Disclaimer: One Piece is not mine. It's Oda-sensei's. The LawxLuffyxAce coverimage is NOT mine, either.
…
"It's the end of your alliance." Doflamingo told him with that smug smile, the abnormally gigantic forest of Green Bit as his backdrop. He could hear the throbbing of his own heart, mix of anxiety and anger in his veins, as he glared as his enemy. "Your partner—Strawhat Luffy—has already fallen into my trap!"
Law frowned deeper at this, concerned for everyone's safety as much as the mission's, not that he'd ever say so out loud. "She's now fighting a gladiator match in my Colosseum." The shichibukai said, arrogance oozing out of him. "There's no way she'll come out there alive."
Despite the burning of annoyance in his blood, Law wasn't convinced with the man's words. For someone who claimed to know he was not like those who underestimated the crew and had been bitten in the end, Doflamingo seemed to underestimate her abilities rather often. He did not have much time to dwell on those thoughts, however, as the Shichibukai raised his hand—sharp threads reflecting the sun's rays—for the finishing blow.
"Stop." It was Fujitora, and Doflamingo—haughty expression replaced by a deep frown—stopped his attack. "I am here to arrest and not to kill" The marine said, just before he proceeded on containing him with his ability.
Law thought it felt like an elephant sat on his back, but it was better than the alternative.
In any case, he needed some time to get out of this situation. So, as he got used to the consistent gravity field holding him in place, he willed his head to turn to Doflamingo. "Why… why this country?" He asked, buying himself time, though a part of him really was curious. Whichever the case, the narcissistic Doflamingo was happy to share.
"19 of 20 kings abandoned their kingdoms and went to live in Mariejois, leaving their old kingdoms to elect new kings." The man grinned. "Dressrosa was ours. Riku simply… took care of it for us."
He's a celestial dragon? No wonder he's an asshole.
It was here that Law gathered enough energy to use his ability to escape Fujitora's gravity by switching with a boulder. He sprinted to his left and grabbed Caesar, making the bastard squeal for help, and his eyes darted to the Strawhats so he could send the scientist to Zou with them. But Doflamingo saw through his plan and shifted his attacks to the ship.
Law's eyes widened as he saw the shichibukai fly to the Sunny Go and he could almost hear her crew screaming in terror. Doflamingo did not hesitate as he gestured to kill them. He was not going to make it in time.
Shit
It was here that Blackleg appeared, flying, and he let out the breath was holding. As blackleg fought, Law prepared to intervene, knowing that soon the shichibukai will overpower the cook.
Blackleg handled the shichibukai valiantly, and Law admitted the man was greatly skilled. However, soon what he feared happened and Doflamingo once again summoned his thread for the kill.
An image of her crew getting slaughtered by his arch enemy… one by one… flashed inside his head and he sees how she would have taken it.
Images of her wake after Marinefold flashed.
By instinct, he gathered his remaining strength and summoned an impossibly large room to rescue them.
And fortunately, he knew of Doflamingo's few soft spots for his so-called 'family'. Law, after throwing a captured Caesar to the Sunny, took Jora hostage so the ship could get away to Zou as per his instruction, leaving him alone with Doflamingo.
"LEAVE! The others will follow!" He yelled. They hads to, Doflamingo was already deadly on his own, and now Fujitora was lifting a whole marine ship and was about to throw it at them. "Go to the sea where there are no clouds! Doflamingo will not be able to follow you there!"
And they left, albeit begrudgingly, but they wouldn't have had much of a choice.
"That was foolish, Law." His arch-enemy's voice pulled him back to where he was. They were now facing each other at the bridge, Jora between them with neck threateningly near his sword. Then the man shrugged, haughty expression pasted on his face, before eyes turned menacing and tone mocking. "I really don't know what you got against me."
Moments of silence passed by them, aura of annoyance and anger mixing in the air, a flood of painful memories gathered inside his head. "You will pay for what you did all thirteen years ago." Law said, anger boiling inside his body every time he remembered. "To Cora.
"Even if it kills me."
戳刺感
CHAPTER 20: PARESTHESIA
The most common types of Paresthesia is of the hands, feet, legs, and arms. At the moment, he is feeling uncomfortable in his lower back.
Trafalgar Law is currently sitting on a massive chair inside Doflamingo's throne room, hands strapped on the armrests with kairoseki cuffs. It is mostly a haze after the events of Green bit, at first due to his anger, then due to the pain.
All he can remember is getting beaten by Doflamingo, his ability running out of steam, and being shot by Doflamingo's bullet strings repeatedly. "You can only have a plan like this if you trusted Strawhat." Doflamingo said to him then. "How can you trust her so much?" Law only smirked at the time, confidently, and told him because he knew the "D" will be blowing a storm again.
And it will. Even when he may not be there to see it.
He remembers being beat up a little more, then grabbed by the neck and forcibly taken back to Dressrosa, promptly thrown to the ground like javelin.
Law remembers the coliseum and her panicked face behind its bars. It is odd how he can still hear her voice despite the pain in his body and the ringing in his ears, her screams when Doflamingo shot him still echoing inside his head.
The sound of the door creaking open takes him away from his reverie. It is Fujitora. Law sees Doflamingo grin at his ally and stood up, gesture welcoming. This, to Law's surprise, makes the Admiral frown. Doflamingo's posture turns similarly colder and the two powerful men stare each other down. Law and the other people and officers in the room watch as the wind changes to something a little more sinister.
