A/N: ahhhhhhh here we go. I'm trying to get back into the swing of things, sorry for the spacey uploads~
31. Prepared
The Following Afternoon
September 27, 3:10 PM
Shipment Day
Luffy was nervous eating, and it would've been cute to see the younger stuff his face full of processed food if Law wasn't feeling nervous as well. Maybe even more so.
"Slow down, Luffy," the surgeon eases, watching the meat and chips and soda go down. "You'll choke, you know?"
The teen swallows several gulps of his drink before turning to Law. "I'll be fine."
"Will you really?" Law asks, because he knows how that goes.
Luffy studies him for a moment then sighs. "Well. We'll be charging headfirst into what's basically the modern day mafia. You tell me."
The mafia, huh?
Something in his chest ices at the words, and it's almost as though Law can't control his own limbs. His arms wrap around his lover gently, bringing him into a reassuring hug. Luffy buries his nose into Law, seeking warmth, and the surgeon wraps his arms tighter around the younger. Law was never the best at words, at least he thought so, so he lets his body do the talking. It would be alright, he was here, they have others with them. Move fast, kick ass, and everything'll be okay.
They sat in the empty lobby of Law's apartment complex on a large red couch. Their bags of clothes were strewn off to the side, slumped on the floor. Law brought his sword case, and it's been discarded off to the side as well. It was something he once vowed to never touch again, yet here he was, breaking that promise.
At least instead of welding it for Doflamingo, he'd be wielding it at him.
When Luffy first discovered his abnormally large sword, the man almost drooled over it, but to Law, it was a fervent reminder. He wasn't proud of that fact that he'd be using it after all this time, especially after everything Corazon's been telling him growing up, but right now, another emotion was raging within him, drowning out the shame by a landslide.
It was a strong urge for revenge.
Law shakes his head subtly and glances around the lobby. Sabo and Koala had taken measures to ensure that no one else would be there at the time of their meeting. Even security was nowhere to be seen. How the duo managed that Law has no clue, but he was grateful, because it gave him this time with Luffy before they embarked on what would probably be one fucked up journey.
"I think things will turn out okay." Law closes his eyes as he rests against Luffy's head. The black hair tickles his cheek, and he smiles into the locks. "Focus on the fact that we get to finally kick Doflamingo's ass into next year."
Luffy laughs softly, and the action sends vibrations through Law's body. "You're right. I can get excited about that at least, can't I?"
"Just imagine being able to knock that sucker off his feet," Law leans back, eyes bright with mischief. "Fuck him up for all the shit he's done."
The teen lets himself grin, as though not wanting to get left behind in the excitement. "...Yeah. You're right."
Law lets the feeling of finally being able to confront Doflamingo take over his senses, and suddenly there's this big goofy grin on his face. It's unlike him, it's unnatural, he knows. But he's as giddy as a schoolboy, and it's at the notion that he gets to be the reason for that dastardly blonde's downfall. The more of that fucker's blood that gets spilled, the better.
The fiery figure in his mind sips on a cup of champagne from a lounge chair, smirking as it pulls down the glasses on its nose. Victory oozes from its form, and it watches the changes within Law with a knowing chuckle.
Luffy however, was watching him worriedly. Law blinks a few times under his gaze. "What?"
"Nothing, you just..." Luffy makes a face. "You were making this weird expression."
His grin fades away. "I was?"
The question goes unanswered, cut off by a loud commotion at the front door of the complex. Through the glass, Law sees Penguin and Bepo struggling through the doors, with Shachi nowhere to be seen. They crashed into the glass, tumbling over each other to get through the doors. Each donned normal clothes as suggested, and shouldered a bag filled with necessities. It seemed to be a lot of movement for just wanting to open a glass door, but Law's friends, they were idiots at times...most times.
The pair finally burst through the doors, frantically searching for familiar faces. Once they spot Law and Luffy, they nearly trip over themselves trying to come closer.
Law watches them approach with wide eyes. "You guys are earlier than you usually are, what's the rush?"
Penguin whips his head around, then scowls. "I fucking knew it."
The platinum blonde face palms. "I called this would happen."
