Nananinu: Luffy is half oblivious, half baiting. :D Shachi and Penguin should be showing up pretty soon! As I planned this to be a "short", romance fic, I don't have plans on expanding it to include other Vinsmokes. All the characters are the ones that have been introduced.

JellyKitty: The dynamic Arctic duo will be showing up soon ; ) And just in the nick of time!

Mazout: I have to insert some fluff, but I have a really hard time doing it because I'm not a fluffy person XD Luckily, I have people like you to help me do it :D I feel like I made a little shift with Robin than I normally do – she's 'happier' with her tendencies, and she always makes sure people don't feel alone when they're feeling doomed lol If Ussop or Zoro had been hit by the shoe, they'd definitely know what's happening XD

Shadow: 11

"Were you pirated, too?" Tony asked Law curiously, his eyes wet and swollen. He was greedily eating some sort of pudding desert Sanji had given him, and though it wasn't something that appealed to Law, Law couldn't help but stare at it with undisguised interest. Tony sniffed and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. The breeze was cold, so both of them were wearing jackets – Nami was fixing Law's borrowed shirt. The teen couldn't help but gawk at the taller man for his absurdly good looks and for the fact that he was sitting shirtless under one of Franky's jackets nonchalantly. He adjusted his pink hat over his floppy brown curls. "They treat you differently, I've noticed."

Both of them were sitting at the back deck, where Law was keeping watch. The others were occupied inside of the ship; Sanji had given them breakfast, kicked and scolded Law for walking around like a primate, then escaped back to the kitchen. Tony was bewildered by the ex-prince's attitude towards someone that could break a ship's railing with his bare hands.

Law wasn't sure of the word's meaning; he was aware that Tony used it to describe his position on the Tangerine Dream. His breakfast was some grilled fish and what looked like a type of seaweed soup – because his human body demanded nourishment, he hadn't any complaints about the fish's temperature. He was picking the bones clean.

"Pirated," he repeatedly carefully, using a bone to clean his teeth.

"Y'know, pirates. People who steal and savage others on the sea," Tony explained. "I was stolen."

"Can you swim?"

"…No."

"Then why are you complaining?"

"I should be allowed a choice in the matter, sir!" Tony barked at him impatiently, then scooped pudding into his mouth messily. His chin then wobbled, repressing sobbing noises. "This is so good!"

"Looks like fish puke."

Tony wiped his eyes. "I get the gist of what you're saying. I could be drowned out there right now, or pulled under by the sea creatures Ussop had mentioned, but…I'm scared. I don't know if you people are nice or – I mean, Miss Nami said she 'borrowed' this ship but then the others were saying she savagely mauled the original owners to take it from them. Robin is a ghost that shows up from out of nowhere. Franky is somewhat of a new world explorer that has some sort of ship masonry experience, Luffy and Zoro fishermen, Jimbei said he was stolen because he can't pay back his worth of rescuing - ! And I don't know what Brook is, but a musician as talented as he is and sailing on these seas must be being held for some significant ransom! And you! They keep calling you a fishman! And Sanji is a prince! I heard the crew on Doflamingo's ship talking about it, but why would he want to play dead when his family is rich and scary?"

"I'm here because I chose to be."

"Doesn't seem like it," Tony said, looking at him skeptically. He had pudding clinging to the corners of his mouth, crumbs dusting his chin. He picked through the fruit sprinkled atop of the pudding to get an even mixture. "I'm a doctor, I studied to help people. This was my first real job out on the sea. And I end up being captured by pirates – I don't know how to be a pirate, I didn't study to be one!"

"A…doctor?"

"Yes, we use medicine to fix the ill, and tools to put humans back together." Tony gave him an odd look. "Everyone knows what a doctor is."

"I just use my will and hands to fix a human."

Tony's eyes bulged incredulously. "Are you one of God's angels?"

Law huffed, wearing an irritated expression as he looked away. Tony frowned at him before finishing off his bowl of pudding.

"Law," he then said patiently, setting aside his bowl and spoon, "what were you before this?"

"Merfolk."

"A…mermaid? Aren't they supposed to be women?" Tony asked in a whisper.

"A natural assumption," Luffy interrupted, peering around a corner to look in on them. He made sure the coast was clear, then sat before them with a large platter of what looked to be sandwich meats and cheeses. From his wool jacket pocket, he produced a bottle of juice. "Tony, you are looking at a merman. Let's get that straight. But, we also know of one that is both man and woman AND can turn into an octopus!"

Tony's eyes bulged once more as Luffy created a meat sandwich with cheese slices for bread. Law watched him skeptically as he devoured the thick brick without any reaction.

"If you choke," Tony warned, voice trembling, "I will…! I will…reluctantly treat you. And mermaids are myths."

"I'm obviously standing before you, breathing in this fresh oxygen," Law said with a huff.

Luffy finished chewing, then laughed, hitting Tony's worn leather shoe – the laces were coming undone, so they flapped with the action. He tutted, looking at Law with pity. "You stupid, stupid beautiful man. Can you not see the efforts we give in providing you with a better life? You are not standing – you are sitting. I'm sure you couldn't do that with your tail, but - "

Tony fretted as Law ensnared Luffy's skinny neck with one tattooed hand.

"If you are a mermaid," he said, reaching out with both hands to somehow pull Law's hand away from Luffy as he strangled, "then where's your tail?"

'Where's his tail?' Law heard his young self cry out with horror, and he dropped his hand from Luffy to look at Tony. Luffy inhaled and coughed, spraying them with meat pieces and cheese. Tony tried not to shriek in alarm as the splatter hit him in the face.

"A sea witch allowed me to turn human," Law muttered. "I can change back at any time."

"With his magical necklace," Luffy said to Tony, his eyes watery. He rubbed his throat. "A piece of coral. Show him it, Law."

"I don't have it. Mr Blackleg threw it into the sea."

Both of them looked at Law with horror, Law giving it an impatient look. "If it was actually what it was supposed to be, then I should have turned last night. But I am obviously…sitting…before you, breathing in this fresh oxygen."

"Ivankov…lied to us?" Luffy cried. "I'm the one responsible for you!"

"YOU ARE NOT - !"

"Ivankov is this sea witch that Zoro mentioned?" Tony asked. He shuddered. "Sounds real scary."

"I'll have a stern talk with Sanji," Luffy threatened, making another meat sandwich. "Anything that pertains to you has to go through me, first. Ivankov entrusted your life to me."

"No one is responsible for me," Law snarled at him, rising to his feet.

"Law," Tony said, looking up at him pleadingly, "if you are a merperson, this…merfolk, then can you please tell me something? If you are able to fix humans, how can you do that? Are all of you magical?"

"Not all of us."

"You healed me," Luffy then said to Law, head cocked. "I had energy for hours after Mingo hit me. And I didn't have any injury on me that I should have. Guy flung me around like a toy and bashed my face in with his foot, so I should've been dead."

"I shouldn't have," Law snapped at him. "I should've left you back there."

"RUDE. We're friends! Friends don't leave each other behind!"

"WE'RE NOT FRIENDS!"

Tony looked at Luffy with impatience as the fisherman snickered, clearing off the platter to stuff into his mouth. "You are so childish, sir. Baiting another man into a fight is uncouth."

"I'm not baiting," Luffy scoffed. "But I do love physical entanglements. Hey, Law, wanna arm wrestle me? I'll give you a real fight, something Sanji's incapable of doing. He doesn't use his arms to fight like I do."

Law gave him a puzzled look. "We weren't arm wrestling."