"Helping you… does not mean we are on the same side." Fujitora says, correcting, looking grim as he walks a step closer. "If Mugiwara's goal is to kill you, then she will cause massive damage in the attempt alone.
"I will take care of Strawhat." He continues. "Then I will deal with you."
Doflamingo seems both amused and annoyed by this. "What did you say?" Threatening aura looming over him, despite his smile. The marine admiral is not shaken.
"I am just a newbie, recently drafted. But when I was appointed as Admiral there is one thing I wish to do." Doflamingo raises his eyebrows, while Fujitora remains stern. "It is to abolish the seven shichibukai system!"
Law sees Doflamingo wince a little and if Law has any energy left… he would've smirked.
…
The minutes pass by slowly in Doflamingo's throne room, with him perpetually worrying of how the others are doing. They should be in the factory by now, while the Zou group should well away from the island.
He passively watches Doflamingo speak with his so-called Family and soldiers, shooting one when he laughs at Pica for having his high-pitched voice. Law listens as he threatens the newcomers, telling them no one can dare to laugh at his family.
Law wants to scoff at this, knowing what Doflamingo has done to his own little brother.
He watches as some of his officers are assigned to their posts, and he watches as the television is opened. Doflamingo turns to him, grinning in that sinister way of his, waving at the contraption. "Look Law, look how your partner is stuck in the Colosseum while you're in here, strapped to a chair."
He ignores the quip and narrows his eyes to watch the television.
"Who is that?" He muses, looking at the screen showing the coliseum fight, eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
It is apparently the final round of the contest and he realizes something was very very different about 'Lucy'. That is not Mugiwara. That isn't even a woman. It is a miracle how they could pull of a switch with such physical discrepancies, and that he noticed immediately only because he's a doctor.
Could it be the cape?, he asks himself. "Capes are cool" she once told him, and suddenly he isn't feeling as numb anymore.
Though he soon notices the new guy knew many of Luffy's habits well—how she tends to scratch her head every time something unusual happens, how she tilts her head right after, how she raises her arms when she's excited. He is mimicking so much of her habits so accurately.
Who is this guy?
Sometime during the match—around the time 'Lucy' begins fighting with a Blackbeard pirate—he sees Doflamingo's posture change. Law narrows his eyes at the former Celestial dragon, who leans down a little and stiffly places his hand on the top of the machine. Law turns his sights back to the screen and sees pixels of light appearing all around the colosseum. His eyebrows furrows and with his peripheral vision he sees the same light floating outside the window. Whatever is happening is evidently occurring throughout the country.
The phones around the room explodes to near-simultaneous, continuous, and urgent rings; the officers and the soldiers obviously panicking. Doflamingo answers the den den mushi directed to him.
He hears Trebol's nasal voice, he was definitely in tears. "Sugar…. Sugar…. SUGAR HAS FAINTED!"
Law looks back at his only connection to the colosseum and realizes that those pixel of lights were due to the toys turning to humans. His eyes widens slightly and realizes he should've known. Something so vile would only be done by someone like Doflamingo.
In any case, he doesn't bother to fight the wisp of a smirk that touches his face as he sees the man's veins pop, livid.
"Those…. Damned pieces of shit!"
Now he hopes that Mugiwara and her entire crew managed to destroy the factory, too, and escape to safety.
Still, this is a step towards the right direction, and he breathes out a sigh of relief.
…
His eyes open abruptly as he feels a presence suddenly appearing and jumping into the hallway window.
It is a one-legged man—a soldier—who is heading directly towards Doflamingo. "FOR MY COUNTRY! GIVE US BACK OUR PEACE! THE REAL DRESSROSA!" he yells as he effortlessly slashes the minions and directly beheads his arch-enemy.
His eyes is wide and for that one, short, moment he is hopeful—Doflamingo? Dead?—but it doesn't last a second because he knows what Doflamingo is:
A monster.
It simply can't be that easy.
Then—as if the universe decided to kick him out of his somber mood—a familiar voice echoes in the direction of the halls. "OI! LLAAAAWWW!" His heart stops a little as he places the voice, whipping his head to her direction. Sure enough, it's her, wearing that shit-eating grin on her face. "Glad you're alive!"
His voice is lost to him for a moment, though he quickly formulates what he says next. "You have no business here, Mugiwara!" He yells, and he frowns at her lack of affirmation. It is true. She has no business being here, placing herself in danger that is uncalled for. "What about the factory?"
She does not hear the venom in his words. Instead, she holds out a key and goes to sit beside him. "Give me a minute! I'll rescue you!"
Law frowns, fear that had subsided reemerging from the pit of his stomach. Doflamingo will reappear soon, Law knows, and she shouldn't be here when that happens. "Thanks, but the alliance is over." He says, swiftly. "Get out of here!"
She just makes a face. "How selfish!" "I make the decisions here! Shut up!"
That makes you more selfish!
Law's eyebrows has never been so furrowed as she try to set him free. She can't be here. She had to get out. So, as she struggles to get the key in, he yells again that this was none of her business. The alliance is over, he repeats. "If you release me I'll kill you!"
"So noisy!" She yells back, peeved. "And stop moving!"
