So Chapter Three. Meaning it is Visitor's Day. You guys are awesome and I'm glad you're enjoying this story so far. Like I said before, it's mainly an experiment. But that's also how 'The Emerald Rose' started out and look at it. It's complete with side stories and a sequel. My experiments tend to turn out pretty well, don't you think?
Ah, well, let's get on with it. Shall we?
Disclaimer: Do not own One Piece. I'm just borrowing them for a little while. I'll put them back later.
Here the Chapter Starts
Kaku was the first person he saw when he arrived in the block. The orange-haired guard was speaking with the two night guards, all three with grave expressions on their faces.
Coming up to the trio, he asked, "Is something wrong?"
Kaku sighed heavily, rubbing the back of his head. Looking to the other two, he told them, "Tell Lucci how last night went and he'll figure out what to do with Nero. We can't have someone like that around these guys."
"Got it," Fukuro accepted before he and Kumadori walked away, passing by Coby with a small nod in greeting.
"What happened last night?" Coby pressed.
"Nero is getting on their nerves and is acting like he's the one in charge of them instead of Lucci," Kaku explained with a tired sigh. "If he keeps that up, one of them is going to snap. The prisoners are already talking about how to get rid of him."
"Did he do something?"
"Tried getting forceful with some of them when it was time to return to their cells. Got a little frisky with the women. Franky punched him for that one, and Nero didn't like it one bit. Fukuro and Kumadori managed to stop him before he did something dumber. If he managed to hit Franky back, that would set off Strawhat severely. Then every time he heard talking, he started beating on the bars and yelling at them to shut up."
"He sounds like a piece of work," the younger commented, looking down to the empty area below. "Are we leaving them in the cells a while longer?"
"When Lucci gets here, we let them out," he explained. "If we tried without him, they tend to try something. They respect Lucci enough to not pull any crap when he's here, but it has to be known that he is here. They have to see him."
Coby nodded then understanding then reached down to the bag he was carrying. "So I read some of the files and listened to the tapes," he informed, pulling out a stack of manila folders, each with a small picture of the individual the folder named, paperclip holding it in place.
"Any questions?" Kaku asked, taking the stack.
"A few," Coby replied with a nod. "Is Strawhat always that carefree? He acts like he isn't in a prison."
"To him, this is just another adventure," Kaku chuckled lightly. "He gets into so much trouble, no one would guess he could be as carefree as he is. He has his friends and he has his brothers, and that's all he needs. No one hurts his friends, though."
"I guess I get it," the pink-haired guard said with a single shoulder shrug. "And Killer has amnesia?"
"Somewhat. You obviously heard the session. He woke up in the alley not knowing a single thing, name or location or family. No one ever put up posters of a missing child. He found Kidd about to starve to death and took him in. They're been inseparable since. He never did get any memories back, though. Eustass was the one to give him his name."
"And Shachi and Penguin, they're actually brothers?"
"Half brothers. Same father, different mothers, different homes. Orphaned when they were young. We still can't find any records of Penguin, which is the odd part."
"Then Trafalgar found them after their parents died, which would explain why they stick with him. But I still don't get why Penguin is so…" Coby trailed off, trying to figure out a way of saying the phrase without sounded obnoxious or condescending.
Seeing the look of concentration Coby was sporting, Kaku guessed, "Sexually attracted to Killer?"
"That's one way of putting it." He doesn't have a problem with the relationship, but it just seemed like an odd one to have.
Kaku chuckled, shaking his head. "Killer interests him. It's been asked about, but Penguin just shuts his mouth and smiles. So we don't really know why he's so attached to that man."
"Shachi has no problem with it. At all?"
"There was some fighting about it at first, but Penguin put a stop to it quick enough. Trafalgar just thought the whole thing was hilarious."
"Speaking of Trafalgar… he has a lot of notes in his file."
"Don't mention the death of his father, avoid mentioning his father if possible. Don't touch the bear. He doesn't respond to being ordered around so well. We actually got lucky yesterday. Keep sharp objects away from him. Try not to get into debates with him because he will screw up your mind." Kaku huffed, crossing his arms. "Trafalgar is a genius, and he's a doctor. It wouldn't bother people normally, but he's also a serial killer. All three combined into one human is a major threat. I doubt he's ever getting out of here."
"I would think someone like him would be put on death row," the younger said lowly.
"He was. His uncle paid enough money to get him off the row. We just haven't told the public that."
"He can do that?" Coby gasped in disbelief. Paying to have someone taken off death row? It shouldn't happen at all!
