Useless But Try Anyway

by Rouge Spirit

Life sucks. You have the chance to change things but all efforts are eventually reduced to zilch. Sometimes though, leaving things as they are is the wisest decision you could make. You screw the timeline by being there anyway. Might as well not cause anymore chaos than you probably will. A better outcome may be your reward.

1. Chapter 1

Whelp. Taking a whack at this again. Now that I don't suck at writing anymore. I'm going to redo this story. Completely. New readers and old. Welcome to Beating Heart! This is not a SI btw

Edit: The name is now Useless but Try Anyway as not to confuse anyone. I felt like the name should be completely different now that the current version of this story is nowhere close to the original. The plot to the setting to the protagonist herself is completely new. Beating Heart doesn't fit anymore. So welcome to Useless but Try Anyway

I do not own One Piece

"Ugghh! You need to stop crying over this. It's annoying. " my younger brother folded his arms, voice laced with irritation. " You watched this set of episodes three times already. What are you? A masochist?"

I was watching Law's back story for the third time and for the third time I broke out in tears. There was just something about the episodes that kept drawing me to them despite the massive heartbreak and emptiness I felt once each episode concluded. Their expressions, the raw emotion behind each voice. Each scene. No. Each individual frame despite the similarities told their own story. Had their own meanings. I couldn't even comprehend how well this backstory was done. Out of the ones I had watched so far, this was by far my absolute favorite. A tale of rejection and betrayal. An unlikely friendship bonded between two completely opposite people. Simply marvelous.

" No." I defended myself, wiping several tears that were replaced with new ones. "You don't like or watch One Piece, so you'll never understand!" I whined, a pout accompanying folded arms.

My attention was temporarily diverted to the deep frown that cemented itself in my brother's face. Clear sounds on my laptop becoming nothing but muffled noises as Yanai and I were interlocked in a battle of non-verbal superiority. My pout versus his deep-set frown. For the longest, he had won, his iron stare usually shattering me within the first few minutes. Not today. My pride as the oldest sibling was tossed around enough. Between being mistaken for twins and him as the oldest, I had lost some level of dignity, watching as he slowly began to tower over me like some sort of skyscraper.

BANG!

I jumped up slightly, startled from the sudden noise coming from my lap. I looked down at the screen. The end of Doflamingo's barrel pointed at Corazon, yet…smoke had already been pouring from the mouth of the gun. Spots of vermillion dotted Corazon's heavily stained shirt. The younger blonde's eyes began to flutter as he belted his inner monologue, smile on his face as he wished Law the best.

I didn't scream or cry as I did the first time I witnessed this murder. However, my head did hang down, dark brown locks shadowing my glasses covered eyes. Slowly, I brought the screen down and slide the laptop on the side of my bed. I rolled over in my bed, back facing Yanai as I brought my comforters up to my neck.

"Please leave. It is now time for my half hour brooding session. Door is at your 3:00."

I didn't need to turn around to know that my younger brother had shaken his head and rolled his head. Despite his seemingly irritated expression, I didn't miss the soft chuckling sigh that escaped his lips from my actions.

"You're too sweet for this world. You know that right?"

"Mmm." I turned my head towards him and titled my head upwards towards him slightly, an 'oh. I know' expression on my face.

I could feel his body pressing into mine as I hovered above my face, gently pulling my glasses off them, folding the legs then resting them on the night stand.

"Happy brooding." he said as he left the room, shutting my door with a quiet click.

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BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.

I nearly leaped out of my bed, startled as I was suddenly jerked out my peaceful and dreamless sleep. The sudden infiltration of my eardrums with such a jarring sound left me so disoriented that when I leaned over to fetch my glasses, I stretched to far tumbled out of my bed, dragging the comforters down with me.

With a pained groan, I rubbed my eyes, and sat up from my face down position on the floor, kicking off the comforters in the process. Getting up, I rolled the bedspreads into a ball and tossed them back on top of the mattress. I put on my glasses and grabbed my phone and put in the password, smiling at the wallpaper. It was a picture of Luffy and Chopper pressing their cheeks against an irked Law. My eyes moved to the top right corner of the screen and widened.

"Oh noes! I'm going to be late for school!" I exclaimed as I ran out of my room, and down the hall to where the bathroom had resided.

I had slept through the entirety of yesterday. I pushed through the door, nearly breaking the frame as I yanked off my pajamas and jumped in the shower, heavily flinching as several beams of freezing cold water contacted my tan skin. Eventually the water warmed, and I was able to take a decent shower, brushing my teeth in the process. I jumped out and dried myself off, well, not completely given the way my uniform stuck to me as I tried to pull it on. Dumping out my book bag on the floor, I tossed in the things I needed for the day and quite literally flew down the stairs.

In my haste I had tripped on the third step, floating in mid air for a few seconds before gravity took control of me, bringing me down. Luckily, Yanai had caught me before I landed on the jagged edges of the steps and seriously injure myself.

"Whoa. Watch where you're going Speedy Gonzales." He smiled, setting me down on the ground.

"Quiet you." a smile tugged on the corner of my lips as I straightened my uniform.

In the corner of my eyes, I could see that he was looking at me with a quizzical expression, head moving up and down my slim frame. Suddenly he began to laugh, having to lean against the wall to brace himself but ended up sliding down anyway.

"Um…what's so funny?" I raised my eye brow at him, innocently unaware

"I-I'm sorry." He stuttered through laughs. "Oh man…ugh. I guess this is my fault but whoo. Oh man…ugh…Bahahaha!" he calmed down briefly only to start laughing again.