"All those noises from his room told me you guys were fighting."

"We weren't fighting." Law then paused, sure he was venturing into dangerous territory, but unsure of how to skirt around it.

Luffy gestured up at him while looking at Tony with a roll of his eyes, while Tony looked at Law with a puzzled frown.

"See? He doesn't know basic words and functions," Luffy said, shaking his head. "He doesn't know anything because he's a fish. And fish are dumb."

"Luffy," Jimbei interrupted them, peering out from the same area Luffy had moments earlier. "I must make you aware that Sanji knows it was you stealing food from our kitchen. I should warn you to make haste and disappear before he finds you."

Luffy stood and shoved the empty platter into Tony's startled hands, hurrying off into the opposite direction with frantic effort. Jimbei then looked at the others and smiled.

"I lie. I couldn't help but overhear a few things. Now you should be able to converse without his interruptions for a short while. Tony, if you are done with your snack, lunch will be served in an hour. You should bring your appetite. Last night, Zoro was able to catch some crabs while we were sleeping."

"Crabs just don't float in deep waters," Law said. "They scrounge about on the ocean floor."

"Zoro had said something about…needing to sober up and only cold water can do it," Jimbei said grimly. Tony's eyes widened once more, mouth dropping with disbelief as he carefully lowered the platter to the floor. "We have more than enough for everyone to feast."

"All of you pirates are unreal!" Tony whispered. "What sort of human being that's consumed excessive alcohol can hold their breath that long, or dive that deep?"

"Sanji can hold his until he – " Law cut himself off abruptly, remembering that he wasn't supposed to speak a word of their private relations. The pair looked at him questionably, so Law looked away to avoid giving away anything else.

"He is a very strong swimmer himself," Jimbei supplied slowly. "Both of them have done their share of retrieving Luffy or the others from the water."

"Gods," Tony whispered, hand to his mouth. "Mr Jimbei, sir, what feats are you capable of?"

Jimbei gave him a grim smile. "I was a former pirate captain, and luxury cruises were one of my fortes. My last job unfortunately ended with my ship blasted by the military on one such venture, and I was the only survivor. I was able to survive, for I am, also, capable of deep sea diving that allowed me to forage for edible creatures along the ocean floor."

"You must have whale lungs," Law muttered, a little incredulous.

"I was found by this crew, and allowed to live on the conditions that I share my treasures with Miss Nami."

Tony gestured wildly. "See? See? You guys actually charge towards ships to cause them harm and wrongdoing, and then make off with the treasures - !"

"Haven't you realized that they consider you a treasure to be found?" Law asked Tony impatiently while the teen's voice rose with panic and fright. "You were hand picked by the assassin – what is that, by the way?"

"Someone whom takes orders to kill other individuals for profit," Jimbei explained patiently.

"A predator," Law said.

"I will be killed if I try to leave this ship!" Tony cried with horror, rising to his feet. He searched for his doctor's bag, then held it tightly to his chest, shaking.

"The best comfort I could offer you," Law said tentatively, "is that when the monster finally shows himself, your death will be quick and without suffering. You're smaller than the rest of them here, so when it eats you, it'll most likely be quick by swallowing – "

"OH MY GOD!"

"What monster?" Jimbei asked, Law looking at Tony with confusion, unsure of why all the tears when he'd just said something comforting. Law then looked at Jimbei.

"Doflamingo is not dead," he said seriously. "There was something about him I'd detected as we were speaking, and…he'd left a clue behind years ago when he killed his younger brother. Though I had set up his death with another merfolk, a sharkman, I doubt the idiot was able to destroy Doflamingo."

"That's very concerning." Jimbei blinked, then asked, "What sort of shark?"

"I don't know. I don't look at him that closely. But he's very ugly."

"One chomp and I'm dead!" Tony sobbed. "Pirated and dead!"

"Perhaps he isn't the type of monster that chomps," Law assured him. "There are many predators in the sea that aren't always sharks."

Jimbei nodded grimly.

"ARGHHHHHH NOT HELPING!"

"Why are you idiots making this kid cry?" Sanji demanded, striding around the corner and looking to Tony. Law and Jimbei stepped away from him, allowing Sanji space to maneuver in an administer a clap to the shoulder. "What are you crying for, young man? If one of these fools puts their hands on you, you kick them. Violence is necessary for the preservation of life."

"Wait a minute," Jimbei started to say when Law added, "Of course."

"I am not a violent person! I heal, not kill!"

Jimbei wondered if Tony was trying to be funny – he'd said "keel" rather than "kill".

Sanji tutted, hands on his hips. "With that attitude, you will be killed. God granted you life, and Jesus died to allow you freedom to live without causing harm to others – you should do well to make sure you take care of this gift."

Tony turned his oversized eyes to Sanji with gratefulness. "Thank you, sir! It's good to know that there is sympathy on this damn shitty ship for a young man."

"Listen," Jimbei said to Tony, placing a big hand on top of his head, "if you have the will to survive, you may. If you continue this negative attitude, then, of course, you will be first to die. Sometimes coming in first place isn't always the answer."

"If you aren't willing to fight to live, then perhaps you should throw yourself overboard, and save us the trouble of remembering why you were there in the first place," Law said.

"Morons," Sanji said, shocked. "Like all of us, he is obviously of great importance. Milady Robin saved him for a reason – she recognized his value. And it's impressive that, at his age, he's schooled himself into some difficult endeavors and was placed in a position of trust amongst his peers. Frankly, he's more valuable than either of you. He's useful. You two aren't."

"You're so mean, sometimes," Jimbei muttered bitterly while Law gave Sanji a fearsome scowl, crossing his arms over his chest. "You are blatantly disrespectful to your elders and to other menfolk that know better. We are trying to raise this child's fighting spirits, and you're babying him."

"I baby nobody!" Sanji snarled at him. He then said to Tony, "If any trouble should occur to this ship, please be rest assured that the rest of us will guarantee your safety regardless. Ignore these idiots' rambling – they forget their age and experience. They're scum."

Tony nodded shakily. "Are you a man of God, sir? Those are comforting words."

Sanji made a face, fingers moving towards his collar once more to fiddle with it. "Er….no. Not…not at all, I'm just…trying to administer comforting words for someone that needs to hear them."

"You baby too many children on board, here. Allowing Luffy to dwindle our food supply with his bottomless pit, spoiling yourself to the women's' whims, and allowing Ussop his deviant lying behavior, and now, lying to this young man about the tragedies of life," Jimbei scoffed, robes shimmering as he adjusted them firmly over his chest. Law found his eyes lifting to his stiff ponytail, wondering what he'd look like with one exactly like that. "Once again, you preach words about values that none of us share. I will inform Mr Roronoa that you're doing so. Surely, he can convince you otherwise."

"I don't give a rat's ass what that shit for brains thinks!"

Law crinkled his brow. "What is a rat?"

Tony sniffed, wiping at his face. "A four-legged rodent with an ugly tail, a vermin that can make humans sick and destroy food supply."

"…Why would you give anyone a rat's ass?" Law asked Sanji incredulously.

"It's a phrase!" Sanji told him impatiently, waving him off. He picked up the platter, wiping crumbs away with angry slaps, then tucked it underneath one arm.

"I'm going to tell him," Jimbei said with a sniff, walking off, Sanji growling to charge after him.

"Lunch will be served in twenty minutes, you two! Both of you better be at that table, hands cleaned, or else! You! Ex captain! Who are you to tell on other people? Are you a child at heart? I fear no man's scolding!"

