Ah, uh, yes, hello, it's me (ya boy). Soooo.. I'm not dead? I'm sooooo sorry I've been absent for so long, life is crazy right now and my motivation to write left me to go to the Caribbean. I'll write when I can and try to finish this story, I promise! Just a quick warning before we start: I really wasn't caught up on the manga/anime when I wrote all this (I still am not, I'm not even finished with Dress Rosa, but shhhh), so don't look too deep into the characters please!

Enjoy!

The Ball, Chapter Sixteen

"Hey, I can change by myself, thanks. I insist! Ouch, that was my hair! Oi! That's my butt! Can't I just dress myself?!"

Doflamingo's servant finally left me alone. I let out a sigh, desperate. My curiosity really made me live impossible situation. And it's going to kill me someday. You know the expression. I slowly walked towards the enormous bed that was standing in the middle of the room. A guest room, if I deducted correctly from the lack of personal touch. On the bed was a stunning dark green dress. I looked over my shoulder to see if the servant girl was not coming back before taking off my clothes and put on the dress. Just like she was made for me, she fit perfectly against my curves (or lack of). I approached the grand mirror near the closet and took a look at myself. The dress went all the way to the middle of my calf and opened slightly on my left side at half my thigh. Without a particular design, it was a simple strap dress and only offered a bit of cleavage, which I appreciated a lot. The only detail worth mentioning was the open back which exposed some skin, decorated with stripes the same colour as the dress. The more I observed myself in the mirror, the more I had difficulties recognising my reflection. I almost looked like a princess.

Getting off my little cloud, I heard the door slowly open then close. The servant came back with a package in her hands, as quiet as before. She put it on the bed and opened it. Inside was two small (and gorgeous) high heels. It apple green colour reflected the ceiling's light. Without a word, she took the desk's chair and invited me to sit on it. I did as silently asked. She then took the shoes and delicately put them on me. After, she went over the dresser and opened it to take out a makeup bag. She came back, went around me and put the kit on the bed next to her. She started to play with my hair. I closed my eyes to get the most out of the sensation of her hands in my long black hair. She certainly knew what she was doing!

"I'm Cerys by the way, nice to meet you!" I tried to engage a conversation. She stayed quiet, and I sensed her hands tense up. However, she still decided to give me her name. "Roxanne." She murmured. I was about to nod, but I fought it when I realised I wouldn't help her by doing so. I smiled instead.

"So, Roxanne, how long have you been working here?" I realised to late that my question was maybe a little too much personal. I was about to correct myself, but she cut me off. "A-a few months. M-master Doflamingo brought me in when I had nowhere to go…"

Her voice seemed rusted, like she wasn't used to speak with a louder voice. She had a cute small little voice, which was strange, coming from someone with a face as mature as hers. As she was finishing my bohemian bun and started to make me a small braid on the right side, I observed her from the corner of my eye. With her maiden uniform, she had long dirty blond hair that she put up in a messy ponytail and small blue sky coloured eyes the shape of almonds that reflected her sadness. She had a sort of melancholic beauty going on. She should be the one wearing that dress, not me.

She finished the braid and searched through the back to pull out some blush, eyeshadows, eyeliner, lipstick, and even some glitter. It was all or nothing, it seemed. Go big or go home.

She first put on the blush, then the eyeshadow (still green). Then, she applied eyeliner while I was trying not to move. She asked me to close my eyes, then look up at the ceiling.

"Are you going out with master Law, miss Cerys?" She suddenly asked me.

Surprised, I jumped and blinked. The liquid got stuck in my eye. I whined of pain while madly blinking my eye, my mouth wide open, while Roxanne panicked in front of me. I reassured her that I was fine by smiling and as soon as the pain reduced, I told her to continue. She did so, hesitant.

"I'm not going out with him…" I whispered, my heart missing a beat.

I could see it, but I was sure she was discretely smiling. It pissed me off.

"You know Law?" She shook her head. "No, but I heard of him from master Doflamingo."

