares about. You don't have to worry about being

alone as long as he's here because he knows that feeling well," Mod informed her with a small smile on her pretty face.

Meiko felt tears brimming her eyes at the sincerity of their words.

She didn't think Rosan cared for her very much but he did and that made her happier then she could have thought! The boy was just bad at showing it but it probably wasn't like

this before. Meiko felt her heart constrict at the thought that the redhead really did care for her.

"C-can I come back here, Rosan?" She shyly asked him.

To her relief, Rosan nodded without hesitation. "Even if I said no, Mod-chan is spoiled and that woman has already decided to practically adopt you. You're welcome here anytime,"

he told her.

Mod puffed her cheeks in outrage at the boys words. "I'm spoiled?! The boy who will throw a fit if we don't go along with his plans is calling me spoiled?" Honestly, the nerve of

this little brat to completely ignore his own actions!

Rosan smirked cheekily and said "My plans are amazing, Mod-chan. I'm not throwing a fit. I'm trying to help the less intelligent understand why it's good to go with my idea." He

froze as he realized the mistake he made and the temperature immediately dropped in the room.

"Are you calling me less intelligent?" Mod asked, with a serene smile on her pretty face. Meiko saw right through it and knew if Rosan answered incorrectly he was in a world of

pain.

"No, I did not say that," Rosan automatically said sensing imminent danger in the form of his sister figure.

"So who were you referring to?" Mod asked, still smiling. Somehow, she was directing a piercing gaze towards Rosan with her blood red eyes closed.

"…" Rosan was about to compliment her, but she immediately said "Don't try to worm your way out of this with a compliment, Rosan," and the boy closed his mouth. Well...maybe

he could still compliment her.

"Don't you dare," Mod warned

Meiko felt a pulse through their connection and, though Rosan was not looking at her, she could feel his intentions.

She was too nice for her own good. Rosan was lucky she was here because anyone else would have let this unfold.

"Mod-chan," the woman in question looked at her and she took that as her cue to continue. "Boys they can pretty dumb so they don't really think about what they say until they

say it!" Rosan sent her a scathing glare but she ignored it, a warning pulse shut him down immediately and he reluctantly shut his mouth.

"Rosan probably didn't mean it like that but hes a dummy, so it came out wrong," she reassured the adult woman. Mod adopted a thinking pose, with the girl still in her grasp, and

she thought about what the 11 year old said.

"You're absolutely correct, Meiko," Mod-chan nodded at her explanation, seemingly satisfied. "I have to keep in mind that Rosan just isn't as smart as the two of us," she sighed

sadly, thinking about the unlucky reality that was Rosan's gender.

Rosan looked like he really wanted to say something, but he smartly held his tongue at the warning smile Mod shot at him.

Soon they couldn't keep up the facade any longer and they all began laughing. Even Rosan joined in with his boyish chuckles. It sounded so pure and Meiko was blinded by a

fleeting image of what Rosan used to be. She was left a little breathless at the sight of him grinning with those sharp fangs of his.

He looked so innocent in that moment...

Meiko couldn't resist anymore and reached out to drag the boy into the hug, catching him off guard. The redhead tried to protest but after a moment, he stopped and began

hugging them back.

The blonde blushed fiercely and they both teased her about it. She ignored it all though in favor of the overwhelming happiness she felt.

It was the first time Rosan had ever hugged her back.

"This island doesn't look very inviting," Rosan idly said. He was standing on the ledge of the ship, as he watched the approaching island, with a calculating gaze. "Stop the ship

right here," he suddenly commanded. "I don't want the White Rose anywhere near this place, in case things go south."

He felt the ship stop at his orders and turned to face his 3 allies. "You 3 stay here. I'll scout this island myself and make sure it's safe for us. We still have plenty of supplies so it's

not the end of the world if we can't dock here," he informed them calmly.

Angel and Demon nodded at what he said and Meiko looked a bit relieved. She probably felt the bad vibes from this island as well so Rosan didn't want her stepping close to it.

