#outside of vivi they are the youngest of the crew...

[taikova]

the youngsters taking a nap

[cebwrites]

Hello! What if in an alternate path, Kaku joined the Straw Hats (Franky still joins)? To me, he seems the most likely to swap to pirate, and he seemed to actually enjoy his job at the docks. How would he handle the crew? What role would he have? Thank you!!!

a/n: dunno if anon would still see this answer at this point, though i finally came around to this idea - maybe it’s the holiday season 🎄

What if Kaku joined the Strawhats

slight zosan/usonami word count: 1.5k

He definitely does seem to be the type to switch sides, I feel like in his mind, given more freedom, Kaku would like to align himself with whatever seems the most interesting even if not entirely conducive to coming out on top - in canon the latter part is more important but something tells me he made his way into CP0 partly on a whim, to see watch what would become of the new era from a higher perch

Say for the sake of argument he gets cast aside entirely by the WG after the events of Enies Lobby (afaik the CP9 agents had a short romp in a cover story about raising funds to get back on their feet so maybe this was during then), he’s desolate and paranoid at every turn because in the back of his mind, even the kindest of civilians could be someone sent to keep an eye on him post-failure

So Kaku turns to the people he has no doubt would never hide anything from him, the only kid forthcoming enough who had the gall to march into a government island and declare war on the whole world - Luffy was the last person who’d be sneaky about his feelings and that’s exactly what Kaku needed right now, good old fashioned honesty

And it’s honesty he gets, when Luffy tells him that he doesn’t like this Usopp imposter (after needing a reminder as to who he was and complaints from Sogeking himself) for hurting Robin and that he should leave - as straightforward an answer as Kaku could get

Due to extenuating circumstances, though, be it the Grand Line’s unpredictable weather, enemies getting in the way, or plain old, “ah well, we can’t just drop him in the sea, that’s a bit too cruel” though certain members would beg to differ, and bonds would slowly be formed over the course of spending time together

Imagine there it takes longer for them to get to Thriller Bark or Sabaody where other plot things happen or something shdfbshtgndf

Considering his fickle (to outsider eyes) nature however, among other more important reasons, it’s difficult for the Strawhats to take as well to him as Luffy’s go with the flow attitude - although it has to be said that a former enemy who did hurt their own in the past eventually becoming nakama isn’t entirely out of the blue, given Vivi and Robin herself

Kaku is aware of this, he’s been aware of people’s mistrust in him since he was a child, always with too-wide eyes for the adults around him and a smile that never quite reached it, so he’s used to being held at arm’s length

It’s the unsurprisingly the youngest of the crew that warm up to Kaku first - Chopper tending to his wounds after Kaku helped the SHs in battle, he quickly becomes endeared with the little reindeer’s antics and complex about compliments, Usopp being very skittish at first but eventually spinning Kaku the long, tall tales he does to everyone else, and Luffy’s unwavering kindness that leaves little else to be said.

That, and Luffy’s endless amusement at his Zoan form, that seem to entertain the other kids on board as well. The next is Sanji, silently showing his care through his cooking while still being very verbally hostile, being one of the first to threaten Kaku during the first week that he was stuck on their ship due to unforeseen circumstances that if he dared to hurt another hair on Robin’s, or anyone else’s for that matter, head then being out of house and home - how he came to them - would be the least of Kaku’s worries; the cook still fed him though, and to Kaku, that was more than could be said about others he often found himself around before the Strawhats. Zoro follows soon after, laying down the fact plain and simple that he didn’t like him but if they were to cohabitate per captain’s orders, things would go much smoother if they learned how to get along sooner rather than later, Kaku doesn’t make the jab that it seems that Zoro and Sanji still don’t get along to this day in the moment, but over time he’d learn that the two of them shared something beyond anything Kaku himself has had, or even allowed himself, to experience. Zoro puts Kaku through the wringer day after day with sparring, only resting when Chopper yells at Zoro for overexerting himself since he’s keeping the newbie on his toes while still picking fights with Sanji and getting injured that way, so Kaku has to find other ways of making himself useful on a ship as lively as the Sunny.

