Monet was seventeen when she met him for the first time. She fled the tiny shack she and Sugar called home at the first signs of the attack, dragging her nine year old sister behind her while they both ran for their lives and carrying Sugar on her back when she couldn't keep up.
She lived in the slums her whole life. She knew what pirates did, and what havoc looters would cause afterword, like vulture picking over the bones of a long-dead carcass. Monet needed a safe place to hide, some protection against the cruelty of the outside world.
Only there were no safe places, not for her. Monet drew her knife from her belt when she heard the footsteps approaching, trying to will Sugar into being silent as a shadow loomed through the cracks of their paltry shelter. He laughed before he even saw her, a hyena's cackle that sent icy fingers of fear through her chest.
They were going to die. Monet braced herself as Doflamingo tore through her defenses as if they were wet paper. Wood exploded inward, and Monet felt a sharp sting of something unseen cut across her cheek. She risked a glance at her sister.
"Run!"
Sugar clung to her leg. "I'm not leaving you."
Anger burned away the worst of the fear when Doflamingo chuckled. How dare he laugh? Knowing it was futile, Monet flung herself at the pirate, her blade in hand. Doflamingo twitched his fingers, wearing that same damnable smile the entire time, and Monet found herself frozen midflight.
A sharp pain around her wrist made her drop her knife. Sugar screamed as Monet was thrown to the ground. She tried to recover, but she couldn't move. More men appeared at Doflamingo's back, hulking, ugly men with predatory smiles of their own.
Monet had lived in the slums her whole life. She knew what was coming next. She gathered ever drop of saliva in her suddenly-dry mouth and spat at the demon who could kill her without ever sullying his hands. She hated him, she hated all of them.
"Leave my sister alone!" Sugar's defiant scream turned to one fear when Doflamingo raised his hand, causing Monet to lift off of the ground like a demented marionette.
"Feisty little bitches, aren't you?" Doflamingo laughed. "I like it. Why don't you both come with me? It would be a waste to kill a couple of cute girls with so much potential."
"Wh-what do you want with us?" Monet said through clenched teeth.
"Oh, nothing much, just your undying loyalty and promise to help me take back what's rightfully mine." The invisible force around her wrists slackened, and Monet crashed back to the ground. He had to be joking, toying with his cornered prey for his own sick amusement.
She needed her knife. The thought had scarcely crossed her mind when Doflamingo tutted his disapproval. Another flick of the wrist sent the blade flying into his hands.
Monet flinched. "How did you—?"
"Call it intuition," he said. He examined the knife carefully, running his thumb against its nicked edge and smiling as bright red blood welled from the shallow cut. "Sharp. I bet you've found good use for it in this hellhole. Tell me, how many people have you killed?"
Monet forced herself not to react, and Doflamingo's smile grew, exposing too many teeth. He sauntered closer with a strange bow-legged walk of someone used to sailing on the open seas. "Who was it, your parents? A nasty boyfriend who wouldn't take no for an answer? A pirate?"
He was inches from her face. Every instinct was screaming for her to run, but Monet was frozen in place. She could see her own terrified expression reflected in his sunglasses and was half-convinced that he could read her mind.
"I've seen your type before," Doflamingo continued, his voice low, persuasive, dangerous. "This world's done nothing but shit on you, and you keep fighting and fighting but nothing ever changes until all you want is to see it burn." He put a finger under her chin and wiped away a tear that Monet hadn't realized was there. "Well, darling, I'm here to help light the match."
"My…my sister…" she croaked.
He nodded sagely. "She can come too. Nothing's more important than being loyal to the family. The only difference is I'm going to be part of that family from now on. Betray me and I'll gut you like a fish, but if you prove yourself worthy…"
Monet's heart skipped a beat when he leaned in to whisper in her ear, "Prove yourself worthy and I'll make sure you'll never be hurt again."