"His uncle has a lot of friends in very high places," Kaku muttered darkly. "We're expecting visitors today, and he never misses it. Stay away from him, Coby."
"Okay," he accepted, nodding his head then turned to Lucci as he approached, a scowl on the darker man's face. "He looks mad."
"Probably just finished with Nero," Kaku returned, tugging him back to the wall as Lucci passed by, Jyabura and Kalifa being him. "So far, they've been quiet," he informed the suited man.
"Good," Lucci accepted with a sharp nod. "Let us hope there will be no more incidents today. I was disappointed when I heard about yesterday, Kaku."
"Caught off guard," he explained.
"Never drop your guard in the first place, I trained you much better than that," Lucci pointed out as he opened the gate to the stairs.
Kaku lowered his head, accepting the scolding before following after the three. Coby, not given any orders otherwise, followed after him. The inmates were silently watching the five of them, Coby staying next to his teacher in the line up as Lucci stepped forth to address the prisoners.
"As you are aware, you will be receiving visitors today," he explained. "I do not want anymore incidents, especially while they are here. You will be on your best behavior and will limit your aggression."
"Then let us the fuck out of these cells so we can get rid of some energy first," Eustass snickered, arms draping between bars.
"Yeah, I want some breakfast!" Strawhat declared happily, looking like he was about to squeeze right between the bars in order to get to some food. "Hey, can we go outside today? We stayed inside all day yesterday! I wanna run around!"
"Calm down, Lu," the blonde in his cell told him, pulling the younger off the bars.
"I will see what can be done," Lucci told them. "Your cells will be opened in a moment, then you may head to the mess hall for breakfast. Afterwards, you will return here with the guards calmly. If I hear about anyone causing a problem, you will be locked in your cell for the rest of the day, thus missing any visitors you may have. Am I understood?"
"Quite clearly," Trafalgar drawled from his cell, his two men leaning against the wall near him. "Rest assured, Guard Captain-ya. We will be on our very best behavior."
Here is a line!
As it turns out, the visitors can be as much of a handful as the inmates. One of the calmest among the visiting was a young woman speaking with Sabo. Coby managed to pick up her name, Koala. He has to admit, she's kind of cute, but off limits judging by how she and Sabo interacted with each other. Smitten, but no confession. Yet.
Perhaps she is waiting for him to be free of bars so that they may marry. A private ceremony on a beautiful beach with crystal clear water. Maybe he wants to declare his own love as well, but worries that she will recoil because he is locked away. A prisoner. A criminal. Fearing that she will not want him as much as he wants her.
…He really needs to lay off any romance novels he has around the apartment. Maybe he should get Helmeppo to help him lock the books up somewhere. Without him knowing where they are.
Eustass Kid and Killer have their own visitors. Other criminals as well, but nothing to the extent as the two inmates. Possibly drug possession or assault. Either way, they paid their time in prison and are just here to visit their friends. One was covered with barb-wire tattoos and kept his long blue hair in dreadlocks. He spoke the most. The other wore leather and fishnets, his hood over his head. He was the quiet one. Coby thinks he heard the redhead call the pair 'Heat' and 'Wire', but he can only guess which is which.
He knew exactly when Garp arrived as well. Sabo and Luffy both leapt to their feet and started running, Garp soon chasing after them all over the room. He was yelling all sorts of things at the brothers, demanding to know where Ace is, and just being his usual boisterous self. Coby smiled, missing the old man and his antics. That has to be where Strawhat got it. Maybe he'll be able to speak with Garp before the retired marine leaves.
Franky was being visited by a lean man with blue hair carrying a little white mouse in his breast pocket. The two did not seem to get along too well, but at least they weren't fighting. Vinsmoke Sanji, on the other hand, was being royally chewed out by an older man with a horizontal beard and a peg leg. The two were actually trying to exchange blows and yelling insults at each other. Roronoa Zoro looked like he did not want his visitor at all, a young girl with pink hair and wearing a lolita dress. Next to her was an older man, his appearance firm but his voice low. Brook was speaking with the man, talking swords of all things.
Chopper was talking with Doctor Hiriluk and Kureha, the prison psychiatrists. Apparently, Chopper has no one outside the gang to visit him, and the two doctors got pretty attached to the young boy. Robin was with him, keeping a close watch. Her visitors were nonexistent as well. Nami was speaking with a tanned-skinned woman a little older than herself, her hair a bright periwinkle. The two were smiling to each other and chatting like they aren't in the middle of a prison. Usopp has a visitor as well, one that Coby was surprised to see he had, also is the second calmest person visiting. A young woman dressed in fine clothing, her skin pale and her hair a light blonde. He was telling her stories that caused her to giggle and laugh.