Law gapes and for a moment there he seems calmer as if unconsciously listening to her orders. His eyes stays on her as she tries (unsuccessfully) to set him free. Her forehead is knotted in concentration, though it doesn't last as she heaves out an annoyed sigh. "…gosh this is hard." She mutters without looking at him, shakily holding the seastone keys.
Law tries to push down a small smirk creeping up his face.
"By the way a lot has happened." She mumbles because concentration is simply not her forte. She points at a dark-haired woman behind her, ignoring the shocked soldiers and officers remaining, who were then gaping at the beheaded body on the carpet. Law follows her fingers. "This is Vio-chan, she's Rebecca's aunt."
One his eyebrows rise and about to ask who Rebecca is, but then he remembers how angry he should be feeling right now. He does not voice it out, however, though if it was due to fatigue, pain, or something else he isn't entirely sure.
"Then there's the toy soldier who's apparently Rebecca's dad. He's the one who sliced Mingo's head—Urgh this is hard!" She finally huffs out, practically raising her hands in defeat. "You do it Vio-chan!"
"I can't do that!" The woman whispers vehemently. Unlike Luffy, she cannot ignore the presence of enemies in the room. "I'm a devil fruit user too!"
Luffy stares, then looks back at his handcuffs, puffs her cheek, and tries to get him out again, just before belatedly remembering his question about the factory. "It's a really long story." She says. "The factory team attacked the port along with little people—they're so cute—and targeted a girl named Sugar." "She turns people into toys." "She fainted because of Usopp's face. HAHAHA"
Law stares. Luffy continues.
"While Franky deals with the factory, Violet over there showed us a way here. To you."
"And then there's Sanji and the others, heading for Zou, which you already know." She pauses, and sends him a warm smile. "Thanks for saving them."
This time Law does not push down his smirk.
…
Sabo thinks the port is even bigger than they thought.
"I…I didn't think there could be a place like this under the island." Rebecca comments, looking around her in a mix of awe and worry. Sabo hears the people falling from the arena shuffle behind him and tells Rebecca to walk deeper with him. The princess nods in assent and he allows himself to absorb his surroundings.
His analytic eyes takes in the sight, calculating how many ships are docked at that moment, and how much more the port can take. "Tsk." A single day of work in there—especially with the toy slaves—could easily have supplied two opposing countries simultaneously.
It is then that he sees Hardujin is standing solemnly not too far from him, but he flinches when he realizes that the giant is carrying one of Luffy's crewmates, the long nose. He gestures to attack the giant when he sees the latter's expression. It is solemn and he realizes the crowd below—former toys, from the looks of it—have similar expressions.
Then they started chanting.
"God Usopp! God Usopp!"
He couldn't help but laugh.
…
Bartolomeo finds his great senpai standing with the pink-haired girlie after dusting the dirt off his clothes. As he walk to them, more and more stars seems to appear around his great senpai. He is so amazing—not that he expects anything less from the brother of Luffy-senpai and the late Ace-sama (*sobs*). The way he got that fruit, found the sensitive core to this place, and how he uses the Flare-flare fruit effortlessly makes his heart beat wildly with admiration.
So COOL—
In any case, he joins with them and they walk towards a girl, that fish dude whose hand he broke in the colosseum, and…
And…?
Is that…?
Could that be—?
ROBIN-SENPAI!?
His feet stops on their tracks, frozen, as he takes in the sight that is Robin-senpai. She's so beautiful! So smart! So sexy! He feels like he's going blind! Ohmygoshohmygosh—
"What is he doing here?" an unwelcome voice pulls him out of his reverie and he sends him his default annoyed face. It is the fishman karate dude and it is the great senpai who introduces him.
"Ah, he's with me." Great senpai starts.
He thinks he can die now.
"He's apparently a fan—a supporter of Luffy."
More like a loyal follower and willing slave, though Bartolomeo is too dumbstruck being a meter away from both Luffy-senpai's brother and Robin-senpai to respectfully correct him.
"Oi! Stop dancing!" He falls on his feet without realizing the cause. He blinks and soon finally gathers that there are very tiny people near his feet. He does not even get angry at them because his sights end up on a familiar long nose.
He has seen it somewhere. He feels he should recognize it. He feels it in his heart.
He turns to Robin-senpai. "Robin-senpai!"
"Hmn?
"L-Let me be your slave—GAH!" He catches himself, shakes his head, and minutely point at the very injured long-nose lying on the floor with the little people. "By any chance, Is he…by any chance… is he a strawhat?"
"Yes." Robin-senpai smiles (angelically) and if he isn't preoccupied with this person his heart would've stopped. It can stop later, he thinks.
He looks at the familiar nose and mentally flips through all the wanted poster he has of the crew, finally ending up on the great Sogeking-senpai, the sniper who shot the government flag—the one who officially declared war against the world—for one nakama.
GYAAAAAAAAAAAA—
Best. Day. Ever.
…
ROYAL PALACE
Meanwhile, back in the palace, Doflamingo Donquixote's menacing voice echo within the massive chamber. His officers and soldiers breathe out in relief, while his enemies stiffen in nerves.
"Oh? How optimistic." He says in response to Luffy's vow of defeating him. Law's jaw tightens and sends Mugiwara-ya, who is still struggling with the key, a tentative look. His fist clenches, nervous, and it is more for her than for him. He really has nothing else to lose after all, unlike her.
