Christmas is here and so are some updates. Originally I was going to post tomorrow, but given how things have started to go south already, I think I'll need some review-shaped cheering up by the time dinner is over. So I decided to post earlier.

Here is part three. This one is also in chronological order (I wanted to get the tricky beginning sorted before moving on to other things) and will be 3-4 chapters long. The exact length depends on how long the last chapter ends up being.


The Visit: Necessities

Law grinned, pocketing his new acquisitions without faltering on his steps as he did. He had learned early on that, while the dome created by his devil fruit powers —he had named it 'room'— was easy to see during the day, the same didn't happen at night. The 'room' had a blue tinge to it, but it did not shine in any way. The relatively poor lighting of the night, even in decently illuminated areas, ensured that no one noticed its presence.

He was suddenly grabbed by his backpack and pulled into an alleyway, a hand covering his mouth at the same time. Instead of thrashing uselessly, Law aimed a kick as strong as he could at his assailant's chest, while he took hold of two fingers of the hand covering his mouth fully intent on breaking them. The kick hit, but it had no effect, and he wasn't any more successful on bending the fingers.

Law was turned around and came face to face with an utterly unimpressed Sengoku.

"Pick-pocketing, really?"

Law bit Sengoku's hand, aware that it would have no effect, but it had the desired effect and Sengoku removed it and put him down.

Law crossed his arms defensively.

"I need money."

"Already?" Sengoku asked, a little surprised, and Law shrugged. He still had had some money left from the treasure he had kept from Minion, plus the money Sengoku had sent him after he had returned to Marineford. Law's original estimation had been that it would last him easily until December, maybe even January, and it would have if a certain thing hadn't come up.

"I had to buy clothes," he explained, gesturing at himself as he did.

Sengoku scanned him critically.

"You had a growth spurt, didn't you?"

Law nodded. Now that his body was no longer fighting the Amber Lead Syndrome, he had resumed processes that had stopped long ago. Law would never be as tall as he would have been if he hadn't been sick, but he still hoped to reach a decent height.

"Those look expensive," Sengoku noted, referring to Law's clothes.

Law, arms still crossed, glared defiantly up at him.

"If I want to fit in, I have to dress like them." He didn't have much, though. Not only would he most likely have outgrown these clothes by this time next year, but he needed to be able to travel light. His possessions were limited to the backpack he always carried with himself and a second bag, filled with some more changes of clothes and the things he could do without if he had to disappear.

Sengoku accepted his answer with a nod and brought out his wallet. He handed Law a few bills. Large ones, mostly, he noticed when he took them; one hundred and twenty thousand belis.

"If you need money, just ask. Don't go around committing more crimes than necessary."

Law nodded with a shrug, and decided not to comment on the fact that Sengoku's choice of words implied hr knew Law was —or maybe he just thought would in the future— committing some other crimes.

"Have you eaten?" Sengoku asked after a short silence.

"Not yet."

"Do you know of any good places?" Sengoku gestured to the entry of the alley, and they moved out.

Law absentmindedly thought it was strange that no one had noticed what, for all intents and purposes, had looked like the kidnapping of a kid. Then again, Sengoku hadn't reached his position for no reason.

"A few," Law answered. "Meat or seafood?"

"Seafood," Sengoku answered promptly and, when Law looked at him questioningly, explained: "at Marineford it's almost always meat when you eat with Garp."