Tony sighed heavily, shoulders slumping as Law continued to wonder about a rat's value in human phrasing. He looked to the teen with a scowl.

"This stupid, idiotic human conversation has pissed me off. If Doflamingo tries to eat you first, I will allow him to," Law warned him, turning away to walk in the other direction.

Monsters, Tony thought with dread, all of them!

: :

After lunch, Sanji returned to his room. He picked up the book sitting on the nightstand, flipping through the pages for a few moments. The urge to communicate and use his faith to keep a sound mind was as insistent as his cigarette habit.

He was also struggling not to think about last night. Every time he did, his hands grew shaky and his actions flustered, and if that wasn't a dead giveaway to the delightful sins he was partaking in, then…

The things that happened he'd always viewed as perverse and unnatural. But how natural was it to yearn for it after having his first taste? For behaving in such a wanton way to encourage it? To allow his body to be taken by another so…easily? Without fighting, without second guessing, without even thinking about what he was doing? Even now, when his thoughts went to it, his face heated because he'd do it again. And again. And again, and the consequences were doing nothing to scare him off. Why should there be consequences when he felt so natural acquiescing to these instincts?

Hastily, he maneuvered into the closet and closed the door behind him. Stepping on Law's abandoned bedding, he pulled various clothes to him, covering his face with the weight of the garments. He released a scream into them, screaming with all his might and feeling, face building with heat and sweat. Once his lungs felt empty, he just breathed, smearing sweat and spit against his heated face, feeling how fast his heart was racing and how jumbled his mind was.

He removed the garments from his face and breathed slow, trying to get his mind back in order.

There is nothing wrong with my feelings, he thought to himself sternly. There is nothing impure about love, nothing harmful or hurtful. Being in love with a man isn't a crime; mistreating the love should be. I shouldn't be punished for feelings that flow through me naturally, that allow me to feel happiness. The Holy Father will forgive me for that, but not forgive me for abusing love in all its possible harm…like Doflamingo had claimed he'd done for the woman he'd kept imprisoned on his estate.

Sanji wiped his face with one of his jacket sleeves, and composed himself.

"The only way I'll ever go to Hell is for taking the life of another human being, which," he amended hastily, "I haven't done yet. That is the crime I'd be guilty for. Not for falling in love. Not for being in love. Not for something that …our paths were meant to cross for a reason. It was aligned. My eyes were shut, and they were opened. Nothing I do is wrong. Jesus died for our sins, but this isn't one of them. I can still be a child of God, and be allowed to love whomever allows me to love them. That…that is not a sin if it's not harmful to another living being's life."

Saying these things aloud in this narrow, dark room, where his voice was the only thing he heard, caused Sanji some comfort. Against the wooden bar that held the weight of his hanging clothes, he clasped his hands together and bowed his head down against them.

"Forgive me, Father," he whispered, "but I don't believe that what I'm doing is wrong. I believe you allowed me to cross Law's path for a reason. I believe you put him here for me to love – otherwise, we wouldn't have met at all. You created all us creatures, all of us here are Your creatures, so it wouldn't make sense to hold love aside for specifics when it is Your hand that gave us life. The feelings I have are not wrong…"

He exhaled heavily again, opening his eyes to feel out the weight of his next words.

"It was only other humans that misconstrued Your power to their specifics. Otherwise…humans wouldn't feel outside of their understanding. And I do. You've given me strength to see love crossing my path in a way I would have never…imagined…but now I can embrace. It's not a sin to fall in love with a man, milord, otherwise, these feelings would have never been allowed in us, by Your hands, Your design…but I will embrace this, Lord God, for a man loving another is not a sin, or You wouldn't have given us humans the will to love."

He exhaled once again, clasped hands shaking. But the liberation he felt inside of him for hearing his own voice bear strength as he spoke gave him relief.

I can still be a child of God, he thought, straightening his clothes, but it's His voice I'll have to listen for. Not the voices of men that say otherwise. And when have other men intimidated me?

He straightened his shoulders and adjusted his coat as he left the closet. He closed the book atop of the nightstand, then tucked it into the drawer with a low sigh, turning away to fiddle with his cuffs and divert his thoughts elsewhere and then headed up to the lounging area. Robin was reading a large book that she had to hold with both hands and Nami was looking over some ocean maps she'd unrolled and pinned to the floor with the weight of other books. Brook was providing a serene sound of his violin, occasionally chatting with both. Ussop was snoring on one of the couches while Zoro sat with a fresh bottle in both hands, staring out at the sea.

"Anyone for tea?" Sanji asked brightly. "I just brewed a fresh pot."

"I would," Robin said, Nami holding up a finger to say that she did as well.

"Another brewski," Zoro said, blinking sleepy eyes.

"Some warm milk, hon," Brook said happily.

"So, two for tea," Sanji verified. "Got it."

"How is Tony? That brat still crying his eyes out?" Nami asked, lifting her head. Her dress, brilliant gold and white, was simple and cotton, her long hair snaking up into a messy ponytail. Her white sandals clacked noisily upon the floor with her movements, her fingers ink-stained.

"He should be fine. He was in the company of the youngest grandfather," Sanji assured her. "Sometimes, that ruffian has good words to share. And he was helping educate Law on some matters."

Brook's bow screeched over the strings before lowering his violin. "Who is the oldest grandfather?"

"You, of course."

"NONSENSE! I am insulted!"

"You're a walking corpse. Stop talking to me. What are you looking at, milady?" Sanji then asked Robin, venturing over to her and looking down into the content on display. At the sight of various mythical sea creatures, he hummed.

"Fish guy thinks we're being hunted," Zoro said, relaxing despite the obvious ignoring of his request. "Robin is trying to guess by what."

Nami dropped her quill. "What? WHAT? Hunted?"

"Fish Prince thinks that big guy is like him, and he turned into some monster that's looking to finish us off."

"WHAT?"

"…Am I speaking at a whisper?"

"Maybe he isn't a large sea creature," Sanji said slowly, hands fiddling at his coat. "But a sea creature nonetheless. The…the sharkman that I encountered was large, and Law himself was a lengthy creature, and…maybe we shouldn't alarm ourselves to think that this one is a monster."

"But we should, just in case," Robin murmured, flipping a page. "So that we can be prepared to kill one. Nami, think of the reward if we should drag it in for display or study!"

Nami's expression changed from fear to consideration.

"We could be rich," Robin continued, reading an entry in the book and flipping another page. "Considering the man as a human, he's rather tall and menacing. And his strength is immeasurable. His blithe attitude remains me of a lax creature that will strike if prompted, so I am thinking that perhaps he's a prehistoric creature, and not entirely mythical. Depending on his age, for he looked a little older than I, and considering that we know nothing of merfolk life span, prehistoric creatures sounds more on point."

She lowered her book to her lap, her black dress stark in contrast compared to the light design and coloring of the lounging area. Her eyes lit up. "We should be assured that prehistoric creatures have teeth that we can easily avoid if we should find ourselves in their mouth, for they are formulated for as big a creature as they are. We have a survivable chance if we are swallowed, should we be armed with something very sharp. Sanji, how many kitchen knives are we in possession of?"

"…Er…"

Nami looked horrified. "If I am swallowed, I will die! I will be too frightened to cut my way out of a living creature! Robin!"

"We can be swallowed together, if it makes you feel better," Robin told her with a smile.

"Or," Zoro interrupted firmly, "we just wait and see. Why worry about it when we're not even sure if it's true? If he's a smart enemy, he could just tail us underwater until we reach our destination, then turn human to destroy us there by handing us over to the authorities and having us publicly hanged for doing shit to him."