"Let's see if I got everything:" A pause, just before Doflamingo continues to drawl on. "The kingdom is in chaos, the revolutionary army is here for some reason, and the royal palace is a mess…"
"HOW CAN YOU STILL BE ALIVE?!" The gladiator, Kyros, yells as he runs for Doflamingo once more. He fights off the soldiers and Baby 5, arriving at the headless corpse on the ground in an attempt for a final blow.
The air changes then and he unconsciously grips the arm as he feels a surge of dark aura appearing in the room. "You want to know how to kill someone?" another form of Doflamingo appears behind the gladiator, legs raised, and with a kick he slices the entire upper part of the palace.
Law gulps and looks at where the gladiator is, knowing Luffy has gotten to him, hopefully in time. And she has, for now, and Doflamingo twists mid-air for another attack—with his clone, reconstructing itself—one that Mugiwara barely manages to avoid.
She pushes the one-legged soldier away and uses her enhancing technique. "Jet Gatling!" She yells, but Doflamingo's armament is not even dented. She continues to attack him and while it can create some cracks, his heart stops as he sees the clone appear behind her and kicks her to the other side of the room.
"LUFFY!" It's an involuntary yell, one that he hasn't known he uttered until it already echoed across the room. This unfortunately catches Doflamingo's attention, and the two Doflamingo's robotically turn their heads to him, curious.
It is then that Pica materializes from the floor, whatever Doflamingo's thinking momentarily forgotten. "You called for me, master?"
"Ah, yes." He says, before turning to the intruders. "You see… I have no choice but to use the birdcage."
Law's eyes widens and his chest clenches as the flood of nightmares pass through his head. He does not even realize he is thrown in the air—on the chair—until he feels his stomach dropping. Law clenches his teeth by instinct while he hears the screams of Viola and the King. Some dozen meters above ground, Luffy gulps massive amounts of air and uses her ballooning technique to soften their fall.
Luffy abruptly releases the air and he drops, with his chair shattering in the process, giving him a bit more freedom of movement than before.
They do not even get the chance to breathe as the ground shakes wildly making Luffy, who is already standing, to fall down again. The ground does not calm for many seconds that follow and soon the entire palace literally rises up along with the plateau—no doubt Pica's doing—pulling the entire fabric of the town like tablecloth. By the time the ground calmed down, buildings a block apart have collided, the palace is already at an average mountain's height, and the unattached plateau over half its height.
He sees her waving with his peripheral vision, as if it can hear. "GAH! THE PALACE! COME BACKKK!" And as if hearing her yells, a person finds them. It is the pirate hunter. Law watches the two's simultaneous relieved grins.
"Oi, Luffy! There you are!"
Luffy raises her arms in glee. "ZORO!"
The one-eyed swordsman catches his stare and he stares back, before turning his head to Luffy, then to their two new companions. Luffy points her raised hands to the two, introducing them as Vio-chan and Old man King, respectively.
Zoro opens his mouth to ask who they are when a line of string shoots up to the sky like a massive beam. Law pales, knowing what it is, and this catches the former princess' attention. "What is it? What is the birdcage?"
Law doesn't answer immediately as he watches the beam diverge equidistant to each other, raining to the ground and forming an umbrella he knows to be lethal to anyone it touches. "The birdcage." He utters. "Is Doflamingo ultimate technique. It traps everything inside, each strand so sharp it even cuts radio signals."
The king's eyes widens. "So we cannot ask for help…" Law nods before continuing.
"It will give him an even more massive cover for his parasite sting. He can control people in the entire island now." He closes his eyes to calm himself, memories of his last witness of the brutality it has caused. Both Viola and the King appears to have similar thoughts, no doubt remembering what the parasite sting has done to their beloved country. "Before the truth behind this country is revealed… he locked us in."
He opens his eyes, a fresh wave of urgency showing. "He plans to kill everyone on the island!"
Law sees the stiffening in Luffy's posture, and he sees the swordsman sense this as well. By instinct, he tries to move his hand only to remember he is tied. At his periphery he sees Viola recalling the key, and proceeding in attempting to find its location. Law's attention, however, is drawn back by his partner.
It is Roronoa Zoro who approaches her and pats her head to calm her, making Law's lips purse. And her stiff posture does soften, an inevitable rash move from her—probably jumping of the cliff with him still handcuffed—momentarily delayed.
"Citizens of Dressrosa!" They all turn to the nearest screen on the birdcage, moment broken. It is Doflamingo, wearing that disturbing grin and Law has no doubt he has another sinister plan in place. "As you can see, no one will be able to get out of this country. Not even your calls for help."
They hear bazookas and gunshots and screams from the town below. "People will start attacking each other randomly—even those whose job it is to protect, and even the people they love."
"This is a game, see, and it will be over once you kill me." He grins. "I am here, in the palace, I will not move or hide."
"However, there is a better alternative for you." "You see there are people who rebelled against this country and caused chaos. Help me kill these 12, and the game will end as well." "I will even give price money. A hundred million each star."
Then he grins. "Everyone is a hunter now."
They can almost hear the pirates chant the number from afar. He then announces the 12 rebels which no doubt includes them.
At one star there is Rebecca, Robin, Kinemon, Viola, and Franky.
