Heya,
Kalon Thorn is on a roll again with a brand new chapter. Thank you for your patience, the school got kinda rough with all those assigments and stuff.
ANYWAY, I wanted to make it up to you, so this chapter is a bit longer than the previous ones. Enjoy and comment down your thoughts, feeling, ideas or critique. Everything is much appreciated!
Chapter eight: It's burning man, Halelujah!
Swallow island, North Blue
"So...Umm, " Corazon leaned out from behind the rough-hewn logs of wood and pointed with his thumb towards the scruffle taking place not so far away from their hiding spot "Who is from those two in your crew again? The one beating the poor bear's head with the metal pipe or the other one kicking its stomach so hard that it looks like he wants to stomp its guts out?"
He really didn't expect Law to have such a cruel crewmate. He wanted his crew to be like a family to him. He hoped that he had found someone who loved him the same way he did.
But this was a part of his so called loving family?
Corazon's face twisted into a disgusted grimace. He had already seen a lot of blood and death in his life. Assasination, slavery, genocides... those things weren't new to him. How could they be when he was a former navy soldier and a brother to one of the cruelest men ever walking on the surface of this planet? Even though he lived through worse, he just couldn't stand the utter brutality that was happening before his very eyes.
It was inhumane, sickening.
A warm rusty blood flowed from the tiny bear cub's wounds, seeping into the surrounding pristine snow, while also staining its milky fur and creating odd veiny ornaments in the icy ground. Its frail body trembled with pain, and its cries were long silenced by the sore throat. Only occasional quiet whines could be heard as the two boys were beating it.
His fingers twitched and were ready to curl into fists any moment now. Those little fucks were reminding him of those people back then when he had to eat from dumpsters just to survive for another shitty day.
What did the cub do? It was just a small innocent animal, it didn't do anything to them, and yet they tarnished it with their violent human nature.
Why did those people years ago treated him and his brother like punching bags? To relieve hatred for their despicable kind?
They were just humans like no other.
They just wanted to live their lives in peace and harmony.
They didn't want to hurt anyone.
Why can't people understand that the sins of one person don't belong to any other than to that individual?
That petty revenge without actually trying to change something is not worth the trouble?
They driven his mother to an early death, they made his brother into a monster, who in the end killed their own kind-hearted yet naive father... and made Rosinante experience every night those never-ending nightmares.
At times, he was and still is scared to look into the mirror, worried he'll see a mad smile of his brother, but plastered on his own lips.
Doflamingo and him were much more alike than he would ever want them to be.
He also killed, but he knew mercy.
Doflamingo didn't.
But was that enough not to call him a monster too?
"All three of them." Law interrupted Corazon's negative thoughts with a shit-eating grin.
"What?"
Law sighed, took Rosinante by his hood and pulled him back down into the malformed shadows.
"I know it looks pretty bad. I'll never forget Bepo's pleading gaze meeting mine..." surgeon confided and brushed the sheath of Kikoku with his fingers "In that time I saw myself in him, I wanted to protect him and so I did." he scoffed and cracked a little smile at the distant memory "but trust me, those two punks repented and genuinely apologized to him like million times and he still pulls this up on them even years later. It's an inside joke between us."
Corazon still looked confused as hell and so he decided to wait for Law to explain further.
The little doctor frowned again.
"Ah really, from one idiot to another. *sigh what I meant was that all three of them are in my crew, and yes Cora-san, even the polar bear. Bepo's a mink."
Corazon's jaw dropped to the ground at the revelation. He surely didn't expect that.
"You should close it now, or you'll be stuck like this forever Looking even more stupid than usual." Law chuckled and pushed his jaw back up. "And to be fair, they didn't exactly have the best lives until they met me either, so please try to understand. Like you did me..."
Law leaned closer to him and hugged his torso.
"For which I will always be grateful for." he breathed out and graced Corazon with his genuine happy smile.
"And now shut up and stay still. We don't want to expose ourselves now, do we?" Law flicked Corazon's forehead, took a strand of his now sky blue hair between his fingers and kept provoking him with his well-known smirk "Since you went through that amazing transformation and all, as not to stand out~"
"Uh, you shut up! I have put up my calm-calm barrier and you know it!" Rosinante retorted and shook Law's hand off "And for your information, I like my new apperance."
