For Reasons Unknown
Captain was smart. Captain was ambitious. Captain always had a plan.
Bepo traced his pen on the parchment, scratching it a little, drawing islands over blank spaces. He was sure that he had found what his captain had asked him to. Old sea charts hung above him on the wall— wrinkled and yellowed, they showed a lost island near the beginning of the New World that no log-pose pointed to.
The navigator worked diligently, but he was hesitant to finish this chart. What would the captain do with it? What was this thing he'd been so secretive about?
Things had been going well. Although surprised by Law's decision to become a Royal Warlord, the crew helped execute Law's plan flawlessly, raiding prominent pirate crews for their still-beating hearts with feared efficiency. After that and a couple more incidents they'd gotten the World Government's pardon.
For about a year now, the Heart Pirates had enjoyed a strange sort of freedom—they no longer had to watch out for Marines, and most pirate crews left them well alone. It was almost relaxing.
They'd not been in the New World for too long, but they found they could handle it. Navigating its waters was hard, but the captain had put his trust in Bepo. Every time they encountered an erratic sea current, or a sudden underwater volcano eruption, his captain told him, "You got this". Bepo beamed with pride every time he was able to get them through the danger.
But at some point, the captain's initiative had diminished, and the crew seemed to be taking orders directly from the Marines more than him. The captain spent more and more days locked up in his studio, which was already a bad habit with him, and his insomnia seemed to have worsened.
Things grew quiet in the last few months, which made Bepo anxious, and so his anxiety filled the silence. Relaxation soon turned to inertia, and though no one said anything, the mood was souring.
Trafalgar Law's temperament was not like theirs— he wasn't like Shachi or Penguin or Bepo, but Bepo liked being with the captain and he knew Law liked them, even if they were loud and messy, even if Bepo complained too much and then apologized too much. Law put up with it, and even though it was hard, the crew could even pull a laugh out of him.
When Bepo finished the chart, he realized that the captain hadn't laughed with them in a long time. Feeling heavy, he inked the words 'Punk Hazard' on the bottom of the chart and picked it up.
xXx
Law opened the door only a crack. Bepo tried to use an enthusiastic voice to tell him he was 99 percent sure he'd found the island the captain was looking for, but his cheer did not connect. Law paused, looking at the chart in his hands with wide, tired eyes. He said thanks and closed the door.
xXx
It was 9:00 P.M. when the call came through the submarine's intercom. They all had had dinner already; Law had skipped it. "Everyone, assemble at the mess deck." A pause. "It's important."
Penguin met Bepo in one of the corridors, and together they walked in silence. Penguin didn't seem worried, but sometimes he was hard to decipher. Bepo kept his head low. They stepped into the mess deck to find Jean Bart already there, sipping on a cup of steaming coffee.
"There's more in the pot," Jean Bart offered. Penguin nodded and went to serve himself, but Bepo had never liked coffee. Too bitter. He went to sit.
The mess deck was soon full. Some crew members kept up their previous conversations, but others were quiet. "Wonder what the Marines want us to do now?" the cook grumbled to himself, slumping down in his seat.
Law walked through the doors then. The cook spun around, but if he had wanted to say anything to the captain, his words died out. Silence fell over them as Law strode towards his seat. With a stony expression, he stood before the table and unfolded one big sea chart and two smaller ones, one of which was the one Bepo had finished that morning.
"I've decided on our next move," Law stated.. "We are going to bring down an Emperor."
No one spoke. By the look of some of them, the meaning of Law's words hadn't even registered.
"Uh?" Shachi croaked.
"Wow," Penguin said, looking Law in the eye.
Law smirked. "First of all, yes, I'm sure we're up for the task. Second of all, there's a plan; it's not like we're going to go knocking on Kaido's door."
"Kaido!?" It finally hit Shachi.
"Kaido." Law's smirk didn't waver. "Now shut up and let me explain."
Suddenly all the Marine-mandated missions made more sense, Bepo thought. Because of them, the crew had grown to know a lot about Kaido of the Beasts in the last few months. His dealings with the underworld, what places he controlled, and especially about his Zoan fruit army. The Heart Pirates had been to islands where Kaido's beast army had rampaged; it had not been pretty.
Bepo tried to remember how these things went—to survive in the New World, a pirate crew either joined one of the Emperors or challenged them, and the latter rarely survived.
