sarge1130 - Wow so many reviews from you! I love to read all of them. I'm glad you like Penguin and Sachi backstories, I had so much fun writing it, I wanted them the be the last push Law needed to finally walk away, to finally do something stead of all the planning and planning. I like to think that Doflamingo have some serious issues with how he see the world and the people in it, he is crazy and evil, but I like to believe that there is logic in his crazyness - is it even possible? Anyway thanks for all the wonderful comments! Hope you like this chapter too!
The Richmaster - I love to write Sachi and Penguin, this is the first time I dedicated myself to develop them, I'm very glad you liked it. I really believe WB have awakened his DF, but what you said is really a very good point, BB have done some really crazy shit just after taken the WB DF, it was so fast, never thought of it. I like the ideia of Law internalise his power, Law's power is OP as hell but I believe it must be really difficult to actually do something with it, it has to have some down side. Thanks for you comment and hope you like this chapter!
SEllen23 - Hi! Yes! I liked Vergo, he was a SOB, but he was also very competent. Can't blame the guy for doing his work. But I loved how Law ended him! The music, the quotes, everything was so epic! Thanks for the comment!
Okay, to begin with, I have recently finished Bioshock Burial at the Sea (fantastic I must say) and there is a part in it, with Elisabeth and Atlas that inspired me - you guys will see it!
Hope you guys like this chapter, next one is focused on Bonney! \0/
"So ... when will you try it?"
Law confused looked at Doflamingo but didn't answer.
"Don't look at me like that, you know what I'm talking about. I am patient man, but just like you I'm already at my limit. How long have it been since I let you out of your room? Three years?"
"I don't know what you're talking about."
Doflamingo smiled, but it wasn't a smile of joy, it was one of irritation.
"Let's stop pretend, be honest with me and I may take it easy on you. When you're planning to try it?"
Law was nervous, in the moment he noticed that Doflamingo was taking him to his bedroom, Law knew something was about to happen. But nothing he was feeling got even close to how he felt in that very moment.
When they entered Doflamingo bedroom, he saw Vergo locking the door and stood in front of it, guarding it like a furious dog.
When Law saw himself on that situation he already knew that Doflamingo not only knew about his plan to escape, but he also got tired of it.
And to protect himself, he pretended to not understand the reason behind everything that was happening.
Over the years he learned how to hide his emotions, but Doflamingo also learnt how to see beyond his mask.
Doflamingo sat on his enormous bed, looked at him and smiled.
He knew that if he admitted to the crime of want to leave the Warlord, he would receive a homeric beating , but if he doesn't say anything he would also be punished and probably won't be the only one.
Law knew he was in a no win situation, but at least he could negotiate and protect Bepo, Penguin and Sachi.
"How can I answer you when you don't know how to be clear in your questions, Doflamingo?"
Law did not got his answer; he didn't even saw from where the blow came.
Vergo after hearing and seeing Law's sarcastic smile, left the door and hit him with his bamboo.
"It's Young Master for you, boy!"
"Fufufufu ... Thanks Vergo. I spoiled him too much."
Doflamingo then crouched down and helped Law to sit.
"I'm talking about your betrayal. I know you want to betray me, I let this game and your childish tantrum continue because I found it interesting. But now I'm tired of it. So do tell me how and when you plan to betray me."
Law remained silent only staring Doflamingo, which in turn, kind of admired with Law's stubbornness, took off his hat, smoothed his hair and wiped the blood on his lips.
If Law didn't know better, the smile on Doflamingo's face could be seen as one of love and care, but he knew better – maybe somewhere in that disturbed mind it was love, but Law knew that nothing good could come out of it.
Smiling Doflamingo held Law's chin and with his thumb he caressed Law's lip before continuing to speak.
"If you don't tell me what I want to know, I can call your little friends here. The bear has seen it before, but your new colleagues don't. Do you think they will like the show? I bet they will tell me what I want before I even start."
Law looked angry at him and quickly stretched his arms trying to hit him on the chest, but Doflamingo jumped back laughing.
"Fufufufu. Trying to electrocute me? Good attack, Law, a very good attack."
A good attack that wouldn't go unpunished.
Vergo came close to hit him again, but Law teleported away from him, however before he could teleport again, this time out of the bedroom...
"Parasite"
And Law couldn't move, he couldn't do anything – he knew what was going to happen, Doflamingo was sitting on the bed smiling at him while moving his fingers and he was walking right into the Warlord's arms - his mind worked nonstop trying to think in a way out of the situation, he was so immersed in it that he didn't even notice when Penguin entered the bedroom.
~~~~ Penguin ~~~~
Penguin was finding it strange, in the very moment Sachi decided to implement their follies in the submarine; Law began to visit them less and less.
He came to question it, but Law had only said that Doflamingo was asking for him to participate in more business meetings.
