~Good Lord its been a while since I've last posted. Heh, I sound like a broken record. But let's face the facts now, shall we? When it comes to me updating I almost never stay on a consistent schedule, and that's fine for the most part. As long as I post at least two chapters per year, I'm happy with myself. Another thing, over the past few months life has put me through the Blinder of Hell on Earth routine. So I ask y'all to bare with me with my hideous update schedule. Anyways! I've gone back over all the chapters on here and fixed/changed a couple of things, nothing too major. ...Though I seem to keep going back and forth on calling Law's disease "Amber Lead Disease" and "White Lead Disease". After this chapter, I hope I won't need to deal with it again until more of the dub comes out since I'm basing certain terms off it. Except for Law's adorable "-ya" suffix. I love it too much to change it to "Mr./Ms.". I've also gone back over the previous chapter and this one and changed all "Cora-san"s to "Cora"s so it'll match the manga since that's what I believe Law will be calling Corazón in the dubbed episodes in the future. Okay! I hope y'all will enjoy this chapter!
Long Term Hearts
Chapter 5: Corazón de Oro
**********^.^**********
Pudududu, pudududu, pudududu, pudududu, pudududu, pudududu, pudududu, pudududu, pudududu…
"Hey, Cora! Cora!"
Pudududu, pudududu, pudududu, pudududu, pudududu, pudududu…
"I like how it sounds. Call me again!" Corazón blushed happily.
"Cut it out!" Law glared at the grinning man.
Yukimi sweatdropped, "Cora, you should really answer the transponder snail already."
"Don't be shy!" Corazón giggled gleefully before answering the snail.
"It's me, Corazón."
'Doflamingo!' Yukimi's tails bristled as she glanced at Corazón watching him tense as all previous happiness vanished.
"Corazón, you're there, aren't you?"
Corazón eventually slowly reached over and tapped the snail three times.
"It's been six months since you three left. Are Law and his little fox with you?" the blonde on the other end asked.
Law stood there tense at hearing his name. He looked over to Yukimi, noticing her pale as he heard three more taps.
"I see. I'm glad you guys are okay. Have you found a good doctor?"
Corazón then tapped two times.
"I thought so. Bring those two and come back to the ship. We might be able to cure the disease."
Law gasped staring at the talking snail in shock.
"I got information about the Ope Ope Fruit. Offered a huge amount of money by the Navy, some stupid pirates who don't know its value will accept a trade-off, it seems. The Government must be pulling the strings behind the scenes. It's risky but we'll seize it. Once we get it, because of the nature of its power, the person I trust the most should eat it. You eat it, Corazón. And cure Law's disease," Doflamingo revealed.
After that, Doflamingo hung up. No sooner after that, Corazón quickly picked up Law and started swinging him around. "It's good news, Law! You have a chance to survive! Forget about foolish doctors! If we can get the Ope Ope Fruit, we'd be able to cure your Amber Lead Disease!"
"What's the Ope Ope Fruit?" Law asked when the blonde stopped spinning.
"It gives you the ability to modify human bodies! You can perform miraculous operations and even cure unknown diseases with it!" Corazón grinned clearly ecstatic about the new development.
"I don't believe in that magic crap..."
"Can it really be done, Cora?" Yukimi asked.
"Yes! And it's no magic, Law. You need medical knowledge!" Corazón then dropped Law back to the ground, making him stumble a little. "I know that you're the son of a doctor who was trusted by the people of Flevance! Since the time you were able to understand, you were learning medical knowledge and techniques, weren't you?!"
Yukimi chuckled as she placed her hands on her hips. "You have no idea how hard it was to drag him away from his books when I first met him, Cora," she grinned at the memory.
"Yeah so, but...what does it have to do with this?" Law asked confused.
"So, it's perfect for you to eat it!"
"Me?!" Law pointed to himself in disbelief. "Doflamingo said you should eat it!"
Corazón sighed shaking his head. "A person will die if they eat two Devil Fruits. Doffy said that because he doesn't know that I'm a Devil Fruit user," he said making Law's eyes widen in surprise. Corazón closed his eyes, "You, Yukimi and I... We won't go back to the Family!"
