[Veyron's POV]
When I told her to bring her daughters over... I wasn't expecting this. Of course, Big Mom brought not only her daughters but also her sons to meet me, their new 'family'.
The food was served, and my fork fell.
There are too many! How many times has this woman given birth?!
"Your name is Veyron, right? You're cute!"
"You're going to choose me, right?".
"Let him breathe, hey little brother, my name is Cinnamon, let's get to know each other, okay?~".
They were all over me to the point Saki was almost thrown off the table as if she was a bystander; these women forgot she's an Admiral.
"Everyone, calm down, you all have your time to spend some time with him, let him eat~" Big Mom tried to 'calm' them down, but I noticed her tone wasn't really serious.
"No need".
A woman with long legs walked up to the table, staring at me. She had long silver hair and a sexy flowery tattoo along her long legs. And they were some LONG legs.
"He will be marrying me" She declared, staring at me dead in the eye as if daring me to refuse her claim.
"..."
I didn't say a word to her, but her mannerism alone made all the sons and daughters shrink. I could tell she was quite strong just by looking at her.
"What's your name?" I asked, even though I already knew her name.
"Charlotte Smoothie... you should have heard of me" She said, irritated.
She stood up next to me. I was amazed at how tall she was, even taller than Sonia, approaching Shirahoshi's level but still not quite there.
My mermaid is quite big, alright? Not everyone can just match her.
Love me a tall woman, but... having a pretty wife is not the reason I suggested doing this.
"Do you have a devil fruit?" I asked again.
She squinted her brows, "I don't... but you are a swordsman and so am I–"
"I refuse" I said, waving my hand dismissively.
"Eh?"
"I am not going to marry you, Smoothie"
!!!
There was a hum of ridicule from Saki; Smoothie heard it, and both glared at one another. Nevertheless, when Saki's magma resurfaced, Smoothie backed off. This is an Admiral after all.
"Don't think you can act all unruly here, Akainu".
"Don't talk to me, trash. You can talk to my man here; there is no reason why you should be addressing me".
I gulped and watched Saki continue eating without saying a word. I didn't tell her she had to be friendly, so she didn't. As expected of someone who is disgusted with pirates, it is a bit too much to ask that she's sitting here.
"Ma..ma... let's all calm down. Why don't you like my Smoothie, Veyron?" Big Mom asked with a frown, "Among my daughters, she's the most capable".
"I did say I would take a daughter of yours as my wife, but in truth... I am only looking for someone useful. I spend most of my time in my laboratory... if there is anyone quirky among your bunch, I wouldn't mind taking them in"
I looked at all of them. "I am not looking for beauty".
"S-so... you're looking for..."
"Someone interesting... let's leave it at that".
Among her daughters, you could find every shape or form. I couldn't help but look at Big Momo with a bit of fear; no wonder she's called Big Mom too... these are way too many children for one person to give birth to!
"You seem interested. It has been my dream for a long time to make a place where all races in this world can cohabitate, Veyron".
"It is a noble dream".
"Do you know what race is missing?"
"..."
"Lunarians~".
I almost spat my drink, feeling how her eyes glared at me with keen interest.
"I am not a Lunarian–"
"You aren't? But you sure keep many of the traits that define them... you're a strong brat too–".
"I don't have wings, or a flame on my back..."
"I guess you're right, quite a pity... although you could still be a hybrid... aren't you interested in knowing what your race is? We can make all the juicy exams~".
"I am a human", I lied.
What race I am, I have been clear for a while now... Vegapunk and I reached this conclusion. I am indeed a hybrid of a Lunarian... but the other race is not human.
"Mamamama! I don't think so~"
"..."
The conversation turned awkward; to dispel it, she beckoned, "So...? Which of my daughters has picked your eye?"
'Not many...' I said inwardly.
If I was looking for beauty, there are certainly some of them who are charming; I would no doubt take Smoothie with me. There is also Charlotte Galette over there who seems to be eager to be chosen.
