QuestionsxAndxAnswers; WaddlingLemon; 10th Squad 3rd Seat

Thank you so much for the supportive reviews! I read every single one that came in and even read all 45 of them again! I'm trying to get back into a consistent writing pattern again and your reviews really did help me. I was smiling like an idiot and I almost cried reading them.

BTW, what do you think of the chapter titles? I think a lot about making good chapter titles.

Universe One

Bound to Escape

Aeona's POV

I felt an aching in my head and groaned, waking up. I was sitting in a chair with shackles on my wrists in a bare room. My hazel eyes looked around groggily and I sucked in a breath when a pang of pain rang through my head again. Shit. I twisted my hands in the shackles and tried to slip my hands through.

"It's sea stone, so don't bother." A woman's voice spoke and I looked up, seeing a pretty woman wearing a skimpy french maid outfit and a cigarette in her mouth. I vaguely recognized her and it took a while before I remembered who she was. Baby 5 and her partner I-forget-his-name.

"Why am I here?" I asked in a raspy voice, clearing my throat a few times afterward. The room I was in was just... blah. I'd have expected Doflamingo to have something in here, seeing as he was a rather flashy person to me.

"Don't ask questions." Baby 5 told me from where she stood. "You won't be getting any answers."

"But I need to know, can you help me?" I asked her and her demeanour changed from a stoic guard to an emotional girl who wants to help.

"Oh really? You need my help?" She put her hands on either side of her face in an almost desperate euphoria. I raised an eyebrow at her sudden behaviour as she walked towards me.

"Hold on Baby 5, we're not s'posed to talk to her nninnnn." Her partner held her back. He was huge, bigger than Doflamingo. And the fluffy yellow coat was no doubt as big.

"Right, right." The woman composed herself quickly and my other eyebrow went to join the first raised one. Wow, she's an emotional person. "Buffalo, go tell the young master that she's awake."

The big guy named Buffalo nodded and walked out of the room, humming something. Or was he just making helicopter noises? His hair did look like propellers around his face. He was a devil fruit user right? I looked back at Baby 5 and put on a slightly scared face. "Could you, um, tell me where I am please?"

"An outpost that belongs to the Doflamingo family." She replied easily, the cigarette wiggling in her mouth as she spoke.

"Can I let Law know where I am please? So he doesn't worry?" I asked, putting on a face and trying my luck with this. I had hoped that she would fall for it and surprisingly, she did.

"Oh my gosh, really? Well in that case I'll let you borrow a den-den mushi, just don't take too long." And with that she danced away excitedly to bring me what I requested.

Wow.

Naive woman needs to learn to say no.

I couldn't remember much about her character, since I had only come across her twice in the manga. I left home when I had read up to the point where it showed Law at Punk Hazard, so I kinda remember Baby 5 and her weird partner there. I tried slipping my hands through the shackles again to no avail, they were flush with my wrists so all I was doing was chafing them. As soon as she came back in a moment later, I stopped and gave her a sweet smile, which she had returned. God, was this woman ever stupid!

"Alright, here you go miss." Baby 5 held out the large snail and I stared at it for a moment before lifting my eyes up to her. After a bit, she frowned and looked at me worriedly. "Is something wrong?"

"... I don't know how to use it." I replied softly, suddenly feeling sheepish. The woman tilted her head slightly to the side.

"You... don't?" She asked and I shook my head. This was a little embarrassing considering that pretty much everyone in the One Piece world knew how to use one. Baby 5 thought for a moment, tapping her finger to her chin. "Did you grow up in a place that doesn't use them?"

I nodded in response and she instantly brightened up, actually taking to the false assumption she had brought up. "Well in that case, let me show you."

"Baby 5." A male's voice called and I froze, both of us whipping our heads to look at the feather-dressed man at the door. I scowled while the woman's face paled. Doflamingo walked into the room and grinned at her before turning to look at me.

"I see you've met my sister, Baby 5." He jerked his head to the side and the woman straightened, resuming her stoic demeanor as she walked away to stand by the wall with her yellow-coated partner.

"I'm just going to pretend that what I saw, didn't happen. Then things will be easier for the both of us, fufufuu." Doflamingo crouched on the floor in front of me and I just sat back in my chair, glowering at the tall, pink-feather-wearing man.

"Why am I here?" I asked calmly, being careful with my tone. This man was very powerful and was perfectly capable of killing me if I ticked him off.

"Hmm..." The pirate warlord stroked his chin in thought, his grin ever present on his face. I was getting nervous just being here. What did he want with me anyways? Was it just because I was with Law and his crew? Doflamingo tilted his head slightly before pulling a newspaper out from beneath his coat. He gazed at it for a long moment before chuckling. "This is a beautiful piece of work you did, Aeona..."

Then he turned it around so I could see the front page, and what I saw made me blanche.

New Pirate's Bounty Raised for Brutal Murder!

Oh my god... It was about me... My wanted poster was right in front with the big title taking up most of the space along with a long article about when I killed those marines. Scanning down the black lines, I saw that there was barely a mention of Balto and my new bounty was 95,000,000 Beri... I was almost a supernova.

