Finding Myself (One Piece Fanfic)

Chapter 122: A Choice of My Own (Part 2)

I do not own One Piece

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Upon the island coming into view which Taro grew up on, he felt the sickening twist of his insides. Something he hadn't felt for years. It almost made him feel small again. His past replaying over in his head, only a hand-full of memories which he wanted to keep. The scars along his back burned with each passing memory.

Back then he swore he would never come back. Both him and Kimiko. A promise they made to each other.

Now they were given no other choice. He had to return. Though, he wasn't simply returning to bring gifts nor any joyful moments. Instead, the kingdom he was once promised would be brought down in ruins.

He had spent years spreading rumors to keep other passing pirates out of the waters of the kingdom. The smallest bit of remorse for the kingdom he grew up in had simmered down. Some rumors were true, others stretched the lies a bit. However, no pirate ever to enter was able to leave to share the faults of the rumors.

Standing beside him was Kimiko. Her laid back posture had stiffened as she looked over the upcoming island. Memories of how own playing through her head, ones that she wanted to sink to the bottom of the ocean. The silver band on her arm growing painfully more aware of.

"Nikita did confirm both Sato and Mitsu are here." Kimiko muttered, "They intend to have Mitsu go through the coming of age ceremony. Apparently Bell- Ayami is unable to have children, so they have Mitsu here as a replacement."

Taro winced at the slip up from Kimiko then sighed. "I didn't mean to meet Mitsu like this."

He should have insisted upon meeting his daughter the moment Sato confirmed she was alive. He should have had her on his crew, just like he should have insisted Sato stay with him. He should have been a better father to the twins, and Makoto, and raised them all with Sayomi. He should have brought along the downfall of this kingdom ages ago, and hoped to have brought his little sister with him.

However, Taro Kiyomizu, at the root of it all, was a coward.

He knew deep down that if it hadn't been for the fated chance of meeting a lone red-headed pirate, who claimed she was waiting on a signal, he wouldn't have even gotten the courage to leave in the first place. Then, when Sayomi became pregnant, he was too much of a coward to have her stay with him.

Nobody had called him a coward outright, but he knew that's what he must be deep down. He should have had the courage to do this all before it became what it is today. Perhaps then, Sato and Mitsu would still have their mother. Perhaps they could have grown up with him, their father. Perhaps Sato wouldn't have been drawn into the life of piracy, a life that while it's terrible, isn't something he necessarily wanted for his children.

Becoming a pirate for Taro had not been something he dreamed of. The new of Gol D. Roger didn't reach his ears like most, Sayomi had told him the story. However, Taro did find a comfort in living as the pirate had. He wasn't seeking out the One Piece, the last thing he wanted was another crown. When he became a pirate, it was simply to be free. To feel freedom as he had never felt before, to have his life-long bodyguard Kimiko feel freedom. Becoming a pirate wasn't something he would glorify to his children, had he raised them, but he also knew that becoming a pirate wouldn't be something so terrible.

He did fall in love with a pirate, after all.

"Captain," Both Taro and Kimiko turned around to look towards the soft spoken musician. "I believe that is the ship belonging to the Straw Hats."

The Captain and First Mate blinked at the ship with the lion. True to Kuro's word, the ship was indeed the Straw Hats's. They had seen it many times in the newspapers to know.