"What?"
Yukimi's ears perked up, "Really?!"
"I decided so when I noticed this journey would take longer than I thought," Corazón explained as he took his cigarette out of his mouth. "I think Doffy knows that I'm a traitor by now."
"But he didn't sound like it. He said you should eat it..." Law said, still not quite understanding what was going on.
"There is another reason for Doffy to say he wants me to eat the Ope Ope Fruit!" Corazón frowned.
Yukimi crossed her arms, wondering what kind of power the fruit has that has Corazón agitated by what Doflamingo wanted.
Corazón knelt down and held Law's shoulders, "Listen, we'll get a jump on Doffy and the others and steal the Ope Ope Fruit! You eat the fruit! When you get cured, let's go hide somewhere!" Corazon turned back to his transponder snail and started dialing it, "Prepare to set sail! We'll get the Ope Ope Fruit at any cost!"
Yukimi faced Law, "C'mon Law, let's prepare the boat." She turned away as Law started to pick up a bag as the kitsune walked off to clean up their small camp. Within five minutes everything was picked up and ready in the boat to sail, save for her, Law, and Corazón. She sighed satisfied with the floating vessel in front of her, all ready to set off with everyone onboard.
"LAW!"
Yukimi whipped around at Corazón's scream, making her heart almost stop. "Please be wrong, please be wrong!" the kitsune pleaded as she sprinted back to Law and Corazón, only to find the boy passed out in a fever with the tall blonde hovering over him, not knowing what to do. "Law!"
Corazón looked up at her with tears in his eyes, "What do we do Yukimi?!"
The kitsune sprinted back to the boat, quickly coming back with a wet rag in hand, "If the Ope Ope Fruit really is what you say it is, then it's Law's only chance to survive Cora!" Yukimi folded the cold wet rag on the boy's forehead. "The boat is ready Cora, I'll bring Law in a second."
The blonde man nodded before he scrambled back down to the awaiting vessel.
Yukimi felt along Law's cheeks, feeling the fever's heat before checking his pulse, "Please Doc, stay strong for me!"
*^.^*
'Three days before we make it to the location,' Yukimi thought tiredly as their boat was tossed and bumped along the large waves. 'But now we have to deal with a storm! What bad timing!'
"Dammit! Why do the waves have to be so choppy now?!" Corazón held onto the side of their small boat and Law as tight as possible.
"Cora..."
"Huh? What's wrong Law?!" The blonde looked down at the boy in his grasp.
"The Government knew that we would die, but they kept making us dig up the White Lead, for money!" Law revealed weakly.
Yukimi was in her fox form curled around the boy's neck, trying to keep part of him warm and dry from the rain. She closed her eyes shut when the memories came circulating back.
"My family...the people of Flevance...the Government killed them!" Law looked up at Corazón, "So if you're a Navy soldier allied with them, tell me the truth."
"That's absurd! I'm not a Navy soldier!" Corazón immediately denied.
Law closed his eyes grinning, "Good!"
"In fact...you need to realize, stealing the Ope Ope Fruit means we'll make enemies of everybody... Doflamingo, the Navy, and the Government! We'll be chased by all of them! You better be prepared to fight to live!" the blonde warned them of the inevitable.
Yukimi faced the blonde with a toothy grin, "You better believe I'll fight!"
*^.^*
Yukimi pressed her furry cheek against Law's to help him keep warm as Corazón secured the boat. She felt Law shakily get up, causing her to readjust her balance on his shoulders as he walked over to the tall blonde.
"Law, Yukimi, I won't be long. Wait here..." He stopped and looked down at them as Law held onto his black feathered coat. Corazón nodded in understanding. "Hold on tight," he instructed with Law on his back before he began scaling the rope up the cliff face.
Once up they soon reached the ghost town below a mansion where it seemed a large rowdy party was being held. Corazón eyed the mansion for a moment as he walked inside an abandoned building where he was going to hide the two. The blonde turned back to the door after Law sat against a crate inside the building. "Law, I can't take you with me from here. I know it's hard but… Wait here for a while. Yukimi's with you so you'll be safe. I'll be back in no time. With the Ope Ope Fruit!" Corazón said grinning. His cheeks were slightly red from the biting cold while he made a victory sign. The sign made the two smile. Then the tall blonde left the duo.