"You really interest me Aeona." Doflamingo said before tossing the paper away, my eyes following it as the pages scattered. I was utterly dumbfounded as I slowly turned my head to face him again.

"What do you want with me?" My voice was close to quivering as I asked the question and it was clear that he could see through me. He played the question around in his mind as he leaned forward, his tall form towering over me despite the fact that he was sitting on his heels.

"... I want you to come work with me, to join the family if you will." He said in a low tone and my eyes widened. What? I glared at him and opened my mouth to retaliate when he flicked a finger, making me freeze as I felt a thin string around my neck. "Fufufufuu, let me explain a few things before you answer."

I stayed stock still, knowing the slightest pressure could have the string breaking skin, or more. He tilted his head slightly as he looked me over again. "You have a lot of potential for a rookie, Aeona. And that's exactly what it is I look for in this great, big game."

He stood up and slowly walked around the chair I was sitting on, loosening the string just enough so I could breathe while still frozen in place. "Of course, that's only one reason. I would also like you to share with me everything you know about your current captain, Law."

I watched him from the corner of my eye and pressed my lips together as he put his hands on the back of the chair, leaning over around the side so I could see him better. His grin was still plastered on that face and I hated it, along with his stupidly shaped sunglasses. "I'll give you some time to think about my offer, and then perhaps we can… make amends."

Something sharp went into the side of my neck and my whole body tensed as I felt a pressure there. The string was released and whatever was in my neck was taken out as I slumped down to one side of the chair. He moved back in front of me and I could see the small syringe in his hand, empty of it's contents. I sat up and shouted at him in rage. "What did you just do to me?!"

"Oh, I only added a little something to persuade you in your decision, fufufuu." He chuckled and tossed the needle off into a corner of the room carelessly as I grit my teeth. "I wouldn't take too long considering your options if I were you. I just gave you an experimental drug that will kill you in three days, and only I have the antidote. You'd best choose carefully Aeona."

I felt the blood drain out of my face and my hands were clenching the arms of the chair tightly as he turned to leave the room, followed by Baby 5 and her partner. It was only when the door was about to close that I thrashed against the shackles and chains holding me to the seat. "This isn't fair!"

The door closed and I stared at it for a long moment, my jaw pretty much on the floor. Well shit... I snapped my mouth closed and looked down at the shackles binding my wrists. It was made of sea stone, but they didn't know that I wasn't a devilfruit user, which is the only advantage I have against them right now. I focused my energy and summoned the two purple flames, removing the shackles the same way I got off the metal cuff that Kid put on me.

Once I was free, I rubbed my wrists and the spot on my neck that the needle went in. I didn't feel anything weird yet, but I really doubted that bastard was bluffing. I hurried to the door and slowly cracked it open, looking through it. There didn't seem to be anybody there and I couldn't hear anyone nearby even with my heightened senses. So I stepped through the doorway and hurried down the hallway, trying to go as quietly as I could. I had my sheath with me still for some reason, but my katana was left behind when Doflamingo kidnapped me.

I wasn't really sure if Law was coming for me at all, but I had to hope he would. He was my only chance off the island unless I stole a boat, but Doflamingo would easily find me out on the ocean. Plus I needed the antidote to the drug he injected me with. I can't risk assuming he was bluffing.

Footsteps could be heard down the hallway ahead and I ducked into a nearby room, wincing at the squeaks the hinges made. I closed the door gently and glanced around the small storage room, seeing both windows had bars on them. The two soldiers outside soon passed by and I hurried back out, running down the hallway where they came from. Now where would he keep the antidote? My best guess was either in a lab or on his person. I really hoped it was the former.

Going through the building, I quickly figured out that I was somewhere in the higher levels, far from the ground judging by the window views. The building seemed to be long, narrow, and in the shape of an 'L'. Where I was on a map, I had no clue.

I kept going through the building like this, avoiding people and looking for what may be the antidote. After a while, it got harder to hide with all the soldiers running around and searching. I guess they found out I was missing.

Once another group of soldiers passed, I raised a hand to open the door only to realize that it was shaking. Holding both hands up, I could see that they were trembling badly and I knew; I needed the antidote. I closed my hands into tight fists and took a moment to collect myself, closing my eyes. Okay, that feather bastard said I had three days. Plenty of time to find the antidote before it killed me, or for Law to come and help. If he had a way to find me at all...

What am I sitting here for?

I shook my head furiously to clear it and I opened the door, running down the hallway again. I can't hesitate anymore. The next time a group of soldiers came my way, I trusted my instincts and flowed through the movements of unarmed combat. It felt weird, but exhilirating at the same time. Leaving the now unconscious group behind, I stayed in the void as I moved through the building in search of either the antidote or Doflamingo.

Getting down to the lower levels, I had passed a few more groups already and I have to say, I was starting to get annoyed with having to fight them. I finally found myself in a larger hall and glanced around a bit before hearing the click of a gun right behind my head. I slowly turned a bit to see Baby 5, her hand turned into a pistol as she aimed at point blank. Someone started slowly clapping and I looked to see Doflamingo putting his hands together as he grinned at me.