I looked to the side; the person that looked the most human was this girl who had been looking at me with a light blush the whole time. She was sitting across, next to Katakuri. She looked so normal amidst all these oddities, that it was actually off-putting.
"What is your name?" I asked her.
"P-Pudding..." She was shy.
"Do you have a devil fruit?"
The girl twitched visibly and then glanced at her mother, who nodded in return.
"I do..."
I noticed some sort of disgust or discomfort coming from her siblings as I talked to her.
"... tell me" She seemed reluctant to tell me what her power was.
"I have the memo memo no mi... it gives me the ability to manipulate memories".
I gasped. That power... it is exactly what I have been looking for.
"You see, Veyron, this ability of hers is one of our deepest secrets. You know what it means for me to be willing to share this with you, right?".
"... that's one dangerous ability you have there", I said.
"Mamamama, you know it~".
"Very well".
To be more specific, I was looking for people with specific powers... powers as ridiculous as that of Sugar. If you asked me which devil fruit was more terrifying, mine or Sugar's... I would say Sugar's without a doubt.
There are some devil fruits that are downright cheats; Sugar's is one... this Pudding is another. Her fruit is so scary that I don't even want to get too close to her until I know all its rules and conditions.
Seeing my interest, Pudding looked happy, but I didn't say anything else to her and instead looked to the next person who looked interesting to me. Interesting because just like Pudding, she stood out.
Stood out because of how ugly she was.
"What's your name?"
"Y-You're asking me?" She pointed at herself, incredulous.
"I am looking at you, am I not?" I frowned.
"What are you doing, Veyron?" Saki spoke to me with a frown.
"What? Can't I ask her name...?"
"Brule, I am Charlotte Brule" She finally answered.
"Do you have a devil fruit?"
"Yes, I have the Mira Mira no Mi... I have the ability to manipulate and control mirrors".
I frowned. "Please be more specific".
Brule went on to explain to me what her abilities were, and I was shocked.
'Another one...' I grit my teeth; Pudding and Brulé, both in the same crew.
This is exactly what I was looking for. Someone like Sugar. Someone whose abilities may look ridiculous at first... but they're actually terrifying when used by the right person. Someone capable of putting down a powerhouse or creating miracles.
I looked at her up and down and couldn't help but sigh. She's so damn ugly... There is potential, but there is also a lot of work to do.
You can tell she's ugly because she also has an immensely low self-esteem... she couldn't even believe I was talking to her at first.
'I don't necessarily have to take her as my wife, do I?', I wanted to take her with me, but not as my wife.
She could use her powers to reflect powers back, to change her appearance to the reflection of someone else, and the power that interested me the most and made me the most afraid... she could imprison people in a 'mirror dimension'.
The moment I heard of that mirror dimension, I knew I had to have her... take her to my lab and make a lot of experiments with her. If it is what I think it is... then we won't have to worry anymore about transportation.
It didn't matter how strong you were... as long as you were trapped inside, you wouldn't be able to escape; that was scary.
"I will be taking you with me, Brulé", I said decidedly.
"That's impossible! Stop playing around, Lightning God!"
*BAANGG!*
Smoothie slammed the table and stood up, gaining everyone's attention.
"How can you marry her and not me!? Are you trying to ridicule me?!"
"Calm down, Smoothie!" One of her brothers tried to stop her, but he was slapped away.
*BAANGG!*
"Mother... I am clearly the best among all your daughters; how can he ignore me like this!?".
Big Mom was also looking in confusion, "Why do you want to take Brulé, Veyron...?"
As expected of a character of this show, they're just stupid... she has a treasure in front of her, and she can't even see it.
"Charlotte Smoothie, sit down".
*RUMBLE!!*
She sat down when she felt my gravity pressing her down.
"Do you think I am looking for someone beautiful? For someone strong...? Look at her" I pointed at Saki, who stopped eating and squinted her brows.
