A Father's Betrayal

Chapter 37

As always thanks so much for the comments and votes! I hope you enjoy this chapter!

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"What's the matter, Ichiji?" Sora asked her oldest son who had been rolling the peas on his plate around with his fork and resting his head on his free hand for the past ten minutes.

Everyone was setting around the dining table and on the bench, except for Nami, Chopper, and Law who were in the boy's dorm with Sanji. Nami took the three food while Chopper and Law treated his fever.

Sora sighed when he didn't answer. "Ichiji," she repeated.

"Oi," Niji said tapping him on the shoulder when he continued to be unresponsive.

"Hmmm?" Ichiji replied looking up to Niji

"Mom's talking to you."

"Sorry. What did you say?" He asked turning to his mother.

"What's the matter?"

"Nothing."

"Don't lie to me."

"I'm not...."

"Ichiji, you're playing with your food.... That's something the three of you boys seem to do when something's bothering you."

"We do?" Yonji and Niji asked simultaneously

Sora nodded in response, "And then you complain because it's cold and refuse to eat."

"I never noticed," Niji said taking a bite of mashed potatoes which caused Sora to chuckle.

"What's bothering you?"

"Nothing really.... I'm just thinking is all."

"About?"

Ichiji sighed, "I got wondering earlier when you had me take Sanji to the boys dorm.... Could his fever be his fire power trying to come back...?"

"That's a good possibility."

"You know...," Niji said thoughtfully, "what if his fire power is trying to come back... but it's having a bad reaction with that drug Mom took... and that's what's causing the fever...?"

"Possibly...," Sora replied looking down at her plate.

"But it's been twenty one years sense then. There's no way it could possibly still be in his system... right?" Yonji asked.

"It is," Chopper said as he entered the kitchen with a large bowl, followed by Nami. "If it weren't, he would have all his enhancements. The drug seems to be forming a barrier around his enhanced DNA or at least the one that caused you guys to not have emotions and to have exoskeletons.... But it doesn't seem to be what's causing the fever."

"Is that a good thing?" Reiju asked.

"A very good thing.... If it were a reaction between his fire and the drug it would basically be a chemical reaction which could resolute in his... well I think you get the picture...."

Sora sighed a breath of relief.

"You okay Mom?" Reiju asked.

"Yeah, I was just beginning to regret taking that drug, there was really no need for me to take it in the first place considering how well you turned out," she said looking at Reiju before turning to Niji. "No offense Niji but I'm glad you were wrong on that."

"Understandable.... Wait... what do you mean considering how well Reiju turned out?"

"Yeah, wasn't she basically a prototype for what we were supposed to be able to do?" Yonji asked earning himself a glare from his sister. "I didn't mean it like that!"

"Nope, that's what you're father wanted you to think."

"Yup, I have all the same enhancements as you, including having no emotions."

"But you're so kind!" Carrot said from the bench as she bit into a carrot.

"The difference between Reiju and the boys is I wasn't bed ridden so I as able to help raise her and teach her about emotions thus causing her to develop emotions."

"Okay.... But if that's the case then why did you take that drug...?" Ichiji asked.

"That is the other difference.... Your father had came up with a quote on quote fix to keep you boys from developing emotions even after learning about them.... That's what the fight we had was really about.... I couldn't take the risk of his 'fix' working so I took that drug. It counteracted the fix for you three, or at least I assume that's what happened, but counteracted more for Sanji but by the time I had gotten better you three were already far to gone for me to do anything about it." (Okay that's the best solution I could come up with to fix that plot whole... Lol)

"Okay, so it did affect us," Niji replied.

"You realized, that means Dad is the failure and not Sanji, right?" Yonji said.

"Don't tell Sanji that," Ichiji laughed.

"Alright, I will!" Nami replied before she and Chopper left the room with the bowl of ice water.

"That's not what I said!"

"I know!" Nami waved as she closed the door.

******

"What's the matter with Straw Hat?" Law asked when he came out onto the deck from Chopper's office.

"Don't know. He's been laying like that for the past hour," Reiju replied sipping a glass of tea.

Luffy laid on his stomach, sprawled out across the figurehead of the Thousand Sunny.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaagh!!!!" He hollered sitting up, indian style. "Naaamiii!"

"Oh, he speaks," Reiju chuckled.

Nami peeked out of the boy's dorm, "What do you want, Luffy?! I'm trying to help Chopper!"

"How much longer before we get there!" He whined. "I wanna fight someone!!!!"

"THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE MOPING ABOUT!" Nami yelled.

"Yeah, well... do you know what I haven't had since last night?! And do you know what I've been wanting since this morning! SANJI'S COOKING! And do you know who can't cook! SANJI!!!!! I'm going to kick that guy's ass for making Sanji not feel like cooking!!!!!!!!"

At the moment Luffy was saying this Ichiji, Niji, and Yonji came out of various rooms. Yonji was flying down from the crow's nest after having a competition with Zoro to see who could lift the most weight. Note that Chopper did give him permission to lift weights provided that he promised not to lift as much as he normally would be able to.... Rather or not he listened... well, let's just say only he and Zoro knows the answer to that. Ichiji, who was followed by his mother, came from the aquarium. And Niji was holding the kitchen door for Cosette as she carried out snacks for everyone.

"THAT'S WHY YOU WANT TO FIGHT OUR FATHER!!!!!" The three brothers and their older sister yelled.

"Yeah.... What's so wrong with that?"

"THAT'S SELFISH!!!" They replied.

"Sanji's always happiest when he's cooking.... He loves seeing everyone's reaction when they're eating the food prepared by his hands.... Hell, he loves that as much, if not more than women. And he especially loves cooking for his friends and hearing how much they enjoy his food. It's only been a day... but not being able to cook today..., he won't say it... but it's killing him.... Cooking's the one thing he's ever had to look forward to everyday when he lived in Germa, right? It's the one good thing he's had with him his entire life... and anyone who even thinks about taking that from him will pay!!! Anyone who hurts any of my friends, any more than they already have been, will PAY!!!!!! And you're poor excuse of a father did exactly that!!!!!!!!!! I'M GOING TO KICK HIS ASS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Luffy once again declared, throwing his fists in the air.

Hearing this, Sora, covered her mouth with one hand as tears welled up in her eyes, unable to contain how grateful she was that her sweet little Prince had found such amazing friends, any longer.

The Straw Hat's smiled at their captain while the three Vinsmoke brothers stared at Luffy in disbelief that anyone could feel that way about anyone.... They still have a lot to learn.