At two stars it is Kyros and Zoro.
At three stars is Luffy, him, the king, and the second in command of the revolutionary army. That makes him pause, unsure why the army is here though he has an idea it has something to do with the weapons Doflamingo supplies.
There is a pause. "And then there is a man that particularly annoyed me today. The main reason you're all in this mess." And he shows a photo of the sniper, with 5 stars, and if Luffy isn't hearing the screams below them she would've been laughing right now.
His jaw tightens.
It is here that her den den mushi rings. He hears it's Nico Robin, and Luffy's tense stance is replaced by glee and relief. It is as if a wave of her old self temporarily replaced the self filled with seriousness and anger.
"Robin? Mingo's such an ass isn't he?" She says, smiling. "Usopp's bit was funny though. Hahaha—"
"OI!" The aforementioned long-nose screams. Luffy just laughs again.
"Oh, and I saw Rebecca has a star. I'm worried about her."
"She's with us!" Robin says and the said girl makes her self known by calling for her.
She is apparently a friend she made in the Colosseum, and also apparently a former princess. It'll be forever a mystery how she can befriend all sorts of people. "Luffy-san!" She calls.
"Oh, oi! Rebecca! Toy soldier is here with us—" She says excitedly, though as she looks around she realizes the one-legged man is no longer with them. This worries the other two, as well.
"The toy soldier?! He turned into a man as well, didn't he?" She asks. "What kind of person is he?"
This makes Luffy's eyebrows meet, a bit confused, though Violet explains the child probably has no idea who the toy soldier has always been. "He's your father!"
There's a pause on the other line, before they hear someone breaking into sobs. Through the cries, Luffy smiles fondly. "Sorry I couldn't let you have the Mera Mera Fruit." Luffy says apologetically, but with a smile. "Instead, I promise I'll kick Mingo's ass!
"I'm going to end this stupid game. So survive, Rebecca!"
Law stares at her, partly of admiration and mostly of disbelief because what she is doing was stupid—on so many levels. "Do you understand what you're doing?" he asks her as soon as she puts down the phone. "We planned on provoking conflict between Kaido and Doflamingo." He tells her, tone dire. "By taking him down Kaido, a Yonko, will be coming after us."
Luffy only stares at him, but she frowned. "That is not really the problem here." She just says, and he is surprised by the sudden return of seriousness in her voice. He doubts he will ever get used to the moments when she suddenly changes from the carefree girl that makes him question his sanity, to dire and serious girl wired to protect.
"Look around! If we stop now… this country! What will happen to it?"
Is she really a pirate?
But he glares at her, mad. Mad that she never thinks things through logically, seeming to always—always—choose the paths that will eventually lead to her demise. Mad at how she never listens to him.
Then he wonders what would've happened to Flevance if someone like Luffy has been there to save it.
"I need to look for the key…" he hears Violet mumble beside him. However, Luffy does not hear it and is too focused on getting to the palace.
And she grabs his and Roronoa's necks, and drags both of them to the town below—falling at a height even higher than the one they just fell from—running straight for the palace.
This girl is truly going to be the death of him, he thinks.
…
*30 seconds later*
"MUGIWARA—When I get un-cuffed! I swear I'm going to kill you first!"
"NYAHAHAHAH—that was fun."
He and Zoro whip their heads to glare at her. "No, it's not!"
Luffy has just dragged him and her first mate as she jumped all the way from the King's Plateau to the worst landing spot in the town, filled with Doflamingo's soldiers and executives.
Although only kami-sama knew when he has started to so easily lose his composure and have the energy to even argue and threaten her life like this.
"It's Law-nii!" Dellinger squeaked in surprise, though still wearing a smile, and points at the three of them. "though I never really met you before! Ahahah!"
Senor Pink with his harem stared at him. "How could you show yourself after everything!"
And by the time they stood from the jump, they are already surrounded by marines and pirates.
"Oh! This is the worst spot to land!" She announces though the perennial hint of amusement is still there. This woman—
In any case, they decide not to spend too much time there, managing to escape the officers only to experience how there really is no spot to land—everyone is the enemy. Be it pirates, marines, or civilians.
They halt when a massive group of civilians block their way, knowing they wouldn't hurt a single one. "He who shoots off at last shall not hit the mark."
They listen Fujitora walks towards them, the civilians paving way. He is a massive man, but his presence makes him feel twice as large. There are even a few citizens who loses their footing just by being near him.
"I'm going to kick Doflamingo's ass! Get out of my way!"
Fujitora remains as stern as ever, before a swift invisible weight appear above Luffy and she barely manages to avoid it. Zoro sprints with his two swords and attacks, though he is blocked by the admiral with similar skill and he is pushed back.
At this point, Luffy is still carrying him (though by the hips like a sack of rice, which he admits is embarrassing) while Zoro seems a bit distracted so he knows they are of no match at the moment.
The ground begins to move wildly again, distracting from the fight, and soon Pica's largest form appears, upper body emerging from the stone that held the palace. He is taller than the plateau now, and at least as big as the town.
Yells of despair reverberated around them. "It's all over! It's all over when he appears like that!"
"No one can fight back anymore!"
Then something high-pitch resonates and they realize it is someone talking.
"Those who rebel against our family—I will kill you!"
And then they realize that someone is the massive stone as massive as a whole town.
