A/N: This is a subject I only read about in BL…never had a chance to write about it. BUT I accept the challenge. Expect magic, subgender topics, anger, angst and possibly some humor.
: : One
The ceremony itself felt like a hush-hush event despite its often jubilant and heavy past within the castle's history. The event hall wasn't even decorated – just filled with attendees that were forced to stand. He wasn't even given a chance to take a bath or brush his teeth – just rolled out of bed by Corazon and hastily dressed in clothes he'd never seen before. By the time the taller man tugged him out into the hall, there were multiple people standing there with grievous expressions and a sense of tension in the air. He passed by three identical faces of boys that were younger than him, all of them dressed in stiff suits and surrounded by identical men that warned them against opening their mouths with hands on their small shoulders. Law remembered thinking that the boys' long hair and similar faces made them look girlish, but their clothes looked like something similar to funeral wear. Black suits and black ties, with black ribbons pulling their rainbow hued hair back into identical ponytails.
The clothing Law wore was a brightly colored robe in hues of blues, yellows and black, with a black slash over his left shoulder. He was nervous about it, wearing only underwear underneath and squirming anxiously as he kept the material bunched together at his waist to prevent peeking. Before ascending the stairs to the platform at the front of the event hall, Corazon forced a blue hood over his head that was semi-sheer, allowing him to see shapes ahead of him but not individual features. When Law intended on struggling, questions building up on his tongue, Corazon gripped his arm tightly and shook him with a warning before forcing him to sit on a floor pillow Law had never seen before. Because of the material of his clothes and pillow, he understood that this ceremony was formal and important – but the colors and design weren't something he was aware of.
The tension was mounting in the room as he grumbled, sitting clumsily with his legs folded underneath him and his heart racing a million miles per hour. He could still taste his sleep, and he licked at his plaque-stained teeth as he strained to hear voices around him to tell him what this ceremony was for. Maybe it was a coming of age ceremony – he'd just turned thirteen. He reached down to hold the folds of his robe together at his lap, embarrassed with the foreign material.
He realized someone was being forced to sit aside of him, and the semi-sheer material of his hood allowed him to see a kid being sat on the pillow next to him, wearing a very similar style of hood and robe. The man hissed a warning for the kid to follow instructions and keep quiet, the tone just as dangerous as Corazon's. Law's heart raced a million miles per hour as he wondered what the fuck was happening. The kid next to him was smaller than him.
Before either of them could say anything, Law heard Doflamingo say low to another person, "Get it over with. Quickly."
"What's happening?" Law questioned shakily, feeling a foot against his back for his effort. He winced and cringed at the unexpected impact, unsure of who did it. It was sure it was Doflamingo, who'd settled himself directly behind him. Law could tell by the powerful scent of his cologne and the tinge of alcohol.
"This ceremony will begin now, and of the two families gathered here today, witness with thine own eyes this matrimony," a man with an older voice announced grandly, and Law recognized it as belonging to the priest that controlled their village's religious sect. His breath caught in his throat – Law was positive the priest had said 'matrimony', which was a word for marriage, and Law was quite sure that this was all a mistake because no one had told him anything!
"I'm just a kid!" he hissed, head moving about with alarm. "What's happening?"
"Law. Quiet," Corazon warned him from his right, causing Law to look in that direction as the priest continued on without pause.
"I don't want to get married!" Law continued to whisper with panic. "I don't want to - !"
"Shush."
The priest suddenly snatched his sweaty hand, squeezing with enough force to have Law cry out with alarm. Once he felt the tiny hand of the kid next to him against his palm, Law jerked his hand away. The priest squeezed his hand back over the other's with a sort of angry action that made him hiss again. But Law straightened his fingers and kept his palm straight, straining to avoid touching that tiny hand. The other hand was just as shaking as his, straining to get away from his. Law looked over as the priest announced the duties of a working marriage that would combine their families together, through thick and thin. A cloth was wrapped over their hands, combining them together as Law struggled to compose himself. He could hear the kid's agitated breath and looked over once again, straining to see her features. All he could see was a face looking back at him with just as much terror, but Law couldn't see her exact features to see if he knew her. He made to lift up his hood for a better look, but Corazon slapped his free hand down with another warning.