Luffy seemed to understand what was happening immediately. "Shachi isn't with you, is he?"
"Was he supposed to get here before you guys or something?" the surgeon asks.
When their nods confirm the words, Law's stomach drops. "That idiot. What happened?"
"Well," Penguin begins, exchanging glances with Bepo. "He went on ahead of us. Said he needed to go to Baratie and eat or something? I have no idea."
The blonde buts in. "And I was like, 'Shachi, dude. We need to go now, you should've eaten earlier' and he was all like 'No I can make it, it won't take long. Promise I'll be there on time'. But he's not here, and it's like...fifteen till right now."
"Actually, it's nearing ten till."
The group jumps at the new voice, and bodies turn and move to reveal Marco, standing before them quietly in an open purple shirt and capris. He bares a blue cloth around his waist and a drawstring bag strung over his shoulder. He smiles awkwardly at their shock. "I've uh. Been here for a while."
"Jesus, you scared the shit outta me," Bepo gasps, holding his chest. "How much did you hear?"
Marco thinks for a moment. "Something about a weird expression?"
"Aw shit, that's before our time."
Law stiffens. That was what he and Luffy were discussing. "Dude, you were listening in on our conversation?"
The blonde waves a hand. "No, I just happened to overhear. I was about to introduce myself when these two came in." He nods over to Bepo and Penguin.
The 'making a shit ton of noise' part was left unsaid, but the men got the undertones.
The surgeon relaxes a bit. "...I see."
Marco smiles softly and glances down at his watch. "It's already 3:21. Shouldn't more people be here by now? Who else are we missing?"
"Sanji and Zoro mainly," Luffy answers. "Zoro, he's well. Really bad with directions. Usually Sanji's there to help him out, but who knows how many times he's gotten lost trying to come here."
Law didn't even want to imagine that scenario. Sanji had the patience of a saint.
Penguin plops down on a couch. "Damn, so we can expect three people to be late? How lovely."
"I guess so," Bepo takes up a space on his side. Marco sits off on a nearby chair.
Penguin grunts his agreement. "Nothing much we can really do aside from wait. I already texted Shachi."
Luffy brings out his phone. "I'll get into contact with the other two. God, I hope they're even in the same city."
Marco disguises his laughter with a cough. "I...hope so as well."
Uneventful minutes pass by. Law has an arm thrown back behind Luffy on the couch, and the teen has snuggled up on his side under the pocket of space it created. He was lazily scrolling through social media on his phone while waiting for a text back from his friends. None came.
When Law's phone rang, he nearly jumped out his skin.
"Shit," he mutters, using his unoccupied hand to dig for the device. It's 3:25. He pulls up the caller ID. It's Sabo.
He thumbs the green button. "Hey."
"Is everyone ready? We're out here with Franky, waiting."
Law raises his eyebrows at Luffy, who watches him expectantly. "It depends on what you mean by 'everybody'."
"...Oh god, what happened? Who's not there?"
"Zoro, Sanji, and Shachi."
"Fuck."
"Yeah."
Sabo seemed to have moved away from the speaker, as his voice turned muffled, and was talking to a much higher voice in the background. That must be Koala. After a few tense seconds, the blonde returns to the line.
"Okay, whoever is there, tell them to come on out. We've got no time to waste."
"Sure thing."
Click.
When the surgeon stuffs his phone in his pocket, he stands and turns to the men before him. "It's time you guys, they're out there with the driver. We need to go."
Penguin pauses. "Oh shit, what do we do about the others?"
Law gives him a half shrug. "Fuck 'em, that's what we do."
"Fuck you too, Law," snarls a familiar voice through the doorway. Bepo gets to his feet and frowns.
"Dude. Where the hell have you been?"
Shachi snickers. "Baratie. It was rush hour over there. You won't believe how busy it was, I was fighting this one bitch in line, but hey-" He holds up a bag triumphantly, "-at least I got my tacos!"