"PFFTTTT—HAHAHAHAHAH!" Luffy cackles her heart out. "SO HIGH! SO CUTE! HAHAHAHHAHA"
He almost laughs too, but his control of facial muscles was too good for that.
"Luffy! Stop messing with your enemies." The swordsman said but then he, too, laughs when Pica says something.
Law sighs, and he wondered when they will ever be serious about anything, really.
In any case, Pica naturally raises his arm in anger and gestures for an attack. They somehow evade it with Luffy hanging somewhere and holding on to him with her feet. When the ground calms, she escapes from the spire and lands on his stomach as if he was a cushion. She sits up and hurt his injuries even more.
He has never been treated so recklessly. Truly.
"You should learn how to handle injured living things, Mugiwara-ya." He says, returning to his old nicknames for seriousness's sake. Unfortunately, this woman rarely knows how to read the atmosphere.
"Oh. Okay." She says and promptly kneels down near his lying figure and turned away a little. He can only watch her warily as she pulls up his right arm with her right hand and hauls his whole body up and the next thing he knows she was giving him a piggy-back ride.
"W-What—" he utters and to his chagrin he could feel his face heat up. He turns at a random direction to see the swordsman gaping then glare, while Luffy just adjusts his arms so they neatly wrap around her shoulder with his legs getting dragged along the floor due to his taller height.
The only place his head could comfortably be in was her shoulder, intimidatingly close to her neck. Having no energy to keep his head away, he heaves out a heavy sigh of defeat and buried his head on her shoulder.
Cora-san, he said, closing his eyes to calm his nerves. I seem to always be in precarious situations lately.
戳刺感
Law tries a bit harder than expected to ignore Zoro's stare. The latter frowns and runs side-by-side Luffy to ask her for the nth time that minute: "Oi, Luffy. I should carry Law."
"Ehhh… but what if you get lost? Then both of you will be missing!"
"I won't get lost!"
Luffy looks at him weirdly, then she laughs. Zoro bares his teeth in annoyance, but their argument is interrupted by the sound of hooves and the sound of a sword unsheathing.
They avoid the subsequent attack that follows, along with the attacker's senseless shouting to give him back the glory they apparently took from him. The permed blonde soon calms down (whom Luffy called "Cabbage" though Law doubts that is really his name). The blonde reluctantly admits that her crewmate, "God Usopp", saved him so he'll stop going after them.
The newcomer also brought back Law's hat, albeit not before nonchalantly eyeing him and Luffy in alteration obviously forming ideas in his head, though he just threw it since Law couldn't trust the guy and his narcissistic killing intent.
"In any case, I must take my leave now because I'm busy." He says, pompously, before pausing and looking at Luffy. "Do you want to know why I'm busy?"
"Not really."
"Okay I'll tell you since you insist." He pauses for effect. "I'll return the favour… by killing Donflamingo!"
This evidently peeves Luffy. "What? I'm going to kick his ass!" She pauses too. "I have to return my favor to Rebecca for giving me food!"
Law's eyes twitched. Her reason for helping was food?!
An odd argument emerges then and he only sighs, knowing he'll only get a headache if he listens. They leave the blonde when he started monologuing ridiculous things involving reporters and fame.
"Oh, Cabbage?" She answers when asked, then her eyebrows furrow in annoyance at some memories and that moment she reminds him of a child tattling on her annoying playmates. "I met him at the colosseum. There are a bunch of weirdoes in there, you know!"
And sure enough, people no less unhinged—crazy—approaches them soon after.
It is right around the time that more and more pirates seem to be attacking them, with Zoro commenting this could take forever.
First to arrive is Don Chinjao and his grandsons, who has apparently been looking for her a while. "GARP'S GRANDDAUGHTEERR!"
"We've been looking for you, you bastard!"
"We're coming for youuuu!"
Luffy seems genuinely aggravated with them and they run away much to their pursuers chagrin. Chinjao soon catches up by using his blink skill and arrive in front of them, soon finding out they no longer held a grudge and wants to say thank you for returning his treasure to him and to god-Usopp for saving their lives. That they came to this country to stop the distribution of weapons, and they are not blinded by such small amounts of money. Then they yell that they'll kill Doflamingo for her, who naturally said (again) that she was the one to beat Mingo.
Then a giant appears, then a king of Prudence (who apparently owes a lot to king Riku), then another pair (Jeet and Abdullah, who are crying something about the heavenly light they cannot forget and shined brighter than the light of money), then another, and a few more.
"Where the hell do these idiots come from?" Zoro voices out while they ran to escape them, and he couldn't help but agree.
"What about this…" Zoro heaves a sigh. "We will take him down, and you guys back us up."
Simultaneously, they yell in response. "NO WAY! I WILL TAKE DOWN DOFLAMINGO!" They hear each other and glare. "No, I'll do it!"
They frown as the group, including Luffy, argue as they run, and Luffy appears really peeved.
Despite everything, he smirks a little at the sight.
And then… there is a bull. And this time she is ecstatic.
"Mooocy! :D "
Law and Zoro stares at her in disbelief.
What the hell did she do in that coliseum, anyway?
…
Their army of Idiots followed them up to the plateau, easily handing the groups of pirate that attack them. "Weren't they toys like we were?"
"Shameless idiots!"
