CHAPTER 2

DARK RISING

I arrived at a port town, Spider miles, where I met the Donquioxte pirates and their captain Donquioxte Doflamingo. I asked to join their crew. I had just three years left to live and I wanted to destroy as much as possible.

''Towns, Houses, People… I wanna destroy them all!''.

Doflamingo was well aware I was from Flevance and I feared he would turn me away. I was prepared for any answer he gave me. If he rejected me I would find another pirate crew, after all, nothing ruined lives and opposed the government more than pirates did. Pirates tended to be uneducated though and would think my disease contagious. I was surprised when with a very amused grin the captain accepted him into the crew.

''Our standards in selecting crew mates are rather high and most slackers can't keep up with our tough training. If you stick around long enough we just might consider you family'', the man in pink laughed.

I was in…I was in! I was about to relax when Doflamingo went on.

''There is just one minor problem'', he grinned.

A man appeared just then at the door way. He was probably just an inch shorter than Doflamingo, with golden blond hair that fell to his eyes, fair skin and sharp reddish-brown eyes. He wore a dark red hood from which two heart like shapes hung from, white jeans, a dark purple feather mantle much like Doflamingo's and a white shirt with pink hearts printed all over it. His shoes were mismatched and he had strange paintings over his eyes and mouth.

Corazon, Doflamingo's beloved biological younger brother and who was soon to become a thorn in my side. I was told Corazon absolutely hates children. It was all the warning I got before he grabbed me by the head and flung me out the window of the tall building.

Corazon hated children and children hated him, but because of the crew blood law, which stated no member of the crew could kill another and Doflamingo himself, I could not clam his life. The captain promised anyone who even laid a scratch on Corazon…they would die. He was clumsy, mute, and entirely useless. The nerve that such a waste of space existed while his family was dead was unforgivable!

In a fit of rage I stabbed Corazon with a sword but one of the children from the crew spotted me. Buffalo. He was a rather big boy with a leaky mouth. I bought ice cream to silence him but apprehension still filled my soul. Doflamingo struck me as the kind of person who would fulfil his promises and Buffalo struck me as the entire opposite. I tried to flee but got dragged back for I was summoned by said captain. However, Doflamingo simply wanted to welcome me into his family.

There were not many Doflamingo called family. Apparently he saw future potential in me which I considered ironic. My future consisted of just three measly years.

''That depends on your luck'', Doflamingo had grinned. ''We specialize in black market and handle devil fruits too. There might be a fruit that could cure your disease''.

Luck. After the blows life had dealt me could I still believe in luck. My assassination attempt had failed and Corazon remained alive and well but when Dolfamingo asked him about his wound he actually lied about it. There was no reason not to tell him the truth as Corazon communicated with his brother through written notes. Doflamingo had looked rather concerned about the wound so I wasn't too eager to fess up.

That was what the Donquioxte pirates called themselves, a family.

During the time I spent with the family I got to know them as individuals. They were hesitant at first to get too close to me but Doflamingo himself defended the fact that my disease was not contagious and he would get upset with anyone who spread around rumours that it was. Diamante, the swordsman; Trebol, the gooey one who always sat to close to Doflamingo much to his discomfort; Pica, the big guy with the squeaky voice; Jora, the 'mother' of the family; Old man G, the combat fighter; Machivse, he ended all his sentences with '-in'; Mr Pink, the surface climber and Gladius. Doflamingo's pirate crew was one the few that accepted children on board as long as they could deal with Corazon's dislike which stood as a form of final test. On board besides me was Baby 5, Buffalo, as well as kid who couldn't possibly be over 2 years old called Dellinger. Most of the family used coded names and the boss never demanded for our real names. He was okay with us burying it along with whatever past we'd dragged ourselves from. The name is used was simply…Law. If I was going to die, the people I bring suffering to should at least remember my name.

My existence was a shadow, I saw myself as a walking corpse and didn't even try to form bonds with the family but they forced their bonds on me. Pica was very sensitive about his voice and the family made it a rule to execute his mockers. Luckily I didn't have a sense of humour, although family members were tortured not executed. Either by getting beat up or starved. Diamante was one of the few who kept mostly to himself but he taught me sword fighting. I was amazed at his ability to stand at least a foot taller than Doflamingo. I had as little to do with Trebol as I could. Old man G trained me in hand to hand combat. Gladius did not like kids as far as I could tell but he trained me at sharp shooting. Mr Pink was very fond of children, often spoiling Baby 5 whenever he had the chance. It should have been obvious that even if there was a baby on board be could not ordinary. Anyone Dellinger sunk his shark like teeth into felt it for days. A half fish man - half human child. Jora san was in charge of raising him and I dare say she and the rest of the crew spoilt him silly. I was closest to Buffalo and Baby 5. They were horribly nosy and loved to latch on to whatever I was up to. They'd been family members much longer than I had. Buffalo was a huge kid with an even bigger mouth that I could seal with ice-cream. If I needed money I could always ask Baby 5 to lend me some. She loved to act like she was large and in charge but she was just an over grown softie who cried the minute I glared at her. And the head of all Doflamingo whom everyone called 'Young Master'. He over saw us all. Oversaw my education and training. Let me partake in as many jobs the family got involved in. Even Dellinger got in some action or two in lifting heavy things. He was not necessarily a kind man but he was not a wicked captain.

I was grateful that my last years would be spent working as a member of the crew. While Buffalo and Baby 5 were all shades of annoying the biggest eye-sore was Corazon! He was clumsy, useless, and a complete idiot! He tripped over himself during negotiations, he fell over each time the canons went off, he set himself on fire every single time he lighted his cigarette. I found it hard to understand how the same womb that bore him possibly bore our captain as well, surely he adopted. I suspected comic relief was the only reason Doflamingo kept him around. And maybe for family's sake but I didn't see our captain as that sentimental. While a source of annoyance to me, he was a source of amusement to Baby 5 and Buffalo. He was called 'Cora san' by the children but I preferred to call him Corazon. Corazon the idiot. Buffalo and Baby 5 loved to play tricks on him because they knew he would fall for them. They intentionally served him boiling hot tea. They poured water on the snow just to watch him fall. It would be hilarious if his very existence did not irk me. I found myself always asking why. Why….why…why?! Why did a clumsy oaf like Corazon get to live when I was doomed to die?!