Yukimi wrapped her tails snug around Law's neck when he walked over to the door where Corazón had left them not too long ago. "Law let's stay inside where it's a bit warmer," she insisted as the boy opened the door. The fox sighed as the Law ignored her and sat down on the snow covered steps, watching Corazón run off towards the mansion in silence.
Yukimi hopped off of Law and changed forms. "Agh cold!" she yelped to herself before she pulled out her ocarina. "Want some music to pass the time, Law?"
Law nodded as he opened his blanket for her, to which she greatly appreciated with her not very winter friendly clothes. Even though the blanket was thick and helped keep their body heat close to them, Law still felt the kitsune shiver almost constantly next to him.
Tugging the blanket around her side tighter, Yukimi began playing her usual music piece. Only a minute into it they noticed a bright light on them. They looked up to see an explosion had occurred in the mansion. Shortly after Yukimi heard some guns going off, making her frown. After some time watching the building burn, Yukimi had noticed a lone figure slowly making its way to them. Law had passed out just minutes before, so she wrapped him up in his blanket, picked him up, and ran over to the figure who she knew was Corazón. Yukimi smiled upon seeing he had made it back to them and that he had possession of the Ope Ope Fruit.
Corazón grinned back before looking over to Law, grin vanishing, "Is he...?"
"He's just asleep, Cora," Yukimi reassured making sure Law stayed on her back.
Corazón nodded, "We need to move on."
"Right," the kitsune agreed before they moved out of the area. Yukimi noticed how the blonde next to her was moving slowly, "Cora, are you okay?"
"I'm fine, but you look absolutely freezing!" the blonde looked at her with worry.
Yukimi couldn't help the shudder that wracked through her body at that moment, "It's okay, Cora. I'm not going to get frostbite." The man didn't look convinced, just like the kitsune wasn't convinced of him being 'fine', but kept quiet. Soon they stopped at a broken stone wall, setting Law down against it. Yukimi let a relieved breath out when he slowly opened his eyes to see Corazón grinning at him with his victory sign.
"Cora. Good, you're okay," Law smiled in relief.
"Silence!" Corazón said snapping his fingers. Once the invisible soundproof wall was made, Corazón's grin grew. "Look! It's the Ope Ope Fruit!" he grinned excitedly as he showed them the red heart shaped Devil Fruit.
Law panted tiredly as he looked up towards where the mansion was, "The building is on fire and I heard gunshots, so I thought maybe something happened to you..."
Yukimi frowned, she had thought he perhaps hadn't heard the guns. The kitsune had assumed he had passed out beforehand. Apparently, she was wrong.
"Hey! That's beside the point! You gotta cheer!" Corazón practically shouted. "This Devil Fruit will save your life!"
"But even if I eat it, you don't know if it will cure my disease..."
Yukimi's ears drooped. "Don't think like that! Of course, it'll save you!" the kitsune tried convincing Law as she knelt next to him.
"What are you talking about?! It will!" Corazón's voice rose as he then forced the Ope Ope Fruit into Law's mouth.
"C-Cora?!" Yukimi raised her hands to stop him but wasn't sure what to do.
"Now, eat it! Here! Eat it quickly!"
"What are you doing...?!" Law's voice was muffled by the fruit. "Gross...!"
"There! Chew it like this! Chew it up and swallow it down!" Corazón practically yelled as he shoved the rest down Law's throat.
"Cora take it easy!" Yukimi pushed said blonde's shoulder a little.
Law gagged before finally swallowing the heart shaped fruit down. He fell forward onto his hands, shaking as the Devil Fruit started taking effect.
Yukimi let go of Corazón and started patting Law's back, "Easy Law, easy."
Law sat back on his heels, staring at his hands in shock, "H-Hey, Cora! I wasn't even ready to become a...Devil Fruit user!" There was a minute pause before Law and Yukimi stared in surprise as Corazón toppled over into the snow, not moving. "Cora? H-Hey!"