"What's so funny?" I stomped my foot down a slightly miffed expression forming on my face. I ended up sighing, rolling my eyes in the process as I walked past him, grabbing a slice of bread and quickly smearing butter on it. "I have to time for your foolishness. I'm going to late."

I opened the door, not hearing his warning, and was greeted by a blast of wind so hot that I immediately started sweated. I peered outside, everything was completely warped.

"What?" I slammed the door shut, confusion laced in my facial featured.

"I meant to tell school was cancelled today because of the heat wave. The only reason you're not feeling anything was because the current temperature of inside and the current temperature of outside is cancelling each other." He finally explained to me, wiping away tear streaks.

"Is this the product of your 'Homemade A/C Unit?" I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Yep!" he stuck his thumbs up with a 'D' shaped grin.

Yanai was an inventor. An inventor that insisted on building every electrical appliance that we owned himself. Or at least buying them out of the stores and adding his own modifications. He exclaimed that the current inventors were not seeing outside the box, only working along the lines of what people wanted rather than what they needed. If that makes any sense.

It worked by recording the outside temperature, then adjusting the indoor temperature to cancel the outside temperature. It resulted in a weirdly neutral atmosphere. Never hot and never cold. At first, it was a bit disorienting living in an atmosphere where you couldn't distinctly feel any changes in atmospheric temperature. The numbers were always fluctuating, tracking the shifts in the outside temperature to keep up with the changes. Almost as if our house and the outside was just a giant reversible reaction.

He got his genius from mom while I, on the other hand, inherited my dad's ability to carry a tune. Also, I could play the guitar. But that's about it.

I sigh climbing over the couch and sunk in the seat head first, my skirt flipping over to obey the laws of gravity.

"Can't you sit in the couch like a normal person?" Yanai asked as he sat next to me then immediately turning his head at the panty shot provided by my flipped skirt.

"Nope". I giggled, grabbing the remote for the television.

I turned on the set and scrolled through the channels, looking for something interesting to watch. Unfortunately, there was nothing that caught the interest of my brother and me. It was then that we heard a scuttling noise coming from the ceiling, a loud thump and pained mewls.

Yanai let out a huff and stood up. "Stupid cat." He grumbled.

I grabbed at his shirt before he left my stretching range. "Hold up bro. I got this." Turning upright, I got off the couch and entered the hall that led to the basement. Instead of going down there I looked up and tiptoed, fingers barely scraping against the string hanging down.

I managed to grab it and pulled as hard as I could, standing back as a set of stairs slowly descended from the ceiling. I climbed up, immediately sneezing as I stuck my head in our dusty musty attic. I turned my head, looking for the source of the pained noises.

"Ah!" I finished ascending the stairs and moved over to the cat, whose tail was trapped beneath a pile of boxes. Again.

I gave a chuckle to the stray that repeatedly came back. No matter how far we sent it, it always seemed to find its way back here. And the one time we tried to accept it, it rejected us and ran away. Such a mysterious creature. I gently moved the boxes and watched as the cat immediately scuttled away, knocking more boxes in the process. I face palm and re-stacked the boxes.

It was then that I noticed something shiny glimmering between the floor boards. I knelt and dug it from the crevices, giving what appeared to be a pendent with the symbol of Doflamingo's Jolly Roger a quizzical look. I simply shrugged, stuffing it in my shirt pocket.

As I made my way down the attic stairs, I suddenly began to feel sick. A sinking feeling in my stomach as my head became light. The world tilted on its axis. No. I was. I had overstepped and was now falling. The motion making me feel like I wanted to puke. My head slammed against the last step, probably leaving a gash as I felt something warm drip down my face.

Yanai must have heard the bang my crashing body made because I heard him screaming my name and the thumps of his heavy footfalls. Everything was muddled. Stars danced in the corners of my blurry vision. My glasses must have fallen off my face sometime during the stumble.

I felt warm hands cradle my body.

"…hold on…. everything's doing to be alright…" was the last thing I heard before I completely blacked out.

After what seemed like an eternity, I finally opened my eyes. It was bright, too bright. So, I closed them again and rolled over, hand landing in something wet. The sudden splash instead woke me up as I jumped up to wipe whatever was on my shirt. However, that motion was forgotten when I saw where I was. It was an alleyway. A surprisingly clean one at that. I whipped my head around trying to figure out where I was. One moment I was at the bottom of attic stairs, feeling poisoned and now I'm in an alley way. I put a hand to my head still bleeding. What was strange was that I could see clearly. Nothing was blurry, as if the world had switched from 240p to 1080p. This was the least of my concerns.

"Yanai?! Yanai?! Where are you?!" I shouted, cupping my hands to my mouth as I looked up and down the alley way. "This isn't funny Yanai?" I frowned, even though I knew my brother would never do anything like this.

I huffed, tears threatening to fall down my face. "Ugh. Standing in this alley wouldn't get me anywhere."

So, I left. And paused at a sight I had only ever seen in anime. I gripped my head and shook it back and forth. No. This was impossible. This absolutely cannot be happened. There's no way my possibly concussed brain could cook up a fictional place with such detail. Yet, I had to try.

"Excuse me…is…is this Flevance? The White City?" I nervously asked a man dressed lavishly.

"Why yes this is!" the man cheerfully answered before noticing my haggard appearance. "Oh dear. You're hurt! Come, let me lead you to the hospital. I'm sure Dr. Trafalgar can help you." He out stretched his hand. But I didn't take it.

