Chapter 41
-So, you haven't seen a child like this, right? - Mina asked again, despite already knowing the answer.
The old man shook his head.
Mina sighed. She had been looking for three month, but hadn't found a trace of the child.
According to the other orphans, the boy she was looking for was probably 5 years old, with orange hair, freckles on the bridge of his nose and, because he had been blinded by tearing off his eyeballs, he was completely blind.
She was aware that a totally blind 5 year old boy surviving was a stupid idea. But al least, she needed to find his corpse.
Law looked at Mina. She barely slept and ate because of the stress. Law was beginning to worry. What if they could never find the kid? How would she react?
- Mina, you're aware that maybe we can't find him, right?
She nodded her head.
-Yes, but... I feel that if I can't find him, I will never be able to forgive myself...
Law sighed and patted her head lovingly.
-Stop it, I'm not a child.
-You've been through a lot, haven't you?
She didn't answer back.
The need of mend an indelible damage... Law himself knew that feeling. He always felt that Cora-san's death was his fault. If he had never spoken to Vergo thinking he was a Marine, Doflamingo would never have found them... and maybe Cora-san would still be alive.
For that very reason, he understood the way she felt. Law understood that, for her, that child was a way to redeem herself.
Law smiled.
-Then we have no choice but to find him, right?
-Several days later-
The pirate was exhausted. Asking everyone was a real pain in the ass. Also, he had no idea what that child looked like, they only had a vague description that Mina had discovered from the narration of some children from the orphanage.
-Damn beggar! If I see you again, I will break your teeth!
An unpleasant-looking man was beating a child.
-What the hell is going on here? - asked the surgeon when he saw that scene.
-And what the hell do you care? Go away, fucking pirate!
The man's rudeness annoyed Law, who was already preparing his hand to make a Room and cut him into pieces. But Mina stopped him.
The girl looked at the man coldly.
-What has he stolen?
-What difference does it make what he has stolen? He deserves being punished! These kids think that since they're kids, they won't get punished!
Mina looked at the boy who was lying on the ground. He was bleeding, but hadn't complained or made a single noise despite receiving several kicks. As if he was used to it.
Her eyes widened in surprise. Orange hair, freckles on his nose... a bandage covering his eyes...
She looked back at the man and tossed a handful of bills at his face.
-You have your money - she looked at him with hatred - Now get the fuck out of my sight.
The man bit his lip. This woman was another brat, but there was something extremely sinister about her. He grunted and walked off with the money.
The revolutionary approached the boy. He flinched when he felt her touching him, as if he expected her to hit him too.
-I'm not going to hurt you. I've been looking for you.
-For me?
-You know how to hide well, huh?~ - Mina gently stroked the boy's hair, to which he blushed.
-Is he the one? - Law asked.
She nodded.
-Well, we must thank that bastard - Law looked in the direction in which the man had left - If it wasn't because of him, we would never have found you, kid.
The boy smiled slightly, something that made both adults happy.
-So... What's going to happen to me? - Asked the kid with a trembling voice.
-Don't worry, you'll be fine.
The boy grabbed the sleeve of Mina's shirt.
As they walked back to the ship, Mina looked back at the man who now was counting the money. Her gaze darkened. "That scum is going to pay."
-You can go to the submarine - she said smiling at Law - I have to... buy some things.
Everyone on the ship celebrated that they had finally found the child. They were so happy that made a big party.
Law looked at the boy they had picked up. He was extremely thin to the point that it was pitiful, however, he didn't complain about anything or ask for things.
As soon as Mina left, the kid didn't say a single word, but obeyed Law. He tripped several times, not being able to see where he was going, but somehow he managed well on his own.
-So... - Law tried to start a conversation - Do you have a name?
The boy shook his head.
-Did your parents never give you one? Or do you not remember?
The boy pointed to his neck. Law read that there was a number marked with fire on the right side.
"0-23498B" he read in his head "I guess that was his identification number as slave."
He knew it because Jean Bart had a similar number on his neck too, apart from the dragon's claw that all slaves had.
-Well, you need a name... - Law thought for a while - What do you think of Eskel? It's a name in the old North Blue dialect. It means "the protégé of the gods."
It seemed that the boy was going to say something, but Mina came back.
-Have you eaten already?
The child, as soon as he heard Mina's voice, seemed to perk up.
-Miss...
Mina came over and patted his head.
-Have they treated you well?
-Oi - Law said annoyed - Who do you think we are?
She laughed.
- Anyway - Law changed the subject - We were talking about that he need a name, I can't be referring to him as if he was a dog.
-Hm? Oh, I see.
Law dropped a bead of sweat behind his head. She was a woman who didn't pay attention to those kinds of details.
The boy grabbed the revolutionary's shirt again while the adults continued talking. Law glanced at the boy. It was pretty obvious that he had already grown fond of her.
Was he aware of what she had been doing off the ship? He looked that Mina still had a small trace of blood on her jaw, so he wiped away the dried blood with his hand. Law decided no to ask, after all, that man was scum.
-I've been thinking about it - Law knelt down to the boy's height - May l?
The boy looked doubtful, but when he felt the woman's hand on his head, he relaxed.
Law removed the blindfold that covered his eyes. The other crew members, who were peeking, couldn't help but be horrified to see what was below. The boy's eye sockets were completely empty. He even had a slight infection in one of the holes.