"Isn't she beautiful? Isn't she strong...? She's my woman. And just like her, I have plenty of beautiful and strong women by my side already... Does it look like I need another one?" I said sharply at Smoothie.
"Stupid..." Saki mumbled, then continued to eat, "Who is your woman?"
Smoothie glared at Saki with reluctance, "B-But then"
"I am marrying your sister, rather than being angry, shouldn't you congratulate her...?"
Even Brulé was looking at Smoothie with some sort of disappointed expression.
"Sister, you know that's not what I meant" Smoothie tried to clarify, but even in doing so, one could sense her disdain for Brulé.
"I know... say no more", the purple-haired witch sighed.
"Dracule Veyron, I refuse to marry you!".
"Oh? Why?"
"C-Can't you see?! I am playing hard to get! Wiwiwiwi!~"
'With that face?!' I could almost hear all her siblings scream in their minds.
"I am not going to marry you... if you want to marry me, you'd better take–" She began, but I didn't let her.
"I never said you had a choice, Brulé. You are coming with me, whether you like it or not" I wouldn't let go of this power no matter what. It is even scarier than Sugar and Pudding.
!!!
"You fucking monster!" Katakuri stood up this time, slamming the table and shattering it into pieces.
"Do you think you can just do whatever you want here!? I will kill you even if it costs me my life, leave my sister alone, you damn deviant!".
"Aren't you all getting a bit worked up? Can't you see her? She's not averse to the idea; she was just intimidated by her sister into rejecting," I declared.
"E-Eh".
They all looked at Brule, who was blushing and shivering.
"Come with me, Brule... I will protect you from now on. You just have to work with me in my laboratory... I will put your powers to good use. And you don't have to be afraid of Smoothie; if she tries anything, I will protect you".
"R-Really? You will?!" The woman almost cried.
"Don't you dare, Brulé!" Smoothie screamed; it was Big Mom who glared at her like a walking corpse.
"Shut up, Smoothie!"
"I-I am sorry, mother... but I can't take this ridiculousness anymore!" Smoothie stood up and stormed out of the tea party in outrage. This woman had so much ego, she couldn't believe I wasn't choosing her.
Or perhaps she wanted me? I do remember a long time ago we received a letter inviting me to a tea party to get engaged with her. So, I guess this is my second time rejecting her.
Brulé looked at Smoothie, whose gaze could kill.
"Then I accept, please take me with you, husband~".
'Don't be so fast... I will have to fix your face first...' I shivered.
She was tall, she was well-endowed... she didn't even look like a bad person... but her face, oh god, who did this to her.
"Is that really the reason why you're taking her? Because she's useful?" Big Mom asked in resignation.
"More than you think".
I also looked at Pudding... she's yet another whose powers I am interested in, but... so long as I don't know the scope of her powers, I do not intend to even approach her. I asked most of them their profiles and shrugged them off until I met yet another I was interested in.
"Charlotte Amande".
The same woman who led us here. I found her attractive and also...
"You're a swordswoman..."
"Indeed, but so is my sister Smoothie... I am not special".
"That's not up to you to decide".
I sent some intent her way.
*WHOSHH!*
The next second she sliced my invisible intent, making me smirk.
"Unlike Smoothie, you are a REAL swordswoman, aren't you?"
She moved her hat to look at me properly.
Charlotte Amande was actually gorgeous. I found her very pretty... tall, well-endowed figure, she was a hybrid from the snake-neck race and had a humongous hat that made her look classy... she smoked too, I could tell.
"It is an honour to be acknowledged by Dracule Mihawk's son".
My brows twitched.
"Who do you think is the strongest swordsman in this world?".
"Dracule Mihawk, a swordswoman" she spoke with pride that the strongest swords-user is a woman.
"What if I told you I have already defeated my mom?".
"I wouldn't believe you, and even if you did... it can't have been in swordsmanship alone".