Robin gave him a sullen look, closing her book. "That's dull."

"I think, if you're not going to provide any helpful information, you should stay out of this conversation," Nami growled at Zoro. "Why waste our time for that? It makes more sense to turn into a monster and eat us out here!"

"No one would mourn our deaths," Brook said sorrowfully, starting a new tune. Ussop woke with a sputter, drool left on the pillow.

"I would actually like to see a monster," Sanji admitted. "They're not something that should go unseen. These creatures are…well, you won't forget them when you see them."

"Were you afraid when Law found you? Did he try to eat you?" Nami asked him with worry.

"Yes. Yes, actually. But I talked him out of it."

"See? The devil would even end up sending you back if you ended up in Hell."

Sanji sweated nervously, face twitching. Nami furrowed her brow, and he grew even more nervous.

"Why would you end up there? Hmm? Only sinners go to Hell," she said.

"I'll go get that tea," Sanji said hurriedly, leaving the room.

"Nami," Zoro said impatiently, "stop giving that guy fits. Like we can endure anymore of his idiotic bullshit."

"You," Sanji snarled, striding back in and startling Zoro with his sudden appearance, "shut up! Your opinion means nothing!"

"Sanji," Nami said, taking a seat nearby, fluffing her plain dress with hands that left vague stains, "why ever would you think you've sinned? You're the most pure man I know."

"I'll be right back," Sanji said, hurriedly leaving the room once more.

"Now I'm curious," Nami said happily.

"If Law is worried about these things, then perhaps we should take note," Brook advised, lowering his instrument once more. "Because clearly he hasn't adjusted to being human."

"Oh, heavens, can you imagine the reaction of the ladies once they see him?" Nami asked, fanning herself. "I've plenty of experience, but just seeing him like that causes a dainty lady a slight fit of the vapors."

"I've seen better," Zoro scoffed, lifting his bottle to his lips.

"Shut up! You only admire the size of fish!"

"It's not his life he's worried about," Brook continued, setting his instrument aside and picking up his cup.

"It's not ours, either," Robin said.

Nami looked at them sharply, then leaned in. "Hmm? What's the gossip?"

"He'll survive a mishap with a sea monster because he is experienced in these things," Brook said. "That's his confidence. Whether or not we survive the outcome is not in his plan. If the monster is not dead as he'd thought, the monster will come for him, and only him."

Sanji returned with tea and the others' requests, Ussop looking at him sleepily once Sanji passed him some coffee and a sandwich. He then tucked the platter underneath one arm.

"Has anyone see Luffy?" he asked curiously. "Perhaps he could be bait for this incoming monster."

"Monster?" Ussop repeated sharply, looking alarmed. "Are you guys talking about that monster we started talking about last night?"

"It's Jimbei's turn to babysit," Zoro muttered.

Sanji then hurried off, the sound of him running reaching their ears.

"That guy has the ears of a bat," Ussop continued. "Law. I'm scared to talk about him, knowing he can hear us."

"Perhaps he can only hear movement," Robin said thoughtfully, finger to chin while Ussop gave her an impatient look.

"He's not a tyrannosaurus rex!"

"Did those have ears?"

"I think I've solved the problem," Brook said. "Doflamingo had suggested Sanji resembles the younger brother Law was in the company of, so perhaps we should toss him overboard. Therefore, the monster will take him first, Law can do his thing, and we make a hasty escape in the aftermath. When we see Sanji in the afterlife, we can apologize then."

Zoro laughed, Nami chuckling while Robin looked bothered.

Ussop nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, yes, that sounds like a plan!"

"But in the meantime, we should have those explosives ready," Brook continued. "For plan B. Even if we should manage to fell the thing, having our names out in the world as the ones that had killed it would bode worry for us. We couldn't sail in secret, anymore. We would be hunted to the ends of the sea when we could be enjoying the adventure."

"Boo," Nami muttered.

Robin rose from her chair, clutching her book. She gave them all a grim look. "None of you are of any fun."

She left the room, black dress skirting against the floor, causing the others to look at each other with nervousness.

: :

Most of them were out on deck as the anchor was dropped for the night. Zoro watched as Nami, Ussop, Tony and Brook clutched each other as they scanned the darkened waters. Luffy was pouting at Jimbei's side, Franky tinkering with a weapon he'd devised throughout the day that included harpoons.

"This harpoon gun has been modified to fire exactly twice before needing refill, but," he added, tightening a bolt and then straightening up with a proud look, "we lack the harpoons I had in mind. All that I've found were some simple pieces I welded together from the utility rooms. In the long run, we're probably going to need to stop somewhere to fix that issue, because it will become an issue. Is that clear?"

"You just want to suck all my money from me," Nami accused, hiding behind Ussop, who clutched her just as tightly.

"It should shut down any monster," Franky said proudly, Robin clapping her hands.

"'tch," Law muttered with a roll of his eyes, the boots he borrowed from Franky clomping on the floor with his movement. Despite the temperature, he was still shirtless – the borrowed jacket plain black with a white fur collar, which only seemed to enhance his chest tattoos and looks. Tony stared at him with confusion, confident that this man lacked body temperature awareness. Nami covered his eyes, deliberately looking in another direction. "There's a reason why these things live longer than humans. By now, most know how to combat harmful human attacks."

"We need a fighting chance, buddy. We've got children on board," Franky said with exasperation, gesturing at the group that was huddled together, clearly frightened. He then looked at Ussop. "You've got the best aim, kid. You can't be scared."

"I am clearly unreliable!" Ussop shouted at him angrily.

"And as for the explosives Ms Robin was able to sneak onboard," Franky said, taking the few steps forward to indicate the pile of pipes and a few bundles of dynamite, "I've taken them apart and crafted them individually. The bundles we can light and throw…"

He looked at Law. "The pipes will require a good pitching arm."

"What is 'pitching'?"

"GAH! Will someone educate this guy? What were you all doing in there all day? Obviously just sitting on your damn laurels while other people worked their asses off!"

"I've got a good throwing arm," Zoro said with confidence, warming up his left arm. "I can do that part."

"This requires utmost direction, moss," Sanji warned him. "And you don't got direction."

"Haah? Why are you always starting a fight with me?"

"I don't need that," Law said impatiently. "Human magics are no strength against my own."

"These things can help," Franky said, wearing a concerned frown.

"As a human, Law," Tony asked, pulling his head out from the cowering group, "are you at 100 percent of your natural mermaid strength?"

"Merman," Luffy reminded him impatiently, standing nearby. "He clearly has a dick."

Law looked at Tony with consideration. Sanji patted his chest, resting his hand there as he gave the doctor a look of confidence. "I've seen this man being punched through whole walls without nothing but a dirty appearance to make up for it. He's at considerable strength. There's no need to worry."

Law looked pointedly at the hand still resting against one tattooed pectoral as Tony said, "I'm sure your physical form suggests your strength, but I've seen you walking, and it's as if I am witnessing a baby fawn trying to follow after its mother just after birth."

"Meaning, you clumsy minnow, no one trusts you to do human things when you've been a fish for so long," Luffy told Law pointedly, tutting. Luffy then pinched Sanji's hand, causing the cook to hiss and then realize his own action. Luffy turned to the others, hands on his hips as he slapped Law's biceps. "I was put in charge of this fish's wellbeing! My responsibility is keeping him safe and alive! Trust in me when I saw I can rely on his choice to fight, but I will be the one to dive in after him when he tries to float."

Zoro swatted him upside the head as Law snarled at the fisherman, swatting him from the other side.