Five minutes later, the priest forced them to stand and Law almost tripped over his pillow as he did so. The hood was removed, and he was startled to see how full the event hall actually was. On the left were unfamiliar faces and glaring tension of a group wearing colors he'd never seen before, while on his right were the grim expressions of adults that he knew well. The priest impatiently removed the sash from around their combined hands, and Law looked over at the kid. He'd just seen his face minutes earlier, in the three that he'd passed.
It was a boy. He was being married off to a boy.
He jerked his hand away with a cry of panic while the boy looked at him similarly. The three boys standing in front were snickering and elbowing each other, all of them not much older than eight. Law looked to Corazon with rage on his features as the priest continued on, gesturing for a faded red bowl from an alter boy. He dipped his hand into it, then drew a crescent shape over Law's forehead and the other kid's before gesturing that they drink from it.
Disgusted, Law made to upset the bowl with a swipe of his hand, but Doflamingo's hand clasped that muscle connecting neck and shoulder with such warning that Law cringed. After Doflamingo's hand let up, Law took the bowl the priest offered to him and sipped. The taste made him cough noisily, eyes burning once he realized it was alcohol. The kid next to him, dressed in a similar robe but in yellow, with stripes of blue and black, took a sip and coughed just as noisily.
"Together, this marriage will provide the necessary bridge to link ours to yours," the priest then said, tone flat. He separated the sash into two with a pair of scissors, and folded each piece over their left shoulders with quiet action. Both of them shifted restlessly, as if the material burned them. "The children are united in both name and chore – alpha and omega. Maybe your bloodlines continue with success, Donquixote and Vinsmoke."
Horrified, Law looked over at his child bride, who looked just as shell-shocked as he did. "NO!" Law shouted, then looked over at Corazon for an explanation. Corazon signaled at him with a blistering expression to be silent, wearing such warning that Law's voice faltered and he looked to Doflamingo instead. But the man looked equally as upset as he glared over at the other family, who was returning the feeling. Looking at those standing in the hall, Law realized this wasn't an amicable thing. He didn't even recognize the last name the priest had just mentioned.
In this world, the alliance was a shaky one, but necessary. Law realized it only happened because he was recently recognized as an alpha. The kid next to him, with his long hair and shocked face, looked like he'd just been slapped. The kids with the same faces were struggling in vain to keep themselves from laughing noisily, their nannies/guards hissing at them to be quiet. Law looked at the kid again, and was utterly disgusted by the fact that this was a boy, that this was an omega he was married to, and that in the future, they were expected to have kids together.
The priest held up his hands, gesturing that each child given them theirs. Both of them, after forced gesture from their respective parents, extended their left hands into his palms. Seething with anger, Law glared at the older man while the other kid looked near tears. The priest mumbled words he couldn't exactly hear, his blood pounding fiercely with all of Law's feelings. But he felt the sudden warmth of fire against his palm, and the image of an outline on his ring finger caused his skin to sizzle, smoke wafting away with the stench of burned flesh. The agony was terrible, the sight of his skin bubbling with a forced scar to signify the bonding allowing both of them to yell out in fear and pain. Law's eyes burned with pained tears and his voice trembled with embarrassing weight.
The priest dropped their hands while Law struggled not to touch the burn mark and the kid cried as silently as he could, clutching his wrist with his other hand.
"It is done," the priest then uttered briskly, looking unnerved. He looked to Doflamingo cautiously. "This ceremony…even conducted at their age, nothing can be done if his bride is underage…"
"Can't be helped," Doflamingo muttered in response. "Law. Take the hand of your bride."
"NO," Law snapped at him, his young voice ringing out over the tense crowd. He looked at the other child accusingly, who looked back at him with tears on his cheeks and a clumsy clutch of his burned hand. "NO, he's a boy! I don't want to marry a stupid boy!"
