Warning: This chapter has mentions of thoughts related to suicide.
Chapter 25
Trafalgar Law has just arrived to that island because Luffy had asked him to.
Apparently, the Revolutionary Army had actually carried out a coup, and won.
Still, the human losses had been too much, and the wounded were more and more, so a surgeon like him was more than welcome.
"I'll be able to see you" thought the pirate. I hadn't heard from her in over a month, so he couldn't help but feel a little excited.
However, when he arrived at the Revolutionary Army's makeshift camp, he found no happy faces.
As soon as arrived, he had to take care of treating seriously injured people who needed him urgently, and was terribly busy.
After a couple of days, he was finally able to rest.
-Captain! - heard Shachi say - This place is huge! You don't know how hard it was to find a coffee!
It was true, that camp was massive. You could tell they were preparing for a great war.
Suddenly, he felt a chill run down his spine. Not because he was afraid, but because someone was looking him "strangely" from top to bottom.
He turned quickly.
It was him. That man who saw with Mina a long ago at that inn.
-Huh? Aren't you Mina's boyfriend? - He asked smiling while cocking his head curiously.
-She's not my girlfriend - replied the surgeon suspiciously.
-Why are you both like this? - he was laughing happily - So uncute...
Law saw his nakama Ikkaku staring at the man with heart-shaped eyes. Did he seem so attractive to her?
-My name is Kaito, and I'm one of the Generals of the Revolutionary Army - he introduced himself kindly - Thanks for helping the wounded, it's great to have doctors around here. They're very scarce, you know?
"Wow, he's... surprisingly kind" Law thought.
Compared to Mina's other nakama, the nasty one-eyed, this long silver-haired boy was a lot nicer.
-You're Mina-ya's nakama, right? - he asked - Do you know where is she?
The silver-haired boy stopped smiling and began to look dubious.
-Hmmmm, you see - his head cocked - She was captured during the assault on Marijoa, so she's probably in some World Government facility waiting to be executed.
Law spat out his coffee.
-WHAT!?
-Oh! But don't worry, she's not that weak, so she'll come back here eventually.
-How the hell can you talk about her being captured so calmly!? Isn't she your nakama!?
The revolutionary shrugged.
-She isn't that weak, otherwise wouldn't be in the Revolutionary Army to begin with. Also, Mina was trained to endure interrogations, so she'll be fine.
"I take it back. This guy is out of his mind!"
The one-eyed boy was nasty, but at least he wasn't a complete jerk like this pretty boy.
-Haha, what a cute reaction!
-Huh?
-Don't tell me that you actually have a crush on her?
Law blushed violently.
-I... I don't...!
The revolutionary began to laugh.
-So cute~
Law got up annoyed and left.
"A crush on her? What am I, 15 years old? I'm nearly my 30's! Don't be ridiculous!" he thought annoyed, but with his face flustered.
-Sorry, sorry - Kaito said while trying to stop his laugh - I'm a good friend, so I will tell you a secret about her~
-Huh?
He saw the silver-haired boy approach him and begin to whisper in his ear:
-If you do... then she...
Law blushed again.
-Are you out of your fucking mind! - he felt his face red - I won't do something like that!
-It's up to you~
-And how the hell do you know that!?
Kaito shrugged his shoulders.
-We spend a lot of time together. I like to annoy her, she can make such funny faces~
"This guy has lost his mind!"
Law met Kota.
-Aggg - both of them replied while looking at the eachother with displeasure - It's you.
They both looked at each other with distaste.
-What do you mean with "It's you"? Fucking pirate.
-You aren't the most suitable to speak! - Law replied.
They both looked at each other defiantly.
-Kota-chan~! - They heard Kaito say aloud, while looking for the brunette.
-Shit, hide! - he said to Law as they stayed under the table to avoid being seen.
After watching the silver-haired boy leave, Kota sighed.
-He's so annoying!
-I've already noticed before - Law sighed annoyed.
-Don't listen to him, he only says stupid things.
Law looked at the boy in front of him.
-Are you afraid of becoming another idiot?~ - the pirate scoffed
Kota looked at him in disgust.
-Please, don't tell me you have the same shitty personality as her... - he sighed - No wonder she likes you so much.