Jean Bart gritted his teeth. He knew firsthand the abuses of the Tenryubitos.
-With the Ope Ope No Mi, it's possible that I could give you back your sight.
The boy looked surprised.
-Seriously? - Mina asked also surprised.
-The Ope Ope No Mi allows me to do many things. Of course, since I don't know what your original color was, it can be the one you want.
-What's your color, mister?
-He has eyes like gold - Mina answered.
Law blushed. "H-How can she say such embarrassing things!?"
-Ahem - he looked away - It's still experimental, but I think I could get a pretty decent result.
-The captain is the best surgeon in the whole world! - Bepo exclaimed.
The boy seemed hesitant.
-Don't worry, he's a good doctor~ - said Mina.
-Mister... Will I be able to see again?
-That's the plan.
-You're the worst, Captain - Shachi glanced at him.
-What kind of vague answer is that? - Ikkaku said.
-The captain has no feelings...
-Shut up! - Law said annoyed.
Despite the scene, the boy stopped being so nervous. Those people didn't look bad. Maybe it was a good idea to trust them...
-Are you ready?
The boy nodded.
It had been a long and complicated surgery. Reattaching the optic nerves had been a challenge for Law. Creating an organ from scratch was not as easy as limbs or other parts of the body, however he had succeeded, and he was quite pleased with the result.
Law removed the bandages and patches from his eyes, but the boy didn't dare to open his eyes.
-Come on, kid - Law encouraged him - I need to know if it worked.
Eskel opened his eyes. He had a hard time adjusting to the light, but after a while, he was finally able to see again. The first thing he saw was the surgeon's face.
The boy saw that he was an attractive man with messy blue-black hair. He had a sharp look and dark circles. And it was true, he had eyes that sparkled like gold. He tried to touch them.
-Hey! - protested Law while laughing softly - Better look at yours.
He handed him a mirror. The boy dropped a tear.
-You're a man, so don't cry, okay?
The boy nodded and wiped his tears with the sleeves of his shirt. There were straight scars that ran vertically across his eyes, but he didn't care at all.
-Mister... - his high-pitched childish voice trembled nonstop, as he tried to hold back crying - thank you...
Law felt something move inside him, sympathy?
-I'm a doctor - he answered with a smile - It's my duty.
The boy turned around and saw the revolutionary. She was a young woman and also quite attractive. Her hair was so light pink it almost looked white, it was long and it was tied back in a low ponytail. And she had a very curious purple eyes.
-Well damn, you have quite a useful fruit.
The two adults continued talking to each other.
Eskel looked at them longingly. Those two were the people who had saved his life.
The crew saw the boy follow their captain as if he was a duckling chasing his mother. The boy was always close to one of both.
-Captain doesn't know, but he's already a father...
-Look at him, chasing the captain~ Isn't he cute?~
Surprisingly, Law was quite permissive with the boy. He didn't mind having him around, and got along well with the kid.
-Who was going to tell us that the captain was good with children...
-If you stop to think about it... couldn't he be like his son? - Shachi commented to his other nakamas - I mean, he has eyes like the captain and since his hair is orange it could be a variation of Mina-chan's pink.
-Well, the child has a personality similar to theirs... - Penguin replied - But yes... the resemblance is quite disturbing despite not sharing blood ties...
They all glanced at the three of them. If someone were to look at them from the outside under normal circumstances, they could pose as a couple with their child.
As they all ate together, the pirates saw that the boy seemed eager to ask something.
-Hmmmm, mister, miss... - Eskel asked finally.
-Hm? What's wrong?
-Are you dating or something like that?
They both choked with their food and went completely blank. The rest of the crew glanced at them.
-W-Why that question suddenly...? - Mina asked with a rather uncomfortable smile.
-Don't you two make strange noises at night?
They both spit out their food again. The rest of the crew had to hold back their laughter.
-W-Where the hell did you learn that, you damn brat!? - Law asked completely embarrassed.
The boy glanced at the two adults.
-Why is Brother Law embarrassed? - he made a mocking face - Isn't he the adult?
Law and Mina went completely blank. "Is this kid really a 5 years old!?" they both thought at the same time.
Shachi couldn't hold back laughing so he started laughing out loud.
-A 5-year-old boy is smarter than the captain! Bwhahahaha!
Law looked at Shachi incredibly annoyed.
-Hey, say something! - Law turned to yell at Mina, but was surprised to see that she was just as embarrassed as him.
-Huh? What's with that shy face now!? You're the most explicit person I know!
-Huh!? And what do you want me to do!?
-You must be kidding, right!? You're an expert in creating uncomfortable situations!
The kidl looked at the two adults with his head cocked as they argued nervously with each other.
-I do not get it. Did I say something wrong?
Shachi and Penguin approached the boy while continuing to laugh.
-It's the first time I've seen them that way! - said Shachi - You're the best, kid!
-But why are they arguing? Aren't they like a mom and a dad?
-Ehhhh, you see... - Penguin tried to explain it in the best possible way - They have an... ambiguous relationship. And they don't like to talk about it.
-Why?
Penguin looked at his captain and the revolutionary, who were still engrossed in their discussion.
Sigh.
-'Cause they're idiots.