"It's good... You can...cure yourself now... We have outsmarted Doflamingo... We won..." Corazón panted into the snow.
"What's wrong Cora? Are you just tired?" Law asked looking over the man.
Yukimi narrowed her red eyes as she smelled something strong, and of iron. Then she saw the red liquid seeping into the snow. "Shit! Law help me!"
With Law quickly realizing what was going on, he helped the kitsune push Corazón over onto his back. Once seeing the man covered in blood, he let out a cry of despair, "You're covered in blood!"
"Cora what happened?!" Yukimi nearly shouted as she looked over all the bullet wounds.
"Yeah… I made a little blunder…"
"To hell with that! You call this little!?" Yukimi questioned through gritted teeth as she hovered her hands over the injured man. Just as the kitsune was about to start her medical ninjutsu, she noticed Law doing the same, copying her but…
"Get better! Get better! Get better! Stop bleeding! Stop! Ope Ope power! Heal him!" Law tried calling on his new power, but nothing happened.
Corazón laughed as he placed his hand on Law's head, "That's foolish of you… I told you the ability doesn't work like magic."
"Then what am I supposed to do then?!" Law's eyes widened as he remembered Yukimi's medical ninjutsu, "Yukimi-ya! Can't you-!" He stopped when he noticed the kitsune was already doing her best as her hands glowed green and hummed lightly.
"I'm trying Doc, I'm trying! But this isn't my expertise! I'm only good for light injuries! Not…" Yukimi sniffed as tears started dripping onto Corazón's black feathery coat. 'Not gunshot wounds like these!'
Tears were already collecting in Law's eyes as he turned back to the bleeding man, "You...got shot because of me, didn't you!"
"I said it's not like that... I just messed up..." the blonde smiled. "Law, Yukimi...I'll be alright! These wounds won't kill me!" Corazón suddenly started coughing.
"Cora!"
"Stop talking and save your strength, Cora!" Yukimi ordered as she tried to stop the bleeding. "Law help me!" she quickly brought out her scroll.
Law nodded, unbuttoning Corazón's shirt as Yukimi brought out gauze to bandage the wounds up.
"Listen carefully, Law, Yukimi. We sure did get the Ope Ope Fruit. But it won't stop Doflamingo running wild yet!" Corazón took a breath to keep his strength up as he looked up at Law, "I'm sorry to use you when you're weakened but I need you to do me a favor." Law nodded readily. "I saw a Navy lookout ship off the west coast of the island..." The wounded man held up a small capsule with a lock with the Navy emblem on it. "I want you to hand this over to them... All the Navy soldiers will know what it is once they see this cylinder. This small package will save...a far off kingdom called Dressrosa," Corazón finished, handing the small capsule to the boy.
"A kingdom? But I hate the Navy..." Law muttered, looking unsure.
Corazón placed his large hand on Law's much smaller one holding the capsule, "You're the son of a doctor, aren't you? You'll be able to save more than just sick people from now on, Law. Don't get so bent out of shape. As soon as you finish delivering this, let's get off this island!" Law nodded with a new determined look in his eyes. Corazón grinned happily, "And let's travel all around the world, just you, Yukimi, and I!"
Law nodded again before taking off, trusting Yukimi to keep the man he's begun to admire alive.
Yukimi sneezed as her hands shook as she applied more bandages.
"Yukimi, you should stop and get warm. I wouldn't want you to catch a terrible cold on my account!" Corazón grinned humorously, though seriously not wanting the albino getting frostbite.
The kitsune stopped for a moment to finally rub her arms, shivering. To say that she was freezing her tails off would be an understatement. After all, she only had light clothes on, not at all expecting to arrive at a snow covered island. She definitely regretted her choice of clothing. Thankfully though, Yukimi at least had her usual combat boots on, keeping her feet warm and a long sleeve hoodie, however thin. Her bare legs on the other hand, yeah wearing shorts was the worst idea of all. Yukimi shook her head, "N-No, I gotta finish wrapping you up. Then I-I'll get in my fox form."