"We don't have a damn choice," Doflamingo snapped at him, grabbing an ear and giving it a threatening twist. Law reached out and snagged the boy's wrist, breathing fiercely with building anger and humiliation.
Doflamingo's voice dropped lower, in a near bitter whisper. "His daughter, whom you were supposed to marry, decided to drop herself off a cliff yesterday."
Law wondered what led to that, feeling paralyzed by the angry feeling behind Doflamingo's voice and for the fact that this was already an agreed action. He was never made aware that he was supposed to marry anybody – he was only thirteen, he didn't have marriage in any of his future plans. He swallowed tightly, suppressing rage and the want to continue expressing himself. He loosened his fingers so that he was barely touching the boy, which he remembered was an 'omega'.
The thought was absolutely disgusting. At his age, it felt unfair. His fate was something he should be able to determine for his own, not have others dictate it for him. He just found out he was an alpha, he'd made his own plans for his future, and none of it consisted of getting married to a damn male omega.
His face and neck filled with rising pressure as those standing in the event hall regarded each other dangerously. It felt like this forced marriage was something decided on a whim, something neither had wanted but had decided it was necessary. Those kids were hushed and crammed together protectively, their expressions looking cautious as they were then ushered away. Law realized that they were leaving behind their brother(?), who watched them with a growing sense of horror.
The kid jerked his hand away from Law and ventured to the edge of the platform, two of Doflamingo's guards pausing his escape by standing in front of him. "Father? Father, I'm coming too, right?"
A huge man that Law had noticed was standing away from his children, dressed in armor over his black suit and looking as dangerous as Doflamingo did with the decision, looked back at his own child with a sense of disgust.
"No," he answered simply before turning his back on his child and leaving with the others. Law looked to the kid, and saw his wordless shock as he watched his family leave him. Law was disgusted by the kid's age and his childish terror, looking back at Corazon and Doflamingo with utter loathing.
Corazon was the only one that gave him a sympathetic look. Doflamingo glared after the party leaving, then gripped Law's shoulder tightly with warning. Law found his teeth clenched as the kid struggled not to cry openly, surrounded by strangers.
"This unity guarantees our success," Doflamingo said tightly. "We will thrive thanks to your sacrifice."
"To a fucking omega?" Law hissed at him with revulsion. He glared back at the kid, who looked back at them with terrified eyes. "To a fucking kid?"
"I don't think there will be any fucking from you," Doflamingo said with mock sympathy. "Neither of you are aware of what your nuptial roles require in the bedroom."
"Doffy," Corazon hissed with warning as Law's face flamed with disgust and humiliation.
"At least he kinda looks like a girl," Doflamingo added with a skeptical glance at the boy left standing there, eyes moving around the hall with absolute terror. Hands in his pockets, Doflamingo left the platform with his familiar gait, their family members heading for the exit while the priest wandered away with a sort of glazed expression. "In a few years, once he matures, I'm sure it won't matter. Neither of you will have a choice once those hormones kick in."
Corazon reached out and gripped Law's shoulder before the boy could launch himself at Doflamingo's back. He jerked him back, forcing him to face him.
"Judge had a daughter near your age," he said softly. "This wasn't supposed to happen like this. Not for a few more years. But she must have known that this was going to happen eventually. Because of that, Judge gave his only other omega to us in order for our alliance to strengthen. Times are changing, Law. And not for the better. Our territories need to be strengthened by the marriage, so think of it as a helping hand for both of us."
Law glared at him, feeling furious. These things were already decided without his notice, without his choice. It seemed that the pride he'd experienced in knowing he was an alpha had been diminished by this event, and he couldn't quite feel those feelings anymore. He balled his fists up at his side and seethed.
He looked over at the kid that watched them interact from the corner of his eye. "I will never like you!" Law hissed at him before pulling up his robes to stomp down the stairs from the platform. Running across the hall floor, he shouted, "This is bullshit! I hate everyone!"