It’s here that he finds himself helping out with Usopp’s tinkering, listening to the lad talk about grand would-be fantasies, helping him with parts of his inventions, and teasing him about the shy yet longing glances Usopp sends their lovely navigator when it seems like she’s not looking, not quite noticing Franky’s encroachment into the workshop until their resident Cyborg is firmly seated in his usual spot. Franky’s just a blunt as Zoro is, he’s up front about his feelings on the situation regardless of Usopp’s presence - when Sogeking tries to sneak away from a potentially very tense and awkward interaction Franky tells him to sit his tuchus down and get back to work.

Franky is painfully, well, frank, about the anguish Kaku’s previous allegiances have caused this crew and he states that it’ll be an uphill battle to earn everyone’s trust truly, let alone the Funkfreed in the room that Kaku’s only barely managed to avoid interacting with too much during his stay, but also says that he sees how hard Kaku’s trying, and that deserves recognition more than anything else. Nami doesn’t offer any leeway when Kaku finally gathers the courage to face Robin, determined to protect her friend at any cost when their lanky, tweedy new crewmate (but distinctly not nakama) makes his way up to the table under Nami’s mikan trees that the girls often lounged under - before Nami can rip into him too hard, though, Robin puts up a hand and asks for a moment of privacy between the two of them - Nami’s unhappy about it but acquiesces. 

Within the few short interactions Kaku’s had with Robin previously on this ship, it’s either been with tempered ire, suspicion, and then jabs said with her calm but characteristically unnerving smile, showing clear (warranted) apprehension to his very presence around her nakama, so he bears his soul - Kaku doesn’t spin a sob story or make grand gestures that would attempt to garner sympathy like his pathetic excuse for a former boss, but plainly and simply states his intentions, his anxieties, his remorse, in a very Zoro-esque way, one would even say.

Kaku knows that more than anyone here, Robin had suffered the most at Enies Lobby, he had been conducive to that suffering, and here he was, begging for a place to exist on the same crew that took her in, the very one that he’d been ordered to take out like nothing a few months ago; the small crew that the World Government severely underestimated and paid dearly for. 

He’d say he knows it wouldn’t mean much to her, nor does he have the audacity to ask for her forgiveness, but for what it’s worth Kaku is sorry.

Being under Robin’s scrutinizing gaze burns but Kaku doesn’t waver, he faces her head on even though through even passing second, it feels like this woman wants to explode his head with her mind. Almost like some strange, unspoken game of chicken to test his mettle against her, the direct consequence of his own actions. And Kaku blinks. He tries to excuse himself, to hide away in some dark, cold corner of the ship where he can bottle up all these thoughts again and manage his guilt in silence.

But he’s not allowed to. Of course not.

Robin says, just as he turns to leave, that obviously even if he were to get on his hands and knees to grovel like the worm that he was, eyes unemotive, he would never gain forgiveness, much less hers, that way. Only a fiery grave awaited those who were so spineless. She says that she doesn’t know if she’ll ever be able to forgive the things he’s done as a person, a former government agent. A dog to cruel masters. Her eyes follow the bob of his Adam’s apple as she takes a long, calculated sip of her tea.

But she wouldn’t be unwilling to start over with whoever Kaku made of himself now, as a potential ally. Not a friend yet, not nearly close to nakama, but it was a start and, smiling, Robin was interested in seeing what he’d become on the journey to get there. 

Contradictory to what anyone had to say, Kaku did not cry that day.

