Chapter 7: Promises of the Past
Law yawned as he walked out on the deck. He was exhausted. Luffy had finally fallen a sleep around two in the morning and after bring her back to her bed in the infirmary Law had gone to bed himself. Sadly due to years of being an early riser to check on injured crewmembers Law woke up around seven and couldn't fall back asleep. Thus he was going to be spending the day looking like zombie from the worst then normal bags under his eyes.
After drinking his morning coffee on the deck and watching a couple Sea Kings fight Law headed back inside. Walking into the infirmary Law looked over and saw Jinbe was still fast a sleep. Going over to the curtain on the far side he then checked on Luffy. She to was still asleep clutching panda bear music box to her chest. Law signed at the sight remembering what he had learned last night and the day before. Really it seemed that Government just loved causing people misery all in the name of their so-called Absolute Justice.
Justice. Ha! If killing the innocent was justice then he was still subordinate of Doflamingo. The fact was that the Government didn't care who suffered from their actions as long as they had control. Every time someone proved to be a threat to that control they would do anything to wipe it out no matter what. Flevance was just one of the many examples. Law could remember many islands and nations that had been wiped out because they were 'evil' or 'diseased'. When he was little he used believe in every lie that those newspapers used to tell. Then Flevance became one of them and he realized that he had been blind by too the true evil in the world just like the rest of the world. He didn't doubt that every single one of other nations that had been given that label were just as innocent as Flevance.
Letting his two patients sleep Law grab a bag and went back out to the deck. He was surprised to see his newest crewmember Jean Bart leaning over the railing. When he had first made Jean Bart a member of his crew he had been a little worried about how he would react to being a subordinate instead of the captain. But the man took it well to being apart his crew. He actually smiled when Law told him that he could be their lead navigator and helmsmen due his greater experience. Jean Bart later told him that he was fine as long as he had his freedom and could sail the seas once more. Still his years as a slave had left him broken in some ways. The things he had told Law and the crew about his time as a slave had left them all disgusted. He was getting better, but that was probably partially from Law using his powers to remove the slave mark that labeled him less then human. After that the man seemed to settle in much better.
"Jean Bart, what are you doing up so early? You usually sleep until nine." Law stated as he walked up to the giant man.
"Oh, Captain I just woke up a little earlier then usually. Some lessons that one is taught is hard to break you see," Jean Bart explained
Law signed at the underlined meaning behind Jean Bart's words and said, "I see well why don't you just relax and keep an eye on things while I'm gone. I need to make more burn cream for Straw Hat and Jinbe so I have to go and collect some more herbs and who knows when Bepo's going to wake up. I'll be back in an hour."
Using Room Law went to shore. Walking up to the tree line looked up and called out to the two Kuja hidden in the trees.
"Oi! I need go collect some herbs to make burn cream for Straw Hat!"
One of the Kuja poked her head out of the trees and said, "Again?"
"It can't be helped the burns were bad enough that I have change her bandages two or three times a day. Do you want Straw Hat to get an infection and die?" Law asked bluntly.
The Kuja shook her head fiercely and then he felt the now familiar feeling of a snake falling around his neck. This was the only way the Kuja would allow him to go into the jungle to seek out the herbs he needed. Straw Hat was lucky that the Kuja like her so much because otherwise she would have been screwed when they ran out the cream they had on board. He was the only one who had this privilege, but he could only go so far into the jungle. If he got to close to the city the snake had been order kill him. He wasn't so stupid as to actually risk his life to look at some stupid women only city, though he couldn't say the same for his crew. Law was more focused on gathering the herbs he needed to make the medicine for his two patients. Of course he always used this chance to grab other herbs and plants that had medical use that couldn't be found anywhere else. He had already set up a little patch in little green house on the ship for the plants to were found Amazon Lily. His mother had taught him when he was young how to grow and take care of herbs that had medical purposes.
After about ten minutes of walking he found the now familiar patch of plants that he need to make the cream. He kneeled down and he felt the snake wrapped around his neck a little tighter as he began to gather the proper herbs he need to make the cream. After about an hour of gathering the herbs he need and few extras to replant into the green house he headed back to the ship. Law groaned as he began to feel the heat of the day. Looked like it was going to be one of those terrible hot scorching kind of days that seemed quit common on the island. He could already hear Bepo complaining about the heat Law stopped at the tree line and felt the snake coil before it leaped into the arms of its mistress. As entered the encampment once more he could see that the rest of the crew had already woken up. The shipwrights were checking over the repaired hole in the ship's deck while others where play poker by the ocean. He could see Shachi and Penguin arguing over something by the cliff side and spotted Jean Bart lean against a tree getting read catch a few more hours of sleep now that Law was back. Jinbe was also a wake and appeared to be practicing his Fishman's Karate. Law groaned at the sight. The fishman really needed relax and let his wounds heal before he started doing that, but had given up after chewing him out about ten times. As long as his wounds didn't reopen he would let the former Warlord do what he wanted.
Law went back to sub and enter the infirmary once more. He once more checked on Luffy who was still a sleep and then headed over to his desk and started to work on making the cream. This was where his Devil Fruit really came in handy. Activating Room he began to cut up the herbs and then gathered the pieces he needed into a large bowl and grinded them into a paste. He then added in a tonic and lavender oil and last the honey (these are really ingredients in a homemade burn cream I found). He mixed them for about ten minutes and finally began to put the cream into containers. He had gotten enough to last another week before he would have to go out again.
As Law put the last of the containers away he heard voice say, "Cool."
Law turned around met the beautiful chocolate eyes of his fellow Supernova.