Corazon gave the frightened child bride a reluctant look. With how rushed the event was, he wasn't even sure of his name. Doflamingo and Judge had come to terms without much of an invitation for anyone else to object.
Clearing his throat noisily, Corazon crouched down in front of him. But he was at a loss of words, unable to conjure any sort of sympathy or reassurance to gain the kid's confidence. Judge had just left him behind like he was relieved of the weight. So Corazon straightened up and descended the stairs, feeling the weight of the kid's stare on his back.
: :
One morning a year later, Law kicked open the doors to Sanji's bedroom. The kid didn't even look up as the maid brushing his long, blond hair looked at Law with startled action. Sanji looked down at his hands on his lap while the brush was lowered and the maid delicately twisted and coiled his hair into a figure eight against the back of his head. Using the pins at her apron to finish the procedure, the maid found her fingers clumsy as she hurried to finish the task. Near the door, suitcases and trunks were piled in place, ready to be transported. The bedroom the kid had occupied was emptied of anything personal – Doflamingo had relented in Law's demands to allow Sanji to live on another part of their territory for intensive schooling, separating the pair for "individual growth".
Sanji would only return to the area once he matured, and neither boy was looking forward to that aspect.
"You're late!" Law snapped at Sanji, striding over to glare at him. "We were supposed to have left an hour ago, and you're here playing dress up! Like anyone cares what you look like!"
Sanji looked at him resentfully, the maid hastily adding more pins to his hair. At his age, Sanji was the youngest human being residing Spider Miles, and as such, everyone treated him a little differently. Law hated that favoritism.
"Why don't you just cut your shitty hair? Look like a damn boy?" Law asked, glaring at him.
"It's a status symbol," Sanji replied sullenly. He was dressed in a plain white shirt and green trousers, brown shoes shining from a recent waxing. But over his shoulders was the yellowish fur from a wolf and the yellow scarf with his family crest on it that held both items in place. His long blond hair was the only thing that required regular maintenance, often setting aside time for proper brushing and styling limited to ponytails, braids or a bun. Law often accused him of looking like a manly girl. "Father said we must grow our hair to present ourselves as royalty."
"Royalty," Law hissed at him, crossing his arms over his chest. "You aren't royalty. You're a fucking cow. I hope a cure is found before that shit happens. No kid on this planet deserves your ugly looks."
"Law," the maid interjected as Sanji snapped back, "Good!"
"Don't talk back to me, or I'll smack you senseless."
"Try, you shitty crybaby of a boy," Sanji snarled back, patting his hair as Law reddened with rage and cocked back an arm.
Thankfully for the maid, Corazon was there to grab his balled fist with an impatient sigh.
"Let's go, both of you," he snapped at both of them. "Grab your jackets, it's supposed to rain."
"I'm not getting out of the coach, I don't need a shitty coat," Law snapped back at the man, Corazon hitting him upside the head for the retort. Law was wearing a furred black bear scarf over a short sleeved shirt and trousers, worn boots laced up to his knees and a brown vest buttoned in place. Hung from his torso was his bag, holding onto a drawing journals, some pens, a magic book and a hand gun with a box of ammo Doffy had gifted him for his birthday. He couldn't wait to go shooting with it later.
"Why does he have to go with us?" Sanji muttered, drawing the wolf's fur tightly around his shoulder.
"I want to make sure you get there so I don't have to see your face again," Law told him smugly.
"I hope we get robbed and killed along the way."
Corazon sighed as the pair glared at each other. He coaxed the kids into marching for the door, the maid hurrying off to get the suitcases and trunks piled into the coach.
"I'm relieved for this separation, for I am tired of hearing you both threaten and argue with each other," Corazon muttered bitterly.
"It's Doffy's fucking fault," Law replied murderously. "Marrying me off to some useless kid. A boy. A fucking omega…the absolute worst in filth…not much more worthy than rotting trash…"
Corazon grabbed his shoulders with a hard squeeze, directing them down the spiral staircase.
