Coo!
Coo!
Cheep!
Inside the castle, outside the sterile room.
Tesoro paced back and forth in the corridor, muttering nonstop.
"Why isn't it ready yet… why isn't it ready yet… Captain, you need to watch this. Captain, do you understand this stuff?"
Reid stood motionless, all his attention focused on the sealed door. If anything went wrong, he would pour every ounce of his vitality straight into the room.
"Got it, got it, Boss Tesoro. If you keep pacing like that, you're going to grind a hole in the floor. Wait, what did you just say? 'I'm familiar with this'? I've never given birth before."
Tesoro spun around sharply, his golden hair standing on end.
"Captain! It's already been half an hour! Is that normal?!"
Kureha's voice burst out from behind the sterile door.
"What kind of noise is this?! Childbirth doesn't happen that fast! Make another sound and get out!"
"Stella wasn't nervous to begin with. You two idiots scared her half to death. Now shut up."
Tesoro and Reid fell silent at once, completely deflated.
There was nothing they could do. Reid suddenly remembered all those TV shows where the doctor runs out asking whether to save the mother or the child. It was the kind of thing you forgot over time, but the moment you faced something similar, it resurfaced without mercy.
To distract themselves, they decided to watch The Three Little Dwarves.
Bad idea.
Worse than not watching at all. Please direct your attention to the scene:
Perona clutched Laboon and Chopper tightly. The three little ones were curled up in a corner, trembling all over, babbling nonsense as they tried to comfort one another.
Perona's voice shook.
"It's fine! Kureha is a witch, you know! She even cured Moria's zombies! Delivering a baby will be easy! Right, Laboon, Chopper?"
Chopper's eyes filled with tears.
"But Sister Stella sounds like she's in so much pain! Should I go help? But I'm not a real doctor yet…"
Laboon shook his head violently.
"Wooo! Wooo!!"
(No! Kureha will kill us!)
Perona's logic suddenly collapsed.
"Right! We can pray! Who should we pray to? Uh… never mind. Lord of the Mist! Lord Reid! Crimson Mist! Blood Mist! Anyone, please bless us!"
Chopper sniffled in confusion.
"And Dr. Hiluluk's miracle medicine! Even if it causes diarrhea, it might still work…"
Laboon slapped the floor with his fin.
"Waaah!!"
(Should we prepare an escape route first?! What if a bomb baby comes out?!)
Inside the room, Reid's blood mist froze for a brief moment.
"…What nonsense are those three idiots talking about?"
Moria squatted in front of them, grinning.
"Keh heh heh… relax. There are plenty of strong people here. Nothing will happen. Even in the worst case, I can just turn them into zombies and bring them back."
The three little ones' pupils expanded in horror.
"…What?!"
Perona screamed.
"No!!! Moria, shut up right now!"
Chopper completely broke down.
"A newborn zombie is way too scary!!"
Laboon grabbed the other two, tossed them onto his head, and bolted.
"Woooo!!"
(Run for it!!)
Moria watched the three of them flee in terror, visibly delighted.
"Even small things are fun."
"You old creep are the fun one!!!" x2
"Phantom World."
Reid pressed mute on the world.
Moria stiffly turned his head. Two identical, expressionless faces were staring straight at him.
"Golden Divine Punishment: Dragon God Prison!"
"Mist God Form: Nine Dragons Raise the Coffin!"
Moria blinked.
"Huh?"
A cubic blood red box sealed him inside. Nine blood dragons wrapped tightly around it. A golden dragon then grabbed the box and flew off into the distance.
"If you don't know how to talk, then don't talk. Moria, fly."
Repeated twice for emphasis.
Moria was launched into the sky, turning into a golden shooting star.
The three little ones stared at the glowing trail and wiped cold sweat from their brows.
"Big Brother Moria, the three of us all ran away. Doesn't that say enough?"
"Let's light a candle for him."
Enel dug a finger into his ear, looking annoyed.
"Tch. So noisy."
He raised his hand and snapped his fingers.
"Crack."
A thin bolt of lightning struck the floor in front of them.
The three little ones snapped to attention instantly.
Enel snorted.
"Make another sound and I'll roast you into reindeer, grilled whale, and baked ghost."
Perona whispered weakly.
"We were actually very quiet just now…"
Chopper's tears froze in fear.
"Brother Laboon… I smell something burning…"
Laboon nodded solemnly.
"Wow."
(Only one move left. One, two, three!)
All three pulled down their left eyelids, stuck out their tongues, and spat.
"Peh, peh, peh."
Enel scratched his head and glanced around the castle.
Then, at last, a baby's cry rang out.
Tesoro froze in place, tears streaming down his face.
"She's born… she's born…"
Reid shot to his feet. His blood mist exploded outward before he forcibly suppressed it. Tesoro was already reaching for his golden armor when Reid stopped him.
The door opened.
Kureha stepped out, cradling a baby wrapped in a golden swaddle. A rare, gentle smile appeared on her face.
"Congratulations. A healthy girl."
Tesoro trembled as he held the baby.
"This is wonderful… this is wonderful…"
Reid leaned closer, his crimson eyes unusually soft.
"She's beautiful. Just a little wrinkled…"
Kureha knocked him on the head with her pipe.
"You were uglier when you were born."
Reid replied calmly.
"Incorrect."
"What?"
"Oh, nothing."
Inside his mind:
Jojo Reid:
"Pirate King? I was never born. I already defeated every native of the Pirate King's world."
Reid gently poked the baby's cheek.
"Have you chosen a name?"
Tesoro and Stella exchanged a look and smiled.
"Her name is Lati Guild Tesoro. 'Lati' comes from both Tesoro and Stella. She is the crystallization of our love."
Moria smacked his lips.
"Keh heh heh… how romantic."
The three little ones stared at the completely unharmed Moria in shock.
"So fast!!! That's amazing!!"
Reid suddenly laughed.
"Excellent. From today on, she is the little princess of the Mist Lord Pirates."
He waved his blood mist, forming a tiny crimson captain's hat, and gently placed it on Lati's head.
"This is a welcome gift. In a few days, when you've grown a little chubbier, your uncle will give you a big surprise."
Tesoro stared.
"…Captain, she's five minutes old."
"So what? So what? She doesn't understand anything anyway! This is already very advanced!"
Reid spoke righteously.
"What's wrong with that? My niece is definitely becoming a pirate someday! How could a pirate nest raise a marine? Besides, she doesn't have to be one anyway. She can be whatever she wants."
Kureha sighed.
"…These idiots are hopeless."
Perona suddenly burst into tears.
"Thank goodness she's not a zombie…"
Chopper sobbed.
"I want to become the greatest doctor in the world… I can't let anyone be scared again…"
Laboon collapsed into a whale pancake.
"Wooo…"
(So tired…)
Reid walked over and scooped up the three little ones with his blood mist, swinging them lightly.
"All right. Go take a proper look."
Tesoro gently placed Lati into the prepared cradle. This joy, of course, was meant to be shared by the whole family.
The three little ones leaned over the sleeping baby and suddenly felt something settle in their hearts.
Perona whispered.
"This was worth it."
Chopper grinned from ear to ear.
"She's so small and soft…"
Laboon gently touched Lati's hand with the tip of his fin.
"Wooo."
(Big brother will protect you in the future.)