I felt the urge to bite my nails in frustration... she's right.
I can defeat Mom right now. In fact, our fight wouldn't even be long... I could defeat her devastatingly compared to the past. But not with the sword. Using my 4th Haki, my Devil Fruit and my swordsmanship all together, polished to the maximum.
If we go by swordsmanship alone... I can't even last an hour against her going seriously.
"You have a good eye, Amande. I am taking you with me as well".
The woman gasped a little, but she didn't refuse; instead, she walked to the other side of the table to stand next to me without much of a scene. Compared to Brule, her siblings seemed to all agree she was a fitting choice.
"Your choices are rather peculiar... but I am glad, Veyron... you took two of my most troublesome daughters, if not you... I don't think they will ever get married mamamama!"
...
For the rest of the night, I continued to talk with Big Mom about what I expected from her, mostly in terms of the protection of Dressrosa and Wano. She also ended up telling me about Zou and the gigantic Elephant Zunisha, of which I didn't have a clue... but as expected of Big Mom, the moment she considered me her family, she opened up.
"You should know, the survivors of Kaido's beast pirates have fled to Zou; they are being led by King and Blackmaria... what do you want to do with them?" Big Mom asked while eating a marshmallow.
"I won't go personally... I will have my mom or the CP0 deal with it in the near future".
"The CP0...? Boy, how far does your influence reach?~" Big Mom looked proud, as if she was my actual mom.
"You don't need to know, but thanks for your information, Linlin".
"Call me mother-in-law~".
'Noy yet...'
It seems that for her, so long as I don't plan to become the Pirate King and attain the One Piece, she has no issues with me.
As the sky and the night fell, I started to once again get worried about Shirahoshi.
"We will stay for tonight, then I will depart for Wano to sort some matters there too, then we will come back, Sakazuki", I said to her; we both stared at one another intently... There was still something between us that we needed to sort out.
"As you wish".
After saying our farewells to Big Mom and all her children, we set off.
"I will show you to your room, Veyron", Amande suggested, and I gladly accepted her offer.
"Sleep well, my son-in-law~".
I grimaced but didn't refuse her call.
"Also, think a bit about Pudding... I think my daughter is VERY eager to marry you, okay~".
"I will think about it", I said, looking at Pudding who was also waving at me.
I know she is... she must also be very eager to change my memories.
I walked away with Sakazuki, Amande and Brulé. Both sisters said their farewells to their mother for the night. Once it was only the four of us... they stopped in the middle of the hall. I turned around while Sakazuki kept going forward, unconcerned... she was more focused on the upcoming events this evening, I guess.
"I don't understand you" Amande said.
"Hmm...?"
"Why us...?" She asked again, looking at her and her sister. She was among the few who didn't seem to disdain Brulé, but that didn't mean she thought the two of them were adequate... it was like stepping in a flowerfield and settling for grass.
But for me, these two were not grass at all. They were the two daughters with the most potential aside from Pudding.
"Because I want you two, simple as that... are you doubting my choice?"
"I am... Smoothie and Galette would have been an even better option, but you didn't even look at Galette".
"Because I wasn't interested. I want you two... so? Where am I going to sleep?"
Amande sighed in resignation and we kept going; she lit up a cigarette.
I don't know how or when... but Sakazuki literally materialised in front of her.
"Got a spare?"
Amande looked at Sakazuki and ended up giving her a cigarette as well, then Sakazuki used her magma finger to ignite both of their cigarettes.
"So cool..." I mumbled. This made both of them smirk.
"He's just a kid, isn't he?" Amande asked her with a small laugh.
"You have no idea" Sakazuki rolled her eyes.
They started talking with one another in a rather stoic tone.
"You will regret choosing me. I-I am so ugly" Brulé suddenly said. I wanted to roll my eyes.
"And I am older than my sisters too; I am the third daughter!".