The group ignore his ramblings as they scramble to get their belongings and rush out the door. Marco's the first to exit the building, followed by Penguin, then Bepo, who drags the red head back from where he came. Shachi quickly shoves the food in his mouth before tossing the bag in a nearby trash can and reluctantly lets himself get led away. Luffy's next out the door, and Law takes up the rear, on a diligent lookout for a certain blonde and green haired man. By the time they are greeted by Sabo and Koala, he's yet to find them.
"No luck with the last two, huh?" Koala searches between the six of them with wide sweeps of the lashes. "It's unfortunate, but we're gonna have to leave them."
"Woah Law, what the hell's that?" the blonde raises his eyebrows at the length of the case strapped to his back.
The surgeon reaches up. "My sword, Kikoku. I've, uh. Had her since I was a kid."
Marco makes a sound of understanding but doesn't ask more questions. Shachi, Penguin, and Bepo all knew this, but seeing the sword once again grace the surgeon's back made a wave of nostalgia hit them so hard that they looked on in silence. Luffy studies the sword with wonder, then turns to his brother, waiting to see his reaction.
"Well, if it'll help," he sighs. "Not my place to really comment on it. It's your call to bring it." He brightens. "In other news, I want to introduce someone."
Sabo steps to the side, revealing a tall man- a really tall man, may he reiterate- with bright blue hair and shades. The guy was broad chested, more muscular than Law could ever hope to be, and had the biggest arms he's ever seen in his life. Dude must lift cars for a warm up. His smile was goofy, so he seemed friendly enough, it was just...the speedo he wore threw Law for so many loops.
"Meet Franky, our driver," Sabo introduces with a flourish. "Franky, your passengers."
"Ow!" he cheers, posing in front of their passenger van. "I'm Franky! It's super nice to meet you guys!"
Law wishes he could unhear and unsee everything that just transpired in the last five seconds. Luffy on the other hand, was gushing over the guy.
"Oh my god," the teen gasps, coming closer to him, "is that metal on your legs real?"
"Wait, are you serious?" Shachi moves to Luffy's side, staring at the man's bare thighs and calves. "Woah, that look sick as fuck."
"No way that's real..." Penguin scrutinizes the metal, then looks up to meet the man's eyes. "Is it?"
Franky was soaking in all the attention like a sponge. Judging by the smug look on his face, he knew full well he was going to be asked these questions, and took great pride in sharing his story.
"Got in a nasty car accident a few years back." He kicks out a leg and twists it so they could all get a good gander at the limb. "Lost 'em both."
"Oh shit..." Law breathes. He was not expecting that.
Franky turns to him with a laugh. "Ow! No worries there, brother. Had my prosthetist hook me up with these super cool part metal ones."
There were stars in Luffy's eyes. He looked like a boy in a candy shop. "Dude. Can I please touch your legs?"
The surgeon sighs deeply as Sabo struggles to stifle a laugh. "Could you please rephrase that, Luffy?"
Luffy inches closer to the man's legs, inspecting the prosthetics. He looks up then, a brilliant idea painted on his features. "Dude, it's like you're a robot."
Franky grins. "I have been called a cyborg in the past-"
"Cyborg," Luffy repeats with wide eyes. "That's so fucking-"
"As much as I would love to stick around to ooh and aah over Franky," Koala cuts off, clearly not as impressed as her male counterparts, "we're really on a tight schedule. Haul ass into the car men, we have shit to do."
Luffy pouts but sighs as he straightens, giving Franky one last salute before heading into the van. Law follows after him, giving their driver one last once-over before nodding his approval. He had to admit- the way the blue haired man had his limbs done made him look pretty damn cool. Franky gave him a thumbs up as he entered the car. Luffy sat in a window seat, and Law took up the seat beside him.
The van fills quickly after that, with Shachi, Penguin, and Bepo filling the middle three seats, and Sabo and Koala taking two of the three front ones. Marco sits in shotgun, helping to direct the driver in a way to not be conspicuous in the area they were about to head into. Law and Luffy had the four seat back row to themselves.
"Are you guys super ready?" Franky calls out, roaring the engine to life. Law isn't too sure why the man was treating this like some sort of field trip, but he guesses he doesn't mind the light heartedness. Gives him enough reason to take his mind off of the inevitable deep shit they're about to get themselves into.