He accepted this, and they continued to do their chores.
One day, however Law came with good news, Sachi would have all the equipment he needed - courtesy of Doflamingo's customers.
In their excitement they did not questioned how it was possible.
Money, equipment, information, they had nothing and in a blink of an eye they have everything they need.
They didn't question but deep down they knew that Law was getting those things behind Doflamingo's back.
The fact was that in the moment Doflamingo invited Law to fully participate in the negotiations, Law actually began to negotiate.
This unfortunately didn't go unnoticed by Doflamingo. At first he thought it was 'cute', his little Law was so manipulative, cynical and poisonous, just like him. But the joy soon passed and Doflamingo began to feel betrayed.
He knew what Law intended to do, but Law had never did anything.
He was fine with that, hope was a good thing to have, as long as Law have it, he can manipulate it to bind the young man to his person.
However that had changed, Law really wanted to go away and he was actually doing something about it.
Doflamingo couldn't let that happen, and so he decided to clarify to Law his opinion on Law's plans and behaviors and he called Vergo to help him to mark his position on Law's mind.
It took a few weeks for Penguin to notice that something was seriously wrong, it took a few weeks for Vergo to arrive. And Penguin without telling anything to anyone ran as ever before, he didn't care that the Palace was out of bounds, he desperately ran, ran, and ran through the corridors.
Till he saw an enormous door, and something told him that this was the room he needed to be, he entered without flinching and what he saw marked him forever.
Vergo was looking at him, his back to the scene that was happening.
He held his fear and looked at what was happing behind the big man - in the bed, Doflamingo and Law. It was evident that Law was trying to free himself of something he couldn't see and that was clearly hurting him.
Penguim could see the cuts on Law's wrists and neck.
"What the hell is going on here?"
"Fufufu, look, Law. We have company! Why don't we make a little show for him? Or will you tell me what I to know? "
Penguin couldn't take his eyes from the scene, he gathered all his courage because he saw that Law had done the same, he could see this on how the tears didn't fall of Law's eyes even when they were clearly there - he advanced, on his mind he had already decided, he would take Law away from Doflamingo even it means fighting the Warlord.
But Vergo didn't let him act - putting Haki on his bamboo and he hit Penguin right into his neck making him fall to the ground.
That had hurt a lot, but Penguin got up again, clicking his neck.
"You're lucky, boy. That should have broken your neck."
Penguin was scared, but he knew that if anyone could take a beating that someone was him. And again he tried and again he fell to the ground, and again and again and again until he can no longer get up on his feet.
"Stop it!" Penguin could hear Law screaming
"You haven't learned your place, boy?" Vergo told to him, stepping on his back.
"My place is next to Law! My Captain! "
And that made Doflamingo release his hold on Law, that quickly put his shirt back on and stared at Penguin in shock.
"Law? Your Captain? YOUR ?! " and Doflamingo was up. "Law is MY, MY! He belongs to ME. "
But Law held Doflamingo's coat
"Doffy ..."
Doflamingo pulled his coat back and sneered at Law.
"Don't take me for a fool, Law. I know you want to stab me in the back…"
Law's eyes are big, he didn't show resistance against the man, but he didn't give up completely because he knew Penguin needed him.
"I-I was stealing your money, re-negotiated with your buyers, I want to irritate you, to broke you but I don't want to kill you, I don't deny that it crossed my mind, but I need you."
"You what?"
"Let me heal Penguin and I will tell you everything ..."
"Tell everything to me and I might let you help your friend."
Law was thinking for a while, and Penguin never felt so out of control of his own life.
"I needed your money and your contacts; your death isn't an advantaged to me. But I can't stand it anymore, I can't stand live here with you, I can't stand look at your face! "
Doflamingo slapped Law and began walking toward the Penguin.
"WAIT! You wanted the truth I'm telling you the truth! Let him go, he and the others, they will leave and never come back, I don't care, just let them go and I will stay forever here, I will stay with you. I swear! "
Doflamingo stopped and Penguin can see the man pondering, before smiling and get away from him.
"Heal him."
Law ran to him and he can feel his bones being put back together.
Law seriously looked at him; there was no emotion on his face, his words were cold and without any emotion.
"Take your things and go."
"But..."
"I'm not asking."
As soon as he could stand up, Penguin looked at Law and ran.
Of one thing he was aware, he have to leave that place, they all have to leave and it have to be now, that was Law's first order as their Captain.
~~~~ NEAR THE SUBMARINE ~~~~
"Sachi! Sachi "
Sachi looked at him without understanding what was happening.
"What's it?"
"The submarine, is it invisible to radars?"
"Well ... I think so, at least Bepo can't feel it, and neither those bizarre fishes from Green Bit."
"There is nothing suspect in the submarine?"
