Chapter 9: Chaos in Dressrosa (2)
Doflamingo relaxed in his chair. Diamanté and Trébol stood behind him. Karin curled into a ball in Doflamingo's lap. It was a wonder how someone so violent can sleep so peacefully, even in the middle of a war. Sally sat on the ledge, looking out at the mess of the town. She sighed at the destruction of her human hometown.
"Do you lot remember the day we first met Law?" Doflamingo asked the executives behind him.
Diamanté laughed. "Uhahaha! He had them really crazy eyes and all…"
Sally smiled as she recalled that day.
"He was a lot like me when I was a kid and I just had this feeling that one day he'd be my right-hand man 10 years later. Such a shame I have to end him with these hands of mine."
"Let me join your crew. I want to destroy everything that comes into sight. Towns! Houses! Even people! I want to destroy them all. Because I grew up in a 'blank town' and… haven't got any longer to live."
Sally closed her eyes and chuckled to herself. Taking care of Law was sometimes troublesome but it comforted her since she could distract herself with Law in Karin's absence. Probably a side effect of being a Mother, she assumed. She sighed in sadness as she recalled the events of 13 years ago.
Sally opened her eyes again. Diamanté had gone to Flower Field. Only Doflamingo, Trébol, Karin and herself were there. Karin had fallen asleep in Doflamingo's arms. Sally got down from the ledge and walked over to Doflamingo. She brushed Karin's fringe to one side.
"She gets tired so easily." Doflamingo commented.
Sally smiled. "Her body still can't handle the immense power she has." She turned away to look at the chaotic Dressrosa. "I hear Law is the one causing this ruckus. Karin is so easily swayed. Law might persuade Karin to go against the Family?"
"You are worrying too much. I'm sure Karin understands the intentions of our actions. I don't believe she will go against the Family. But she definitely will make sure none of us get hurt. She'd definitely kill Law if either one of us got injured physically."
(Dreaming)
Karin found herself in complete darkness. She could hear voices, but they were faint and distant. She heard her parents voices.
"…Karin to go against the Family…"
"…definitely kill Law…"
Then Law appeared in front of her with a hand stretched out towards her. He simply smiled at her and beckoned her to come closer. His usual smirk on his lips.
"Love?" Karin turned to look behind her. Doflamingo and Sally were behind her with worried expressions.
"Oi Karin." It was Kid's voice. She turned towards that direction. Kid and Killer were there. Killer had his arms folded, Kid tapped his foot impatiently. "I'm going to be the Pirate King. Hurry up and join me!"
"Karin." "Love." "Karin." Law, Sally and Kid called at the same time.
Karin felt so overwhelmed. She was felt alone most of the time. She felt like she spent the most of her life with Kid, but should be with her Family.
"Who do I stay with?"
Karin shifted uncomfortably in Doflamingo's lap and slowly opened her eyes. She met her Mother's brilliant red eyes. "Morning, Love." Karin blinked her eyes. Sally was greyish, the same colour as the stone walls of the castle, with the exception of her irises. "Mother?" She was confused.
"I use my hands to absorb the materials I touch. You can produce an unlimited amount of power but your physical body doesn't change form. My physical form changes as I absorb different materials." Sally's stone body changed to glass. "But I can modify the properties of the materials I absorb too." She punched the ground and a fist-shaped hole formed on the floor. Her fist was unscratched. "My abilities are more of a defence type." She giggled. "Did you know that I was the one who helped train Vergo's Armament Haki?" Karin felt her heart sink a little as she recalled Law mercilessly ending Vergo.
Sally's colour returned to normal. Her whole body turned into string and floated around to form an outline of Doflamingo before finally looking exactly like the real person.
She changed form again to her original outline, but Karin couldn't immediately identify the new material. It was a full blue colour, kinda like the colour of the ocean.
Sally's right arm changed into the shape of a sword. "Kairoseki. Good against devil fruit users. I haven't used this form for a long time." She changed back into her human form. She inhaled. "The scent of blood in the air… It's making me hungry."
"I want to destroy this world! This world that is dominated by Celestial Dragons! I want to destroy it all!"
Sally snapped out of her daze. She was thinking about the past again, when she first met Doflamingo.
"Just to be sure, let me ask one thing: What did you come here for?" Doflamingo sat cross-legged with both arms relaxed in his chair. Karin sat in his lap, feeling slightly uneasy. Sally stood next to Trébol, behind Doflamingo, resting on the backrest.
Law and Luffy had reached the top of the palace.
"I'm gonna kick your ass!"
"Same here."
"You disappoint me."
"Bellamy!" Luffy noticed him on the floor, badly beaten.
"Funny how you were enemies back in Mock Town. So when did you guys become best friends?"
"What's past is past. Let Bellamy go!"