The redhead had begun feeling rather protective of the girl ever since she started regularly entering his mindscape and he'd be damned if he let her go with him.

If there was any danger present on this island, he'd ensure it didn't get to her.

"Maneuver the ship to a safe location. Remain hidden until I return," the redhead ordered. "Have some fun and don't bully Demon too badly okay?" Rosan told them, already

dressed in his guise with his obsidian wings out.

At their nods, the black clad figure flapped once, twice and took off towards the island.

The three looked at his rapidly fading figure for a moment. They stood there for a while until he vanished from view.

After a moment of silence, Meiko broke it.

"Wanna put makeup on Demon to see how he'll look?" she asked Angel. "Rosan normally looks so good without makeup, I think we can make him look better," the blonde

reasoned

"…Yes I do," She answered, after a moment of deliberation. "I agree, Master does have an attractive face. It plays a big part in why I look this good," she sniffed haughtily and the

girl puffed up.

"Despite being different genders you still look really similar… I wonder if we can replicate your appearance on Demon's face!"

"It should be easy until we hit puberty. We still look like identical twins at the moment."

Demon sweatdropped as they both fixed their gaze on him. "Don't I have a say on what you two do to my body?" he asked them both, already knowing there was no hope.

"Nope," They replied simultaneously and they dragged him off.

Demon simply sighed in defeat. Getting double teamed by the girls seemed like it was going to be a normal occurrence now.

How fun.

"How depressing," was Rosan's first thought as he walked through Fregate Island and observed the people there.

The Shinigami had recently landed on the island in an unoccupied clearing and had quickly made his way to where he had seen people. He made sure his face was properly

shielded from view and folded his wings, putting them in a resting position. Rosan had no intentions of recalling his wings, in this disguise they would always be out so he could

easily get away in case something unfolded.

After walking for a few minutes, he was beginning to think that this island wasn't worth it.

There weren't much inhabitants but what few it did have, were broken and seemed to have lost all the will to live. That didn't stop them from shooting the disguised boy a wary

look so good on them. Rosan wondered if it was because they couldn't see how he looked or because he had massive wings resting on his back.

"Probably both," Mod-chan supplied unhelpfully and the boy internally snorted.

The island itself was quite surprising, it didn't look like it should have such an atmosphere. It was wealthy looking, if that massive castle in the background was an indication and

each building looked far larger then he expected. If anything, Rosan expected the island to be full of self-absorbed pricks.

Just what was going on with this place?

Walking up to a vendor, Rosan watched the old man perk up slightly at his approach. He looked nervous, as the black clad figure approached him but held hope at the prospect of

a customer.

Rosan took one look at his merchandise and raised a brow. This naturally went unseen.

"All of this is expired," Rosan told the elderly individual, pointing at the fruits in the stand.

The old man looked slightly ashamed and said in a raspy tone "Trust me lad, if I had anything better to sell I would but this is all I've got."

The masked boy hummed in curiosity. "Let me guess, you're hoping I'm going to be a kind soul and then you plan on charging me an outrageous price, right?" his shocked silence

was all the confirmation Rosan needed.

Rosan was not a charity case, he wouldn't give this man free beri for some spoiled goods. He didn't care about the problems of the people on this island. They could deal with it

themselves.

Turning around, the 9 year old prepared to leave the man behind to scam someone else.

"P-please wait a moment!" he heard the raspy tone call to him but he ignored it. There was nothing left he wanted to say to the man. He had been hoping for information at the

minimum but if everyone was like this, he'd be closer to killing them then getting anything.

He glanced around a bit, shook his head, and decided to go back to the ship. They needed to prepare to set sail for the next island; Fregate island was a bust, there was no need

to dock here. Distantly he heard the old man still calling for him and he had to respect the tenacity.

"What's will all the ruckus?" A grating voice suddenly called out giving him pause.