"Don't touch me!" Law snapped while Sanji examined his own hand for its untrustworthiness.

"You can't even swim," Zoro scoffed, Luffy rubbing his head with a hurt look. Tony covered his mouth hastily, unable to understand why the situation was humorous.

"What is a fawn, and why is it's mother abandoning it?" Law then asked, furrowing his brow.

"Don't worry your pretty head about things like that," Luffy told him, Law looking at him flatly, "that's for the smarter people to show you when it's time."

"People!" Luffy then yelled, Sanji patiently pulling Law away from the fisherman as Law intended to grab him by the neck. "If the monster comes, the cowards can hide in the ship. The strong will handle the situation appropriately."

The cowering group immediately headed into the ship, closing and locking the door behind them. Franky gave a start, then followed to pound at the door.

"USSOP! Get back out here!" he roared, Robin covering her mouth hastily.

"Is there a monster? Or are we just scaring ourselves?" Luffy then asked, wearing a bewildered expression as he looked out at the dark waters, Zoro yawning noisily behind him.

"I think it can't hurt to be precautious," Robin said.

"It's coming," Law said confidently. "No predator would allow their prey to get away if they are that strong willed."

"Maybe it's not a monster," Sanji suggested.

"We're the only ones that haven't really seen one, so I hope so," Jimbei said with concern.

"I mean, if they're like Ivankov," Zoro said slowly, "I've seen way worse."

Luffy indicated breasts and a dick on his own body, looking at Franky incredulously, the man unable to imagine these things.

The group then looked over to see the cowards looking out at them from the windows, their faces taking up individual round spaces. Franky impatiently pounded upon Ussop's, the man quickly ducking away.

Robin looked out into the night, black dress swishing around her ankles. Her expression was bright.

"I do hope the opportunity to see one," she said. "For now, it is my only wish."

"What are your other wishes?" Sanji asked her cautiously.

"One of the others is viewing the inside of an unidentified flying craft from the sky, and seeing this world from a star's view."

Sanji managed to create an optimistic smile, but that was beyond his imagination.

"Why is everyone here, gathering like this is their problem?" Law then asked Sanji, below the continuing shouts of Franky calling for Ussop, and Zoro's and Luffy's musing for how to cut up the monster to eat and save for later.

"Because it is," Sanji told him, Jimbei shifting away to venture towards the back deck. "I mean, we're all on this ship. And you're our friend."

"I'm not their friend," Law said. "We merfolk do not 'band together' to fight a predator. We're solitary creatures that defend our own territory. No one comes to other people's aid, unless they're companions…"

Sanji lowered his voice. "You're my companion."

"And," he added hastily, feeling self-conscious as he looked away from Law's expression, "these people are your friends. Because you're my friend, they're now your friend."

"I have friends. And they're missing."

"Whether or not you're comfortable with it, these are your friends, too. Humans band together. Like…like a mini-colony. We watch each other's backs, tend to each other's wounds, feed them when they're hungry. As a human, you'll need to get used to that. It's not just you."

"Everyone is in the way. And they cannot think to survive an attack by something as massive – when I saved you bunch from the kraken's hands – "

"And thank you for that," Sanji said hastily. "Because we had no idea we were in such peril."

"I removed you all from a scene that you couldn't possibly win."

"Throwing our boat back onto the island."

"I did not throw anything!"

"Law," Sanji interrupted his impatient complaint, "this is it. Argue as much as you want to, but it's good to have friends that will help. My friends helped me by venturing onto the ocean, for which they had no clue I was actually alive."

"…They keep mentioning that the devil will send you back if you spoke enough, so – "

" – and you've become a friend to them. So, in turn, they will assist you. That's how it works. You're not a solitary creature in this life, anymore," Sanji told him gently.

"Temporary as it is."

"It's not. Once we begin exploring the world together, you'll find it hard to return to your solitary life," Sanji assured him, patting his chest once more, watching his action. "It grows on you."

"There's all these unnecessary touches."

Sanji drew his hand back hastily, giving him an embarrassed look. He whispered noisily, "I can't help it! I already told you why."

Law stepped towards him, Sanji freezing at the sight of a predatory expression on Law's face. Sanji's hands fluttered to his jacket to keep his hands busy – to keep from reaching out.

"You rely on my self control because you lack any," Law told him, smug. Sanji frowned at him with an insulted huff. Law took hold of his hands as they crawled to his already fitted jacket, fiddling with the buttons that gleamed under the sunlight. Sanji watched him cautiously, already lost to the sounds and activity around them; captured by those intense golden eyes. "Because if I lacked any, last night wouldn't have been our first time."

"I – never - !" Sanji said, flaring from neck up as he hastily jerked away.

"Many times before then, I had wanted to push up into that unused hole of yours and force you to react as you did with such alluring noises – "

Sanji turned various colors before placing both of his hands against the man's mouth, looking at the others with panic. Before Law could step away from him, wearing a satisfied smirk, Zoro and Luffy laughing and slugging at each other, Sanji gripped his biceps and pulled him back, finding some privacy away from them. He wiped his hair from his sweaty face and administered some flustered action to his jacket once more.

He gave a stern shake of his finger into the other man's face. "None of that. None of those smooth words in public, we are – they can hear us, sir! This breaks the rules…"

"Your reactions amuse me," Law confessed, and Sanji struggled to compose himself; as much as he wanted to lose himself in that light smile reflecting down at him. "You display yourself as this princely figure, worry your hands over your appearance, but the moment I give you a little attention, you flutter about like a dazed, disoriented fish."

"I do not resemble a shitty little fish, and while you…you flirt with me with your – eyes, and your damn muscles…! Where is your damn shirt?"

The corner of Law's lips curled up as Sanji grew more flustered, swiping at his hair once more as his skin seemed to overheat; he closed the space between them, hand lifting to loosen the man's collar. Sanji half-heartedly batted his hand away to fix it, giving nervous glances around them. But Zoro and Luffy had each other in a headlock, roughing each other up against the wall in playful combat. Law reached out to pull his collar open down to his collarbone, Sanji hastily covering himself back up but looking at Law with a scowl while the other man looked upon him with a smirk that only seemed to enhance his features.

Sanji reached out to put a restraining hand over his, lightly pushing at him. "Stop it. Let us be serious about these troublesome things and not allow us to be…easily distracted."

Watching him, Law buttoned up his jacket, Sanji watching each button being threaded with a sullen frown. "I'll refrain from making a mess of you."

Jimbei's eyebrow raised from his area, glancing at them skeptically. The pair of them were so focused upon each other that it seemed they were completely in a world of their own. Their expressions so obviously adoring that it embarrassed Jimbei to be seeing it.

Now I know what Nami meant, he thought idly, looking away. Feels like we're intruding upon something we weren't supposed to see.

"We crossed each other's paths for a reason, Law," Sanji then said to him, "and it wasn't because of one man. You were alone for so long, and I was…this ignorant dick. But finding you opened my eyes to many things, and what we've experienced together was something neither of us expected to find…at all. Because of this opportunity, it would make sense that our togetherness should no longer be of any issue…right?"

Law frowned at him for several moments, Franky's voice then booming out to cause Luffy and Zoro to stop laughing and start emitting protests to some rough treatment.

"It was only an issue for you," Law reminded him.

"I've come to accept that the voice of man was the problem for…the dictations of God. For it was conditioned in me to fear or throw away the same things I've discovered since I met you. Only man could create these negative things, Law. Only we are capable of convincing ourselves that what I am feeling is wrong. But it's not. Because I've done everything right in my life, abided to others' dictations, and yet this one moment with meeting you uprooted everything. I still believe in my faith, but I also believe in you."