"Don't shake my hand off~" Law drawled, hooked his index finger under the black face mask with a white X that Corazon was now wearing and pulled it towards him
"Ow Ow Ow, my ears!"
Then Law let go and the mask went back with a nasty smack. Corazon whined and Law rubbed his hair again.
"As fluffy and smooth as I remember, huh? It's really you."
Corazon's face heated at Law's words. He was redder than his hoodie.
"Yo-you little brat! I-I am still older tha-than you. Don't you teas-se your father! " Corazon stuttered out, totally embarrassed and squished Law's kiddy chubby cheeks "On the other hand, it should be me teasing you. You were really adorable as a kid, weren't you... Just as I remember hahaha"
"You idiotsh! I'll shlishe you uph!"
'You idiot! I'll slice you up?'
"Hahaha, as I said before! Just adorable~" Corazon continued to gush about little Law's cuteness, not noticing one stray log roll away from the pile.
And so surprisingly...
...He tripped.
*CLATTER
The loud noise caught the attention of the two bullies and they turned around in confusion.
"Shit." Law hissed "I thought you made the barrier around us!"
"But I did! I was probably distracted and my concentration decreased. It's your fault for teasing me, you brat!" Corazon barked back and smacked the back of Law's head
Now the boys were looking their way and stopped beating the living shit out of Bepo for a second.
Their stances became more rigid and alert.
"Who's there?! " The boy with ginger hair called out into the woods, but his question was met only with a playful howl of a wind.
"We know you're there! Come out!" The other boy with a hood shadowing his eyes shouted.
"Shit, what do we do?! We can't change this!" Law whisper-screamed and pulled Corazon further into the safe shadow of the forest.
"Stay still and don't say a word." little surgeon bit out and crouched down behind the nearest tree.
Corazon followed his example.
The boys looked at each other and nodded.
They brought out their weapons and prepared themselves for a possible brawl.
Cracking of the twigs and crunching of the snow, was dangerously nearing them. They tried to crouch even lower and become invisible.
'What is this strange yet rather familiar stench?...'
Law smelled the air for a bit and looked in the Corazon's direction.
Oh my fucking god of course!
He was fricking burning again!
"Psst, psst!" Law tried to get Rosinante's attention and waved his hand until Corazon looked at him.
"Fire." he mouthed and pointed towards his back.
Corazon's perplexed face turned quickly panicky.
"I am on fire!" he yelled out and started running towards the bloodied bear. To be specific, his target wasn't the bear, but the cool snow. One couldn't extinguish himself with a bear cub, but with snow? Yes.
Law facepalmed and grumbled.
"That fucking idiot!"
And ran after him.
On the way, Corazon ran straight into the gobsmacked duo and sent them flying to the ground.
When wheezing Law finally got to him, Rosinante was already rolling around circles in the snow.
"Excelent Cora-san, It won't happen again my ass!" Law bit out and gestured towards the duo "Now stay down for a second. I'll deal with 'em."
The guy with hood shook off the primal shock.
"Who are you?!"
'"Just a travelling doctor. And let me tell you something. I don't enjoy having more work to take care of than I have to." Law smirked and pointed towards the cub who was desperatly trying not to pass out.
"Please... help... me...It hurts *sniff" the cub panted and lifted its small paw towards the fuming Law.
"You stay down too. Don't worry, I'll help you."
The little bear smiled and let itself drift into uncounciousness.
"Like hell you will! Don't butt in kid, this doesn't concern you!" The redhead jeered and smacked his pipe few times into his palm.
"I'm no kid you bastards and don't ever tell me what to do." Law whispered dangerously, sending shivers with his voice down the boy's spine.
"Oh really?! Then die!" The other one screamed and ran to him with his fist raised in the air, ready to break Law's nose.
"Wa-wait Penguin! This guy's weird! Don't -" The ginger called out to his friend, but it was already too late. Law was smirking wickedly.
"ROOM!"
"Shachi what are you sayi-!"
It was over in no less than ten seconds.