"Is that what everyone has told you?" We stopped amidst the abandoned city streets.
"Are you blind, kid? Can't you see my face?!"
She had the face of a witch, a long nose, her hair was sideways and pointy. Indeed, she looked really bad. But... I was a visionary.
"Not only is your devil fruit useful to me, but also..."
I levitated close enough to her; I had to, since she was quite big as well. Without prior notice, I stretched my hand forth to fondle her breast through the dress.
!!!
"W-What!–" she froze and covered her mouth, looking around as if in embarrassment. I continued to fondle her right breast. It was huge... soft... just as I expected it to be. She looked as if she didn't know if she should scream, protest... or try to fight me... I didn't give her the time to choose; with a lot of curiosity, I slithered my hand down her dress and into it, squeezing her breast directly.
"Ripe~".
"K-Kid, stop!"
"I knew it from the moment I looked at you... you're not ugly... you're just untidy, and now I see, also with a huge inferiority complex... don't worry, we will work it out".
"Y-You... why..."
"Turn around, Brule".
She gulped, "You're so overbearing for a kid..."
Nevertheless, she did what I told her. I cupped a feel of her ass this time, big, bubbly... full legs... how dare she conceal this body beneath those rags...? I could tell that, despite the fact that her body was well-endowed, she did next to nothing to take care of it.
For someone who has been called her whole life 'ugly' I guess it makes sense that she wouldn't even try.
"You're beautiful, Brule... I am giving you a chance".
She gasped.
"If you become my wife, my slave, my retainer, my friend... it will depend on you. I will give you all the resources you need. In exchange, serve me well with those powers".
After giving her ass one last squeeze and lifting her dress to stare at her body directly, I let her go. There was some uniqueness to her... uniqueness that we could work out.
"Perverted kid... w-why would you... for someone like me..."
Perhaps after attaining so many beauties, I have become someone who can look past beauty... to see what's deep within.
Being able to make love to Hancock, Robin, Mihawk and Primrose whenever I want, wherever I want... I have become beauty-proof!
Or so I thought... Isabel and Shirahoshi, those two still can get to me unexpectedly.
I walked forward on my own and she eventually caught up, not saying a word, merely blushing and embarassed... who knows what she was thinking... but she wasn't thinking anything bad at least... we have gone through a lot of mirrors and she has yet to make a move even when it was just the two of us, even when I served myself in a platter.
...
"Where were you...?" Sakazuki asked once we caught up with her and Amande, standing in front of a huge building.
"This is a guest house. Forgive me for not being able to provide you with a better accommodation, but your arrival was a bit surprising"
"Thanks, Amande".
"When are you going to take us with you?" She asked bluntly, "It is a custom for our husbands to move to live with us in this island, becoming members of the Big Mom Pirates... but for obvious reasons, you are an exception... we will be going to live with you".
She didn't look reluctant to the idea.
I smiled and scratched my head; now our house was going to become even noisier.
Shirahoshi, Viola, Amande and Brulé will be coming with me.
"Once I return from Wano, I will fetch all of you back with me" I said.
"All of us?" she frowned "Is there more?"
"It is not just you two" I sighed and looked at Sakazuki.
"Have you prepared a room for her?"
"I am sleeping in the same room with you. What use is there for a different room?" She crossed her arms, her gaze filled with innuendos, daring me to refuse.
"Amande..."
"Hmn?"
"Do you have contraceptives?".
!!!
My words perked up the three of them; funnily enough, Brule was the one who blushed the most, perhaps because I had already sampled her in a way.
'Girl, no... not yet'.
I looked at Sakazuki, whose gaze was fixed on me like a predator.
'Of course, I am talking about us, Saki~'
"What a perverted brat. We only got engaged today, and you already want to–"
"Do you have it or not?"
"... I don't... we don't use those here–"
"Okay then".
I took Sakazuki inside with me.
"Good night".
*BAANG!*
Then slammed the door in front of their faces.