I stayed silent while she did the finishing touches. After a few minutes, she cessed all activities and smiled at me. She helped me get up and guided me towards the mirror. I fought against my high heels (They wanted to make me fall, but I would not let them!) and I froze in front of the reflection. I couldn't believe what I saw. I did not recognize myself. It seemed like someone else looking at themselves in the mirror, their mouth wide open like an idiot.

"It's really me?" I asked myself, stupefied. "I'm…" Roxanne smiled. "You are magnificent, my lady." I fixed myself for a couple of seconds before I got an idea. "I want to take a picture!" As soon as I said it, I searched my back to realise I didn't have my bag. Roxanne seemed to read my mind. "If you want, I can go get your bag from the employee's room?" She proposed. I nodded vigorously. She smiled at me one last time before disappearing behind the door.

A few minutes went by without any news from the maid. To pass time, I looked around the room. I was just checking under the bed when she reappeared. She froze upon seeing my posture (my head under the bed, my butt in the air), but she didn't (dare to) say anything. I got back up, a bit flustered, until I saw my bag. I took it happily while thanking my new friend. She smiled, bowed at me before stepping out. I hurried and looked inside. In my precipitation, something escaped and fell on the ground. I picked it up and saw it was my cellphone. I opened it (force of habit) and saw a few missed calls. Ok, let's see… Home, home, home, the idiot with the Nodachi (Law), home, Luffy. Oh, Luffy called me!

…And Law, more than five freacking times… What in the hell did he wa… My eyes caught the time. 6h34 PM. Oops.. Worried about his reaction (he was a hundred percent likely going to yell at me), I dialed our home number and.. Nothing. Law's number then? Still no answer. Well, for someone who wanted to reach me, now that I'm available, he's the one ignoring me…

xXxXxXxXxXx

Law was bitter. No, furious! In fact, this felling he was having was somewhere between wanting to tear off one by one Doflamingo's toenails while pouring vinegar on it to "heal" it and eviscerate his stomach with a scalpel, get out his guts and make him eat it afterwards. Yes, when Law was angry, he could be very inspired.

He was driving fast across town, without fearing an accident. After the call of the flamingo, he searched like a mad man the address of the rich pink guy and quickly found the name of a random street slightly out of town. So he didn't have a minute to waste. He took his car keys in a hurry under the intrigued eyes of Bepo, ran down the stares four by four, almost jumped in his car, started the engine and rolled down the street at lightning speed.

It was the first time in his life he had such a fright. Never before has he felt like that. Even when his parents died, neither when he realised Doflamingo started to take an interest in him at the end of his last year of highschool, not even when he had to go to "work" for the blond who employed him. In fact, as far as his own life was involved, Law didn't even care if he died or not. He believed hard as rock that when the time would come, he would know and let death take him like an old friend. However, when Cerys was involved, his hair bristled. Just imagining her in danger, he clenched his fists and his jaw tighten. Now that she was once again a part of his life, he didn't want to let her go. Her existence gave sense to his life. My god I'm pathetic… He thought. Soon, I will transform into a prince on his white stud and I'm gonna fly to her rescue.

….

That's exactly what I'm doing right now…

Law was feeling down even more. To change his mind, he shook his head and concentrated on the road. He noticed he was almost there. He started to slow down and turned on the little path that crossed the forest. He went for another minute before the trees parted to reveal a gigantic gate. He didn't even had time to stop the engine that the two big doors opened and revealed the magnificent manor. Law had a hard time admitting he quite liked the gloomy look it gave off. His past boss always had a good eye for nice homes, he had to give him that.