Penguin and Shachi slumped over by the nearby tree. Their faces played with all colors, with purple being superior to others and were breathing heavily.
"This guy is a monster too." Shachi wheezed and put a hand on his hurt side. "This shit hurts...How the fuck is he so strong?"
"Yeah... I dunno, we should like you know... Run!" Penguin shouted and grabbed Shachi by his elbow, pulling him deeper into the forest.
"No, wait!" Law called out to them, but they were already far from earshot. "Take care of Bepo for the time being! I need to catch these dumbasses before the boars massacre them like last time!"
"Sure! Gimme the medicine!"
Law threw a first-aid kit at Corazon and started running after them.
It hit Corazon in the head, but he was laughing.
"Wahaha this kid, I swear-"
"What the heck is going on here? And who are you?"
Corazon whipped his head towards a familiar voice that he shouldn't hear, because the owner just ran into the forest.
It was a kid.
A kid with huge dark bags under their eyes, looking like it didn't sleep since they crawled out from their mother.
It was a little Law. To be more specific.
The image of him.
"Uh, hi?" Corazon said nervously with fake lower voice.
The image frowned and looked at the cub right next to distressed Rosinante.
"You're doing it wrong, y'know? Let me help you."
"A-ah, really? Thanks!" Corazon smiled and put a bandage into the image's hand.
You're kind as always... Right, Law?
"Oh no... The boars were here first..."
He found them just like last time, all bloody and injured, on the brink of the death.
Well, at least this time Penguin didn't have his arm cut off. Law really started to get sick off sewing the severed limbs back on.
Even though this wasn't the first time, a panic intruded his mind. It was his crew. His family. He's the captain. He should be able to protect them and yet he wasn't able to hold onto his word. He failed them. He left them to die...
His mind was being attacked once again by untamed dark thoughts.
"No! Wake up Law! You are back, you can save them... They are okay" Law smacked his cheeks and then looked at the pair "Okay maybe they are not really alright right now, but they will be once you patch them up, so get to work!"
"I could've have two kids. I could have twins and yet... You killed your own brother! Shame on you, you, you murderer!" Corazon comically wailed with tears streaming from his eyes and almost immediately freezing due to the cold wind.
"Oh. my. god., sweet holly Luffy, Cora-san, for the last time. You knew from the start that we need to erase my image. It wasn't even the real person and now you'll have other three kids, so stop yapping!"
'Strawhat-ya at least don't go around catching on fire every damn second.'
"Three other? Oh!... But... Okay the bear is honestly adorable, but I don't approve of those two hooligans! They have to prove themselves!" Corazon huffed as he carried both of them.
"Hai hai." Law smirked "Don't worry, these three are my very best friends. I spent time with them in Pleasure town before we sailed out to be pirates."
"Pleasure town? Is that where we're going? "
"Yes, we need to find the Wolf-san."
"Who?"
"An old inventor and mechanic, who took care of me." Law softly smiled and tugged on Rosinante's hoodie "Now, let's go, he must be worried!"
'Wolf-san, huh? Thank you for taking care of my little Law.'
Dawn island, East Blue
"Okay, now where did I put my notebook" a cloaked small child grumbled under its breath as it rummaged through its sling-on leather bag that was showing signs of being put through a lot of dangerous adventures.
You know scratch here and there, dark smudges along the strap and few memorable pins. The child stopped for a second and caressed the pins with fondness and deep sorrow.
His eyes fixed on the one that pictured palace in Alubarna and Happy Caroo posing with his wings stretch out in front of it.
'Ah... This one' s from Alabasta...Vivi sent it to me, because I forgot to buy one after all that dying by Croc's hand. Tche! I'm glad I get to beat his ass.'
His fingers slid across to another one. A raised fist engulfed in fire. He got this one back in Dressrosa from Sabo. It was actually a symbol of the Revolutionary Army. They promoted themselves with this symbol.
However, Sabo didn't give it to him, so that people thought he was part of the army, no, he would never let Luffy get involved with his business...
He did so, because he knew about Luffy's obsession with pins. And also because he didn't want him to be sad when they said their goodbyes...
