I haven't written a One Piece story in a really, really long time but recently I was inspired to make a couple of one-shots because of a certain character who I'm super curious about. I want way more canon details about exactly what Dellinger's deal is because pretty much every time she appears Oda creates more questions about her than he gives answers for and it's already driving me a little bit crazy thinking about the possibilities. In this story I've referred to Dellinger with male pronouns because that seems to be the consensus in the fandom at the moment but in my head I normally refer to her as female because that seems more natural to me with a gender-ambiguous character. The other headcanon I have is that Dellinger is actually trans and a surprisingly non-offensive depiction of one at that, so that makes the use of female pronouns in my head even more natural. And there are so many other things! I'd write an essay trying to talk about them!

Anyway, I digress, I wrote a story about Dellinger and now I'm publishing it. I'd like to hear from you if you have anything to say about it, especially because there are things that I'm not so sure about. Namely, Jora-is she "Giolla" in English or is "Jora" fine? Also, her vocal tic: I've been reading the manga and the translation in the latest chapter writes it as "zamasu" and "zama", but in watching her clips from the anime and it sounds like "damasu" and "dama". I could be mishearing it but if anyone definitively knows which is right please tell me so I can make sure everything's all good.

I think the only other important thing I need to point out is that this takes place the year before the Donquixote Pirates take over Dressrosa, so they're already in the New World and putting their plans together.

If I owned One Piece, this wouldn't be fanfiction. :)

The Pink Mary Janes

They were sitting there, on a blanket of shiny purple satin with other shoes and accessories under the bust mannequins with pastel coloured blouses and skirts. Dellinger's face was almost pressed up against the glass, staring at a pair of pink Mary Janes with bows on the heels and rhinestones on the straps. An incredible desire welled up inside him for possibly the gaudiest pair of shoes ever made but then another boy suddenly jumped up beside him, peering into the shop window as well.

"Mama! Mama! Look at this!" he yelled, not really pointing at anything in particular in the window but his eyes, which were darting all over the display, frequently came back to the shoes.

"Yes, sweetie," his mother said in a kindly voice, coming over to take him by the arm. "It's very cute."

"I wanna go in."

"No you don't, that shop is for girls. Come along, now." She dragged him away, even as he whinged his protests.

Dellinger's spirit sank and he stepped away from the window. He looked down at himself, morosely assessing his own appearance. His boots, loose shorts, and shirt were cut and coloured in a way that left no room for argument about his boyhood. He looked up and down the street nervously. Did anybody see him gazing into that window? If they did, what were they thinking about him now? Every time someone glanced at him fear and anger took a grip. He would gore them if they dared to say anything and a part of him wanted them to, just so that he would have the excuse. Looking back to the shoes in the window, it was only a couple of feet away and behind a sheet of glass but the distance felt as vast as an ocean.

"Ohohoho! What are you looking so longingly at, little Dellinger?" Jora's voice boomed down the street and Dellinger looked up as she approached him with her hands on her widening hips, beads jangling. He quickly turned away, embarrassed, as she stood beside him and peered into the shop window. "Hmmm, these clothes are very cute ~zamasu. Did you want something? Go ahead and buy ~zamasu! You got a cut of the money from the treasure we acquired recently and you don't spend much, unlike that Baby 5. Honestly, what does she spend all of that money on ~zama?"

Dellinger shook his head. "I… they're not for me, I'm not a girl."

"Who are you calling an exquisite pearl ~zamasu?" Jora said, crouching down and pinching Dellinger's cheek. "How dare you! You didn't answer my question ~zama. I saw that look on your face before and I know it very well; the look of passion and desire. Tell me what it is you want from here ~zama. Could it be that you want to go wild ~zamasu? If you break this window and trash the shop it'll draw unwanted attention and the young master will be extremely displeased. You can take your violent tendencies out on Lao-G and Diamante once we're back on the ship ~zamasu. Won't that be fun?"

It wasn't windows and shop displays that Dellinger was thinking of breaking but he kept that to himself. He tried to turn away but Jora just pulled harder on his cheek. "Come on, child. Tell Aunty Jora what's wrong."

"It doesn't matter!" Dellinger snapped, batting her hand away. "I can't go in because I'm a boy!"

Jora let go of his cheek and gasped dramatically while Dellinger rubbed the sore spot she left. "Don't tell me… you're letting boyhood get in the way of your desire ~zamasu! That is unacceptable!"

Dellinger stared at her quizzically.