Inside the front yard, there was a few cars. Going from big Mercedes to limousine (just that!), his little Toyota Corolla was the black sheep of the place. Fortunately, he didn't care about such thing. He found a spot to park his car while asking himself why they were so many people at Doflamingo's. Once his vehicle stopped moving, he cut the engine and sat there thinking for a bit. Should he go through the front door or go around? Should he use stealth? Where was the young woman anyway? What should he do if Doflamingo crossed his path? All those thoughts were thrown out the window when he saw Cerys' bike. He practically jumped out of his car.

xXxXxXxXxXx

"And then, I said to him, "Don't bother yourself with that, you're fired either way!"" The guests that were talking with the rich business man started to laugh out loud with I forced a crisped smile. What was funny about firing someone? Well, it seems I didn't understand wealthy humor.. I tried to hide a yawn and discreetly walked away. Apparently, it was subtle enough. "Where are you going, Cerys?" The guests turned my way at the same time. I was feeling uncomfortable. "I'm just going to have a tour around the mansion, so I can stretch my legs," I said, quickly trying to find an excuse. Apparently, it was good enough for them because they returned to talking among themselves. I sighed and quickly got away from the hall transformed as a ball reception. I followed along the corridor and realized all the portraits on the wall. All of them were different, yet the same. They were paintings of women and men of all ages, from past centuries. The more I advanced, the more the clothing seemed modern. Then, I arrived at the end of the corridor, where two portraits stood. The first was of a young couple in their mid-twenties. They seemed arrogant. On their right, I saw a younger version of Doflamingo, just barely an adult I think. He had an innocent look.

"The corridor we are currently in shows the lineage of the Donquixote family," murmured a feminine voice in my ear. I jumped and screamed, surprised. I spun around and saw Roxanne, just as surprised at my reaction that I was at her intervention. I put a hand to my chest to try to calm my heart down. "You scared me!" I exclaimed. She quietly apologized. I turned around to the couple's portrait. "You talked about a lineage?" She walked to my side, put her hands behind her and nodded.

"The Donquixote family goes back many generations and comes from a long line of royal blood. The ancestors of Master Doflamingo ruled over a small country in Europe until they were chased at by angry villagers going mad from the famine that occurred at the time." A lineage of kings and queens? He did have this royal atmosphere around him. Roxanne pointed at the couple in front of us. "Those two people that you see were Master Edward and Madam Rosa, Master Doflamingo's parents. They died after a tragic armed robbery. Master Doflamingo, who was only 10 years old at the time, saw the whole thing. They say that he was never the same after this."

She stopped there to let me assimilate all this information. I observed the two portraits and surprised myself by feeling pity towards the blond man. I wouldn't know what I would do, if my parents died in front of me when I was 10. I would probably become as cold as ice.

My stare went back to the maid to see her mouth open, like she was about to say something, but she changed her mind and closed it. She fixed her feet before looking up again. "Miss Cerys-" I cut her off. "Cerys. Just Cerys." She hesitated for a few seconds before going on. "Cerys. Master Doflamingo demands your presence." I blinked a couple of times before nodding. As I was going around her, I swear I heard he whisper something.

"Be careful."

xXxXxXxXxXx

Law entered the mansion by the front door and was surprised to see dozens of people with tuxedos and dresses on. Everybody looked like they came out of a fashion show. With his shirt and jeans, he looked underdresses. More than one head turned his way, but he didn't care one bit. He rapidly scanned the area to search for a familiar black hair idiot, but found her nowhere. Annoyed, he clicked his tongue and went through a random corridor. After a long pointless search through that floor, he heard a piercing voice behind him.

"I must be dreaming! If it isn't Law!"

A body violently tackled him on his back. Without any restraints, the person scrubbed their body across Law. He looked over his shoulder and saw a black-haired smiling at him. He turned back and stared in front of him.

"What do you want, Violet?" He said, disinterested. She sulked behind him. "Can't I be happy to see you after so many months?" Law shook her off his body. She smiled, mischievous. "Didn't you appreciate our time together?" She said, charming. "Our two bodies intertwined in the night, the passion in the air!"