They surprise the soldiers as they near the palace. "They're increasing in numbers!" They yell and they are easily handled by the Colosseum idiots. The giant stone turns his head, making them flinch a little.
"No one will be able to reach Doffy!" He yells, with that soprano voice of his, and everyone of them couldn't help but laugh.
Veins popped in the stoneman's head and he raises his arm and readies for another attack. Chinjao and the king of prudence took care of it and destroyed his hand all the way to the arms.
While they are a useful back-up, Luffy still finds them very annoying.
"Stop following me, damnit! And get off Moocy!"
"SHUT UP YOU IDIOTIC SAVIOR!"
Still, it is unbelievable how she can make people help her so willingly. Though who is he to say anything—she had broken their deals and disrupted so much of their plans—and he still listens to her.
Soon, they manage to separate from the group by taking a short cut that is Pica's remaining arm. Though the religious duo still manages to stick to Luffy, much to her chagrin.
By this time Law is lying on the bull's back, pulled out by Zoro from Luffy's back immediately as they got on the animal. His back feels a bit uncomfortable as it follows the convex of the bull's body, but in retrospect nothing is more uncomfortable than being carried around by the girl he—
He stops his thoughts right there.
In any case, his attention is quickly pulled back as they climbed over nearly vertical faces of stone that made Pica's arm, with Luffy soon showing her prowess by destroying Pica's face.
The massive structure becomes unmoving and most people would think mistakenly that Pica is defeated. It is Zoro who corrects the two free-loaders. "It is only a shell. He is still here, somewhere."
The swordsman closes his eyes, feeling the spirit of the stone, and opens his eyes with a smirk knowing exactly where the enemy will reappear.
He appears in front of them, massive even in his human form, and takes a sword twice as long as the bull from the stone he stands. This terrified the freeloaders while Luffy just smirked, easily avoiding the subsequent attack.
"GYA! It's coming!" Abdullah and Jeet yells simultaneously, eyes bulging at Pica's fast-approaching sword. They avoided it with Luffy carrying the bull.
Pica frowns and twists his body to attack them from behind, but Luffy does not look back. "See you later!" she only says, to the confusion of the two, though they are quickly enlightened when Zoro is already mid-air and blocking Pica's attack with a barely unsheathed sword. His posture alone is apparently enough to entice tear-ridden awe from their two companions. This means he is left behind, however.
"What a man! He volunteered to stay to block a monster like that." The two says, still crying well after they passed Pica's former body. Luffy doesn't seem fazed. "Will he be alright?!"
"Oh, Zoro?" She says, chuckling. "Don't worry about him. He made a promise. He won't lose to anyone!"
At this, Law turns his head and looks at her back—feminine, yet strong and unmoving—and not only because he is still chained immobile. With a deep breath, he breathes in a renewed sense of courage.
"We have no choice now. But I've made up my mind as well." He looks at her back, and she turns her head slightly to look at him. "To be honest." He pauses. "I wanted to hurt him directly, too."
"Took you long enough." She says, fully turning to look at him, and grinned.
He gapes at her that moment and thought that—maybe—It is time to put reason aside for now and do what he wants.
戳刺感
"Room."
The now sliced metal body of giant toys fall down the ground, and he and Luffy emerge from its tin body. He heaves out a deep breath, looking down at his palm, stretching it after a long time of constriction, feeling the power returning after being held back.
It is a good thing he had been carried around all this time (though he argues being on her back stole much of his needed energy), as he gathered enough strength for a good battle.
With a breath, he shifts his sights to Mugiwara and the girl she calls Rebecca, the person who delivered the key to them from Viola's side.
"You must be happy, ne? To see your dad again?" Luffy says, just as she gestures to go to him. The girl just cries in gratitude and hopefulness. She sniffs some of it away and puts on a brave face, just before asking—eyes brimming with hope. "Are you really going to beat Doflamingo, Lucy?"
Mugiwara, being Mugiwara, replies with a proud beam. "I'm not Lucy." She said. "I'm Monkey D. Luffy. And I'm gonna be the pirate king!"
The girl only gapes, and Law thinks it's amusing to see this happen to someone else.
The moment doesn't last, however, as Diamante—who until their arrival has been battling the father-and-daughter pair—collects his wits and attacks them. The one-legged soldier blocks the attack, yelling this is his battle, and Law immediately transfers them to the palace.
Luffy looks around, impressed, while he takes the opportunity to take out the three bullets Doflamingo planted on him. She blinks at this, eyebrows furrowed in concern. "You okay?"
"Nothing to worry about." He only says and she nods in response.
"Let's go then!" She yells, stomping towards the palace to attack. His eyes twitch at this and his hand moves immediately to grab her arm. They may have abandoned the most logical plan—let Kaido do the work—but they should apply reasoning and plan, even for this one. After all, Doflamingo isn't one to be defeated with just will alone—even if it is hers.
He pulls her to a hidden area behind a displaced boulder and patches of trees, ignoring a child crying approaching them from the hall. "But we're already here!" She tells him. "How can I cool down?"
"I'm calm, am I not?"
She pouts. "But you're always calm."
If only she knew.
This is when the girl approaches them, crying, claiming to have lost her parents. Law doesn't buy it, of course, but unsurprisingly the same can't be said for his companion.