"Kaido's army is growing," Law continued. "At this rate, it will destabilize the current balance in the seas. Kaido is already nearly untouchable, but stopping that army would be a crucial blow to his momentum… and it'd force him to move out. He'd be easier to find, he'd be weakened. It would give us a chance to strike."
"To me, that sounds too much like poking a hornets' nest," The engineer said, scratching his chin.
"It's the base of the whole thing. We'd get the ball rolling—"
"An attack on an Emperor would be like sharks smelling blood from miles around for the pirates in the New World," Jean Bart interjected.
Law nodded at him. "Exactly. Even we couldn't control all the ways the situation would go, so after our part, we have to pause and observe. But I have a solid idea for how we'll get things going."
"How?" Penguin asked.
"Through Cesar Clown. The only person besides Vegapunk who could create those Devil fruits is him, but his business with Kaido is too profitable for Clown to just give it up."
"We couldn't bribe him, we're broke anyways," the engineer chuckled from his place against the door frame.
"He'd be in deep shit if he betrayed Kaido, too." Law turned from looking at the engineer to the maps, leaning his weight on the table. "No, we're going to kidnap him."
Penguin whistled. "So, a good, old-fashioned raid. Are we gonna storm his place?" he looked almost excited, maybe at the chance to shake off the inertia of the past few months.
"No. Clown isn't anything if not sneaky. He's been avoiding the Marines for years, and from what I gather, he's already screwed over Big Mom, so we can't just get the drop on this guy. It'll take more than that to drag Kaido out, anyways.
"Listen. Getting Clown is only the first part. The these zoan devil fruits' production quantity is much more than what he alone could do. There's someone else who's dealing with Kaido, and profiting even more. That's the man the Marines know as Joker."
Jean Bart's deep voice was like a growl when he said, "The guy who owned the slave auction house?"
Law nodded; Jean Bart scowled. Law seemed to consider his next words carefully. "He's a man who's had his fingers in many, many underworld schemes for years, and I… have figured out his identity. He is Donquixote Doflamingo."
Bepo resisted the urge to turn to Law in surprise. He was familiar with Doflamingo's name beyond his status as Warlord.
As the oldest member of Trafalgar Law's crew, he knew some things about Law that the others did not. Not much—Law kept his secrets locked down deep, but the name Doflamingo had been thrown around with a hatred Bepo seldom saw in Law. If his captain was anything, it was measured; he thought his words through, and let out only what he needed others to know.
Finally daring to look up at the captain, Bepo frowned. Law looked imposing from Bepo's seated angle, but still thinner, the circles under his eyes more pronounced. Bepo observed as he spoke. The captain only let out what he needed others to know.
Besides being a Warlord and the Joker, Doflamingo was also the king of an island, which he'd reclaimed by birthright from its previous ruler. With an entire island at his disposal it would be easy for Doflamingo to hide as many schemes as he wanted. Somewhere in that island was the SMILEs factory. The other part of the plan was to destroy it.
"That doesn't sound too hard," Penguin said, scratching his chin. "What then, though? We'd have Kaido's eyes on us, and…"
"We wouldn't necessarily have his attention immediately after. The factory –and Cesar too– are Doflamingo's responsibility, so Kaido would go after him first. That'll give us some time to maneuver. An angry Emperor is easier to keep track of; once Doflamingo's dead and buried, we'll have decided on our next step."
Shachi spoke up. "Are we really going to fight him head on?" Upon feeling his crewmates' stares on him, he straightened up on his seat. "Oh come on guys. We're a strong crew, but realistically…"
Law observed him. "I know. Don't worry, I'm not putting you in that kind of danger. These sorts of things can't be done alone. I've given it some thought; concluded that somewhere along the way, we'll have strike an alliance with another crew."
The mood seemed to lighten a little. Of course, they were pretty sure which other pirate crew their captain had in mind.
"We just have to be patient." Law finished.
"A'ight." Shachi cracked a smile, same as other crew members.
"That does sound doable," Bepo said, infected by the others' growing confidence. Maybe he overthought the captain's motives. Law planted a hand on Bepo's head and ruffled his fur, grinning at him.
"So, how is it gonna go?" Penguin asked.
Law nodded. "We have to find the factory first. I can't be spotted in Doflamingo's country, or it'd raise suspicion, so it's up to you guys. We'll decide who'll go with Bepo on to scout Dressrosa in a moment."