Luffy already started collecting them long before he even met his brothers, but most of the pins he had were of Navy and its instituations. Garp really wanted to make him marine, huh? He was such a fanboy, that grandpa of his.
Luffy huffed at that thought, annoyed just by thinking about going through that persuasion hell yet again.
Even though he tried to be mad ať Garp and his ministrations, he wasn't able to get rid of that one marine themed pin.
Od course he couldn't..., how could he leave somewhere his first pin ever.
A heartfelt gift, wishing him a bright future, praying that they won't find him and he'll stay hidden, under the radar.
He loved his grandpa deeply and even though his punches were hard as rocks... No no no... Hard as the meat pudding he tried to make that one time, he wouldnt exchange him for any other old man...
Luffy loved how they sat around the fire after the 'workout', laughing and eating roasted crocodile meat. How his grandpa would always rufgle his hair and told him, that he would be always proud of him, no matter what he chose to do in the future. He loved how his wrinkles decorated his face, how his smile split his face when Luffy got a great punch in or when he dodged one of his lethal so called love-filled attacks. Or how grandpa's laugh ringed in his ears, how his thick finger flicked his forehead... reminding him that he had someone who cares for him... And how cold it felt whenever he had to go back to do marine-stuff.
...
After Ace and Sabo died and he was on the run from Akainu, after Robin was killed by that scum Blackbeard, the revolutionary army was decimated... and the newspaper said, that his father was also dead... He didn't even had the chance to get to know him and he was already dead...
In that time, he only had a one person left, who he could trust...
Back then, five years ago, he kind of retraced back, he felt like that clumsy cheeky 7 year old crybaby again, running to his grandpa Garp for some sense of security, for a warm hug, for some kind comforting words saying everything was going to be okay by his gruff voice, for some rice cracker that Garp loved so much and shared with no one except for Luffy and Ace...
But then when he thought he already got to him...
"Psssst, Ji-Chan. It's me!"
But nobody answered... He took a closer step to the table...
"Oi, Ji-chaaaan it's not nice to ignore your own... grandson..."
Garp lied there motion less with his eyes closed.
Luffy poked him.
"Shishishi, another one of your sleep attacks? You are just like Ace, Sheesh"
He waited ten minutes
He waited half an hour.
He waited two hours.
He waited... five hours, but nothing happened
"Geez wake up already!" Luffy called out, slightly starting to panic.
He shook his shoulders, but garp didn't respond...
Luffy's expression dropped and darkened
"Ji-Chan?" he rasped with his eyes wattering..
He looked at his chest... It wasn't moving up and down...like it should...
He slid his fingers on his neck...
There was no pulse.
He was asleep... But for eternity and he would never wake up again...
"This isn't funny grandpa!" Luffy screamed, tears falling from his redish eyes "I don't have anyone else left but you! And what do you do! You leave me alone to suffer! Again!"
The grief surged with every expelled breath, always reaching higher peaks, never sufficiently soothed by his long intakes of the damp stuffy coffe-scented air of the office. His knees buckled under him and he hit the floor with loud thud.
Then, the door flew open.
"Freeze criminal!"
"Viceadmiral Garp!"
Luffy bit his lip and ran.
Ran and ran and ran.
He ran.
But where to.
He didn't know.
He didn't have where to run.
He didn't have a home anymore.
"He killed viceadmiral Garp, his own grandfather! This scum needs to be extermined immediately!" Akainu smirked and gestured for the soldiers to go after him.
Garp was still lying there, in the office with his hand on den den mushi, spilled cofee and tons of newspaper and documents discussing the matter of Strawhats scattered around...
As Luffy ran, he thought...
...he wasn't the brightest but everyone could se what happened there...
His Grandfather viceadmiral Garp the Fist, the marine hero... was poisoned.
"Aaagh, stop it you dumb head! Now's not the time to weep like a little baby just because your entire family and friends were killed in the future..."
"..."
"Okay! Maaaybe that's a pretty legitimate reason to cry, but still!" Luffy grinned as he finally felt the old notebook at the bottom of the bag and pulled it out.
However, as clumsy as he always is, he spilled the entire content all over the ground.