Craning his head in the direction of the voice, Rosan was greeted with the sight of 2 bland men with sabers resting at their hips. They were thuggish in appearance but otherwise,

they weren't notable enough for him to take stock of.

That didn't mean they hadn't gotten his full attention though.

"Is the old man trying to scam someone else again?" Thug 1 asked with an amused tone, shooting a glance at the petrified vendor. Said old man was rooted to his spot and he

began sweating profusely.

Nervous but resigned? How interesting. Maybe this island could be of use after all, if the crowd steadfastly ignoring this was anything to go by.

"Was last time not enough of a reminder for you old man? Trying to get pity out of visitors hasn't worked for you before so why do you keep trying. Maybe that last beating you

got rattled the last couple of brain cells outta your skull," Thug 2 chortled, as Thug 1 laughed at his joke.

"N-no it's nothing like that I swear! It's just ever since Lord Arata has taken over things have been hard for all of us! I'm just trying to make ends meet —" The old man tried to

speak but was smacked harshly by Thug 1.

"Keep Lord Arata's name out of your mouth filth. Especially if you aren't praising him," he warned the old man, who could only nod fearfully, tears welling at his eyes.

Rosan watched all this transpire with a blank expression on his masked face. He had no interest in helping this man. It had nothing to do with him and he had just tried to scam

the boy.

Satisfied at the successfully cowed man, Thug 1 focused his attention on Rosan. He let out a short whistle as he appraised the mysterious figure "I haven't seen you around these

parts before," he began looking the much shorter individual up and down.

Rosan didn't say anything, as he just stared back.

"Visitors have to pay a fee on this island. I don't think that'll be an issue, right?" the man asked and the redhead raised a brow, though it remained unseen.

A visitors fee? What was with this island and trying to milk him of his money? The old man at least looked the part of being poor and was likely unable to provide for themselves.

These 2 looked more than healthy enough. This was a rather poor attempt at trying to take his beri. Was it because he was short? He doubted they'd try this if he were taller.

Fine, he would entertain them for a bit then.

"How much is the fee?" He asked softly, tone not betraying anything. They looked at each other in surprise before smiling greedily.

Hm. So they didn't have a set price in mind. It also looked as if they hadn't expected him to comply so easily because their stance loosened up.

"1 million beri," Thug 2 told him and 1 nodded along at the price. The people around (they had begun listening when the 2 thugs showed up) gasped at the price but immediately

quieted at the threatening gazes shot their way.

A divide amongst the people maybe? Maybe killing these two, would garner positive reactions because to try and extort such an exorbitant price out of him, deserved nothing but

a meeting with his blade.

Just who did they think they were, trying to get 1 million beri out of him? Did they really think that would work?

"You want me to pay 1 million beri just because I'm a visitor?" Rosan asked. They nodded, not seeming to sense the danger they were in at all. He didn't blame them, Rosan's

tone hadn't changed since he had begun speaking but his word choice was rather obvious.

Whatever, idiots only died faster.

"Whoever implemented this visitors fee, must be quite lacking in the intelligence department," Rosan tested and they predictably darkened. The boy smiled darkly under his mask

at their reaction.

Rosan found that he quite liked manipulating people. Ever since the redhead had wrapped Sachie around his finger, the thrill of making someone do what he wanted,

unintentionally, filled him with a dark glee.

Brandishing their weapons, Thug 1 said in a threatening tone "Are you calling Lord Arata stupid? There are serious consequences to that!"

Rosan tilted his head and asked "Lord Arata? Is he the reason the people of this island are so depressed and defeated? Are you charging them these impossible prices and

threatening them if they don't have it? Some Lord."

The two bland thugs went red with rage at his reply. Snarling, Thug 2 said "Don't ya dare disrespect him like that. Lord Arata is a great man! You wouldn't understand his goals

and motives."

"I don't think I want to nor do I care to try," was Rosan's stony response. Internally though, his mind was running at the possibilities of what could be done.