"You'll still talk to the sky?"

"I will, but never to question what I feel for you, or your existence. If we weren't meant to be, you wouldn't be always looking up at the ships passing overhead, and I wouldn't have learned to swim."

"I don't believe in your deity, so I don't share that view. But," Law then amended, wearing a puzzled look, "my fascination for humans did always have me looking up. Ever since I met you, I…find myself no longer looking."

"Because now you're standing atop of one," Robin said, startling them both with her sudden presence. She gave them both smiles, then wandered after Jimbei. Neither of them noticed the way Jimbei gestured wildly at her, as if questioning her intrusion and awkwardly scolding her for it. She only smiled in amusement, playing dumb for the moment.

"I mean, literally," Law mumbled, faintly embarrassed by her intrusion while Sanji dropped his hand belatedly. "But…yes."

"It wasn't Doflamingo's doing, Law," Sanji said awkwardly. "These things happened because we found each other. If not, you should have listened to your ingrained instinct to pull me under. If not, I should have stayed on the Orbit, like a fool, throwing away learned talents. But none of those things happened. And every time we look at each other…well, that's magic no one else has, do they?"

Law narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "That we know of. There could be certain creatures lurking under water capable of making creatures feel things they never have – "

Sanji clapped a hand over his mouth with an impatient sigh, hand then trailing down his jaw to touch his chest once more. "No, there isn't. Come. It'll be a long wait, I think. Perhaps we're just working ourselves into a fit. If that monster wanted to, he would have been here ages ago."

"He'll arrive. I would like to be prepared for it."

"Well, if we're standing around like we are, some people will be bored, and start breaking things. Maybe I'll busy myself with making some snacks for later, and locate some warmer clothes. Where's that shirt you were wearing earlier?"

"Nami said she would fix it. She was a little concerned over the missing buttons…"

Sanji reddened with embarrassment, remembering why that shirt was in the condition that it was in. He cleared his throat noisily, looking away.

"I'll find something that's a little more…appropriate. No buttons," Sanji then said clumsily, looking at him. He shook his head. "Once we make land, you're going to make women fall at your feet. Make the rest of us jealous."

"And what is 'jealous'? You humans keep using that term in such a challenging way."

"It's, uh…well, for example, feeling envious for something that someone else has."

"So…the way you speak of it, you'll also be jealous of me."

"When it came to women's attention, yes, because…I mean, you're unaware of it, but you're blessed with all the looks in this family, and…and like Luffy had mentioned before, women like looking at beautiful things, so…I won't get that attention the way I'd wanted before from women, so…of course I feel a little bitter."

"You're this prince the others seem to praise as a higher being than most. Why wouldn't they look at you?"

"I don't know, my eyebrows?"

"…They are a little unusual."

"Ugh," Sanji muttered, walking away. He kicked Luffy and Zoro aside to make room towards the door, and when he encountered the lock, kicked that open. He had three men shouting after him and cries of horror from inside, and Law's head ached with the resulting noise that seemed to thunder over the quiet ocean waters. He rubbed at his temple, looking away from the mess to venture towards where Jimbei was standing.

Jimbei glanced at him from the corner of his eye. "Are you in agreement with planned actions?"

"No. Do what you want. I'll do what I need to do."

"I understand that your actions are for your individual actions only…so I'll make it my task to keep these ruffians in line."

Law glanced over the stars reflecting over the dark ocean water. "Of course."

"It's not that hard," Jimbei then said gently, "to accept the hands extended to you."

Law looked around himself for these hands, Jimbei hastily adding, "I meant metaphorically. All of them agree to help because they consider you a friend."

"I'm still in search of mine. A killer whale and a penguin. I fear something has happened to them."

Jimbei looked at him with interest. "You can communicate with animals?"

Law thought about it for a few moments, then his eyes widened. "They can't hear me. When I turned human, they could not hear me. And their words were lost to me."

He gripped the railing with his hands, mindful of his strength despite his realization. Jimbei looked at him with worry, then looked away.

"We were able to hear each other miles apart," Law said low, his features crossing with worry. "And now…they can't possibly pick out my voice because it resembles human speech. Not ours that we share traditionally."

"Animals are more intelligent than you think," Jimbei murmured. "Surely, they heard the ship sink miles away, went to investigate it, and are probably now moving this way. We are the only ship we can see in this area…"

The shouts of the others behind them seemed to explode with force. Both of them winced or cringed as Franky's booming commands caused all of them to cease.

"I'm sure they'll find us with that racket," Jimbei said assuredly, Law reluctantly agreeing to it.

: :

"We should see land by tomorrow night," Nami said, looking over her maps. "Hopefully, that thing continues to wait – humans we can deal with, but monsters? Not uh. The only monster on this ship are you three!"

She directed her accusation towards Sanji, Zoro and Luffy, all of whom paused in mid-action to look at her. Sanji was holding a tray with drinks and snacks, Zoro drinking heavily from a bottle while Luffy stuffed his mouth with the options before him.

Luffy gave Nami an insulted look while Zoro frowned and Sanji laughed nervously. The four of them were on deck, wearing heavy clothes to combat the chill in the air. Nami held a lamp so that the map was illuminated, looking at the lights nearby with a frustrated frown. She'd insisted that they "go dark" so that the monster couldn't see them.

"Not all of us are that ugly," Zoro said flatly, belching.

"I'm not ugly at all. I am a man that takes care and pride in himself," Sanji said with a haughty tilt of his chin.

Luffy flexed an arm. "When the ladies see this, they see nothing else. Ha ha!"

Nami scowled at them as they chuckled amongst each other, insulting each other's looks. She was absolutely positive Luffy didn't care about these things; but the other two did get occasionally sensitive about their appearance. The trio were a disastrous lot – fully responsible for most of their adventures. But no one believed her when she joked about dangerous fishermen and a (former) God-fearing prince causing chaos on the seas.

"I say we release anchor and steam on ahead," Nami suggested, closing her map clumsily against her chest. "Use this night wind to guide us through the darkness towards land."

"It'd hear the movement," Zoro assured her. "But it's pretty ingenious to suggest that we lure it our way and pretend to be vulnerable. You're choosing to live dangerously, Nami, I like that."

"Right?" Luffy cried.

"NO! No, no, no, no no!" Nami snarled, hitting them with her map then tucking it inside while the lamp clanged noisily in her grasp. "Just knowing it's out there, looking for us, leaves me breathless!"

"I can share my breath with you," Sanji suggested with a grin, leaning her way. She shoved him aside.

"We don't even know what it is," Zoro then complained. "All we know was that it was a man when it faced us. Hell, we barely got to see that guy as a fish – trust me, if we weren't looking, we wouldn't know he was there, either."

"I saw the octopus because she was sneaking around," Luffy said. "So I caught her by pretending to drown and used my bare hands to drag her up onto the beach. They ain't all that light, let me tell ya!"

"That's how you did it?" Sanji said in disbelief. "Moving those things through the water was torture! I actually broke my ankle kicking the shark in the face, and it barely affected him."

"That's not fair you got to fight one, and I didn't…"

"Bioluminance."

The four of them looked over at Law, who was still standing at the back, looking out into the water.

"Bio…what?" Nami asked, the quartet walking over. From the crow's nest, Brook shielded his eyes with one hand, face shifting with head-tilting curiosity.