"That decision lies with the winner. He came to me with a death wish." Doflamingo stepped on Bellamy. "This is how I deal with things, Bellamy." Doflamingo gripped Bellamy by his hair and lifted him up, revealing his beaten-up face. "Wagging your tail for me. You know how it is when you fail me. But you can't change a person, not when they are born like that! And you Bellamy, are a lowlife wherever you go!"
"What are you saying? Bellamy has changed!"
"Please… just kill me." Bellamy wheezed.
Luffy was furious and tried to kick Doflamingo. "Let go of Bellamy, mingo!" Doflamingo used Bellamy as a shield, and Luffy kicked Bellamy's face.
UWAAAH! Sorry Bellamy!" Bellamy collapsed.
"You promised me, Straw Hat-ya! You'll lose to him the moment you give in to anger and hate. Suck it in! Goading is his forte. Losing your head is like losing life itself. You'll become exactly like I was! Doflamingo is a cunning and cruel man. He'll come at you whenever he has the chance!"
Trébol burst out laughing. "All this is making my nose run! He kicked his friend in the face… and he's on the verge of death!"
""Cruel" huh, you're one to talk. I don't think so though. I'm still pretty mad you know. Think of what you've done. You've destroyed the SAD on Punk Hazard, killed Vergo and Monet, and took Ceasar. You kidnapped Karin, freed the toys in Dressrosa, this country of mine. What now, my Smile factory? I'm so angry, in just gonna laugh it all off. To top it off, you're also coming for my head. I'm so sick of you people right now. It's like I'm feeling the same "despair" from 13 years ago!"
"If it weren't for that, I wouldn't be here right now."
"Black Knight." Doflamingo released another string clone which attacked Law.
Luffy targeted the real Doflamingo but was intervened by Bellamy, who was controlled by Doflamingo.
"Knock him out, Straw Hat-ya!"
"I can't! He's a friend!"
"Hit him once more and he's dead. Doesn't that make a grand ending! I told you this before Law, the weak don't have a choice, even in defeat!"
"That bastard! We came all this way for him and he's not fighting at all! Tra-guy, I'm angry! Imma beat him now!" Luffy prepared a punch. "Gomu Gomu no…"
"Ne-ne, he's gonna hit Law!" Trébol said.
"Room: Shambles"
Doflamingo suddenly switched places with Law.
"RED HAWK!" Luffy punched Doflamingo in the stomach. Karin was now on Law's lap. Doflamingo coughed out blood. Sally suddenly clutched her stomach area and groaned.
"Doffy!" Trébol was shocked and was sliced by Law's 'Radio Knife'.
"Father! Trébol!" Karin struggled in Law's grasp. "Fuck you, Law! And you too, Straw Hat!"
Sally spat out blood. She slowly stood up, and rubbed her stomach area, where Luffy had punched Doflamingo.
"You should be more careful, Doffy. That hurts." Sally wiped the blood away from the corner of her mouth.
"Sally-san, why are you injured?" Law was curious.
"It's part of the deal. Protect the contractor until the contract is completed or until death. " Her fingers turned to a dark blue colour and she shot kairoseki bullets towards Law and Luffy. Both tried to dodge but the bullet had scratched their cheeks, drawing blood and draining some of their energy. "Well, under a demon's protection, the contractor's probability of death is almost 0%."
"Hurt, didn't it, bastard?!" Luffy shouted at him.
"Look, he's still alright!" Law told Luffy.
"I know everything about your powers, Law. Because the powers of the ope-ope fruit is one that we wanted this whole time!" Trébol tried to repair his slime-body but was unsuccessful.
"Radio knife has a different cut end as compared to the regular amputation. All I need is a few minutes and it won't even matter what treatment you're getting or what power you have, you won't be able to reattach yourself!"
"EEEH! I'M IN TROUBLE! My nose is running!
Law aimed his nodachi at Trébol. "Injection!"
Law lunged forward but was knocked off by Karin who pulled him back using purple strings. Law tried to cut Trébol directly but was kicked by Sally, and was then sent flying away from him. Doflamingo then used 'Full Blight', piercing Law with 5 strings. Karin kicked Law further away, towards Luffy.
Doflamingo hardened his leg, and kicked Luffy before binding his wrists. Luffy, who was flying towards Bellamy, was sliced by Bellamy and fell to the floor injured.
"Do you remember what I hate the most, Law? It's being treated like a fool! There's nothing more hurtful than a few punks think that just for one second, they can beat me! I'm the world's most noble bloodline! A world noble! And I've got the rarest of powers! But then one day, my foolish father came down to this junkyard, leaving his family of four behind, and gave away that very power I had! With all that nonsense about living like an "average human". What a fool! At 8 years old, I saw the heaven and hell of this world because of my stupid father. I killed him and took his head with me to Mariejois. But the Celestial Dragons never accepted me because according to them, we were a "family of traitors"! That's when I swore that I'd destroy this world dominated by them! My life so far can't be compared to yours! I have no time to play with brats!"