'Wait beautiful? Bad Law Bad! Get your mind out of the gutter.' Law thought to himself once more, 'She your patient and rival not one of your night time flings. No matter how adorable she looks with her bedhead… Ahh! Stop that!"
"Your Devil Fruit is so mysterious!" Luffy exclaimed.
"Mysterious? Haven't had it called that before," Law mused, "Creepy, yes. Scary, over a hundred times. Even a couple times crazy, but mysterious that's a new one."
"What's it called?" Luffy asked?
"Huh?"
"Your Devil Fruit what is it called?" Luffy asked once more.
"Oh its the Op-Op Fruit or Operation Fruit."
"Cool. It fits with you being a doctor. Umm Law can ask you something?"
"I believe you just did Straw Hat, but go a head."
"Why'd you save me?"
"I felt like it and because it would have been a waste to lose such a promising rival."
"What do you mean?"
"You are an interest person Straw Hat. I've kept my eye on you since your first bounty came out. After all you are from the very sea the first King of the Pirates came from. Every time I would see what crazy thing you did and think that there no way you could top it only for you do just that the next time I see you in the paper. Hell when I saw just what the Government was letting out it made me wonder what it was that you were doing that they didn't let the public know. Even when I met you on Sabaody Archipelago you surprised me as I watched you punch that bloody Celestial Dragon in the face. When we fought together with Eustass I couldn't help, but smirk when you jumped right into the battle completely ignoring Eustass. No matter what trouble you got into you always made it out okay in the end. You're the kind of person I wouldn't mind having as a rival for One Piece and maybe even an ally should I need one in the future. Though we will enemies in the distant future I'd rather like the idea of see which of us will come out on top," Law explained
"You really strange you know that. I don't think anyone else would think that saving a rival as a good thing. Well except for me maybe, but I never really was considered normal," Luffy stated with a shrug.
"Normal is overrated Straw Hat. Now take off my hoodie so I can change the bandages. I have towel you can use to cover up and some clothes you can change into after words."
Luffy did as Law asked and took off the hoodie and let Law change her bandages once more. Luffy didn't watch this time. She figured Law was probably getting tired of her having emotional breakdowns and using him as a shoulder to cry on. Instead she studied Law. While Luffy didn't normally look at guys she could see that Law was a very good looking in a rugged kind of way with his goatee and tattoos. He was at least a foot or more taller than Luffy. He had a slim build, but still from what she had seen the day before was well built. Luffy found his many tattoos very cool and especially the heart shaped one on his chest. Even with the faint shadows under his eyes his face was handsome. She really like his stormy gray eyes with the flecks of gold in them. Luffy found herself blushing when she realized what she had been doing. Luckily it seemed that Law hadn't notice her staring as he was to focused on putting burn cream on her scarred chest.
"Hey, Law why do you want to find One Piece," Luffy asked to filled silence that had settled in the room.
Law looked up from the scar and at Luffy's curious face. In the past few days he had learned more about his fellow captain then maybe even her own crew and family knew about her. He comforted her twice over the loss of her brother and her godfather. Hell he is only reason that she even made it out of the war alive. He guessed it was only fair that he at least give her the brief explanation on why he wanted to find the fame treasure.
"I made a promise," Law stated as he walked over to his desk to grab the bandages.
"A promise?"
"I promised the man who died saving my life that I would be free. Free to live my life and becoming the King of Pirates is like gaining the greatest freedom. The Jolly Roger my crew and I sail under represents that promise. Because just before he died the last thing I saw of him was his smile and hearing his voice telling that me nothing would hold me back and to live free life. That is a promise I intend to keep," Law explained.
"I can understand that," Luffy stated with a soft smile.
"Hmm?"
Taking her hat off her head Luffy smiled and said, "When I was just little kid I was almost killed by bandits. These bandits had been bad mouthing Shanks and his crew. I looked up to Shanks and I got so angry at the bandits for says those offal things about them. They tried to kill me, but were stopped by Shanks and his crew. But the leader used a smoke bomb to escape and took me out to sea. He ended getting eaten by the local Sea King just after he threw me in the water. Just before it could eat me too Shanks pulled me out of the way. But it he wasn't fast enough. The Sea King ripped his arm off. I can still see the blood in the water from his arm as he tried to hide the sight of his stump from me. Shortly after he set sail once more. Before he left I told him I would get crew that was twice as strong as his and become King of the Pirates. He put this hat on my head and told me to return it to him when I fulfilled that promise."
Law started at the woman before him. Once more she surprised him with the story of her own past. It was strange really. They both made a promise to a person who had risked their lives to save their life even though they didn't have to. Before he could say anything the door to the infirmary slammed open and Shachi and Penguin came running in shouting.
"Captain! The Kuja brought breakf-"
The two of them suddenly stopped and stared at Luffy. Or more accurately Luffy's chest that Law hadn't re-bandaged yet. The room was silent for a moment and when a bedpan was thrown at Shachi and hit him where the sun doesn't shine. Law winched at sound Shachi made as he collapsed into a ball on the floor.
"You Perverts! Don't Stare!" Luffy cried as she tried to cover herself with her hat and hid behind Law.
Penguin quick covered his eyes with one hand and grabbed Shachi arm with the other and began to pull his friend to the door mumbling sorry over and over again. Law groaned and quickly bandaged the fuming female pirates chest once more.
"I always tell them to knock before barging in. Maybe at least Shachi will do that from know on!" Law stated trying to break the tension as Luffy got dressed in one of his old shirts and a pair of shorts, "Sounds like breakfast is here so why don't we go eat Straw Hat."
Luffy angry face melted away at the mention of food and ran to the door. Law shook his head before following his fellow captain out the door.