I was too shocked, stunned, my body froze, eyes unfocused, as my jaw fell slightly agape. I felt sick again, and I winced as I fainted, head colliding with the concrete. My senses were muffled once again, the only thing I was hearing were sounds of urgency. The only thing I felt was foreign hands manhandling my body. But I couldn't do anything about it.

I woke up in a hospital bed, surrounded by doctors preparing to take clothes off and replace it with a white medical gown.

"Don't touch me." I said a bit more hostile than intended given how some of them backed away.

"Now now. Don't be afraid." a voice I had heard only once cut through the mumbles of the other doctors.

In the sea of white coats was a coat much whiter than the rest. The coat was draped around the frame of a man with short black hair and a thin mustache. He was wearing thick coke bottle glass and he held a clip board in his hand. Immediately tensed up and tried to leave the bed, only to be halted by the IV drip connected by my wrist.

"Hey hey hey. Calm down. Calm down. We're not doing to hurt you. Poor dear. Frightened to bits she is." I heard him say through my screams of protest as the other doctors tried to calm me down.

"No! No! Shut up! Stop talking! Stop talking! You're not real! You're not real! "I shouted, everything a haze as I yanked the IV out my wrist and rammed through the doctors, running towards the door but stopped to stare at the person that had entered.

"Mom. What's going on? We're going to be late to the festival." asked a voice full of concern.

And I froze at the sight before me. It was a young Trafalgar Law. The one before the boy who strapped grenades around his chest. The one before the boy who wanted to watch the world burn. The one who didn't have a mental break down. The one full of hope and happiness, not hell bent on revenge.

Seeing a person in an anime was completely different from seeing them in real life. Needless to say, it was absolutely jarring. The way his tan skin reflected the light. The way little tufts of dark blue hair peeked from beneath his snow leopard print cap. His gold eyes reflecting my image a thousand times like a kaleidoscope. They weren't a sharp ice cold gray blue like the anime portrayed them. They were warm, streaks and flecks of amber dotting them.

I halfway snapped out of it, accidently muttering. "Death surrounds all of you." Before I jumped out the open window. I landed in a dense bush with a grunt, ignoring all the scrapes I received and the loss of my shoes. It didn't matter. I needed to get out of here. Everything would go to hell so quickly the transfer from 1 to 100 wouldn't even be noticeable. I didn't want to be here when Marines started blasting holes in people. Or burning buildings. I didn't want the screams of the dying etched in my brain ready to be repeated at the drop of a hat. I wouldn't be able to handle that.

Yet, something prevented me from dashing off. The thought, of saving at least one person. Lami. I knew what was going to happen to her. If I could just linger and pull her out of the building. There is a chance that she could live as long as him and when he ate the fruit, he could heal himself and her. I shook my head. No. She was already in the most advanced stages of the disease. She would never make it. Her burning to death was a mercy. I shook my head. This is a dream, right? I could do whatever I wanted right? Flevance didn't have to burn. Law and Lami didn't have to get sick right? Corazon didn't have to die.

I was quite literally yanked out of my thoughts when hands suddenly grabbed me and pulled be through the window, the bottom of my skirt ripping in the process. My eyes flickered to the concerned and confused looks of the doctors. Oh. They must have heard my mutter.

"I'm…I'm sorry." I began to tear up and eventually cry. This was unlike anything I had ever experienced before. I pass out twice. I'm stuck in a doomed city surrounded my doomed people, so close to the doom date. I just want my brother. I just want to escape from whatever is happening right now.

Law's father patted me on my back, rubbing circles into my spine to calm me down. Eventually I did, a few sniffles still escaping me. "Are you calm now?" he asked.

I nodded my head in response wiping away my tear streaks. He gave me a gentle smile and asked me some questions. I answered accordingly. The next few moments passed so swiftly, I wasn't sure whether they had happened or not. He cleaned my head wound, and disinfected it, wrapping a bandage around it. He cleaned my other scrapes and put bandages of those. After asking some questions about the strange thing I said, which I refused to answer, he gave me some advice which I nodded at. I wasn't really paying attention to him though. I was more focused on the boy staring intensely at me, the hand of his little sister gripped in his. Law and Lami. Two children who will experience immense pain soon.

The snapping of fingers snapped me out of my state. "Excuse me dear. Where are your parents? I must discuss the medical bill with them. Health care isn't cheap after all." He lightly joked.

"I don't have any parents." I answered, forcing my face and voice into a saddened expression. Y'know. Like a normal person.

I did have parents, just not of this world that I was currently trapped in. A world in which I still wasn't sure was elaborate dream induced by some sort of drug being injected into my body on the outside of my mindscape.

The doctor looked sad. "Do you have any other guardian that could possible assist? It's only 20 beli."

I shook my head. "Sorry. No living relatives. The only thing I own are the clothes on my back." I twiddled my thumbs and hung my head.

Dr. Trafalgar was about to say something to me when he was interrupted by Lami. The auburn-haired girl had rushed up to him and began pulling on his coat. "Are you done yet? I want to go to the festival." She whined, as he began pulling him away. The chair the doctor was sitting in rolling away.

The man gave me an apologetic stare and I just smiled. "It's okay. Really. I…guess I'll stay here or something. Until I can figure out a way to pay you. It's…not like I have any place to go." I say, slightly pained to look convincing.

A frown formed on his face before a smile crossed it. "I know how you can pay me. Coming with my family and I to the festival."

"What?" Law, Lami and I exclaimed at the same time. Our tones where very different however. I protested. Lami squealed with happiness. Law was filled with confusion. I mentally narrowed my eyes at him. Why did he keep staring at me as if I was a subject under some sort of examination table?