"Bioluminance. Deep sea creatures use this to illuminate their surroundings when there is no other light source," Law said, jaw tensing. Nami looked at him to ask a question, but found herself struck dumb looking up at him. She ended up with a hand spread in front of her to avoid being sucked into amazement just at the sight of his ruffled hair and regal features. Law noticed her movement and wore a puzzled frown as she turned away from him hastily.

Sanji realized he'd already been sucked in and hastily averted his head, relieved that he was not the only one struck mute just at the sight of him.

"I wish my ass was bioluminance," Luffy said with a laugh. "Like a firebug! Imagine! Zoro! Not needing light! You just need my ass!"

"No," Zoro told him impatiently.

"I don't think that word was used right," Sanji then said with concern.

"Why bring that up, fishman?" Nami asked curiously. She held her lamp closer to her head, squinting out into the darkness. "All I see out there is water illuminated by the stars and moon. Especially in that section way out there. Where it's brightest…see? It's the moon's light reflecting off the waves…"

"That's not the moon," Law said gravely, the three men crowding past him to stand at the railing in an effort to see better. "That's light generated from a…rather large sea creature. That's most likely him."

"It's…it's not moving, is it?" Nami asked with worry.

"It is, actually. Very slowly."

She drew back with a squeal of fright, Luffy looking out skeptically before looking at the man with impatience.

"I can't even see that far! Are you sure?"

"It's moving," Law said with confidence, crossing his arms over his chest as Zoro and Sanji squinted to get a better visual.

"Is it coming towards us?" Nami cried, lowering her lamp and cramming herself against the backs of the three, Zoro complaining as he was smashed against the railing.

"I don't know what it's doing," Law said, furrowing his brow. "Perhaps its spying on us. Waiting. It's not Ivankov – she didn't need light to maneuver about. Our makeup keeps us from the deep yet some creatures develop the abilities to thrive in it. That…it's not a 'fish'. Considering the light spread, it's…something a little more sinister."

"What's more 'sinister' than a shark?" Luffy asked curiously. He then widened his eyes, gasping. "A crab!"

"No, jellyfish," Zoro said. "Some times you can't see those suckers until it's too late."

"Sea trash," Sanji said haughtily. "Chemical spills that kill ocean life."

"BOOOORING!"

"Perhaps an unidentified flying water object," Robin suggested from behind, startling them all to her sudden presence. "Something from the skies that takes refuge in the deep seas."

"Franky's new weapon surely can't take something like that down!" Nami cried, hand to her face.

"We can still blow it up!" Luffy said with confidence. "Just…we need to lure it in. Sanji! This is where you come in!"

"No," Sanji told him impatiently.

Law rolled his eyes, head starting to throb as he looked away. He was crowded out of the area he'd been standing in for most of the day, Nami's light flickering about as she complained noisily above the noises of the trio pushing each other.

He was suddenly alerted to movement, head turning with apprehension towards the mass of underwater light. While the moon provided sufficient light to allow him to see some distance, it was his own highly tuned instincts that had his head tilting back to look up, recognize what was coming and understand that it was going to impact them harshly.

He placed a hand against Luffy's back and shoved him hard enough to have him toppling over Sanji and Zoro. Nami quickly jumped back with an annoyed curse, but Robin grabbed her and pulled her roughly, standing alongside Law once she recognized his actions. Sure enough, the sound of something heavy caught their attention, causing all to pause in mid-complaint and movement.

"INCOMING!" Brook shouted with terror, running in panicked circles. "We're under attack!"

The impact knocked in the back wall nearby, caused floorboards to shatter and screams to ring out. Metal bent and noisily collapsed as the top decks began to surge forward over the mess, glass shattering and furniture, bolted into the floor, began to shift their moving weight, causing wood to pop and crack.

Law looked back with grim accusation towards the light, which was moving steadily their way while the others cautiously investigated the mess.

Sanji looked back at him with trepidation. "It's Kidd."

"Let him die," Law muttered. "I made it easy for him, and he still failed."

"IT'S A FREAKING SHARK, MAN!" Luffy cried in astonishment, hands to his face.

"It's a sharkman," Zoro confirmed tightly.

"IT'S RAINING SHARKS!" Ussop screamed from down below.

"IT'S A MERPERSON SHARK!" Tony cried.

"MONSTER!" Nami shrilled.

"Holy shit, there's a huge fish down here!" Franky bellowed. "Which one of you jokes pulled him up?"

"He's missing an arm," Robin said with rocketing interest lighting up her face. "Something that big had something even bigger eating on him!"

"AHHH!"

Law winced, hand to his head as all their combined shouts and screams tickled at his head. He turned to them, snarling, "Shut up, you morons! Enough with the stupid observations!"

Something snapped upward, Law looking up with alarm. The bioluminant light he'd just spoke of flickered and died away, allowing it to become invisible. But he was positive they were tentacles of various shapes and sizes. They slapped down onto the ship, and by sheer grace of luck, narrowly missed a human. The wet splatter and weight upon the surface caused all of them to react in panic, separating and moving away from the danger.

"You were right," Law told Zoro as he watched tentacles grip the wood floor and curl around the railing. "It's a jellyfish."

"I've never seen jellyfish actively use their arms like this. Add to that, this is a monstrous one," Zoro said, kicking some of the tendrils with his boot. "I don't think it's edible, Luffy."

"MAN THE HARPOONS!" Luffy howled, cupping his mouth with both hands. "It's coming! And we can't eat it, so forget about it!"

Sanji stepped over the gripping tentacles and grabbed Law by his shirt to catch his attention. "I'll go down there and assess that situation – we're gonna need an ally."

Before Law could say anything, the tentacles began yanking and pulling at the ship, causing everyone to rock off balance. The anchor left grip on the ground, wood creaking noisily as it threatened to break in its grasp. Sanji used the distraction to hurry away, Law steadying himself against the railing to look out at the incoming mass in the water that began drawing closer to them.

: :

Down in the rotunda area, Sanji pushed through Franky, Tony, Jimbei and Ussop, who was shaking at the knees as the length of the half shark, half man laid back flat against the floor. The smell of this lurking ocean creature immediately filled the room, causing Tony to press a hand against his nose and mouth with an incredulous complaint. Kidd's striped greenish-brown skin was rippled with red streaks that bubbled dangerously, his murky features groggy. His sharp, multi-row teeth bared for a moment under the lamp light Franky held overhead, eyes dilating sharply into slits. His brilliant red hair was garish against the floor, littered with ghostly pieces of flesh and debris.

The sight of his outrageously defined muscles caused Franky to look down at himself with an expression of dismay, Jimbei looking at him from the corner of his eye. Kidd's nose wiggled, gills clenching as he came to, Sanji cautiously stepping around large pieces of debris to stand in his vision.

"I don't know if you can understand me," Sanji said, crouching at his side, "but do we need to get you to water? Or should I cut you up for snacks?"

"I'm dying, and you're asking stupid questions," Kidd muttered, voice thick and vibrating with drowsiness as he blinked his eyes repeatedly. The sheer volume of his voice caused the others some distress, rattled by how strong and piercing it was. Sanji supposed it was loud enough to penetrate the weight of the sea – mildly wondering if he'd even registered that fact when he met them.

"Is it trying to talk?" Franky asked incredulously. "Is that what those noises are?"

Kidd managed to flip himself onto his side, long, scarred tail slapping against the floor and causing the others to jump out of the way. His massive size dwarfed the group, the tip scraping against the intact walls and causing paintings to fall. "How are you able to still talk to me, you scumbag?"

"The schematics of the situation are still puzzling to me as well," Sanji assured him. "How are you still alive? Your ugly face demands that people kill you."