The van erupts into noise at the announcement, most of which was produced by Shachi, who was more so excited to destroy a building.
"Yeah, we are," Sabo responds normally, leaning forward in his seat. "Take us to the first stop, please."
"You got it, brother," the man grins, pulling out of the lot and embarking on their journey.
It's 3:31 when they depart.
Law leans back against the seat with his eyes closed, losing himself in the soft music that played through the vehicle and the feel of Luffy beside him. The teen shifted from watching the streets fly by out the window to being snuggled up against Law's side, resting his head on the surgeon's shoulder and wrapping his arms around Law's own. The surgeon thinks it's the cutest shit ever. It only affirmed that Law has yet to see all the sides of Luffy's multi-faceted personality. Law cocks his head to the right, so his cheek rests atop Luffy.
When he feels a pair of eyes on him, he lifts open a lid to put a name to the intrusive stare. Of course, it's none other than Shachi. The man smiles shyly at him. One glare from Law was enough to make him turn around and face forward. Luffy chuckles quietly from under him, and Law plants a kiss on his forehead.
They haven't been on the road for no more than fifteen minutes when Franky suddenly pulls into a very familiar street. Law furrows his brows as they turn, then dip down a road that leads into an underground parking lot. The van is suddenly shrouded in dim gray shadows, broken only by the fluorescent lights that decorated the ceiling above them.
"Hey," the surgeon begins, searching their surroundings, "why are we here of all places?"
Franky turns into a set empty space in a corner of the underground parking lot, where a similar van sat parked for them. Several tents stood next to the vehicle, along with a table of snacks.
Luffy looks around curiously. "Hey, isn't this the parking lot under Flevance?"
The surgeon feels his confusion mounting. "It is."
When the van parks, Sabo opens the doors and hops out. "We're changing vans and clothes here. Remember the black change of clothes you all were to bring?"
"Shachi," Penguin begins as they file out, "I hope you brought your shit."
The red head makes a frustrated noise as he lands on the gray concrete. "I did, lay off me man." After the others leave, Law and Luffy follow suit, and they're the last out of the car.
Koala chuckles, shutting the door behind them. "All's well then." She moves around them to the other vehicle. "Hey Hack! Where are you?"
"In here!" A deep voice responds. Law watches as a thirty-something man of some Asian descent emerges from the driver's side door, jumping down and shaking out his limbs. He stands and eyes them all warily.
Sabo moves to Koala's side as they approach their comrade. "Everything ready?"
He nods, gruff and short. "Yeah. If they hurry they'll be fine."
"Understood." Sabo turns to the group. "Franky will take us the rest of the way in this one instead."
"Any reason why?" Marco voices.
"Us Revolutionaries always tend to be a little extra cautious, so we usually switch vehicles during missions," the red headed woman explains. "Better safe than sorry. Plus, you all needed to stop to change anyway."
The dark haired nurse eyes the food table with glee. "You do care for us! Thoughtful, as I said."
"Actually," Koala gives Hack an encouraging pat on the back. The man rubs the area playfully, as if it hurt more than it did. "Hack here arranged it all. He was convinced that you all needed food. Man's a softie at heart."
Bepo elbows Penguin as Shachi laughs aloud.
"Go on in you guys," Law says, coming close to his co-workers. "I'll head in right after."
The red headed nurse gives him a salute. "Aye aye captain!"
"Captain?" Marco repeats.
The surgeon turns and shrugs. "Old nickname that won't leave."
The trio takes to the three tents set up, bragging about which one would be able to change the fastest. Bepo however, was unable to make it into his tent. He slowly backs away from the canvas, and when the inhabitants poke their heads out, Law's eyes nearly pop out of his head.
"Sanji? Zoro?" he asks, baffled. "What the hell are you guys doing here?"
The pair had already changed into black outfits, pretty similar to what they wore back when they met Marco. They looked threatening, but their expressions actually portrayed the far opposite. Sanji's cheeks burned red with embarrassment, and Zoro had a sheepish grin on his face. Law falters and searches between the two of them. Oh god.