"You got it, captain!" Bepo responded.
"After we have that, I'll go to Cesar Clown's hiding place; here, at Punk Hazard. Meanwhile, you will wait for me at Zou." He pointed at an island that was closer to Dressrosa. But then he paused. "I need… your patience for this. I have to get Clown and destroy the factory alone. I don't know how long it will take, but—"
"Wait, what?" Shachi asked, his smile falling.
Bepo now turned to face Law. "What do you mean, captain? Shouldn't we all…?"
"I can't just pluck Clown out of the island. Punk Hazard is where he has his lab; if he's producing something else for Joker or Kaido there I'll have to destroy it too. If I lull Clown into a false sense of security, I'd be able to learn what Joker is up to. We can't go in blind into this. Not against Doflamingo—not against Kaido."
"But what about the factory in that other island?" Shachi interrupted. "We're not going to be there for that either?"
"Probably not. Like I said, there's still a lot of variables to consider, but there just isn't enough time between kidnapping Clown and getting to Dressrosa for us to rendezvous. It's better if I go there by myself."
An awkward silence fell on the room, and Bepo could tell Law had anticipated the crew's hesitation. Of course, things seldom escaped the captain, Bepo thought with a growl.
"You mean we're just going to be at Zou, sitting pretty for weeks?" Penguins asked, crossing his arms.
Law glared at him. "In short, yes."
The engineer spoke up. "You… sure you don't want at least one of us with you?"
"I'm sure."
"But captain—" The cook tried to say.
In a low, dangerous voice, Law said, "That's enough." He glared at everyone. "This is the way it's going to go. You won't be in the dark while I'm gone; I'll send you updates, you'll know what is going on, but you cannot come with me."
"It isn't about that, captain." Penguin spoke up, leaning forward with his fists on the table. "Are we really going to be left behind for something like this? It'd the biggest thing we've done since entering the New World. We've been working like dogs for the Marines, of all people, for months. Don't you think it's time we all went back to what we do best? We're the Heart Pirates, and what have we done in the last half year? Now you're just… going to leave us behind? We're— we're a crew!"
Law's scowl only deepened, but he was taken aback. He and Penguin glared at each other for long seconds, until he quickly looked over them all. Jean Bart glared back; Shachi didn't look up from the table, but angry he was. The engineer's face was covered by his cap, but he said, "It's not fair, captain," in a low growl. There wasn't anyone who disagreed with Penguin.
Bepo purposely didn't look at Law, but he noticed that his paws were balled into fists so tight his claws were digging into his skin.
Law forcefully rubbed his face before taking off his hat and running his hand through his hair. Bepo knew his captain was stubborn, but he was sure that Law was aware that what the crew was saying was true.
Law began to speak in a low tone. "I will not have you go to Dressrosa" –Bepo flinched when Law raised his arm– "Because then I won't be able to keep you safe!" he finished in a shout, flinging his hat at the table. He immediately turned to leave. No one dared to stop him as he stomped out the door.
Everyone sat in stunned silence. Penguin had stood up without meaning to, and now stared at the door with his arms hanging limply at his sides. Bepo's heart was racing.
"Forget it," Jean Bart finally broke the silence. He leaned back on his creaking chair and crossed his arms. "This isn't our plan, it's his plan."
"Huh?" Shachi turned to him.
"There's something more going on. Don't know fucking what, but that's on him."
Bepo looked up, glad Jean Bart had noticed it too. Their sights met, and Bepo nodded at him.
"Leave it be for now," Jean Bart finished. With another groan from his chair he stood up and went to the kitchen to put his mug away.
"But he didn't mean… he didn't mean that we're weak." Bepo said firmly, quickly looking at the rest.
Shachi sighed deeply, taking off his cap and scratching his head. He looked up at Penguin with a raised brow. Penguin frowned, but his shoulders slumped after a moment.
Bepo stood up. He gently picked up Law's hat before leaving.
xXx
He didn't go to Law immediately, though he knew where the captain would be. Instead, Bepo went to the library and listened as the rest of the crew scattered to other parts of the submarine. He leafed through old medical books without paying attention.
It felt so weird when Law wasn't there to guide him. Bepo was better with actions, not words, not planning. His captain was the one who knew everything. What could Bepo even do now?