"No, why...?"
"Get on it now! We have to go, Do- "
And Sachi was hit by a gunshot, he looked surprised still trying to process what was hapenning as he fell to the ground, Penguin didn't take even a second to think, he took Sachi on his arms and ran into the submarine.
"Sachi! How do we disappear? Sachi ?! "
The submarine was submerging; from inside they could hear the gunshots hitting the metal. It was just a matter of time, Baby 5's fire power could damage them and if Machvise got there before they submerge for completly that would be their death.
"Shit, who had the idea to paint it yellow?!"
"80 right, then dive to 3000 feet, we will be in a dark area."
Penguin obeyed Sachi.
On the outside, Gladius called for Dellinger.
"Go! Look for them!"
Dellinger dove into the water, but he couldn't see where they were, they seemed to have gone, he sought, swam and went even deeper, but nothing.
They should be there because there is no way a submarine could move that fast, but his eyes didn't see a thing. He was confused because what he knew didn't matches what he was seeing.
"They are gone, I can't find them. Where is Jora with her submarine? "
Inside the submarine Penguin saw Sachi standing and panicked.
"What are you doing up? You got shot! "
"I know, but did not seem to have hit anything … important."
Penguin approached and saw that Sachi had a hole that goes through his body; the bullet went in and out, leaving a perfect hole. Only with Sachi something like that could happen.
"But you have a hole on your body!"
"I know. And it hurts, but I'm breathing normally ... see" He told Penguin while breathing in and out to prove his point.
"Aaaah ... damn... okay. So where is Bepo? "
Sachi smiled and pointed the coordinates to Penguin, they has to get to Bepo, warn him and get ready to go back.
~~~~ BEPO ~~~~
"What? Where is the captain? "
"He stayed there, we only escaped thanks to him." Penguin crestfallen said.
Bepo wasn't angry, he was worried. Doflamingo again put others in a situation where they had to leave Law behind and alone. He wondered if they were just a bunch of cowards and weaklings, or if leaving was actually the best of choices.
"What you guys suggest?" Bepo asked them.
"Give me a week and your strength; and this submarine will be the fastest the world has ever known."
Penguin looked suspiciously at Sachi.
"We run the risk of blowing up, doesn't?"
Sachi shook his head from side to side, but did not deny.
"If we go back we run the risk of dying, and risk by risk I bet our Captain would rather die at sea than in Doflamingo's hands."
"Huuuum ... aaaah okay. What do you need? "
Sachi smiled proudly before saying "I don't need anything; our Captain took care of that."
He spent a little over a week until everything was ready.
~~~~ LAW ~~~~
And for a week Law remained stuck in the room, this time the prison wasn't only psychological, it was also physical. Doflamingo cuffed him to his bed using Kairoseki chains.
He was weak, they only gave him one meal a day, and without his powers he couldn't heal quickly.
Doflamingo left him alone most of times, and mock him, he always left books and journals on the bed – this time not medical, but political. Doflamingo even told him that he lacked political acknowledgment that he is ignorant of the world and how it works. That he should read and see that he doesn't have where to run.
"You said something to them?"
It was the same question every damn time and the answer didn't matter, Vergo was always called and he ended up begging for Doflamingo to stop Vergo.
"No."
He knew what Doflamingo wanted to know, he wanted to know if he had told Bepo and others something about Whitebeard or Kaido, about the SMILES and most importantly on what was inside the SMILES.
It was repeated for days, he just wanted food, he just wanted Doflamingo to show a gesture of affection, anything would do, and he would do everything to end it.
But Doflamingo had actually considered his action a betrayal and after a decade during which he lived next to Doflamingo, he knew that if there was a thing Doflamingo did not forgive, it was treason.
"I am a benevolent man. I forgive the mistakes of my subordinates, but I don't forgive betrayal. You know what you did, Law? "
Doflamingo said while he stroked Law's hair - Law who was lying with his head on the Warlord's lap didn't move, his whole body ached, he knew he had broken bones, his throat was dry, and he was starving.
He didn't answer, not because he didn't know, but because he had no strength to do so.
"You betrayed me. If you had tried to stab me or shoot me, I would have understood it. But manipulate my buyers, take my money behind my back, blatantly lie to me ... this is serious. "
Law used his last strength to hold his crying, he would not cry, he would not give this pleasure to Doflamingo.
Never.
"And that wasn't even the worst. You chose them over me. I did everything for you and I gave everything to you. I have always loved you with all my heart. "
Upon hearing that Law couldn't contain the laughter.
"Heart ... you don't know what it is."
Doflamingo sobered before answering.