Looking over to Trafalgar and his group, he was a little surprised by his visitor. A tall man with golden hair and wearing sunglasses (inside a building?), most of his tall form covered by a thick pink coat made of feathers. His clothing was just as bright.
Trafalgar was sitting next to him, pressing against his side and speaking lowly while playing with the feathers of the man's sleeve. Surprisingly enough, he allowed the blonde to hold onto his precious bear, scowling when the stain was indicated. Penguin and Shachi stuck close by, apparently without their own personal visitors like some of the others. This did not seem to bother them.
"The usual crowd," Jyabura commented, leaning against the railing by Coby. "Though I'm surprised those two even came."
"The ones with Eustass?" Coby inquired.
"Yeah. They just got released from a lesser prison a couple months ago, then come here to see their boss and SIC? That's loyalty," the older explained with a nod.
"What about him?" the pink-haired guard inquired, nudging his head towards Trafalgar and who he assumed to be his uncle.
"Donquixote Doflamingo," Kaku answered this time. "Trafalgar's uncle. He is the worst. Police in his pocket. Mafia pays him for protection, I hear. He has enough power, money, and charisma to stay out of prison." Looking down to Coby, he advised, "Try not to get caught in a conversation with him. Everything ends up in his favor."
"Is that why everyone thinks Trafalgar became the Surgeon? Because of that man?"
"We're pretty sure he had a hand in it, or at least, he encouraged it and helped move Trafalgar around when police were closing in. I think this guy has 'died' about three times just to get away from police. Someone always managed to find something about the bodies that are missing what Trafalgar has or have something he doesn't."
"Most people, us especially, believe that Doflamingo groomed Trafalgar into being the Surgeon after his brother's murder," Jyabura commented lowly, ducking towards Coby as though he did not wish for the words to be overheard. "The kid lost his whole family, then his adopted father. That does things to a mind. Doflamingo took his shattered head and put the pieces back together, only he put them into the form of a serial killer."
"So Donquixote Rocinante," Coby said softly. "He was murdered?"
"Three days after Trafalgar graduated from med school," Kaku explained. "It was a gang shooting. Rocinante, even though he was off duty, was already on the scene and tried to keep as many people as he could calm. When he tried to stop the shooting, he was hit multiple times."
"Trafalgar was the doctor they called into surgery to help him," Jyabura added on. "They didn't know the relation between the two of them. So imagine this: You just graduated from med school as the top dog. Then three days later, the man that took you in without any obligation to do so beyond his own kind heart is brought into your emergency room."
"He did try," the other informed with a sad sigh. "He hates thinking about it, which was why mentioning his father is a bad idea. The one life he wanted to save slipped right through his fingers." He glanced down to Coby. "It was discovered that his first victims as the Surgeon of Death were the gang members that were involved with the shooting. We don't know how he found them, but we speculate."
"I heard the sessions," Coby pointed out. "None of them mention what happened. He always got…upset."
"Upset?!" Jyabura laughed. "We've had to sedate him to take him from the room at least six times."
"Four," Kaku corrected calmly.
The youngest of the trio looked over to Trafalgar, watching the man identified as his uncle hand Bepo back over to the doctor. Trafalgar took it and hugged the bear close to his chest, then pulled his uncle's arm to him as well. He tilted his head back with a smirk before giving the tall blonde a small kiss.
"Wow," Coby said with wide eyes.
"Yep, that happens," Kaku informed, patting the other on the back. "Broken minds leave all kinds of doors open for suggestions. Who knows how many Doflamingo walked through with that one."
Here is a line!
"If the three of you just did what I told you, then you wouldn't be locked up in here!" Garp lectured to the two young men he managed to catch. After a couple Fists of Love, he managed to sit them down and give them their usual lecturing chew out.
Sabo looked over to his youngest brother, youngest because the blonde is older than Ace no matter what the pyromaniac says. Luffy, as usual, was sulking and ignoring every word Garp was spouting. He wished he could block out the world like the younger raven does.
"Are either of you paying attention?!" Garp yelled, fists raised in preparation for another Fist of Love assault.
"Of course, sir!" Sabo replied quickly, wanting to avoid the attack. Blinking, he suddenly came up with an idea to get Garp off their backs long enough for him and Luffy to get away. Hopefully until the older man leaves. "Hey, Gramps, did you just so happen to train a young man named Coby?"