"Sub genders are no one's fault," he admonished on an exhausted tone. "Frankly, the only reason why there are alphas and omegas present is because of the diminished population. We're dying as a human race, and this happened because of it. Don't forget that."
"Fucking zombies," Law muttered.
"I wish they'd swarm us so I don't have to hear his screechy voice anymore," Sanji mumbled, Law looking back at him furiously.
"Zombies emerged because of humans, so if you want someone to blame, blame the human race for this," Corazon said. "Fortunately, our territories prevent the hordes from wandering onto our lands, so both of your wishes in being swarmed by them is just a dream. Most likely, we'll die because of an accident or highway robbery."
"I hope I get to see you die," Law whispered to Sanji with a frightening expression. Sanji glared at him, but looked rather nervous at the thought.
Corazon shook Law's shoulder impatiently as they emerged into the daylight. Spider Miles was an ugly city – crowded with polluting factories that left trash piled into their streets, which formed small mountains. The air was thick with pollution, and most had to wear masks. The factories were occupied by robotic lines and AI programs, as humans were scarce. The city produced weaponry and armory for outside territories that had money and goods to bargain with. While a fairly successful territory, it was one of the more ugly eye sores that mankind had the misfortune to see. There was no beauty to it.
The coach was ready for them, motor running noisily as the driver waited for them. Behind him was another vehicle with armed guards and servants moving hastily to load Sanji's things into the trunk.
"Where's Doflamingo?" Sanji asked, shielding his eyes from the sun as he glanced about.
After looking at one of the windows stories above their heads, Corazon said, "Probably napping. Don't worry about him."
"Everyone's happy to see you go," Law told Sanji, climbing into the coach while Corazon lifted and helped the smaller kid up into it. "No one likes you here."
"Everyone hates you for being such a mean kid," Sanji replied sullenly, pushing up against the corner of the back seat to stare out the window. Law intended on positioning himself across from him to kick him, but Corazon seated him next to Sanji instead, taking over the entire facing seat to himself. Both kids curled away from each other, glaring out their windows.
Once again, Corazon was reminded that these two were mere children, with so much expectation upon their shoulders. It made him sick to know that one day, one would need to breed and one needed to be bred. They had no choice in the matter, their decisions made without their consent; nature was cruel that way. He looked at his folded hands for a moment, then pulled out his cigarettes.
Nearly half an hour later, the coach and the accompanying car behind it took the single lane road out from the city walls. Corazon watched Law practice his magic while Sanji stared out the window to ignore them both. As an alpha, Law was capable of producing magical gifts worthy of a superhuman, and he was already showing great potential over his. As expected of an alpha – they were perfectionists, hard driven to be the best and having the best.
Alphas and omegas were rare in the world – both prized for their statuses. The rarest of human beings, small wars were raged to have at least one pair within their territory. Alphas were capable of immense magic and talent, while omegas were prized for their ability to produce either sub-gender. Omegas had the ability to weld their own magic; Corazon was grateful for that. While they couldn't help the fact that their hormones were unimaginatively susceptible to horrific acts of crime, they were able to defend themselves. As young as he was, Sanji had yet to discover exactly what he was capable of.
His father, Judge Vinsmoke, was a scientist with a successful number of children. His omega wife had died giving birth to the quadruplets. His daughter had her first heat once she'd matured, and he'd tested his boys almost immediately afterward. While they weren't mature enough to display hard evidence of their sub-gender, he'd determined that Sanji's genes was rare enough to qualify as an omega, like their mother. Only one other son displayed characteristics of an alpha, and it was important for the siblings to be separated to prevent incest. At least one of Sanji's and Law's children would then be given to Judge to breed with another within his bloodline – not a sibling of Sanji's but one of their offspring; which made it a risk of corrupted genes, but it was necessary.
With the death of his only daughter, Judge was persnickety about his other children. His alpha child would come in handy once a proper omega was located, and while Judge was successful in terms of human breeding, Judge was also a man that couldn't be trusted. But to thrive, he needed Doflamingo's alliance in weaponry trade and defense. Doflamingo needed his science to power his territory; the marriage of their children provided a thin, successful line for them both.