Bepo had been the second Heart Pirate— Law had introduced himself as a Heart Pirate when they first met. The crew's name was Law's own, and that fact sat weirdly on Bepo's mind. It was pointing towards something obvious that Bepo couldn't reach.
He gave it 20 minutes, and he counted the last four along with the clock on the wall. Still annoyed, still worried, he grasped the captain's hat again and made his way to the smallest top deck.
There was a full moon. The night and the sea were uncharacteristically still, letting the smell of cigarette smoke hang in the air. He saw Law standing on the far end of the deck, his back turned to the door, hands out of sight and head low as if to hide was he was doing. Bepo stood by the door for a moment, inhaling deeply and then letting out a long sigh. If the captain was smoking, then he was really stressed.
Bepo walked up to Law's side and quietly sat cross-legged besides him. After a pause, he held the hat aloft for Law to take. The captain did so gingerly. The smoke from Law's sigh reached down to Bepo. He didn't mind it; he found the smell comforting.
"I know they won't be satisfied with that answer," Law finally said.
"Nope."
"But I can't risk it."
"Captain!"
"I don't mean the plan," Law growled. "I mean you. Them."
Bepo looked up at him. "But why? I-I mean, I understand why— so that we won't get hurt. But I still don't get… why."
Law gave him an impassive look.
"I'm not making sense. Sorry."
"You don't have to apologize."
But Law let the silence stretch after that. Annoyance grew in Bepo.
"Why is Dressrosa different from all the other places we've been to before?" Bepo looked up at him. Law had closed his eyes, and was now leaning on the railing. The cigarette burned between his fingers, a dot of orange against the night sky. Realization dawned on Bepo as Law's frown grew deeper. "…You've met Doflamingo before?"
Law opened his eyes, and after a moment the corner of his lip curled up in a bitter half-smile.
"You're really smart, Bepo," Law said softly. He took a long drag. He shook the ashes off into the ocean. "You're right."
"Really?" Bepo rose up, a jolt running through him. He hadn't expected his hunch to be correct.
"I used to work for him, when I was younger. Long before you and I met. It was a time when I had nothing. Nothing." He swallowed hard, but his face remained stony. "And when I finally got someone who…. That bastard took it all away."
Even in its vagueness, Bepo understood. He knew little of Law's past, but he understood his desire to keep it secret. It was not a measured tactic, the way he dispensed information when it was convenient for him; it was for survival. Bepo would have done the same—he would have hidden the shame, the pain, and the regret if Law hadn't found out about it all when they first met.
Bepo watched as the hand that held the cigarette shook when Law drew it to his lips again. Bepo hung his head low. "I understand, Captain." He balled his fists. "We'll follow your plan. Don't worry, we won't get hurt. I… I'll leave you now, ok?"
He began to move away, thinking it best to leave Law be for now.
"Bepo."
Law's grave voice stopped him. He turned to Law, who kept his sight on the far night horizon.
"I am going to kill Doflamingo. Whether it's through Kaido or with my own bare hands, I'll kill him. I'll put an end to all he's worked for. Thirteen years he's done as he pleases with impunity, but… who does he think he is? All he really is, is a gangster— a crook! The son of a bitch, he thinks everyone belongs to him, that he can kill them because they dared to live a life that wasn't for his benefit!
"But I will show him what that really gets him. I'll watch as everything he has ever wished for—all his machinations, his connections, his predilections, go up in flames! All his plans: asunder. And it'll be because I lived!"
Only the sea and the wind answered Law. Bepo stood rooted on his spot, unable to do anything, not even breathe, other than watch his captain. Law leaned on the railing, spent.
"This is mine…. It's my problem," Law said in a softer voice. "I won't drag you guys into it. Kaido comes afterward; it'll be different, I promise. So just… trust me. I will tell the others the truth, but not now. Trust me for a little longer."
"…Yes captain. I will."
Bepo felt worn, and a little bit scared. Jean Bart had been right, this was not the Heart Pirates' plan.
He would still follow it. Because the captain had been good to him, and because despite his smartness, ambition, and strength, Law still needed his help.
Bepo vacillated on his spot, but ultimately decided to leave. He threw one last glance at his captain before closing the heavy door behind him. He left Law as he threw what was left of the cigarette in the ocean, head hung low, and a sad glimmer in his eye.