Law turned around to shut her up, but he froze up. The young woman he worried about was standing behind them. "Cerys…" Law was at the same time relieved and worried. Did she heard what Violet said? "Law?" She said, startled. "What are you doing here?" He couldn't answer immediately, too stupefied by her appearance. With her hair beautifully done, her light make-up, her green eyes illuminating the night and even more bright because of the colour of her dress… And that dress did know how to contour all her natural features. She was magnificent. Nothing more, nothing less.

With his lack of reaction, Cerys spoke again. "Law?" He got out of his torpor. "We're going home." Cerys stayed surprised. "What? But why? And why are you here in the first place?" Not wanting to explain it to her, he crossed his arms and bored his thick-headed expression. "We're leaving. Period." Violet observed the exchange with an intrigued eye. "Who's the kid, Law?" Cerys glared at her. Kid yourself, big balloons! She thought. She didn't notice at all her hostile stare and suddenly realized something. "Ha! Could it be the little crybaby who's a part of your past?" She said while smiling to the younger girl. Cerys was furious now. And Law looked at the scene, exasperated. Violet abruptly took his arm and suggestively hugged him. "Law doesn't need a poor little virgin when he can have an experienced woman like me!" She proclaimed proudly.

Cerys opened her mouth to get back at her, but something got caught in her throat without her knowing why. She closed it and looked at the floor. "I'm going to get my bag.." She murmured for Law. She got around them quickly and ran straight ahead. Law looked her way until she disappeared. Then, he violently got out of Violet's grip and glared at he before storming off, angry. Violet smiled, victorious.

Law crossed the hall until her came back to his original point. He got outside and stopped on the steps, a sight escaping him. What could he tell Cerys to justify the behavior of the woman who was part of his dark past?

Suddenly, he heard a familiar sneer on his right. His whole body froze up from hate. "And we meet again, my dear Law," said Doflamingo's laid-back voice. Law stared at him viciously. He smiled. "Did you find your sweetheart?" Law clenched his hands. "I'll take that as a yes!" Doflamingo turned around the black-haired man. "I have a few future projects for the both of you." He got closer and closer, like a snake evaluating its prey. "Be careful…"

Law shivered from disgust while Doflamingo went back inside his mansion, laughing. He really hated that man…

xXxXxXxXxXx

I quickly walked down the hall, loosing my breath along the way. Why did I react the way I did? That woman slept with Law, and so what? Why did I care? As soon as I thought that, I felt a terrible pain clenching at my heart. My trembling hand griped the fabric of my dress, trying to tune down the sharp pain. Tears threatened to pour out. I stopped then angrily. What was going on with me!

I slowed down until I stopped completely so I could organize my thoughts (and my feelings too), but voices coming from an opened door to my left prevented me. I approached the noise. I could only pick up bits of a conversation, like the words "Foxy" or "suicide". My instincts yelled at me to run, but my curiosity got the best of me. "And the authorities bought that suicide story, those idiots!" Two laughs. "With that sliced throat, I don't know about you, but I would privilege murder." "But you forget that master Doflamingo intervened in the officers' investigation. Who could go against the authority of a man as important and rich as him?" Pause. "But it was still good work! What an angle to cut that jugular, it's just pure genius!" "Ha, you flatter me partner!"

I froze only centimeters away from the door. One single thought flown into my mind. Usopp was right.

xXxXxXxXxXx

Surprising Request

"Come on Law, just for tonight!" Law hastily got out of Violet's grip. "Let me go." She sulked, but released him none the less while promising that one day, she'll obtain what she wanted. In your dreams, thought Law. He crossed the long corridor that lead him to Doflamingo's office. Once in front, he didn't even knock and just entered directly. The blond was looking at some documents. Not started by his entrance, he put down the papers on his desk and smirked.

"Law! Good timing. Sit down." The future teacher stayed still at the door frame. "Or not. Whatever suits you." He searched through his papers and finally found what he was looking for. He put it on the end of the desk so Law could see the picture in the middle. Law approached and took it between his fingers before looking back at Doflamingo. "I have to "convince" this man to give me the money he owns you?" The blond shook his head and grinned.

"You have to kill him."