Children were rare in this world – the mortality rate had sky rocketed once the human race began to divide upon the unholy appearance of zombies in world lost to monsters. Not only had they declined because of this plague, but the appearance of creatures that savaged the land for animal and human made it difficult to thrive. Territories were established under power and control tactics, and theirs only thrived because of the amount of alphas in control. All they needed were children to keep the territory prosperous, and Law had been the youngest until Sanji was forced to marry him. Doflamingo had a few running around the mansion, orphans he'd gathered (killed for) and he took good care of them, but only Law had displayed the alpha status. It wasn't certain for the youngest girls to become successful producers.
Food was scarce, women were barren, and men killed each other just to survive another day. Children were coveted with the hopes that they could provide to the human population, and that was why the sub-genders were introduced. Nature had taken a different path from its norm to fight against the unnatural.
With the decline of the human race, modern societies had adjusted to it. Technology switched and adapted, with magic produced to replace fuel sources and electricity. Almost as if they'd stepped back into time but also kept one foot ahead in the future. The alphas within Doflamingo's territories were only a few, but he kept them employed to power the necessary inventions required for humans to travel from place to place. Every territory had them.
The city they were taking Sanji to was under the watchful eye of his trusted officer, Trebol. Trebol would be the one to report back to Doflamingo over Sanji's aging, and would alert Doflamingo once Sanji started to mature and show characteristics of his omega status. He would be brought back safely for Law to breed with.
Corazon hated thinking of the kids as animals, but this was their status.
Omegas were capable of producing a child each year, and even a few would help. If Sanji should die, Doflamingo would find another omega for Law to breed with. The subgenders could only breed with each other until one died, severing the bond – an omega couldn't get pregnant by anyone other than their mate, even if violated by other alphas. And alphas couldn't impregnate anyone other than their mate – even upon consent by a non-omega. The urban legend that they could actually be natural pairs was just that – a priest could force the bond with a ceremony, which had happened. Their scarred ring fingers was an indication of their successful bond.
The bond, if it should be severed by death, would fade eventually with time; allowing either or to take another mate if prompted.
Thunder boomed overhead, lightening zigzagging through the sky. The road they were taking cut through a mountain top, so all around them were steep hills with protruding trees, thick foliage that flourished unchecked and a dirt road that was occasionally maintained. The threat of danger was high, but Corazon felt confident that this trip would be uneventful. The falling rain caused the windshield wipers to work hastily, but the driver was conditioned and confident on the muddy road. He had his window opened faintly, allowing his cigarette smoke to be coaxed in that direction rather than filling the cabin with its filth.
The blue glow from Law's hands expanded then fizzled. His expression grew terse with concentration as he forced the size to grow larger than the last. Whatever gift he had been allowed, Corazon couldn't wait to explore it fully. Law was convinced it had something to do with the medical field, for he was successful in taking apart small animals and putting them back together, while healing basic wounds and sickness at the same time. It was such an awesome power – very useful. As expected of an alpha.
Once Law managed to coax the blue orb up and slowly expand it with careful concentration, Sanji looked away from the window and watched it cautiously. All at once, Law's expression turned mean and that blue light surrounded his bride's head and shoulders.
"STOP!" Sanji screamed at him.
"I'm going to remove your head and place it on your ass!"
Corazon kicked Law in the knee, forcing him to lose his orb. "I swear, I will pull this coach aside and spank you with one of these branches out here," he warned him, Law looking at him sullenly. "Stop with your bullying!"
"I just hate him, Cora," Law said with a sigh, resting against his window while Sanji glared at him balefully before looking out his.
"There's no reason to hate him. Hate Doffy."
"I hate him, too. And you."
"Living life hating everything isn't always productive," Corazon said, lighting up another cigarette. "Find something else to focus on."
"I dreamed of having choices, and this isn't one of them."
"Fuck your dreams. This is your life, Law. Fighting it won't get you anywhere."