Rosan carefully observed the way the crowd reacted at what the thug said. They flinched whenever Lord Arata was mentioned and the fear on their face when he talked about the

man, was all Rosan needed to know.

Arata was an unwanted guest. One that they desperately wanted gone.

He smiled to himself a plan already stewing. Oh he could work with this.

"I like this plan, only benefits and no negatives that affect you. I didn't think you were capable of such a thing," Mod teased, with a grin on her face.

"Reckless they may be, my plans rarely affect us negatively when we put them into play," Rosan retorted, with a glare.

"One day you'll be able to convince me, I'm sure of it!" She giggled at him.

"I hate you sometimes," Rosan replied with a mental sigh.

"You could never~," She chimed.

Rosan ignored her, in favor of looking at Lord Arata's subordinates. They had supplied him with a sufficient amount of info, one that he could use for his own gain. They no longer

served a purpose. If he wanted more info then well...

The fearful crowd would willingly tell him the rest after what he was about to do.

"Thank you for the info," Rosan interrupted their spiel and shut them up. "So Lord Arata is the one who offended me with such absurd taxing? Good. I will teach him a lesson," the

boy decided, earning a wide eyed gaze from everyone there.

"Y-you? Teach em a lesson?" Thug 1 spluttered in disbelief. They both looked at each other for a moment, before they burst into laughter.

What they said next, did nothing but decorate the color of the grave Rosan had already thought up for them.

"Yer short ass is gonna teach Lord Arata a lesson?" Thug 2 guffawed, clutching his stomach as he nearly collapsed.

"What are you gonna do? Make him bend over and eat one of your feathers?!" Thug 1 howled in laughter.

It was almost like people didn't have a sense of self preservation these days. When someone mysterious shows up, you don't just needlessly provoke them. Rosan couldn't

understand these people.

An oppressive aura washed over everyone there, causing them to freeze up in fear. The two laughing thugs choked on their spit, as they were subjected to the mysterious figures

presence.

"Oh dear, you're height is still a sore spot for you Rosan? You're only 9 you know," Mod reassured him.

"That doesn't make it any less annoying Mod-chan," Rosan scoffed.

He was decently annoyed now so he figured he'd use his Pressure. Rosan didn't exactly know what it was (Mod-chan said it had nothing to do with Modification), but Meiko told

him about how he had unleashed an unreal pressure, the day they had gotten into the argument about whether she hated him or not.

Rosan was still glad she didn't.

Mod smiled to herself.

Rosan had been understandably confused but upon deeper inspection (many trial and errors on his clones) he had discovered that he could generate some type of pressure. He

didn't know the specifics but, it was almost as if he were imposing his presence onto the person.

It was exceedingly effective and Rosan had taken to generating a consistently low amount of it. When he wanted to increase the amount, it took a lot of focus but he was able to

successfully do it. It left him drained though, so he increased it sparingly.

Judging from everyone's reaction, It was working out very well. He had been training it on Angel and — huh, maybe practicing the technique on Angel and Demon, were why they

feared him so much.

He should apologize to them after he finished his job here.

Wait, never mind, they were clones of him.

Accessing their connection (he needed to start naming them), Rosan sent a quick apology to the twins for what he had done to them. The clones seemed like they were struggling

but they momentarily paused to send him a confused "It's okay?" before Rosan abruptly shut the connection again.

He'd explain to them later; the twins seemed like they were having fun.

The Triplet Telephone or TTT sounded good enough. He wasn't very good at naming things so this would have to do.

"Rosan," Mod-chan called and he snapped out of his musings. Right he needed to focus, how unfortunate that he still had the tendency to run off on tangents. He'd have to deal

with that one day.

"I think it's adorable!" Mod gushed, before her tone turned accusing. "How come you haven't named our connection though?"

"I need to focus on the mission Mod-chan," Rosan said as dodged her question completely.

"…Fine, but this isn't over," she warned him before going silent