"I know. Heart was what you took from me, putting my own brother against me, my brother betrayed me. He chose you; he loved you and died for you. Who are you? Hmm? And yet I love you and what you do to me? Betrays me, betrays my dedication, my trust, my love. "
Doflamingo sighed and kissed Law's forehead. He looked at Law's face, his eyes clearly showing that he in his own distorted way really holds Law dear, in fact Law was so like him and meant so much to him that he could not bear the truth that Law despises him.
So he whispered something on Law's ear, for it didn't matter if Law heard or not – but at least he could savor the moment, the look on Law's face.
"I will miss you."
And then Law can feel his body being trapped by strings and his head being held so hard that he felt as if it were being split in two.
"You know, I also read a book or two about medicine, Law."
Law was entering a panic, what Doflamingo intended to do?
"It will hurt a little, but later you will not even remember it..." Doflamingo pulled Law's head back and inserted a string into his nostril "... now stand still, none of us want you dead."
And little by little a huge pain on his head that only increased made Law scream with all his strength, the little movement he had, he did, it hurt too much and worse of all - he knew what Doflamingo was doing, it was worse than the death.
He screamed in pain, despair, and for help.
The screaming got the attention of everyone in the palace.
Taking advantage of that, Bepo, Sachi and Penguin entered inside the Palace.
The guards didn't stopped them because they were accustomed to seeing them around the place, and the executives and officials were all gathered in another corner of the palace and had not seen them.
The only one person who saw them was a beautiful brunette girl. She didn't agree with at was happening, because she somehow found herself hostage to the same man that was making the young man scream desperately. And although she only seen the boy who was screaming twice on her life, she wanted him to run away - so she didn't say anything to anyone, and left the bear and the other two boys enter into the palace.
They could hear the screaming and as they ran through the halls they felt the tremor, knowing who it was they separated, each going through a different direction - they already had everything planned, Bepo and mini-explosives, Sachi and the path and Penguin and the distraction.
Bepo burst out the door soon followed by Penguin - They both attacked one on the right the other on the left side of the Warlord, while Sachi completely ignoring everything got close to Law e Doflamingo and exploded part of the Kairoseki chain, further hurting Law's foot and ankle and also burning his own hand.
Doflamingo didn't react, he just smiled and quickly, Machvise, Gladius and Vergo arrived.
"Sachi, take the Law and get out of here!"
Penguin and Bepo knew they had no chance against them; they were quickly subdued, but they refused to concede defeat.
They would not fall so easily, they need to give Sachi all the time he needed to bring Law to a safe place.
Sachi ran like never before, he could hear the hum of shots passing him, his own wound was already bleeding, and the sound of something in the sky drawn his attention.
Doflamingo was already coming towards them with a glowing whip.
There was no escape, Doflamingo wouldn't let them leave with Law, they knew it, but they would die trying.
When suddenly they all disappeared.
~~~~ WEST GROUP ~~~~
Nami and Sanji had stopped talking and Usopp looked scared. Penguin had said what they thought he said?
Sanji was madder by what he heard but he had to admit it made sense, his nakamas had explained to him what Law's true purpose was to Doflamingo. But Law had never been under the Warlord's control and doing that, however cruel it was, would guarantee a totally obedient Law.
~~~~ EAST GROUP ~~~~
Robin was surprised, she didn't expect it, but even that made sense. Law never told them anything because he simply did not remember, the simply fact that he has memories and even a personality was thanks to his nakamas.
Brook stopped playing and Franky started crying, it was inhuman.
~~~~ NORTH GROUP ~~~~
They are peacefully walking when Law suddenly fell to the ground.
Luffy quickly got close to him and then he could see cuts appearing on Law's wrists.
"Let me see!"
"No!"
Bepo was fast and took Luffy away from Law.
"What are you doing? He needs help!"
"It's too late, I'm sorry."
Luffy looked confused at Bepo and gave a snarl for the bear to release him. Luffy then came close to Law, knelt in front of him without and touching him quietly spoke to him.
"Torao? Are you there? Are you alright?"
"Do I look alright, idiot?!"
"Shihihi ... he is fine!" Luffy said with a smile, but then his attention turned to Law when he began to speak.
"I remembered som ... I need to write ... I need ..."
They looked for something, anything that they could write on.
"Aaaaargh ... Quickly! Shiiit!" Law hold his head and started to screaming incessantly, then he despairingly looking at Luffy and said: "Straw-hat-ya, you need to listen to me ... "
~~~~ SOUTH GROUP/PAIR ~~~~
"Zorooo! Stop! You're going the wrong way! "
Zoro then stopped "Damn."
And Chopper was almost on Zoro's side when he stopped as well.
Zoro felt a presence and put his hand on his sword, ready to attack.
And Chopper after two sneezes knew there was someone else there.
Only a few seconds after they realize this, from the shadows, a child with pink hair appeared with her hands raised in surrender and approached them.
"Don't attack me. We have to talk. "