Ice Cold Flame

Chapter 4 Abused Blond Baby

Ages
Shiki: 29
Perospero: 26
Oven, Daifuku, Katakuri: 24
Amande: 23
Brûlée:19
Cracker: 14
Robin: 18
Law:15
Sanji:9
over the years, the kids and I ended up in east blue. The kids helped out a lot, and when it was time for them to leave, they all decided to stay with the younger ones and me. I ended up telling all the kids my story. Brulee started to cry because she couldn't comprehend how someone could be so mean to their child. Cracker went into a rage that his brothers had to calm him down in another room, so he did not break anything. Robin was shocked as I explained every scar and burn I got on my body. She said she would never let anyone hurt me again and hugged me. Law promised that he would use his powers to become a good doctor and to help me look like I used to before the burns and would kill the man who dared hurt his 'ma'
the boys learned to use their powers over time and even started to train Brulee and Law to control their powers. Cracker is still waiting for his next year. Everything was going well even when we met our newest addition to our big family.
One fateful day I came across a small island being attacked by a group called Germa 66. I didn't pay it much mind since I knew about the rumors about the islanders and their connection to the slave trades and other things that do with the war that was currently going on. But when a little blond boy with his older pink-headed sister ran into me when I was putting my last bag on my Ship, I could refuse to help them.
"Are you alright?" I asked the boy, who was now on the floor, and his sister who helped him stand up, "what is that thing on your head, dear?" I asked him, confused and more worried. The little boy looked at his sister, unknowing what to do.
"Please," the girl started as she got on her knees "please take my brother away from here," she said as she begged me along with her brother, who followed her lead, crying. I looked at her and then at the boy.
"please explain to me what is going on," I asked her
"please, there isn't much time. I have to go back," the girl said "please help him escape. "we--- we are--" the girl couldn't finish as she started crying
"I'll help but please calm down," I say as I crouched down to both of them, but before I could do anything, the girl pushed the boy onto me and threw me a small key
"I have to go; please take care of him, please," she said as she started to run off back to the city crying
"Wait- "I called out to her, but a blast came from one of the houses, and some fallen parts started flying to us. the boy held on tighter as he saw. "hold on to my honey," I said as I raised my hand and shot a fire blast destroying the debris as I jumped back on my Ship, still holding the boy. The small key. "go inside and tell everyone in there to preparer to leave now" I say as I pushed the boy to the Ship.
"But-" he starts
"just go. I'll be ok," I say "here, hold on to this for me," I say as I hand him the key his sister gave me. The boy looked reluctant but grabbed the key and ran inside as I prepared to leave; as I did, a couple of men ran up to my Ship holding up guns.
"Are you a resident of this village?" they asked.
"no, sir. Please allow me and the children to leave. We just stopped to get supplies," I said with a bow.
"let me see some I.D."
"of course" I nodded before grabbing my wallet from the pocket in my dress. I handed it to the man, who nodded at his partner.
"get off this island now," he snapped, handing me my I.D back. I nodded and ran back to the Ship with the other things I had.
Once on the Ship, I told everyone it was time to go, and not even a full minute later, we were back at sea. Once we were far enough, Cracker took me to his room, where the little boy was hiding. He didn't have the thing over his head and was crying in a corner Cracker pointed him out to me before giving him a pitying look and walking out of the room to leave to talk to him.
"honey... are you alright," I asked him, but he continued crying. I got on the ground next to him and hugged him. He, out of instinct, hugged me back and cried on my shoulder. After a little bit, he stopped crying and fell asleep. Perospero came to check on us since everyone was getting worried. I told them that I was fine, that the boy needed rest, and that I would place him on Cracker's bed.
Once that was done, I walked out, holding the helmet in my hand with a glare. I handed it to Oven who looked at me with Pitty.
"get rid of this, please," I told him as he used his heat powers to melt it down to nothing.
"Who is that boy Mama," asked Cracker
"I'm not sure, honey... tonight, can you sleep in your sister's room," I asked him.
"Sure, mama," he nodded "is he going to be ok."
"yes, I just have to keep checking on him."
"Don't worry about that, mom," Robin said. "I have one of my eyes on him" she smiled as she crossed her arms.
"thank you"
"Is he going to stay as well mama," Katakuri asked
"I don't know, dear."
"hope he does..." Daifuku said from behind him. "poor kid started to cry the moment I took that thing off his head."
"poor thing and his sister ran back," I said as I looked out the small window we had in the room we were in
"do you think she will be alright"
"I believe so," I stated, "it looked like she was treated better than her brother."
"would you like me to go after the mother," Katakuri asked
"Katakuri, we talked about this... you will do no such thing. I'm sure I raised you better," I snapped
"sorry, mama," he said, looking down."
"I'm sorry, Katakuri honey... it's just I am so stressed out," I sighed "the boats getting too small for all of us here," I sighed again
"We can always get a bigger boat, mama," Amande said, coming inside from her guard duty "we don't mind putting money into it" she smiled and laughed.
"no, thank you, honey... I was thinking of settling down soon" I smiled
"Really," asked Cracker exited
"Yup, mama and I talked about it," Perospero smiled at his youngest brother. "that's why we came to the east blue. Mama wanted all of us to be safe and not stressed over anything of our past, so we are moving to an island close to the redline where no one goes, and the weather is almost always the same"
"But first, let's figure out what we are going to do now," I said, pointing to the door "Cracker."