I stood up. "Why? You don't even know me. I could be a killer for all you know."

He chuckled and shook his head. "You're not a killer. You're my patient. And it's a doctor's job to stick with their patient until they are 100% better. I can tell you've been through a lot the past couple of minutes. And you're still frazzled. I figured some nice food and games would help." he explained, handing me my Mary Jane's.

"Thank you. But on one condition. Your family also has to say yes…I don't want to impose…." I slipped my feet back into my shoes.

The doctor turned his head back to his family, who all but nodded. Well save for Law, who just seemed to be staring at me with curiosity.

"Well then. Let's go Miss…I'm sorry, I haven't even introduced myself. My name is Doctor Trafalgar [ REDACTED]. "

I halted my steps and blinked at him asking him to repeat his name. He adjusted his glasses and repeated his name. Fuzz and static. Odd. It must be the cause that in the anime we never know his actual name. That or it is of no use to me that I know his name because he is going to die. Going by that logic, wouldn't that make Lami's name redacted?

"Nice to meet you." I simply said as he led me to the other members of his family.

"This is my wife Doctor [ REDACTED], my son Law and my daughter Lami." he stretched a hand at each member of his family.

I nodded, giving my hellos. I guess the latter theory wasn't it.

"So…what's your name." Law asks arms crossed an eye brow raised.

Before I could answer, I felt my body being pushed out the door, squeezed in between the frames with the other people surrounding me.

"You can ask her name later. Let's go! Let's go!" Lami shouted as she crawled beneath our legs and out the door, dashing down the hallway.

The other members chuckled at Lami's antics and followed as she sped down the stairs. Completely foregoing the elevator, I didn't have it in me to run. In fact, all I got was a sense of dread, knowing what eventually would happen. Law pulled me ahead.

"Let's go Miss-ya" he smiled gently, noticing my distress.

As I was led outside, I gaped. Everything really was white. The plants. The buildings. The rocks. It was as if I had stepped into a snowy fairy tale. The Trafalgar family stood on the side lines, Lami on Mr. Trafalgar's shoulders as the watched all the marchers march down the street. Loud music blaring from trumpets and horns. Drummers banged their sticks on their percussion instruments, each beat resonating with your heart. Confetti sprinkled the air, crisp wind blowing it about the place. Strips of it catching the occasional citizen's hair. Children ran around playing games with each other, becoming tired quickly and their parents buying ice cream cones for them.

Looking at all of this, I mentally shook my head. Even if everything was about to be destroyed, it would be an absolute waste not to enjoy what was here now.

"I've never seen anything so beautiful in my life! Thank you for me inviting me. Trafalgar-shi! "I grinned at him.

"You're quite welcome. Let's have some fun why don't we."

I gave a nod of approval and joined in the festivities. Despite my initial cheerful demeanor, my mind was counting down the seconds till the bodies began to hit the floor. My stomach lurched each time the hour hand on the Clock Tower leaned towards another number. My palms became sweaty as my discomfort began to resurface.

Law gently shook my shoulder, snapping me out of my thoughts. "Oi. Are you alright? Do you want me to call otosan?"

"N-no. I'm fine." I chuckled nervously, rubbing a hand in my hair that felt silkier than its usual rough dry texture.

Feedback from the Microphone Snail caused everyone in the vicinity to wince. The speaker apologizing. "G-gomenosai! My name is [ REDACTED] and welcome to Flevance's 32rd Annual White City Festival. According to a general survey from the citizens, the mayor has decided to add a free for all concert. It is held in the square. Anyone who has any musical talent can pick a number from the box. When it is their turn, they'll get a chance so strut their stuff!"

The citizens cheered, and my attention was caught. Law turned towards me and saw my intrigued expression, asking if I wanted to participate. I shook my head in protest way too quickly to be believable. Thus, the result was Law and Lami dragging me towards the town square and forcing my hand in the box. I was number thirty-two. Perfect.

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"I-I can't do this! I've never performed publicly before!" I stuttered when it was my turn.

It was true. I've never sung in front of more than ten people. They were usually just for my family and close friends. I was way too nervous to perform in front of strangers. My stomach would twist, and I would be so scared. The very few times I stood in the front of the ground, I became a brick that would eventually crack under pressure.

"I believe in you Miss-san!" Lami smiled at me.

I looked at Mr. and Mrs. Trafalgar who smiled and nodded at me. Feeling encouraged, I grabbed one of the guitars they hand on the stands and showed them my card. The security guard nodded and led me to the front of the stage where a Microphone Snail stood on a stand.

"H-hi! "I gave a small wave to the crowd, who I felt had their gaze on me for too long. "I-I'm very nervous and um this is my first time performing in the front of a huge crowd. So, uh enjoy I guess?"

I let out a breath and tuned the guitar, strumming it a few times to make sure none of the notes were off. I wasn't sure what to sing to be completely honest. I was too nervous. I should have protested. Regardless of how I felt, my brain gave the instruction for my fingers to start playing. As soon as I heard the first few sets of notes, I realized what song I had begun to play. Warrior by Aurora

"I fall asleep in my own tears, I cry for the world for everyone. And I built a boat to float in I'm floating away." I began shakily.

"I can't recall the last time I opened my eyes to see the world as beautiful. And I built a cage to hide in I'm hiding. I'm trying to battle the night" My voice steadied.

"Let love conquer your mind. Warrior Warrior. Just reach out for the light. Warrior Warrior. I am a warrior, warrior warrior I am warrior, warrior of love."

During the brief pause, I heard a few isolated claps coming from the crowd. It did little to encourage me but a little goes a long way right?