The blonde speaks, just a hair higher than usual, but still just as annoyed. "This dumbass got us so lost, we ended up at the hospital. Below the hospital."
Luffy shakes his head. "I wouldn't have expected anything less from Zoro."
Law raises an eyebrow. He didn't even want to ask how that was possible. He just rolled with it. "So you guys are parked here?"
Sanji gestures to a green Jeep in a far corner. "Yeah, we are. This guy, Hack, he recognized Zoro and I. He knew that you all were waiting on us, so he had us change here and wait. We got lucky that this was the same place you guys were heading anyway."
"Hell yeah you were lucky," Penguin snorts, stepping out of the tent. "Imagine us having to go without you guys. Plan goes up in smoke."
Marco replaces him, and Bepo sidesteps Zoro and Sanji to get to his own tent. Sabo heads for the small snack table on the side, and Luffy joins him instantly, seeking anything to fill his stomach even more.
"Sorry," Zoro apologizes uncharacteristically. He rubs the back of his neck. "Sanji's just terrible at directions."
"Marimo, I swear."
"No worries, man," Penguin grins. "Long as you're here now."
Something tells Law that the pair wasn't just lost, but he keeps the detail to himself.
"I'll go get my swords from the car," the green haired starts in the opposite direction of his car. "Give me a minute."
"Oh shit that's right, you brought them." Sanji tosses him his keys. "Don't lose them this time. Or yourself for that matter. Car's on the left, the left."
"Fuck off," he mutters as he stalks away in the correct direction.
Once Shachi makes it out, he tags in Law to change. The surgeon enters the private space and closes the flap behind him. He takes a deep breath, sets down his sword and bag, and stares into a small mirror provided. He looked exhausted, nothing really new there, but he also seemed the most alive he's been in a while. His eyes flared with fire and anticipation, eager for what the day was to bring. Eager for a fight, to finally put his sword and muscles to use again, to pick back up on all the fighting instincts he's left behind.
Law breaks eye contact with himself. Get it together, Trafalgar.
He quickly sheds his clothing and opts for a blue pair of leopard jeans and an open, dark trench coat with his beloved late father's name embedded in a design on the back. An orange stripe comes up and over his hood, and white and orange stripes wrap around his left arm. It wasn't black per se, but it was what he was most comfortable in. He felt more free to move around.
When he emerges, everyone else has already changed. That was quick. Even Sabo and Koala had left their usual attire for a more elegant, black look. With their bright hair colors, it looked really good on them. The medical professionals all wore similar dark outfits, with boots, baggy pants, and loose, comfortable tops. They looked sharp, dangerous, even. Their dark shades and their caps pulled low sealed the deal. Marco only seemed to have changed into a darker version of what he was wearing before.
"Last time I checked, brown wasn't black," Shachi deadpans, crossing his arms as he took in Law's fit.
"You don't say," Law returns sarcastically. "I wanted to wear this jacket. It's dark enough. Any complaints?"
There are none. Instead, there's a compliment as Koala eyes his chest. "Nice tattoos."
"Thank you," the surgeon smiles. Penguin frowns in his direction. He ignores the expression and turns to his lover. "And it seems like I'm not the only one not following instructions."
Sabo sighs, unable to help a smile that comes onto his face. "You're right. Luffy...why does it look like you're about to go on vacation? To some tropical resort?"
The teen wore an unbuttoned navy Hawaiian shirt with yellow sunflowers, jean shorts that came to his knees, and a yellow sash around his waist. With his sandals on and his trusted straw hat at his neck, it really did seem as though he was going to some remote, get away island.
Luffy shrugs and readjusts his shirt. "I dunno. Just felt like this was the arc to do it, you know?"
Law narrows his eyes at him. "You've gotta stop doing that."
The teen blinks up at him innocently. "Doing what?"
"Ow! Are we super ready?" Franky calls out from the new van, revving the engine. "At this point, I'm gonna have to break more than a few laws if we want to get there on time!"
The surgeon cringes. He hated when people used that phrase. Made him feel as though he was gonna get jumped. At least when he used it, he knew he wasn't about to jump himself.