"Well done Aeona, you did very good making your way down here." He declared as he stopped clapping. I sent him a dark look but he was unperturbed by it as the man turned his attention to my hands instead, the shaking uncontrollable at this point. I crossed my arms and leaned on one hip, keeping my focus on him as he raised his hidden eyes to me again.

"Looking for something?" He taunted before pulling out a small bottle, holding it with two fingers like it was a dirty thing he didn't want to touch. My eyes widened and I took a step forwards before I felt Baby 5's pistol pressing into the back of my head. Doflamingo chuckled before waving a hand, a couple of soldiers coming out and putting sea stone cuffs on my wrists.

"Have you decided?" The feather-dressed man inquired, receiving no answer from me. If I refused, I wouldn't get the antidote and I would die. If I accepted... I didn't know what my fate would be. Doflamingo tilted his head at my silence and turned away, walking through huge double door out onto a large balcony. I raised an eyebrow and followed him cautiously, staying a little further behind.

"Take a look around us." He said, staring out at the scenery. I looked past him to see the curve of the island, forming a small bay with port docks. There were some ships docked for trades and supplies as well as a few Marine battalions. Peering over the edge of the waist high railing, the ocean waves rolled and slammed against the cliff below us, providing a straight drop down from the balcony to the rock-filled waters. "These people have no idea of the hidden struggle for higher powers."

I looked at him again as he spoke and grit my teeth when I saw him casually tossing the bottle up and catching it. "What does this have to do with me?"

"Things are changing in this world. Loyalties are shifting and traitors are appearing everywhere. More now than before. Law betrayed me years ago and he will do the same to you." It was then that he looked at me. "That is, unless you stand with the family, with me. We will protect you from the world's treachery and you will see the world as we do."

I stared at him for a long moment, dumbfounded by the things he was telling me. Law betrayed him? I know Doflamingo was a bad person, but are the things he's saying true? I remembered when Law helped Luffy and Jimbei, listened to me when I asked him to go to Marineford, invited me to join his crew. Would he really betray me?

And what about Blaine? What about my quest to protect the story universes? My resolve settled and I faced the feather-dressed man who was patiently waiting for my answer with that smile of his.

"I can't join your family. I'll be leaving in two years anyways." I told him calmly, feeling a sudden sense of dread as his smile was wiped off his face. It was only a moment before his grin returned and he chuckled, instilling fear in me.

"You disappoint me Aeona." Doflamingo said before tossing the bottle high into the air, this time to fall over the railing.

"No!" I shouted and lunged forward, leaning over the rail to catch my only hope of surviving. Long fingers suddenly grabbed my leg and tipped me over, releasing to let me fall down towards the ocean. I only saw him waving with a grin before he disappeared from view, the bastard! Trying to reorient my position, I didn't have enough time as I plunged head first into the water.

I felt rock scraping my left arm and I held them closer to myself, the small bottle protected by my cuffed hands against my chest. A wave slammed me against the cliff and my breath blew out in bubbles, the sudden drawback of water disorienting me as I tumbled endlessly in the sea. Curling up into a ball, I felt myself being knocked into more rocks as the salt water carried me to an unfamiliar place, my lungs burning.

At some point, I breached the surface and immediately tried to breath, swallowing a lungful of water before some more rocks pushed my head under again. Then the water became calm and I hovered, unsure of which way up was. With what little air was in my lungs, I let out a few bubbles and watched as they went to the right. I followed them, kicking as hard as I could with my legs until I finally found air.

Coughing and taking huge gulps of the blessed oxygen, I looked around to find that it was completely dark. I must have gone through an underwater cave in the cliffside. The air was stale and heavy with salt, this area had probably never been visited before. There were sounds of water gently lapping against rock walls and the soft shuffling of water running over a sandy shore.

I slowly swam towards where I heard the sandy shore and soon felt a wall. Keeping my trembling hands against the wet surface, I followed along it until I felt a hollow in the wall. Climbing up into it, I slowly explored in the dark until I found the sandy area I heard.

Everything hurt and I removed the cuffs with some effort. Using orange fire to light the space, I found it was rather large. There was boat wreckage near the back that was dry enough to make a fire, which was great since I was not just shivering from the drug effect anymore.

Cold, wet, poisoned, and sitting near the fire, I looked at the small bottle in my hand with it's liquid red contents in it. I quickly unscrewed the cap and put the bottle to my lips, tipping the drink back into my mouth and swallowing. After a moment, I threw the bottle as hard as I could at the far wall, making it shatter as I laughed at my stupidity and cried in realization of my fate. The last few drops of red liquid slid down the rock wall as I cried.

It was cranberry juice.

Phew, finished. Since I had been grounded from electronics, I actually wrote more than half of this on paper with pen. But it's worth it.

I apologize for taking so long with this one again.

Please leave a review, it always helps.

Thanks from Qudirl Rider Aeona!