[fly-chicken]

Hi!! I saw your tags in your reply to my post about Nami calling Kaido on his bullshit! I saw where you said Nami has two options with Luffy and Vivi, what about Robin? 😅 For SOME REASON Zoro X Robin is popular which makes NO SENSE to me

So I loooove Nami and Robin as a duo but I personally hc them as sisters bc I think that’s what both of them secretly appreciate about the other, the friendship and closeness that comes with the familial relationship. That being said, as partners they’d be super cute too! Joint shopping trips, makeovers, just very girly fun while Robin appreciates watching her gf swindle the sales guy while she steals her gf a cute outfit as well. Very very cute pairings; previously I have seen Robin, Usopp and Nami as a sibling trio (oldest, youngest and middle siblings respectively)

Personally I ship Robin with Franky (the “existence is never a crime” is seared into my heart and soul) plus all of their little rom com nods w the matching clothing, lap pillow in punk hazard, shielding robin from hail to Zou, asking her to ride w him in Wano (and she AGREED TO, BROOK WHY WOULD YOU SINK MY SHIP BY RUINING THEIR CUDDLE!) and lately kinda with Jinbe too. Maybe even a little Law, mainly due to him and Robin being survivors of world government extinctions and surviving by joining equally corrupt institutions.

But yeah Zoro and Robin is one of the few pairs in the strawhats that I’m like ….really? Those two? Okaaaaay? (After Sanji and Nami which I agree they care for each other but it’s very much a Barbie and her Ken dynamic; someone who worships another who will just never care for them in that regard) but yeah I just…don’t see them having much in common outside of devotion to Luffy vs Robin and others on the crew having things to talk about or activities to share together (even Robin/Sanji makes more sense to me)

That being said, all of this is imo and if you like the pairs, awesome! ‘Tis just not for me (Zoro/Robin)

Nami/Robin tho…I’m now having lots of cute girly stuff they’d do together, I’m just SUCH a Vivi/Nami die hard (that being said, Nami does have 2 hands 👀)

[starlightdreams-blog]

Lewis's Death: Vivi's POV

Vivi's POV

Vivi's blue eyes widened in excitement as she and Mystery walked down the lower path. Pretty soon they saw an opening leading to a vast area of pointy staglamites. Vivi felt slight fear go through her when she saw those spikes, thinking what would happen to a person if they fell on top of them. Before she could take a closer look, she heard Mystery growl and turned to see him running back to the other path that Lewis and Arthur took. Vivi was thinking, as she ran to catch up, 'If Mystery is growling, it can't be good. He only growls when there is real danger going on. Oh dear god, what if Arthur was right? What if this place is dangerous!? I have to get to them! They could be in trouble!'

After seeing Mystery run the other way, Vivi was filled with worry, panic and alarm as she ran up the path; something was really wrong. As she reached the top, she saw Mystery looking at Arthur and Lewis, ears flat and growling, frantically looking for something, the boys not hearing their mascot growling. After taking three deep breaths to calm her heart, she looked up only for her eyes to widen in horror as she saw Arthur's skin turning green while Lewis, who had his hands together in front of him and his head was down with a blush on his face, was confessing their feelings to their sunflower. She was frozen with fear as the green spread from her friend's left arm up to half of his face. When she saw Lewis finally look up and freeze at seeing their friend like this, she could see fear in his magenta eyes; not only for himself, but for Arthur as well.

Everything happened so quickly; the demon in Arthur's body shooting out and pushing Lewis, their dog transforming into a seven tailed kitsune and biting Arthur's arm off, all of them screaming in terror, horror, fear, despair and pain, hearing a sickening ribbing noise of skin and bones meeting stone at the bottom of the cliff, and a huge wave of pink/purple like magic hit Arthur in his tear filled amber eyes, who was bleeding profusely from his stump of his left arm and shocked at what he was forced to do, knocking him out cold.

Knowing that Lewis was dead by whatever evil being that possessed their crush/best friend, Vivi ran to Arthur's side and held him in her arms, crying and screaming his name. She took her blue scarf off and tied it tightly around what was left of Arthur's arm, hoping to stop the bleeding for a while as she said, panic, fear and horror flowing out of her, "Don't worry, Artie! I'm here! Oh god... We're going to get help for you! Don't worry! Just please hang in there! We've never should've gone to the cave. I've never should've thought about and telling you and Lewis to come here! I can't lose you too... Please don't die, Arthur! Please!!" All the while her mind was in constant grief and guilt. She should've gone with them; she could've saved both of her boys!