Law saw Kota leave annoyed.
When the surgeon came out from under the table, he bumped into someone.
Teary blue eyes stared at him.
-Oh... you're Torao, Luffy's friend - he said while wiping his tears away.
Law remembered the boy with the golden hair and the scar on his eye.
-Ehhhh... Sabo-ya was your name? - he tried to remember- Mugiwara-ya's brother, right?
He saw Sabo's face light up as he rejoiced.
-Yes! It's great that you remember me! - he got up and bowed politely - Thank you for taking care, and being friends, with my little brother.
-We're not friends - Law replied annoyed.
Sabo giggled.
Law could see that Sabo still had watery eyes. He had recently stopped crying, apparently.
-Are you ill? I'm a doctor, so ask if you need help.
Sabo shook his head.
-My friend has been captured, but I have orders to stay here, so I can't do anything about it - he replied sadly - It's not that I'm feeling sick.
Law sighed with relief.
"Finally, someone with normal reactions!"
They both sat as they watched people anxiously move from one place to another.
-Your other friends seem... quite calm.
-Hm? Oh... Don't be fooled by appearances - he smiled sadly - They're just as affected as me. But we have to be strong. Our subordinates can't see us sad at such an important moment.
-But... you're crying in public... - Law answered while raising an eyebrow.
Sabo rolled his puppy eyes and threw himself into Law's arms as continued to cry hysterically.
-THEY HAVE TAKEN MINA! HOW COULD I BE OK!? - Sabo blew his nose in Law's clothes.
-Shit! Don't do that, damn it!
Law sighed annoyed. Why did all these people have such extreme personalities? It was a miracle that the Revolutionary Army had triumphed with such leaders.
-An hour later-
-Have you finally calm down? - Law asked, sighing as he handed Sabo food.
The unpleasant way of eating that blond boy had, reminded him of Luffy.
"You can tell they're brothers" he thought with displeasure as Sabo devoured the food.
When he finally finished eating, Sabo looked at Law with a cheery smile.
-You are much kinder than you seem!
Law didn't answer.
-The first time I met Mina, she also gave me her food. She looked horrible, but still decided to give me her food...
Law looked at him with a little pity.
-Why?
Sabo was thoughtful.
-She was a military, did she ever tell you? That day, she started to work for us.
-A military? I didn't know that.
Sabo looked at his empty plate.
-I thought she had the face of someone about to give up... And I guess that's why I decided to help her.
-Six years ago-
Mina was tired. Too tired of all that shit.
She thought she could bear it, but was wrong.
She looked herself in the mirror and wanted to vomit every time.
How many times had she gone to war? How many people had she killed?
She felt nothing, especially after that incident in Marijoa when she was 12 years old, but that feeling of guilt haunted her every day.
-Ahhh - she sighed - I'm also scum.
Mina smiled.
-I guess it all ends here for me.
She entered Doflamingo's room and saw that beautiful gold-coated pistol that he always carried.
Mina picked it up and went off to the sunflower fields in Dressrosa.
She looked at the landscape. She loved sunflowers, so that beautiful packed field was a gift Doflamingo gave her for her birthday.
Mina smiled. It was a good place to die.
She entered the field, and lay down surrounded by those flowers that she liked so much.
She looked at the gun and pointed at her own head with her eyes shut, gathering enough courage to pull the trigger.
But she felt a shadow settle on top of her.
Mina opened her eyes, annoyed and wanting to kill the idiot who had interrupted her.
However, when she saw that boy's smile, she put the gun aside.
"What a beautiful person" she thought as she stared at him. "He looks like a prince."
A beautiful boy with golden hair and bright blue eyes looked at her from above with a big smile.
What are you doing? - He asked, still being obvious.
Mina looked at the pistol out of the corner of her eye.
-Nothing important.
Suddenly, the boy's stomach growled.
Mina stared at him.
-Are you hungry?
The blond boy blushed.
Mina sighed and rummaged in her pockets, where she remembered that still had some cookies.
-Will you really give me that!? - asked surprised the blond boy.
-It's not like I'm going to need them... - she replied nonchalantly.
-How kind! Thank you!
Mina saw that teenager, not much older than her, devour the cookies.
The girl couldn't help but smile a little. It was funny to see that this prince-like boy ate like a pig.