Sabo gives Law and Luffy's outfits one more glance before scratching his hair. "Well, nothing we can do about it now. Let's just start heading out."
Luffy smiles and turns to Law, jerking his head in the direction of the car. "You go on in, I'll get more snacks from the table."
The surgeon watches with a soft smile as the teen dashes over to the snacks, scrounging for any remains from what the others have partaken. Law heeds Luffy's advice and enters the van. This one was slighter bigger than the last, but still had the same number of seats.
Law chooses the back row again, taking a window seat. Sanji and Zoro sat there as well, talking quietly to one another. In front of him sit the medical trio, and in front of them are Koala and Marco. Sabo opted for shotgun this time around, as he could go over plans with Franky as Koala went over plans with the others. Luffy's the last in the van, and he plops down in between Law and Sanji with several handfuls of granola bars and bags of chips.
"Did you take the entire table?" Zoro asks incredulously from the other end of the row.
"Yes," Luffy states proudly, opening a bag. "And then some."
Sanji shakes his head with a smile. "Of course you did, Luffy."
The vehicle roars with life once more before they roll out of the parking area. Hack waves them goodbye from behind, and soon enough, the man disappears out of their sights.
Franky was gunning the gas like a man on a mission. Which he technically was, but damn was he going fast, especially for only being in a parking garage. How fast would he go once it was the open street?
Koala didn't seem to mind the speed, and turned to the men behind her. "Ok guys, need your attention for about two minutes."
They perk up at her voice, and she surveys them carefully. "Just want to quickly go over what we discussed yesterday, plan wise."
She quickly glances at her phone. "We'll first be stopping at the Distribution Factory on Mard Harbor. We're dropping off Bepo, Penguin, and Shachi. You'll meet Kuma there. Your objective is to destroy the building. It's where the shipment will take place. I'll be dropped off there too, to find and arrest Caesar."
The mentioned men salute at her, with Penguin adding a wink on top.
"Then," she continues without missing a beat. "The others will travel over sea to Dod Island. There on the beach is the Main Factory. There, you'll be dropping off Zoro, Sanji, and Marco. And you'll meet Ivankov. Your task is to destroy that building as well. Remember Caesar's lab is there, so it's very important it goes down in flames." At Zoro's contemplative expression, Koala huffs through her nose. "Or slashes, if that's your style."
The pair in the back make motions of acknowledgement, and Marco nods. The redhead smiles. "Good. Next, traveling to the base. The fifteen-"
"Twelve."
"Thanks, Sabo. A twelve minute hike inland will get you to the base. Sabo will be going off to look for Kidd, and Law and Luffy will be looking for Doflamingo. There will be a force searching for him with you guys as well."
She takes a deep breath. "Then everyone will meet at the front doors of the base at seven. Remember to communicate through your phones and to give us updates. Understood?"
When a chorus of agreements greet her ears, she smiles wider. "Good. Best of luck to us all."
It's 3:53 when the van dissolves into a heavy silence, filled with anticipation as for what's to come.
The reality of it all finally hit Law by the time the medical trio met the tall man named Kuma at the harbor. Bepo damn near fainted at the sight. Guy was built like a tank.
Kuma greeted the three with a soft 'Hello' and introduced the men to his soldiers, who all cheered behind him. The Revolutionary was soft spoken, yet at the same time, there was this air of unspeakable authority around him that made everyone want to stop and listen. Shachi and Penguin immediately got why Koala and Sabo vouched for him so much. His mere presence commanded respect, but also exuded a fierce kindness.
Koala had departed there on the harbor as well, waving them goodbye. When Law and the others returned her wave, the group started for a building about half a mile or so away. Law watched them go with his heart in his throat. Hopefully they would be okay.
"Alrighty," Sabo jumps down from the van and slams his door. "Now it's us six left. Thanks for the drive, Franky."
The man shoots him a lopsided grin. "It's my pleasure, brother."