Mystery, in his kitsune from, said, as he looked sorrowfully at his two, last living charges, "Vivi, I'm mourning as much as you are, but we must get help for Arthur. Please." while he silently stated in his mind 'I'm so sorry, Vivi. Arthur. Lewis. I have failed you all. I should've sensed that demon sooner before... Before...' Mystery looked over the edge and saw Lewis's corpse laying limply on the stalagmite that ended his life, the man's once kind and caring magenta eyes were now horrified and full of fear, horror, terror, sorrow and guilt, blank and unseeing; the last emotions one of his young kits ever showed before his light was stuffed out by rotting, malicious green. Mystery shed a few tears in grief, sadness and regret before looking at Vivi and helped her get Arthur out of the cave. Even though it was the only way to free his friend, seeing Arthur bleeding and unconscious, he felt a spike of rage and hatred for what that monster made the most fragile of his charges do, but he squashed those negative emotions down; He'll deal with the demon later. He wasn't about to lose another pup to the clutches of death!

Vivi, with Mystery's help, picked Arthur's unconscious form off the ground and on to the kitsune's back. They both walked out of the cave to put Arthur in the van before going back for Lewis's body. Before Vivi walked in to the cave again, she told Mystery to change back in to his dog form and try to signal for some help. She also told him sternly that he better explain what he really was and that they need to tell their families (her's, Lewis's and Arthur's) what really happened tonight. Mystery agreed.

They were lucky. By the time Vivi got Lewis's body off the stone (just because she's short doesn't mean she isn't very strong...) and outside the cave, a group of motorcyclists were around her blonde friend and Mystery, who was in his dog form. One of the young adults asked her what had happened as they looked over the young mechanic but were shocked at seeing a dead body in the girl's hold and called 911. After Vivi explained to the people what had happened, (leaving out the fact that Arthur was possessed and that he was forced to kill because who would believe that!?) they heard sirens closing in on them. Once two EMS and Police vehicles arrived and gathered information from both the girl and motorcyclists, one team loaded Lewis's body in to a black bag and was taken to the morgue while Arthur, who was strapped in to the stretcher of another EMS crew, was being loaded in to the ambulance, one of the EMS doing CPR and rescue breaths on the blonde as they loaded him in. Within the next hour, after saying goodbye to the motorcyclists and thanking them for their help, the Mystery Skulls were on their way to the hospital.

As Vivi drove the van, Mystery in the front seat looking sorrowfully out the window and following the ambulance that held Arthur, she vowed that she wouldn't let anyone or anything harm their... no... Her sunflower ever again. Since the supernatural killed her boyfriend, she won't lose her last piece of her heart; her already fractured soul would be destroyed if she lost Arthur like she lost Lewis. If she wanted to quit investigating then see her last friend die, then so be it. She'd do it in a heartbeat.

Two hours later, they pulled up to the hospital. After seeing Arthur wheeled in for surgery after giving her consent, she saw that the Peppers, her parents and Arthur's family were waiting in the lobby. (she called them as she drove to the hospital) Taking a deep breath, she and Mystery, who was aloud in as long as he wasn't a disturbance, walked over to their families, ready to tell the truth of what happened tonight.

Once they did, their families were horrified, shocked and saddened by the news, especially the Peppers, who were also furious (even the youngest child, Paprika) at the demon for controlling Arthur and making him kill Lewis. As they talked and comforted each other for a while (about five hours), Mystery noticed a doctor walking towards them and pawed at Vivi's foot, getting her attention. She turned her head and stood up as the doctor stopped in front of her and the worried and grieving families. She hoped that her best friend was alright.