"Expression is vital for everyone, child. It's the art of life, the soul of existence ~zamasu! And as a woman of fine art such as myself you should take it from me that art is freedom and if expression is the art of life then repression is the death of art ~zamasu! So it stands that the truth is that in order to have art you must free yourself from the shackles of the world and be on the outside as you are inside! To be creative in this way is to be glorious—a woman of greatness and beauty, unafraid and unashamed of that which ignites the fire of passion, the inferno of art ~zamasu! The feeble minds who say "nay" to this simply do not understand what it means to be artistic!

"So, Dellinger, don't let the empty words of empty souls sway you ~zama. Do whatever it is that has put such a smouldering desire in your heart and then you'll know how to express your inner artist. You'll be free, child! Isn't that wonderful ~zamasu?"

Dellinger blushed. His heartbeat gently pounded in his ears. Every barrier in his mind was sent crashing down as so many warm feelings welled up inside like the merciless waves of a great tide. He smiled and nodded determinedly.

"Yeah! Thanks, Jora. I'm gonna express myself all the time! Be on the outside the same as the inside." He turned to run into the shop, waving at her over his shoulder. "See you back on the ship!"

"What's that? I'm a sensational beauty queen? I am not ~zamasu!"

The shop bell tinkled as the door closed behind him. The store clerk looked up, excited at the prospect of a customer.

"Welcome!" she said jovially, putting her teen magazine down. "Are you looking for something for your sister? What a lovely little brother you are."

"No, I came to buy something for me," Dellinger replied assertively, much to her surprise. "And if you say anything about that, I'm gonna gore you. These horns are real, you know."

He pointed to his head. The girl's jaw dropped, partly out of bewilderment. Were those really real? She just nodded.

Outside, Jora stood up with her hands on her hips and a satisfied grin. One more child thoroughly educated in art, this was a good day. And Dellinger was so receptive to her message; perhaps she should consider making him her apprentice in the arts. She chuckled lowly to herself as she walked away, thinking how wonderful it would be to have an apprentice.

It was coming into evening and the crew had orders to reassemble at the ship before dinner. Dellinger jogged up to the dock proudly, still a little unsteady on his new footwear but he'd practised a lot in the past few hours and liked them more and more the longer he wore them. His old shoes dangled in one hand—he'd have to put them away before dinner.

Baby 5 and Buffalo were sitting on some barrels near the gangplank and turned to him when he approached. The proud grin he'd been sporting all day fell when they both burst out laughing at his appearance.

"What are you wearing on your feet? Did someone rip you off?" Baby 5 guffawed.

"Like you're one to talk ~dasuyun," Buffalo reminded her.

"NO!" Dellinger screamed back. "I bought them because they're cute and I want them!"

"You do realise you're a boy, right?" Buffalo asked. "We did tell you that, didn't we?"

"I know! Do you wanna fight me! I'll kick you!"

He lashed out and did that anyway, kicking Baby 5 in the shin. She shrieked in pain and leaped off her barrel, hopping on one leg and clutching her leg. Her cigarette dropped from her mouth.

"You brat! Why did you kick me? Kick him!? He was the one saying shit!"

"Nnnniiinn! Don't throw me under the bus! Dellinger's really strong ~dasuyun!"

"I'll kick both of you!"

Dellinger's irises were dilating, going from benign black to crazed red and yellow. Baby 5 and Buffalo stared at him in horror. Getting a fighting fish descendant worked up was asking for trouble.

"Oh yeah?" Baby 5 retorted, turning one arm into a carbine. They were in too deep now anyway. "Not if I shoot you first!"

"Nnooo! You'll break the blood rules!" Buffalo exclaimed. "Both of you!"

"What's going on here?" a smooth voice cut through their escalating argument like a sword. The young members all turned around slowly, stiffly, like they were afraid to. Doflamingo was stalking towards them with his Cheshire grin, hands casually in his pockets.

"We forgot to tell Dellinger that he's a boy ~dasuyun," Buffalo answered.

"I know I'm a boy! I'll kick you in the ass!"

"What are you wearing?" Doflamingo interrupted, drawing their attention back to him. Dellinger looked down self-consciously.

"I bought new shoes," he explained. His voice had suddenly shrunk as if he was about to cry. "I just really like them, okay?

Doflamingo made a noise. Not affirmative or negative, just a noise. For a while they all stood in silence and then Doflamingo kept walking, speaking as he went: "I see… they're cute."

Dellinger looked up in astonishment and then grinned.