"Coby?" Garp repeated, hands lowering as he looked up in thought. "Yeah, I did. Good kid, good head on his shoulders. Kind of a scrawny runt when I first saw him, but as soon as I got a hold of him, he became one of my best pupils. Him and his friend Helmeppo, of course."
"Wow, it is such a small world!" the blonde laughed, straightening up just enough to bring Garp's full and curious attention to him. "Luffy tells me that a new guard joined the block yesterday. And his name is Coby. And he mentioned that you trained him. What are the chances?"
"You don't say!" the older man exclaimed before laughing loudly. "I was wondering what happened with that kid since Helmeppo joined the police force! Ha-ha! So, where is he? I'd like to say hello!"
"Guards stay up there when we're out," Sabo explained, jabbing a thumb over his shoulder to the catwalk.
Garp blinked them looked up, grinning when he spotted the familiar pink hair of his once-student. "Coby, my boy! Get your ass down here and greet me!"
"Lu! Run!" Sabo ordered, shoving the younger to get him moving. The pair scrambled to their feet and took off as fast as they could, ignoring Garp yelling after them. Turning his head to look to the giggling woman he was speaking with earlier, Sabo yelled out, "Sorry, Koala! Gotta run!"
"What?! You little brats! Get back here!" Garp roared, chasing after the pair once more.
"Noisy bunch, aren't they?" Wire commented, watching the two younger men run by soon followed by their grandfather figure.
"Tch, no wonder Strawhat is so damn loud," Kidd scoffed uncaringly. "How are things back home?"
"Some people tried to move in on us," the blue-haired man explained. "When they heard you got sent here, they thought they could push us out of our territory."
"Show them who's boss?" the redhead asked.
"Of course we did," Heat told him, his eyes still looking over the new injuries on their leader's face. It looks fresh, done within the last twenty-four hours. But Kidd had yet to say anything about it and he wasn't sure if he wanted to talk about it either.
"Good," Kidd chuckled, grinning wildly. "Keep those punks out. If you have to kill them then do it." He held a hand out, fingers curling in twice. "Got any cigarettes?"
A package flew through the air, caught by Killer's quick reflexes before it could hit the bright target known as Kidd's head. "Looks like Trafalgar did," the blonde noted, passing the package over. Kidd took one from the box then threw it back.
It wasn't Law that caught it, though, but the tall blonde man whose lap the doctor was currently sitting on. His grin stretched across his face, barely showing his gums. "Fuffuffuf, interesting companions you have, Law," he commented, looking down to the tattooed prisoner.
"Eustass-ya is enough to help me pass the time," Law stated, pulling one side of the coat over him partially. "I really think you'd like him, Doffy. He could make an interesting member of the Family."
"How is he at following orders?" Doflamingo inquired.
"About as good as me."
The taller man released a bark of laughter. Getting Law to follow orders was like asking lava to stop destroying whatever it touched. If the tattooed doctor was going to do anything, it would be by his own thought process or originally his idea with others suggesting tactics. He could drive Trebol up the wall with his blatant disobedience, but it was one thing Doflamingo enjoyed about the younger man.
It almost reminded him of Rocinante. His little brother, forever gone. He may have disliked the idea of his last blood relation being on the police force, it's suicidal and where he can't keep an eye on him, but he still supported him however he could. Then to find out he was murdered, shot while trying to defend people too stupid to think for themselves that they should duck or get behind something a bullet can't pass through.
When he got the call, he nearly killed the messenger until he heard which doctor was working on him. He knew Law was fragile when it comes to family. He was hesitant to even accept Roci as his adopted father, fearing that he would be snatched away as quickly as he arrived.
And just like he thought, Law was unresponsive to anyone that tried for his attention, staring at his blood coated hands with tears streaming down his face. Foolish nurses and doctors thought it was just the shock of losing a patient so soon after starting at an ER. As soon as Doflamingo arrived, he pulled his nephew to him and held him tightly, not caring that his deceased brother's blood was soon staining his clothes. Law clung to him like a lifeline, letting out a screaming cry of agony.
He did what he could for Law, housing him and offering a shoulder whenever the younger man needed it. A bed when he wanted. A lover to chase away his emptiness. Despite all that, Law really wasn't getting any better. So Doffy had the bright idea of hunting down the bastards that were responsible for the shooting that prematurely ended his brother's life.
Even when he had his own hands on them, he fought back the urge to kill them. To shred them to pieces and scatter their remains for police to find one at a time and try to put together. Like a gory puzzle. But he held it back. Law needed it more than him.