Then the weirdest thing happened: Some projectile came from behind them releasing a very ugly drawing of something vaguely familiar (is that a long nose?), and the girl yells and faints.
They shrug and move somewhere less inconspicuous. There must be even some sort of rudimentary plan for the next step, they cannot go in blindy.
He sighs and thinks of what to say, and the only thing he can tell her to rouse any sort of seriousness from her is… the truth. The naked truth.
He tells her about thirteen years ago when Doflamingo killed his own brother, someone Law adored. Someone who had saved his life and his soul.
He sees her tense shoulder sag, his nerves calmed by her curious eyes on him. "Is he the person you lost?" She asks, referring to their conversation in Magnum. He nods.
"I wanted to get rid of Doflamingo—no matter what—and for a while I stomached not doing it head-on, to make him suffer indirectly."
"Cora-san…"He utters, voice cracking. "He didn't have to die like that!"
His old friend's words still echoes in his head to this day. "I have no chance to survive now, will you remember me when I die?" "I'll die with a smile, don't feel too sad."
"You are now truly free."
"You are alive." A pause. "Freedom feels best when you're alive."
He sees his own jolly roger with his mind's eye and internally utters the name of his crew—both of which of which are based on Corazon's existence.
The weight of his heavy heart and body lightens as he feels the warmth of her hand on his cheek, patting it good-naturedly. His eyes widen slightly as he is met by her beam, albeit not as energetic as her usual one, and more serene. "He must've been very important."
"…ah." He says, eyes staying on her. "I would've been just like Doflamingo if it wasn't for him."
Her nose crinkles at the image of this and a flash of a smirk graces his face.
"Fine. I've calmed down." She says, smiling. "I'll listen to you this time."
His shoulders sag in relief, his head leaning down on its own as some of his fatigue catches up to him. Law gingerly places his forehead on her shoulder, feeling as if he'd regain his energy by doing so—a stark difference from earlier. He feels a slight vibration from her, coming from light laughs, and she shifts her hand to pat his head.
It is a sort of comfort he hadn't felt in a long, long, time. And he had been finding it too often around her.
He didn't think he'd feel like that at all—at least not until he destroyed Doflamingo.
Cora-san, he mused with a smile. I think I understand what you mean now.
.
.
END OF CHAPTER 20
CHAPTER 21: THE FALL
People, monsters, and towns will fall…,
sincluding a certain person's sister complex.
REPLIES TO ANGELS
Shiranai Atsune – Yes yes here it is! Thanks for commenting! :D
Starrat – Yay glad you loved it! Thank you for reviewing~!
CallmeCrazylol – haha nope. Ace isn't alive. Sabo's just, hmn, remembering him. Like a sort of tribute to him. Sorry for the confusion.
AKAFirewalker – Thank you for reviewing. Glad you liked the chapter despite its short length.
A – Awww I am so glad you feel touched by Luffy's words as well! Thanks for telling me. And yes! Tho I tend to wait until a dozen unread chapters pile up for my sanity. Hehehe
Littlest1 – Thank you for reviewing! Sso happy you thought the chapter was fantastic. Ace's soul didn't literaly merge with Sabo's though. It's a metaphor. Of sorts. Hehehe
Vanessa Masters – I'm safer in Facebk, do you have an account? Glad you enjoyed the chapter by the way, and thank you for reviewing!
Butterfly Wings Chaos Theory – Hehehe yep! The SaboxLuffy reunion was very quick due to the events happening. They'd get their time once Doflamingo's defeated tho. Thx for reviewing~
Acetwolf94 – Glad you loved the chapter! Here it is hope you enjoy, and thanks for reviewing!
Sakihinata – And thank you for reading and telling me you found the chapter amazing. Cheers!
Cavelya – Glad you liked iit! And of course I'd continue. Thanks for reviewing!
Rice with Chest Nuts – (Ch12) Yep yep! I realize I should've written more canon stuff in fishman, so I do it in Dressrosa! Hope you get here. (Ch13) Heheheh I lurve Robin too! I particularly fell in love during her back story. What about you? (Ch14) Kidd will definitely be added! Though more of him will appear in Wano arc. (Ch16) hahaha We'll see more Sabo next chap! Hopefully it's decent ehehhe (ch17) hahah yeah I assumed he'd had his first kiss from someone hahahah. Best it be Koala yea? XD (CH18) I considered, but there were so many guys in this arc I couldn't add another one hahaha. I do wonder who I'll genderbend next though. (ch19) Thank you for reviewing! I appreciate all of your reviews, and the effort you put in! Adds to my writing energy for sure. *HUGS*
Bepo1401 – A bit of Sabo here and more next chap! Hehehe I hope it won't disappoint! Thank you for reviewing!
Megi Keishii – Thank you for reviewing! Hahaha And thanks for telling me the story touched you to the point of tears. *Hugs*
Han – Oh? You read the whole thing? Hahaha Thank you for that! And sorry about the bug, I dunno what's happening either though. It happens to everyone occasionally, it seems.
Shiranai Atsune - Here it is! Reuploaded. It think there was a bug. Sorry!
00- SilentObserver- 13 - Thank you so much! I realized the chap wasn't uploaded yet. Here it is! Hope you like it.
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THANK YOU FOR READING FOLKS!
I would appreciate it if you give me more of your time, and tell me what you thought! :D