"Whoops, better put it back quickly." he chuckled and put the orange devil fruit, normal den den mushi and white den den mushi, his costume and few other things back into the bag.
"Now, what is the first few things I need to do... hmmm~ hmmm~" Luffy mused as he flipped to the first page "Ah, that's right! I need to get rid off that image thingy and...- Oh my god, Marco has so weird handwriting - Yes! I need to discover if the Shanks already was here or if Garp already introduced me to bandits! Yooosh, here I go!"
Luffy puffed up his chest and with a confident spirngy stride went towards the village.
Oh...Foosha village.
A place filled with treasured memories... Makino, Woop-Slap, Shanks! He couldn't wait to see them. It was such a long time since he ate roasted smoky chicken and drunk that yummy orange juice at Makino's bar.
*GROOOOWL
"I guess I know where I'll find myself." The boy snickered and as stealthily as he could, moved towards the small building in the back.
'Don't look suspicious~. Don't look suspicious~.' Luffy chanted in his mind.
Even though, he could now lie a bit better, he was still nervous as hell right now and wouldn't you know, a small child in coat with hood creeping around corners as if it just stole the national treasure of Mariejois was kiiiinda suspicious on its own.
So it wasn't really strange that a few villagers gave him confused or wary looks.
"Gaaaah, finally here!" Luffy exhaled loudly, standing in front of the door to the bar.
He quietly opened it and slipped unnoticed inside.
And just as he predicted. There he was. Stuffing his mouth with chicken rolls...Good times.
'And oh? He has a straw hat already? Aw man, so he I won't get the chance to see Shanks...bummer'
"Well, whatever!" Luffy brushed his disappointment off and went to the kid. They were the only ones in the bar and Makino was probably in the kitchen, cooking another batch for this black hole of a child. What a lucky coincidence!
"Na, hey!" Luffy called out to the kid. The small boy with a scar under his eyes turned around with his cheeks still stuffed like a chipmunk.
"Mm?"
"I am here, so now you can go." Luffy sniggered and the boy waved back at him.
"Oh okay, you took while though! Be faster next time 'cause there are no chicken rolls left~" The kid stuck its tongue out and grinned mischievously.
"You little sh-!" Luffy was about to shout, but the kid touches him first and dissipated i to the air.
Only few sparkly particles were left of him when Makino came rushing in with another two dishes full of delicious looking chicken rolls.
"Ara? Luffy? You already ate them? Fuu you're so quick hahaha." she laughed an put the plates down on the counter. "What's up with the coat? I don't think I saw it before?"
Luffy twitched and swiftly took it off and stuffed it into his bag.
"I found it lying in the forest. It didn't look like anyone wanted it, so I took it shishishishi." he beamed at her, drops of sweat dripping from his forehead and praying that she won't expose his lie.
"Oh?...you liked the coat, huh?... Oh! Are you perhaps trying to imitate Shanks-san?" Makino giggled and ruffled his raven soft hair.
"Eh... Un?" Luffy croaked out because he himself couldn't think of a better excuse.
Makino pulled his cheek and her eyes were filled with nothing short of fondness and adoration for Luffy. Then she abruptly stopped.
"Luffy...?" she whispered, her eyes darkening.
Luffy stopped leaning into her touch and holding his breath. What did he do? Did he screw up already?
"Why do you have bandaged arms...?" she inquiered.
Luffy cursed under his breath. He's a fucking idiot! He should've waited for a better opportunity! There exist no excuse that would logically be able explain why he in few minutes got so neatly bandaged arms!
"Luffy? How? Are you hurt or?... Show me your stomach!" Makino commanded and yanked his shirt up. "Oh god."
Luffy squeaked out in surprise as his bandaged torso was revealed.
"Explain. Now."
"Ano...You see hehe... I saw? Yes I saw one of Shank's man a-and he had those cool bandages on and when I asked him about it, he said he has a really neat battle scars underneath it and that... That it's so cool, he doesn't want to show it, because he would always be center of the attention instead of his captain!" Luffy babbled out, sweating bullets and his eyes ticking from left to right.