"I stand behind the wall of people and thoughts mind controlling. And I hold a sword to guide me I'm fighting my way. I can't recall the last time I opened my eyes to see the world as beautiful. And I built a cage to hide in I'm hiding I'm trying to battle the night."

"Let love conquer you mind. Warrior Warrior. Just reach out for the light. Warrior Warrior. I am a warrior, warrior warrior I am a warrior, warrior of love. Underneath darkened skies, there's a lamp kept alight."

"Let love conquer your mind. Warrior warrior. Just reach out for the light. I am a warrior, warrior warrior I am a warrior, warrior warrior of love. Warrior of love Warrior of love."

By the time I had finished signing, I somehow got the crowd to sing the chorus as well before they eventually faded out. I received a huge rousing around of applause as I left the stage, Lami coming up to hug me.

"You did great! Miss-san!" she giggled.

"I didn't you could sing so well." Mrs. Trafalgar smiled at me.

I blushed, putting a hand behind my back sheepishly. It really wasn't all that. I looked to Law.

"Hey Law. No matter what happens. Just remember to stay strong like a warrior. And remember the love everyone has for you." I said to him, hoping that in the next few days he might remember my words and not become so…rotten.

As expected, he looked at me with a confused expression, shrugging off my weird advice. Suddenly, Lami began wincing in pain as he dropped, Mr. Trafalgar catching her. My head lowered, eyes darkening.

It had begun.

Bodies were dropping to the ground like flies. White blotches covering their skin. People began vomiting and others were crying in agony, clawing at their skin until it bled. I at once ran to the hospital as fast as I could along with the Trafalgar's. I slammed into women and bounced off boys. Somewhere in the rush, I lost one of my shoes. But I didn't go back. It was just my luck that I lost the family in fray. Still, the current of people swarming to the hospitals led me to my destination.

I expected the hospitals to be packed but the reality was a lot worse. People were being trampled as they tried to squeeze past the metal gaze that began to creak at the weight of people. The courtyard was jammed pack with parents trying to get their children medical attention only to fall dead. I winced at all the people involuntarily touching me. It was obvious from the get go that I couldn't enter from the front. I sprinted around the back. I tossed the guitar that I didn't realize I was still holding to the ground and climbed the tree. Leaping down from the branch, I scrapped my knee, tearing my thigh highs in the process but I didn't care. I grabbed a rock and shattered the window, sticking my hand in and opening it from the outside. Sliding the window across I climbed inside the hospital.

It was a nightmare, gurneys were stacked with bodies as doctors and nurses ran about the halls in a frenzy, rolling medical equipment around. Papers fluttered about the place and I nearly slipped on them. I ran up the stairs, nearly tripping as I tried to remember which floor Dr. Trafalgar's office was located. I had jumped out the window and into a bush. What I had failed to notice earlier was that the bush was actually the top of a very dense tree. Speeding down the halls, I kept an eye out for any signs of the room I wanted. At the very end of the hall was Law rushing into a room, towels in his hand.

"Ah!" I exclaimed as I slid up to the door. I knocked and opened the door. "Excuse me….is this- "

My question was interrupted by Law. "Miss-ya, thank goodness you're here. We need all the hands we can get. He yanked me into the room and explained the situation. I didn't tell him I already knew what was going on. I pretended to look as shocked and scared as I possibly could.

"…is it contagious? I'm…not from Flevance…so any bacteria or viruses native to the country…" I backed away slowly, like a person without knowledge of future events would.

"No, it isn't." Law assured me coming closer. "It's hereditary, passed through blood lines. So, you're safe."

"Then. I'll help anyway I could! I haven't met you for long. But you've done so much for me. I can't watch and let you guys suffer. Think of my help as me paying for the hospital bill." I lightly joked.

This caused Mr. Trafalgar to cry out in gratitude. "Thank you so much. "

I shook my head. "There is no need. I'll do anything for the greatest doctor in the world." I looked at Law as I said this. We all know Chopper is the greatest, but I digress.

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The next few days were me watching Lami progressively get sicker and sicker. Her eyes were bloodshot, under was deep dark and sunken. More than half of her skin had turned milk white, as if she decided to go swimming in a pool of grade A bleach. Her body was wracked with pain, shallow breaths escaping her mouth as she tried to battle fever.

Law's skin turned whiter too, but not as fast as Lami's. Their parents showed signs of the illness as well, hair already turning white. Being surrounded by so much death, sickness and grief was starting to drive me insane. I couldn't take this anymore. Judging by the way Law's eyes began to dull ever so slightly day by day…he had already begun to turn spiteful. Yet, he kept a calm demeanor in the front of his sister, smiling to make her think that he was alright.

An agitated grunt escaped Dr. Trafalgar. For the past few days, he had been trying to call the World Government Headquarters for help to no avail. They refused to assist them, ignoring the fact that the disease was not contagious. The man sighed, cleaning his glasses on his dirty lab coat.

"Ignored again?" Mrs. Trafalgar went over to her husband and put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

He nodded solemnly before a long bang startled all of us. I ran to the window and gasped loudly. Hundreds of people had begun climbing the fences that the outside countries at put up. But on the other side of the fences where soldiers shooting everyone dead. Bombs flew everywhere, lighting the buildings on fire. A war had broken out.

I whipped around at the smashing of glasses and breaking of doors. Law's parents went outside to see what the matter was. It was then that fearing the worst, Law hid Lami inside the cabinet. Without even him asking me, I opted to stay in the cabinet with her. It was big enough for the both of us. Law gave me a nod of gratitude and closed us in, his footsteps in the abandoned hospital becoming fainter and fainter.