Law climbs out the backseat with Luffy and the others right on his heels. Sabo motions them over to one of the many docks, where a gigantic cruiser lay in wait for them. There were a few other boats littering the outstretched trails of wood on the water, being tended to by mindless workers, but on closer inspection, it seems as though they were a part of the Revolutionary Army. Sabo casually engages in conversation with one as he makes his way over to the cruiser, and it confirms Law's suspicions.
The group arrives at the boat and are greeted by a wide man who sits above them at the steering wheel. His afro hair is pulled back in a half up pony, and a thick goatee shrouds his chin. He wears a button up that dips low enough for a red tattoo to peek up from the fabric, and a pair of comfy pants. His wide mouth slips into an easy smile.
"Jinbe! How've you been holding up?" Sabo steps carefully into the cockpit. "I feel like it's been forever."
The man laughs, and it comes straight from the gut. "Well that's because it has! When's the last time you needed me for something? I've been itching to be on the water again."
Sabo motions them in. "Come on now, there's more than enough room for all of you."
Law gestures from Luffy to the cockpit. "After you."
The teen gives him a small smile before heading into the boat, Law heading in right after. The hull was pretty big and a gorgeous red, and it provided a decent amount of space for a handful of people to sit in the cockpit and enjoy the waves in comfort. The cockpit continued into a shielded area right before the helm, and further beyond that laid a beautiful hull. Marco, Zoro, and Sanji file onto the boat as well, but they're barely able to settle down and take in their surroundings before they're on the move.
Sabo ducked inside the windowed area to avoid the splash of the water around them, and Law and the rest traced his footsteps. The interior was surprisingly nothing special- chairs rooted to the floor with tables that accompanied them, and benches that lined the edges of the boat. Law took a seat beside Luffy, and Marco took up a chair to the side. Sanji and Zoro remained glued at the hip on the other side of the boat. They all watched Sabo expectantly as the water whipped past the windows on either side.
The blonde nods over to the helm. "I know you're meeting a lot of new people today, but bear with me. This is Jinbe. Super chill, super down to earth. It's hard to ruffle his feathers. He's a great comrade, and an excellent helmsman."
Though the roar of the engine nearly drowns out his words, Jinbe seemed to hear them crystal clear. He barks out a hearty laugh. "Oh, you speak too highly of me, Sabo. I'm simply a man who loves the sea, that's all."
Sabo smiles at his back and shakes his head. "No, you're really great, man. We're counting on you once again."
"You got it!"
The boat seemed to surge forward even faster now, ripping through the water at speeds Law didn't even know boats could reach. He almost wants to hold onto something, but he doesn't. Jinbe seemed to know exactly what speed to maintain the cruiser at to ensure their speedy arrival, yet also ensure the comfort of his passengers. It's a delicate balance to maintain, and shows the extent of the man's talent. At the rate they were going, they might even get there early. He checks his phone.
It's 4:34 PM.
"Nervous?" Luffy whispers from beside him.
It was as if the situation had flipped from just an hour and a half prior. Now he was the nervous one, it seemed.
"Maybe," Law admits, snaking to Luffy's hand and squeezing it. "But just a little."
"You think we could've prepared more for this?"
The surgeon thinks it over. "I'm not too sure how much more we could've. Doflamingo's like a wild card. This whole plan is like a wild card. No one really knows how it'll play out, so let's just do our best."
Luffy nods solemnly. "That's true. I need to get out my own head."
The fiery figure within Law's mind laughs aloud, and requests for another cup of champagne. Law hums in thought. "...You and me both, Luffy."
Unfortunately, Law would later find out that Doflamingo wasn't a wild card at all.
He was the Joker, and always would be, in every sense of the word.
The man was cunning to a tee, and always played his cards just right.
He knew what could throw Law off and what could get him riled up. What could make him fall apart and lose his cool. What could get him pissed off enough to act on his emotions instead of his head. Doflamingo knew it all, and worse, how to weaponize the knowledge to his advantage.
It's 4:35 PM. About half an hour until they arrive at Dod Island.
And Law and Luffy couldn't have been less prepared.
A/N: Wooo buddy. Block block block. Thanks for reading! Until the next~
P.S. Peep Luffy breaking the fourth wall again.
P.P.S. Finally, some action to begin here soon!