"Hmmmmmmm." Makino observed him, giving him her I-don't-trust-you look. "So you're not really hurt, right?" she asked carefully.
"N-no!" Luffy stuttered out, banging his head on counter mentally for not saying it more convincingly.
"So it wouldn't be problem to take these off, huh?" Makino drawled and reached out to him.
"NO! You can't!" Luffy yelled out, surprising Makino and making her back off a bit.
"But Luff-"
"Aaah, I'm so sorry Makino, but I must go, the chicken rolls were truly awesome! The yummiest I ever had! Bye bye!" he exclaimed and took off, leaving shocked Makino in the dust.
"Yeesh, why are things always so complicated!" he huffed out, running towards the Mt. Corvo "Okay, from now one I am using my brain."
He even bumped into Woop-Slap on his way and got scolding for running around old people like a delinquent.
"Shishishishi! I'm no good boy, Mayor! I'm going to be a pirate after all!" Luffy called out and continue to sprint towards the forest.
Haaa Haaa, catastrophe avoided! Shishishi..." Luffy laughed and flopped down with on his back, feeling lush wet grass under him. Now this is where the fun begins. He chuckled to himself.
"So, Ji-chan didn't arrive yet... Hum... But I can't return to the Foosha village or go to the bandits yet... Okay! Let's build a tree house!" he decided cheerily "Yosh! Hide-out it is! Oh man, Ace's and Sabo's eyes will fall out of their sockets when they see my work!"
He tried to imagine his dream house. It was exactly the same as the one he build with his brothers. With an vivid image in his mind, he started running in the direction of the Gray Terminal.
There should be just enough material.
When they worked all together, it took a week for them to finish it. With him alone it would take a bit longer, but that didn't matter!
'Only thing that matters are your flabbergasted faces after I show you my secret hiding spot shishishi'
"Yikes! I forgot how weak this body is... I need to get myself to the shape again!" Luffy huffed as he lifted five planks and ran back to his chose tree. It was the on with the thickest trunk in the whole forest and also the tallest one growing there. So. Just perfect for a tree house.
After a few hours he had the base done.
He sat down and leaned his back on the tree.
"The sun is going to set soon... I think it's about time to call Marco." Luffy contemplated and took a den den mushi from his bag. Then he connected it to the white one as to not get eavesdropped on and dialed Marco's number.
*Puru Puru Puru Puru
*Gacha
"Marco the Phoenix speaking. What business do you have with the first commander's of the Whitebeard pirates?" Marco's lazy tone drawled out of the speaker.
"Shi Shi Shi Shi, Mephisto wants to speak to the Inferno. You have 'im there?" Luffy chuckled and lowered his voice.
"Ah! Luffy! I just wanted to call you~! So, Giggles... I hope you didn't screwed the plan yet."
"Bleeh I didn't you fire-chicken. Well, not entire ly st least. I just had to ran out of the village because Makino wanted to take my bandages off." Luffy laughed nervously.
"Haaa, I knew it. I told you to think before you act, but here we go again. But oh well, the important thing is that she didn't saw what was underneath, right? So just keep low profile and follow the plan and everything should be a-okay." Marco sighed with a soft smile.
"I miss you Marco."
"Yeah. I miss you too, Giggles... My little brother."
"..."
"Go to sleep, today must've been exhausting."
"Yeah...it kind of was."
"See? Then go to bed, so you have strengh for tommorow."
"Okay... I'll call you again tommorow... Sweet dreams, Marco~"
"Ha ha, thank you Luff, I'll look at some documents and go too, good night."
*Gacha
Luffy stretched his arms out and climbed up to the tree and lied down on the few plank he put there.
"Nice dreams Ace, Sabo..." he whispered into the wind "I want to meet you again soon, I missed you a lot." he sniffled as a stray tear slid down his cheek.
He looked up to the now starry sky. It made him hope.
That everything and everyone dear to him was going to be okay.
He let himself be lulled by familiar screeches of exotic animals and dozed off.
Little did he know someone was watching him with a curiosity in their eyes.
A small boy was crouched on the branch of one of the nearby tree. His eyes stinged with hatred and untamed fire dance in them.
"Just who the hell is this kid?"