I felt Lami grip onto my vest and start crying. "I'm scared Miss-san! I don't want to die." She sobbed,

"Shush shush. It's okay. I'll protect you. Law's gonna come back to us." I sweetly lied to her.

Thin slivers of light seeped through the tiny slits between the cabinets. I couldn't see out of them and I didn't dare open it. I leaned back on some boxes, allowing her to lay on top of me and I gently rubbed her head, singing a lullaby.

"Let's go to the garden, you'll find something waiting. Right there where you left it, lying upside down. When you finally find it, you'll see how it's faded. The underside is lighter when you turn it around. Everything stays. Right where you left it. Everything stays, but it still changes. Every so slightly, daily and nightly, in little ways, when everything stays…"

I could soon here her faint shallow breaths. I wrapped her close in my arms, silently promising to protect her as best as I could. Whatever happened in the anime, I refused to allow it to happen now. Not while I had a chance to do something about it. I had long ago tossed away the thought that I was dreaming. Each passing day was becoming way too real for me. The screams, the gunshots. I could never imagine something as horrific as this, even with the help of foreign substances entering my body.

I didn't know I had fallen asleep, just that at some point my eyes became heavy and my arms slid down to my sides. A smoky pungent smell had awoken me. A smelly smell a smell as if something was being cooked. The inside of the cabinet was warmer than usual, the light streaming in more orange than usual.

Oh no.

"Lami! We have to get out of here now!" I shouted as I grabbed the young girl and jumped out the cabinet to be met with the room completely on fire. Flames licked and danced at the curtains and bed sheet, turning them into ashes. I coughed, my eyes watering at the heavy fumes produced. I pressed Lami's head a bit closer into my chest before trying to find the exit. I ran to the door, luckily the knob wasn't hot. I opened the door and dashed in the burning hallway just as the room completely burst into flames. There must have been a busted oxygen tank leaking out the gas, given the deafening noise and blinding light.

Lami screamed and cried, gripping on to me tighter. I had no time to comfort her, running through the collapsing building as I tried to find an exit that wasn't consumed by flames. It was so hot I began sweating, my grip on Lami slipping every now and then. Soon I had begun to slow down, a sharp pain stabbing me through the head as if it was being squeezed with a vice. I was taking too long to find an exit. If I didn't hurry up, the two of us would suffocate to death.

Suddenly, all the rooms started to burst into flames, as if it was a chain reaction, each explosion setting off another. Beams started to collapse, floors and ceilings caving in, trying to suck us under and sear our flesh off. I had no other choice. I ran towards the nearest window, speed accelerating and jumped through Lami screaming all the while.

Adrenaline was pumping through my body at this time, so I didn't even so much as wince as the shattered glass cut through my skin. Midair, I remembered my grave mistake. I had forgotten that we were on the fourth floor. Time slowed down. I turned, making sure my body would be the one to collide with the ground first and Lami on top of me. From the corner of my eyes, I could see Law kneeling in the front of the gate, bawling his eyes out, having a mental breakdown, because he thought Lami was dead.

"LAW!" I screamed as loud as I could. "LAW! DON' T CRY! WE"RE HERE! WE'RE HE- "My cry was abruptly cut off as my body contacted the gate. I screamed in agony as the hot iron bars burned my left arm and the left side of my face. I slid to the ground, battling pain induced unconsciousness. I had to find a way out of here.

I limped over to the front of the gate, shoving my back against it to open it. My vest caught on fire and I briefly put Lami down to through it off. I picked her back up and made my way to the border, in the time that it took me to limp to the entrance, Law had already left. Great.

What was also great, but in the more positive sense was there were no guards there trying to shoot anyone down. I asked Lami to grip on to me as tightly as she could. She wrapped her arms around me completely and I was surprised she still had the strength to do so given the amount of stress that her body was undergoing. I gripped the fence and began to climb when I noticed the glint of a shot gun barrel pointing at me. No. I leapt over as fast as I could and began to run. I wasn't fast enough. Or rather, foolish enough to believe that I could escape. A bullet embedded itself to my shoulder, causing me to collapse and scream out in pain. It was indescribable. My body fell on top of Lami's smothering her cries.

I heard the crunching of the ground beneath the officer's boots get louder and louder before it was right next to my head. I couldn't move. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't think. The smoke was finally taking a toll on me. I could feel my grip on reality loosening as my body became heav-was suddenly kicked to the side. I rolled a few feet before stopping, wincing at the pebbles, dirt and rocks that made its way into my burnt flesh. Oh man were these going to scar. I watched helplessly as the soldier slammed his foot into Lami's back…and shoot her in the head. My eyes widened but I couldn't find it in me to scream, only the image being burnt into my memory forever. Tears flooded my vision. Despite all what I went through to save her, she still dies. Despite my efforts…I couldn't even finish the thought.

The barrel was pointing at me now. I didn't want to die.

"P-please…I'm not…not even from here…I don't have Amber Lead…I don't…." I weakly cried.