Was he responsible for Law becoming the Surgeon of Death? Yes. Will he ever admit it? Probably, if the circumstances were right. Did he sit back and laugh while watching his adopted nephew cut into screaming men, surgically removing their hearts before their dying eyes? Of course he did.
"You're doing it again," Law accused, poking his cheek.
"Doing what?" the blonde asked playfully.
"Smiling that creepy smile, the one that means people are about to get hurt," he pointed out.
"You're already freaking out some of the guards," Shachi informed, nodding his head towards a square-nosed guard watching him with narrow eyes. "Kaku hasn't taken his eyes off you since you walked in."
"Neither has their superior, Lucci," Penguin added, turning slightly towards the blonde. "And he's not one you can bully, bribe, coax, or bargain with. He lets us have certain freedoms."
"But he can take those freedoms away in an instant," Law finished, hugging Bepo close to his chest. He could feel the hard items Doflamingo slipped into the bear without anyone noticing. He never could figure out how the man managed to hide things in the bear, but it was useful. He knew what one item was automatically, something he asked for concerning one of his men. The other one, a blade. He has to keep a better hold of his temper or risk losing this one, too.
"He may be a hard-ass, but his superiors are corruptible," Doflamingo chuckled.
"Magellan isn't, but Hannyabal might be," Shachi pointed out, eyes scanning over the others in the room. The only thing of note was that Strawhat and his older brother were caught by their grandfather again.
"Higher than even them," the blonde corrected. "They're easily persuaded."
"You mean the ones you bribed to get me off death row?" the doctor inquired. "How about getting me and my men out of here completely?"
"They won't accept that because then the public will hate them and then they will get kicked out of their seats, lose their power, and someone new takes their place. Don't worry so much, Law."
"Who said I was worried?" he scoffed in annoyance, waving Bepo's arms around childishly. "I know you have things handled."
Here is a line!
When the time was up, visitors slowly left the area where they met their friends and loved ones. The last to leave the area was Doflamingo, who Trafalgar simply refused to release hold of. Shachi and Penguin had to hold Bepo hostage in order to distract him, though the tall blonde thought the whole scenario was hilarious.
"Coby, my boy!" Garp yelled, causing the pink-haired guard to jump in surprise. Kaku chuckled at him, swatting the back of his head in a silent reminder to always keep his guard up. "How are you?"
"Admiral Garp, good to see you again, sir," Coby greeted in return, holding his hand out.
Garp grabbed the hand but pulled the young guard to him, hugging him tightly. "No need for formalities between us!" the man laughed. "Where's that other scrawny runt? He doing okay?"
"Yeah, Helmeppo's fine," he replied with a nod as he was released from the bear hug. "We're actually roommates until we can afford living on our own. He's with the police. He might appreciate you dropping in for a visit."
"I might just do that." Garp looked over the inmates that were still lounging about the room, unable to go anywhere without the guards of their block. "How long have you been here?"
"Just started yesterday."
"Good, good." He sighed heavily, rubbing at his forehead. "Coby, I have a request of you."
Coby stood at attention. "Sir!"
"None of that, now." The young guard relaxed. "Just…keep an eye on my grandsons. They're a handful and a mischievous lot, but they are mine. I would appreciate it greatly if you could make sure they behave themselves, especially once Ace gets out of Isolation. He won't be right in the head for a while." Garp sighed heavily, crossing his arms while shaking his head. "Some poor souls are not meant to be alone."
Coby blinked at him curiously then glanced down to the inmates that were still waiting to be escorted to their block. He watched Luffy cling to his blonde brother, as well as stay close to the rest of his gang. Even Sabo was sticking close, watching over the younger mostly. Now that he was really looking, it seemed that keeping them from each other truly was the cruelest punishment one could deliver concerning them. It made him wonder just what the mysterious third brother will be like when he comes out of Isolation.
"Also, Coby," Garp continued. "These others, they're more dangerous than you can ever expect them to be. Watch yourself. Alright?"
He nodded in response. "I will."
Here the Chapter Ends
Brief as it was, as got Coby and Garp. We also got Doffy. And we got a little more backstory on some of the inmates. To be honest, as slow as I am with this story, I think it's going quite well. I am trying to write more chapters ahead, but then I get so eager to post that I keep adding on until I have another chapter finished.
This isn't like my more popular stories when I'm ten chapters ahead of everyone else and just have a scheduled update for them. Those, I can't stop working on.
Let me know what you guys think! ^^