"You're even disrespectful towards creatures that can easily kill you," Jimbei commented, slanted eyes widened with disbelief.

At the sound of his voice, Kidd became aware of others standing in the shadows, Franky's light illuminating the group of them. He used his scarred arm to steady himself, hissing as he bared his teeth. His gills seemed to reopen in ragged fans, muscles swelling; making himself bigger than he already was. Tony shrieked and ducked behind Ussop, who skirted around Jimbei with a wild cry. With violent movement, Kidd bent and clawed his way towards them, the group hastily scattering out of his reach. Sanji stood and kicked the scarred sharkman's side, drawing Kidd's attention his way.

Despite his own feeling of safety, Sanji did feel discomfited being pinned by those glowing, slitted eyes, and being treated to multi-rows of sharp teeth. Kidd pulled himself towards him, the smell of his breath causing Sanji to draw his head back with a cringe.

"You stink! Chew some mint!" Sanji snapped at him, one foot moving up and around to catch the sharkman's head and twisting him away with a forceful blow. This caused Kidd to swell even bigger, looming over him with threatening action as he managed to use his tail to steady himself, single hand slamming down onto the wall above Sanji's head.

Furious, Kidd hissed once more, eyes widening with rising anger.

"We're about to battle the thing that tossed you like a minnow, but we're going to need your help," Sanji said calmly, craning his head to look up at him. He pulled his cigarettes out from his inside jacket pocket and lit one, blowing smoke deliberately at the sharkman's chest. Kidd pulled away from him with a snarl, then froze once he realized he couldn't breathe. "Do you need medical care?"

"Like I'd ask for assistance from humans! Scum! I'll release myself from this damn boat," Kidd snarled, hand curling into a pulling movement.

"Those wounds look infected," Sanji said, seeing some of the scabbing and angry indentures and bubbling across striped skin. It looked like something had taken hundreds of bites out of him in small chomps, all in singular lines. Something that made his own skin crawl. He noticed that the old, faded scars of the sharkman's skin aligned with these fresh, new wounds. It was easy to put two and two together.

That thing took his companion, his arm, and thus, his hate, he thought. I'll have to get answers from him when we're done with this. "Are you capable of doing anything helpful?"

"I've survived worse. It took my arm, but it didn't take my spirit," Kidd growled, and Sanji had to admit he was impressed by his sheer, stubborn will. "As long as I'm alive, I'm not dead!"

"You're such a moron," Sanji said with exasperation, his admiration quickly fading away. "That's something Luffy would say."

Metal started to creak ominously around Sanji, the blond looking around himself with trepidation before the sharkman suddenly disappeared. He blinked, sputtering around his cigarette as he realized how much space was left behind with Kidd's disappearance. He looked up as the others cautiously ventured out from their hiding places, incredulous to what they had seen.

"That's how big Law was?" Jimbei asked Sanji cautiously.

"Just a little smaller than that, but, yes."

Jimbei stared at him suspiciously, which made Sanji incredibly nervous. He then turned and hollered at Ussop, "Get up on deck and start shooting! What are you doing, hiding away down here for?"

"DON'T YELL AT ME, I'M SENSITIVE!" Ussop screamed back, hurrying towards the stairway nearby. Tony, after one last look at Sanji, hurried after him, Franky calling out for both of them to put on their coats.

Jimbei stopped Sanji with one hand to his shoulder, lowering head and shoulders to look him in the face. "You," he said quietly, "are quite mad."

"But aren't we all?" Sanji asked, quickly skirting away from the man and running after the others while Jimbei stared at the wall, wearing a very confused expression.

"C'mon," Franky told him. "Let's load up on those explosives."

Jimbei turned to look at him with worry, fingers tapping together. "Couldn't you handle that yourself? I'm a little nervous around things that can blow up in your hands."

"Ha ha! That's what she said, too!"

"Who…who said that? Robin?"

Franky laughed noisily, leading the way.

: :

Doflamingo revealed himself as half man, half Lion's Mane Jellyfish – his hood surrounded him like a small hill, glowing brilliantly with bioluminance that showed off his multiple tentacles and oral arms, his man form only visible as the hood shifted when he pulled himself out of the water. In that movement, it was obvious that he naturally remained dangling from the center of his bell, surrounded by his massive collection of tentacles. His bulk had to shift upward and outward just to allow himself to do so. His very presence dominated the Tangerine Dream's length, his voice booming out as he chuckled. His man-half was shimmering with the transparency of a jellyfish, allowing the onlookers to look into his visible bones and inner organs – of which were currently in mangled disarray. The facial structure took on a stark appearance of glowing veins, his eye orbits showcasing moving eyeballs that shifted from side to side, human teeth clenched in a grin as transparent blue-pink skin stretched to showcase a smile of mean appraisal. As his upper torso was revealed, the muscles on display were much too defined and bulging to compare him to a normal human. But the tentacles that collapsed from his jellyfish body moved independently around him – slithering outward to the Tangerine Dream, reaching for the stars, and caressing the dark waters.

Nami shrilled with panicked shrieking, running off to safety as Robin looked up at him with sheer awe, her mouth open and her blue eyes half the size of dinner plates. Luffy's face openly displayed his admiration, but he suddenly clamped both hands against his mouth, Zoro mimicking the action moments later. They tried not to look at each other, but their expressions were clearly shifting to hysterics.

Law didn't notice this, focused grimly on the creature that threatened to overwhelm them. It had stopped pulling the Tangerine Dream towards him, but its floating tentacles were now resting in various areas around it, like gelatinous mass. The oral arms were thicker and more complex than the tentacles, actively clamping around the ship and venturing onto the deck like moving snakes in search of prey.

He heard voices from the others in the background, but he remained focused on the creature instead.

Luffy's elbow dug into Law's side startling him with its strength and pinpoint accuracy between his ribs. Leaning over, Luffy snickered, "Doesn't he look like a massive, erect dong?"

Law gave him a puzzled look, Luffy waving at him impatiently with an expression of disgust while Zoro laughed.

So, Law thought venomously, looking up at the chuckling jellyfish-man. That's why only half of Cora fell to the sea. This thing was responsible for ripping him apart. To think, he'd carry the ruins of his only sibling with him until he digested him. Despicable.

"I know exactly what you're thinking," Doflamingo told him, his voice rumbling in the night, clearly audible over the shouts and screams of those people running around on deck. "And you're absolutely right. He held back on everything I was waiting for, and deliberately took away my only hope. He truly needed to suffer."

"I'll return the favor," Law responded tightly. After observing the tentacles that lifted and darted around the mound of mass around Doflamingo, he realized with stark horror why his colony had fallen. The venom from those things could render large creatures into inescapable illness. It wasn't spears or harpoons of men that had killed his family – it was this hateful thing. The depths of their rocky homes had obscured Law's vision of the surface; he had heard men laughing, but it could have only been this singular person, too.

Memories stamped back together to present a clearer picture of what trauma had done to ruin his images of that fateful day. It all made sense. He'd escaped using his abilities to teleport to a safe distance, urged by his father to do so; he hadn't seen the dangerous creature using the dark, cold waters to eliminate the colony. Corazon had stealthily avoided the stinging tentacles to search for Law, and had found him a distance away – using that available space to escape with him.

Whatever had changed Rosinante's mind that day had changed the course of Law's life; trauma had shaped his memories into vague pictures.

Not a spell, he thought, caught up in confusing images and emotions that were confused and yet tinged with angry energy. Shock.

"Let's see you try," Doflamingo told him, grinning transparent lips over gritted teeth.