The soldier grunted at me. The soldier aimed at me. The soldier cursed. The gun was empty. Instead, he came closer and kicked in the stomach. The wind was knocked out of my lungs, blood escaping my mouth as I rolled backwards. He came closer and gave me only what I could describe as the beat down of a lifetime. The soldier walked away as soon as he finished beating me up, my breaths so far and few in between he thought I was dead. As a test, he rolled me until my back was facing him and dug his fingers in my shoulder wound to pull out the lead the bullet. I bit my lip to prevent myself from letting out a pained whimper and once he left,

Making sure that no one else was here, I slowly got up, trying not to vomit, and crawled away. My mind was dull, so when I saw the mound of dead bodies, I wasn't fazed. My body swayed, weak from the blood loss and I toppled on top of the bodies. I assumed the stench would be unbearable, but I couldn't really smell much of anything. Or see. Or hear. Or feel. My senses had been muted. The world was reduced to colors and blurry shapes and muffled sounds. I didn't want to close my eyes in fear that I would never open them again. But at this point, I didn't have a choice in the matter as my eyes slunk downwards.

.

.

.

I woke with a loud gasp and a scream, scrambling my way out of the arms and legs that entangled me. Big mistake. I lurched forward as it took everything in me not to grip at my burnt arm and face. Everything in my body ached. So sensitive I swore I could feel my veins and arteries pumping blood through my body. Fully aware of the atrocious scent surrounding me, I vomited, body painfully wracked with dry heaves.

After my stomach settled, shakily, I stood up making my way towards the scrap heap agonizingly slow. Wherever there were mountains of scrap metal. There was the current base of the Donquioxte Pirates. Though, along my journey, I contemplated whether it was worth going to them. I was only going to get my ass kicked my Cora-san even though it was for protection. I didn't have the resolve nor the hate that Law would have had by this point. It's not like I could prevent any of the future events from happening. Even if I intervened, it would end up the exact same way. This wasn't a fanfiction. This was real. Still, I needed somewhere to sleep. Someplace to eat. And the only place in a hundred miles was this accursed pirate crew.

Several hours passed before my agonizing crawl over mountains of scrap metal ended. I prayed to the heavens that tetanus didn't exist in the universe. Otherwise, I would be in serious problems down the line. It was quite ironic that the metal induced disease that surrounded me was the same disease I just so happened to miss a shot for.

I knelt at the stairs leading up to the door of the building and grimaced. I had developed a distaste for the jagged inclined plane recently. Regardless, I gripped at the rail with my good arm and hoisted myself upwards. Sluggishly put one foot in front of the other. And there were three sets? Good grief. Nonetheless I climbed the steps anyway. Along the path, I stopped, the most random yet sensible question crossing my mind.

Shouldn't I be dead

I had been inhaling smoke and fumes like a line of cocaine. I was sliced by glass. I was beaten silly. Half my face and my arm had been burnt. My wounds were still more or less still open yet I'm semi casually climbing three flights of stairs. I was sure that as soon as I opened that door, I would meet a giant hand grabbing my face and tossing me 50 meters in the air. Well, considering I'm in the world of One Piece -the thought of this being a drug induced dream already tossed away- I guess my body had strengthen to adapt to the brutal punishment this world offered.

Before I knew it, I was at the top of the stair case. I braced myself, forcing my face to turn into the most hate filled glare I could muster….it cracked after two seconds. I couldn't do this so I second for second best. A face that seemed more natural. My resting face. I was told that when I had my resting face, I looked like I wanted to murder somebody. So, it should suffice. I hung my head down, so that my hair would cast a dark shadow over my face.

I opened the door and all heads turned towards me. The pirates were eating, Law standing at the end of the table. I remembered this scene from the anime. It seemed by this time, he had already been accepted into the crew, judging by the amused look on Doflamingo's face.

"Oi. Who the hell are you?! "Diamante shouted at me, his ribbon sword swerving around the table, the tip pointing at my throat.

Somehow, I managed not to flinch. Instead, intensify my glare, a low growl escaping my throat.

"I asked again. Who the hell are you?! Answer me before I slice you to pieces." He shouted, standing up, knocking his chair backwards. Mackvise put a hand to his shoulder, trying to calm the irritated gladiator down.

I sighed and raised my non-burnt hand and pushed the tip of his blade away. "A girl who should be dead." I lifted my head up to show my eyes, sharp and glaring.

"Then go die then." Baby5 snickered, I directed a nasty glare towards her that caused her to cry.

"What the hell are you doing here? I thought you burnt to death in that hospital with Lami. If you're here, where is she?" Law whipped around a demanding tone in his voice.

"One shot with a head shot." I clenched my fists

"I see…" he was barely restraining his anger, teeth clenching together.

"Law. Who is this girl you seem like you know her." The pink feathered man directed his fork at me.

"A girl that messed up badly." He glared at me.

My glare didn't falter as I stepped closer inside, slamming the door behind me.

"Hmmm I see. Why are you here? Little girl." He sliced through his steak, putting a piece in his mouth, chewing it slowly before he swallowed.

"I'm 18." If this was an anime, a sweat drop would be hanging from my head.

"Wow. You're short-desayan!" Buffalo laughed at me.

"And so, will be your life expectancy if you make fun of my height again-desayan!" I mocked his ending phrase with a threatening tone, spooking him.

Doflamingo chuckled, "Such guts to threaten a member of my family. So, tell me. What do you want?" His voice was smooth and calm like a father to a longing child. Disgusting.

I took a moment to think about what I wanted to say. I couldn't repeat Law's speech. I wouldn't be able to pull if off. Besides, I don't think they would accept that since they had already heard it.

"I want to join your crew." was my short answer as I gripped my chest. I mentally widened my eyes at what was in my breast pocket. This would be my ticket in.

"Why should I choose for you to be in my crew?" he titled his head, curious

"Because your crew already chose me." I answered, a grin on my face as I pulled the pendant out of my breast pocket, the chain with the Donquioxte emblem swinging slightly back and forth in my grip.