"I wanted to go to school to further develop my powers, and I can't even. Because of him. I hate our children already," Law added bitterly.
"They hate you, too," Sanji muttered.
Law looked over at him, thinking of a comeback.
"You're making an enemy out of a nine year old," Corazon reminded him, tossing out his cigarette butt. "You should feel so proud of yourself."
Law looked at him because it did sound insulting when presented in that manner. "If only there were others my age to argue with," he then said with a roll of his eyes, looking out the window. "Are we there, yet?"
"…We'll get there when we get there." Corazon then pinned him with a frown. "It ever occur to you that you have your abilities to protect your omega, not destroy him?"
"Ugh, so grosssssss….!"
Corazon looked to Sanji to offer some words of encouragement, but the kid was rolling his eyes. Corazon suspected Sanji would treat his encouragement similarly. So he tightened his lips.
"I can protect myself," Sanji muttered. In the year Corazon had grown to know him, it occurred to him suddenly that he hadn't even asked much about his background. The kid kept to his room or kept quiet, glaring resentfully at everyone and asking Doflamingo if his family wanted him back. It must've been frightening to be uprooted from everything Sanji had ever known and placed into this situation.
All at once, the coach and the accompanying vehicle lifted from the road and slammed hard onto the ground on their passenger sides, tires spinning uselessly as everyone was caught off guard. Their coach rolled up against the foliage downhill from the road, catching against some trees that bent awkwardly at their weight. Their seatbelts held them in place, and the moment their vehicle came to a rest, Corazon hastily unbuckled himself. The kids looked utterly shocked as they hung from their seats, the sounds of men shouting back and forth muffled by their position. Gunshots rang out, and Corazon clumsily unbuckled each child. He saw that their door was pinned against a tree, but the windows, small framed and bullet-proof, were easily unlatched if necessary.
Men were shooting back, but it sounded like an army was attacking them from the outside. Corazon was positive this attack occurred because of the children.
"Use your powers to get out of here, Law," he instructed, Law looking at him with terror. The boy struggled to produce his earlier blue orb, but the metal of their vehicles was then ringing noisily with gunshots. The three of them curled up, apprehensive to the attack, sure they'd be hit.
"Law!" Corazon commanded, Law struggling to concentrate on the task. But his panic, combined with his lack of confidence and knowledge, refused to produce anything at all. So Corazon reached out and unlatched and pushed through the window, cutting himself in the process as the glass shattered noisily – caused by the crash's impact against the tree. He forced each kid out before attempting to do so himself. But his larger body and the awkward bend of the window prevented an easy escape.
Law reached out to pull at him while Sanji cowered nearby, bullets raining around them as men shouted out. Thunder boomed overhead, lightening slicing through the sky.
Corazon was stuck, and he pushed Law away from him. "Take him and go! Run into the woods, go back to Doffy's!" he instructed him tersely as Law looked at him with panic.
"No! No, suck it in, suck it in come with us! I can't do that stuff!" Law exclaimed with terror, pulling at him again. Corazon swatted him away, reaching out to grip Sanji's arm.
"GO! Both of you! GO!"
After a few moments, Law grabbed Sanji by his cape and yanked him after him. Corazon watched them disappear into the woods, the foliage allowing their escape. Bullets rained around him, and he hastily pulled himself back inside, curling up. Withdrawing his own handgun from his jacket, he reached out and pulled up the car phone from the driver's side seat.
"That was fast," Doflamingo answered with a slight slur.
"We're under attack," Corazon said tersely, hearing his catch of breath. "The kids escaped, but the rest of us are pinned down here. Get here, to the top of the mountain. Fast."
"On our way."
After Doflamingo hung up, Corazon steadied himself on the seat. He kept glancing out the window, hoping Law was clearheaded enough to think about their safety. The bullets stopped hitting the coach, and it turned strangely quiet. For a moment, he thought that his men had succeeded in fending off the attack.
He held his breath, eyes widening with fright once he heard the rousing screams of the undead overtake the silence.