It was a quiet night on the Thousand Sunny. The rest of the crew was asleep, blissfully unaware of what was unfolding under the moonlit sky. Kikidori, restless and bored out of his mind, paced back and forth on the deck. His usual antics couldn't entertain him tonight. He needed something more... something exciting.
With a mischievous grin plastered across his face, Kikidori spotted the Mini Merry. Without a second thought, he hopped into the small boat, grabbed the oars, and started paddling away from the ship. The night was his to conquer. His heart raced with excitement as he looked ahead at the dark horizon. The possibilities were endless.
After a while, Kikidori landed on a mysterious island that seemed to have no particular signs of life, just a few scattered buildings and heavy silence. He wandered through the trees, his footsteps crunching against the ground, when suddenly, a group of people dressed in revolutionary garb appeared before him. They were conducting some kind of mission, but Kikidori, being his usual clueless self, didn't recognize them.
At the center of the group stood Ivankov, who eyed Kikidori with a raised eyebrow. "Who's this, then? You lost, little one?" Ivankov's tone was teasing but not unkind.
"Who are you? And what's this place?" Kikidori asked, crossing his arms. The island felt off, but he was too curious to be afraid.
Ivankov chuckled. "You don't know? We're the Revolutionary Army. But I guess you're not here for that. What's your name?"
"Kikidori! I'm just... looking for something fun," Kikidori shrugged, a goofy grin spreading across his face.
"Well, if it's fun you want, maybe I can help you out," Ivankov said, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. "I have just the thing..."
Before Kikidori could react, Ivankov's Devil Fruit powers activated. There was a flash of light, and the next thing Kikidori knew, his body was changing. His clothes shifted, his body slimmed, and his face softened. It didn't take long before he realized what had happened.
"I-I'm a girl!" Kikidori gasped, staring down at his now feminine form.
Ivankov laughed, his voice booming in the night. "You wanted fun, didn't you? Well, now you've got it! You're my little experiment for tonight!"
Kikidori, panicking, pleaded. "Please, change me back! I don't wanna stay like this!"
But Ivankov, with a regretful smile, shook his head. "It's permanent. You'll have to figure out how to deal with it."
Kikidori's heart sank. "Nooooo! I can't go back like this... The crew's never gonna recognize me! And what if they think I'm some random girl?"
"You're stuck with it," Ivankov said, "unless you have a good enough reason for me to change you back."
Kikidori was about to protest more, but Ivankov just waved him off. "Go on then, find your way back. We've got enough work to do. Maybe I'll see you around later."
And so, with no other choice, Kikidori staggered back to the Mini Merry, still reeling from the shock. He didn't have a clear plan, but he knew one thing for sure: he had to return to the Sunny before anyone realized what had happened. As he rowed the boat back, he kept glancing nervously at the horizon, trying to make sense of his new reality. What would the crew think of his transformation? Would they even recognize him?
When Kikidori finally made it back to the Sunny, the ship was quiet. He sneaked aboard, hoping no one would catch him. But the moment he stepped onto the deck, he froze.
"Uh, hey," he called out awkwardly, his voice high-pitched compared to his usual tone.
Luffy, who had been sitting on the railing, turned around with a wide grin. "Kikidori! Where'd you go? And... what happened to you?"
Kikidori froze. He hadn't expected Luffy to be awake. "I, uh, fell into some weird magic," Kikidori stammered, unsure how to explain.
Luffy scratched his head. "Huh, you look... different. But you're still you, right?"
"Yeah... totally!" Kikidori replied, trying to play it off.
But as Kikidori entered the crew quarters, he quickly realized just how much of a problem this could be. The crew would know something was off. Ere'ana might even suspect it.
He sighed, flopping onto his bed, trying to ignore the uncomfortable feeling of his new body. "Why does this always happen to me?" he muttered before drifting off to sleep.
The next morning, as the crew began to stir, Kikidori still hadn't found the courage to face them. He knew they'd notice. He couldn't even look at himself in the mirror. His hair had changed slightly, his body felt unfamiliar, and... well, everything was different.
Ere'ana was the first to approach him. "Kikidori, is that really you?" she asked, a hint of confusion in her voice. "What happened to you?"
"I, uh... don't ask," Kikidori mumbled, trying to avoid eye contact. He didn't know how to explain.
Ere'ana narrowed her eyes, but she didn't press further. She just chuckled. "You're still Kikidori, aren't you? Just... with a little extra flair."
Kikidori looked up at her, his face flushing. "Please, don't mention it."
But Ere'ana only grinned, clearly amused. "You're still you, no matter what form you take."
Kikidori didn't know whether to be embarrassed or relieved. The crew would probably find out the truth soon enough anyway. And with that, the next chapter of his ridiculous journey had begun — one where he was stuck as a girl for the foreseeable future.
But for now, he had to figure out how to keep the secret.
End of Chapter 74