"If he wants to stay, I don't mind sharing a room," he smiled, "and I finally get to be the older one," he laughed.
"I don't mind."
"me neither"
"I could use another brother," the triplets said together before turning to do whatever they were doing.
"I don't mind, mama," Perospero smiled.
"I neither would be nice to have some younglings around again," Amande laughed.
"To be honest, we always wanted a big family."
"It's in your nature, Mother" Robin smiled "looks like he is waking up now," she said as she disabled her power. I nodded and started to walk out of the room. Once in Cracker's room, I knocked on the door, waiting for him to say I could come in. it took a bit before he did, but when he did, he sounded so small.
"Are you alright?" I asked as I walked in. he just nodded and brought his knees closer to his face " are you hungry? I can have some of my kids make you something to eat" he just shook his head "can you tell me your name?" I asked
"Sanji," he said in a small voice.
"Can I ask what happened," I asked him, and he started to tear up more "you don't have to answer" I smiled as I petted his head? I saw an eye and an ear on a bookshelf a little bit away. "Robin, can you ask one of the boys to bring me something for him to eat" I smiled at the eye before it disappeared along with the eye? Quickly a hand appeared with a thumbs up before disappearing as well.
"Does your family know where you are?" I asked him, and he just shook his head "are you hurt right now" he shook his head, and I nodded "how about your last name" he shook his head again "well ok, then-"
"mama Katakuri made chicken soup," Cracker said as he opened the door. I smiled and told him to place it on the table next to him. Sanji looked at them in hunger as he had gone to his face. His eyes widened as he remembered he didn't have the helmet on and looked over at me."
"go ahead," I told him
"Mama" Cracker asked
"oh right, Cracker, this is Sanji... Sanji, this is my youngest son, Cracker" I smiled as I watched the little boy eat. he ate at a fast pace "slow down a little; I don't want you to choke," I sighed.
"Why did you name him Cracker," he asked suddenly.
"Actually, my birth mother named me that." Cracker said with a sheepish smile on his face
"Oh," the boy said as he looked at the now-empty plate
"do you---"
"PLEASE LET ME STAY HERE" Sanji yelled. "I WILL COOK AND CLEAN WHATEVER YOU WANT, BUT PLEASE LET ME STAY," he cried.
"calm down honey... of course, you can stay here," I smiled. "just lay down, and we can talk more when you settle in more" he just nodded as tears fell "relax, alright. I will see if I can get you more" I smiled as I left Sanji and Cracker there and took the plate Law stopped me from moving once I got to the kitchen.
"you shouldn't give him too much... I saw how he was... he can't eat too much at a time."
"I know, honey. I'm just going to get him a piece of bread" I smiled and kissed his head.
"are you going to help me with my training," he asked me
"yes... and call Amande too. I want to see where she is in her sword training," I said
"Sure," he smiled, "and Ma."
"ya, what's up."
"Are we really going to settle down"
"yup" I smiled "you can have your own place since the island we will live at is an abandoned one... but it might take some time since we have to build our own house."
"true I guess it would do me good being away from these clowns," he said, pointing at Oven and Daifuku, who were fighting in front of Brulee and Robin, making them laugh
"Now go get your sister," I said as I pushed him aside, laughing and getting the bread for Sanji. I was walking back when I overheard Cracker telling Sanji the story of when I picked him and his sibling up from that island.
"and then she took us in after convincing the villagers that my older brothers and sisters were not that bad... at least that's what Brulee told me when I asked her"
"Is she mean? "Sanji asked him.
"NO, she is super nice... well, except when she won't let you get a snack from the top cabinet, but you have to ask Katakuri for one since he always gets it for me."
"so that's how you always end up getting a snack," I laughed as I entered the room, causing them to turn around.
"Katakuri made me do it," Cracker yelled.
"sounds more like you made Katakuri do it," I laughed as I handed the bread over "here you go, hon. Sorry, I can't get you anymore. One of my younger sons didn't let me get more since it could do you more harm than good"
"let me guess. It was Law," Cracker laughed.
"what gave it away" I laughed along with him. Sanji looked a little confused. "Law is my second youngest son. He wants to be a doctor when he grows up."
"oh..."
"is there anything you want to be," I asked him, sitting down on the bed, but he just shook his head
"he wanted to be a cook," Cracker said. I turned to him with a raised eyebrow. He just turned his head.
"Well, if you want to become a cook, my son Katakuri knows how to cook... and so do i" I smiled. "I could show you some of my better dishes later when you feel better."
"Really," he asked, smiling. I just nodded
a couple of weeks later, I talked to Sanji about his past. He explained what happened when his mother was pregnant and how his older sister and they were the only ones that went to her grave after she passed. He also told me of the abuse his father put him through because he wanted him to be strong like his mutated siblings. And how he was treated. I shuttered at the thought of him being used because it reminded me so much of my childhood. So I ended up telling him everything as well. He took it well... at least better than everyone else; he didn't lose his temper and did cry. sure, he was shocked that he never noticed the burns but other than that, he took it well