I could see a vein pulse in Doflamingo's fore head. "Where did you get that? I don't remember any thing being created with my Jolly Rodger on it."

"Found it in my attic." I tossed the pendant at the pink pirate.

He twirled it in his fingers before tossing it back at me. "I'm intrigued. What exactly do you have to offer me?"

"Kindness." I answered.

Everyone laughed at me. "Kindness has no place in this crew!" Giolla laughed,

I laughed as well. "Oh. You're sorely mistaken. Think about it, Ms. Giolla. A young woman innocent enough yes? Making 'friends' with the enemy. My 'kindness' winning over their hearts. I get into their houses. I get into their safes. Steal their money. Blow the place up from the inside. Imagine their horrified places when they realize that their angel is a demon. I can't imagine such a knowledgeable set of individuals you never heard the term. "Kill 'em with Kindness. Sure this type of thing would be a long term assignment but I am very patient "

I put a hand on my waist. " Quick operation? Put me in a pair of pumps. 18 to 28 quick. Do you know how many rich politically important men there are looking for a quick one-night stand with some hot chick? Nice chat at the bar yeah? Lace the drink. Woo the information right out."

I put a more serious look on my face. "I realize not everyone can be swayed with words. There'll be gun fights and sword fight a plenty. If I'm gonna be completely honest. I'm not full of hate or disgust. I wouldn't be able to kill a person in cold blood. It's not in my nature. But I can live with manipulation. Playing with people as if they were putty in my hands. Leading them to their deaths. And they are blind to it."

I let out a breath a dull expression on my face. "You're probably think I'm spewing a load of crap. You don't want me? Understandable. Joining this crew will give me a one-way ticket to hell anyway. If that's the case, then I want to drag as many people I can down with me. If not…I want my life to have meaning. And what better way to do that is a lowly plebian as I…. serving royalty."

The oldest crew members stiffened.

"I can sense it around you…Mr. Doflamingo. A powerful aura. One worthy of a King. A King that deserves to have what he wants when he wants and how he wants it. A king who should have the world bowing down before him…I want to see you reach that."

I paused, letting my words stew in. Their faces were otherwise neutral, making it hard for me to gauge whether they would accept me. From the corner of my eye, I noticed Law giving me a hate filled glare. It was probably because I was the one who survived while his sister didn't. Plus, my speech about manipulating people might have added fuel to the ever-growing flames. Perfect.

"Put it on." Doflamingo suddenly instructed me. "The pendant. It has my Jolly Rodger on it. Making it mine. It chose you. Making you mine as well."

I forced a grateful smile on my lips. I put in on, bowing into a curtesy. "Thank you…milord." I added to boost his ego.

This action caused Doflamingo to laugh aloud, slamming his fist on the table. "I can see you will make this crew prosper."

I blushed sheepishly, putting my hand behind my head. "Aw shucks."

Suddenly, a hand was on my head and I turned to see Corazon, that 10 ft giant of a man hovering above me. He lifted me up and I found myself flying through glass, soaring through the air for several seconds before roughly landing in a pile of pipes. Sweet Mother of Pearl. That hurt. It took several minutes for me to muster the strength to pick myself up from the ground. Surprisingly, none of my bones had been broken in the collision. Still, I limped back up the steps and pushed the door open.

" Oh look. She's not dead!" Baby 5 laughed at me once I opened the door again.

"My my! What a strong arm you have! Impressive!" I clapped my hands, ignoring the child "I flew so far! "

"Ne ne! You brought in a crazy one you did, Doffy! She's the total opposite of Law! So opposite that if it wasn't for the fact that they looked the same! I never would have guessed that they were siblings!" Trebol clapped his hands, snot dripping down his nose.

"We're not." Both Law and I answered at the same time. The slime must not have heard when Law called me out for messing up.

"What?! You two look so much alike!" Trebol stepped back from his seat, pulling a very long mirror from out his body.

What I saw shocked me. Yes, by body was burnt and covered with bruises and scrapes. My socks were thin shreds. My skirt was ripped to half of its original length. My shirt was rumpled and messy, torn and covered in dirt and blood. The shocking part was that my hair was exact same shade of gold, streaked with brown as Law's eyes. My originally emerald green eyes had turned the dark blue of Law's hair. My skin a tad shade darker than his non-infected skin, though it was still lighter than my original tone.

"What?" I breathed incredulously. Why did my appearance change when I was being transported?

"Are you color blind? Our appearances are completely inversed." Law twitched his eye, as he stared in the mirror as well. He turned towards me "Though…judging by your height, I never would have thought you were 8 whole years older than me."

"Gee thanks." I deadpanned.

"So…what is your name?" Senor Pink asked me, letting out a puff of smoke from his cigarrete.

I was never going to give them my real name. I looked at Law and I looked at myself. It didn't take much thought for me to choose my name. My brother did say I have a sense of humor so awful it was great. Even though no one here would get the reference, I smiled crazily anyway as I skipped over to Doflamingo and whispered my name into his ear. He grinned.

I skipped back to where I previously stood, a smile stretching from ear to ear as Doflamingo stood up, slammed a foot on the table and raised a wine glass.

" My family….let us welcome the two new members of our crew Law and Order!"

There you have it. The first chapter of the rebooted chapter of Beating Heart, now called Useless but Try Anyway. Man…the very first time I wrote this, this chapter was between like 1,000-1,100 words. This is like 9,000+ without the beginning and end author's notes. Didn't even break a sweat. Now, the rest of the chapters probably won't be this long. This was just the setup. See you next chapter! Make sure to leave a review and don't forget to follow to be notified of the next update.