-Hm? - The boy looked at her - Did I just see a smile?
Mina looked away.
-You don't have to be so shy! hahaha
-I'm not shy.
However, the boy had already fallen asleep despite talking to her.
-Damn, that was fast... - the pink-haired thought as she dropped a drop of sweat.
...
Hours later, Sabo woke up.
-Oh shit, I fell asleep again!
The blonde looked at his side, and was surprised to see that the girl who gave him his cookies was still there.
Sabo thought that, even with her shaved hair and all those injuries, she was a very attractive girl. She had a pretty nice face to look at, and beautiful eyes despite having that dead look.
-Have you... stayed by my side? - he asked stunned.
-You're a foreigner who has fallen asleep in the sunflower field of the princess of this kingdom - she replied without emotion - If the guards saw you, they would have executed you.
-Shit! This place is banned!? It's so pretty that I thought anyone could enter!
Sabo looked around. It was a beautiful field of sunflowers. No wonder it was part of the royal family in that country.
He looked at the girl sitting next to him.
-And why can you be here?
-Because it's mine, after all.
-But didn't you just say it was from the princess? - he looked at that girl who was smirking at him - Oh shit.
"She is the princess? But she dresses like a military man!"
Mina couldn't help but laugh. It was probably the first time in her life that she did it.
-You're a strange boy. What are you doing here?
-I have heard that this it's a country full of darkness, and I wanted to see it on my own.
Mina stopped smiling.
-Darkness? No, they don't even hide it. It is a country full of scum.
-Aren't you its princess?
-I'm also scum.
-I think you're not.
Mina looked at him, one eyebrow raised.
-You don't know anything about me. You have no idea what I've done.
-And yet you stayed with me for hours, even though you don't know me at all.
She looked at him, unsure what to say, but immediately cocked her head.
-A good deed doesn't amend a thousand sins. This world is cruel, and nothing can be done about it.
Sabo smiled.
-And if you had the opportunity to change it? Would you do it?
Mina chuckled.
-It never will - she sighed - And I'm so sick of keeping living.
-Why?
-Because I don't have any reason to keep on.
Sabo got up and looked at the landscape.
"These really are beautiful views"
Then, looked at the girl.
-I think it's possible. Changing the world...
-What?
-I made up my mind! If you don't have any reason to keep living, then I will become your reason!
Mina dropped a drop of sweat
-Are you dumb? I don't know you! Why would a make YOU my reason to live?
-Wouldn't you like to find out if I'm right? I propose you a deal!
-Huh? And what is it about? - she asked with a grimace.
Sabo made a cut in the palm of his hand with a small knife he brought.
-Hey! Are you crazy!? - Mina asked as she tried to stop the bleeding.
-From now on you and I are connected - he smiled confidently - If the world doesn't change, and you still feel like dying, then I will accept my defeat and die along with you.
-You're crazy...
-But if I win the bet, and we manage to change the world, then you will continue living.
Mina looked at that blue-eyed boy. She had never seen someone as brilliant as him.
She snatched the knife from him and cut herself too.
-Then this must be a fair bet, don't you think so? If you die before showing me that world, then I will also die along your side.
Sabo smiled.
He held out his hand, still covered in blood.
-Then you shold know that I don't plan dying any soon~
Mina didn't know why, but before she could even think about it, accepted the hand of that boy who she didn't know anything.
He was like the sun. Unreachable, but his light and warm surround you.
Sabo bumped his forehead against the girl's and smiled.
-Congratulations, now you're inside the Revolutionary Army~
Back then, Sabo said those words to her because felt he had to give her a reason to live. It was tragic that a teenager wanted to kill herself without knowing the joy of being alive.
However, now that she was gone, he really felt that his life could end if she didn't come back.
Before he had nothing, and now he had Luffy, whom he loved madly.
But she was his nakama. And probably the one he loved the most.
-What will you do when the war ends? - he heard Trafalgar Law ask him.
-If I win, I want her to see it with her own eyes. I want her to see that I was right, that the world can be changed.
But suddenly, it changed to a sad smile.
-And if she dies, then I will die with her.
-That's nonsense. Why would you do something like that?
-Because I promised her. It's that simple.