Without another word, Yukimi did just that. When she finally buttoned Corazón's shirt back up, she tugged his coat closed to keep him warm. Then the kitsune pulled the man up against the wall next to them, so he could sit back comfortably. After another sneeze, Yukimi poofed back into her fox form. The fox jumped onto Corazón's shoulder where she made herself into a scarf around his neck like she's always done for Law. Yukimi snuggled as close to the man as she could, still chilled to the bone.
The blonde sighed, "Thank you, Yukimi."
"Cora! Yukimi-ya!"
Yukimi looked up to see Law riding on a Navy soldier's back, waving with a smile at them.
"He said he's gonna give you first aid! Cora!"
Corazón slowly looked up only to widen his eyes, "Vergo?!"
"Corazón?! What are you doing here?!" Vergo stopped himself. His shades gleamed, "Huh? Did you just talk?!"
Yukimi narrowed her eyes as Law was dropped onto the ground, 'Didn't Cora talk about a Vergo on a secret mission once?!'
"Do you two know each other? Vergo...is he...?" Then it clicked for him too.
Vergo tore open the capsule Law had given him and started reading its contents.
Yukimi jumped off of Corazón as he tried getting up only to fall forward from his injuries, "Don't that's...!"
Vergo looked back up to Corazón, "Understood, Rosinante."
Corazón reached up for the secret document, "Give it back!" Instead of getting the document back, he received a boot to his face, smashing through the stone wall behind him.
"Cora!" Both Law and Yukimi shouted in shock.
"Rosinante!" Vergo growled before Law jumped onto his leg.
"Stop it! You! Dammit dammit! You're that Vergo guy, aren't you?!" Law shouted as he tried punching the much stronger man before being grabbed by the throat.
"Vergo guy? So I guess you're Law from the White Town." Vergo lifted the boy up so he could get a better look at him.
"Law!" Yukimi cried out. She changed forms and grabbed her kunai from her thigh holster. "Let him go, ya bastard!" Yukimi yelled as she lunged at him, going in for the kill.
Vergo easily dodged her attack before grabbing her wrists together and dangled her off the ground along with Law. "And you must be that kitsune Doffy is so interested in. The white two tailed fox that always stayed by Law's side, hm?"
"Let Yukimi-ya go!"
Vergo turned back to Law, "I heard about you. I heard you three went missing. You have no sense of propriety! If you know that I'm your great senpai, you call me... Vergo-san!" Vergo threw Law and Yukimi to the ground. Yukimi must've landed on something hard because when she opened her eyes, she was seeing doubles. The kitsune saw two Vergos walking closer to them menacingly with two Corazóns blocking him. "Is the brat and fox more important to you than the Family?! The second Corazón!" Vergo pulled off his overcoat, getting ready to beat them up. He kicked Corazón squarely in the ribs, making the blonde gag painfully. "I can't believe we had a rat like you in our Family!" Then the first Corazón took off his shirt and tie before covering his whole body in haki.
Shaking her head slightly, Yukimi finally got her vision cleared as she looked over to where Law was lying in the snow. "Law!" She scrambled over to him, finding his neck bruised reddish purple from Vergo's grip.
Law looked up at her, "Yukimi-ya, you're okay!" He looked over to Vergo as he started kicking a downed Corazón. "Please stop… Cora... He's gonna die!"
Yukimi grabbed her kunai from where she landed before standing tall, facing the haki covered man. "Hey, you bastard! Yeah, I'm talking to the douchebag with the butt ugly bowl cut! Why don't you pick on somebody who can beat your sorry ass!" Yukimi shouted jumping far away from Law for his safety.
Law looked on in horror as Vergo stopped kicking Corazón, now turning his attention on the kitsune. The brute then went after Yukimi, quickly catching up to her. Yukimi vanished as soon as the man was within a yard of her.
As Vergo turned around looking for her, several kunai came flying at him. He deflected them with his haki infused fists, knocking them to the ground, but belatedly realized there were burning tags on them. There was a big explosion right at his feet, burning the edges of his pants quite a bit as he jumped out of the black smoke. Vergo looked up, spotting the kitsune in the air several feet above him, upside down with a red glare.
Yukimi threw multiple shuriken, quickly followed by more kunai. The ninja watched the man dodge her weapons while she landed, keeping her distance. She smirked, "Gotcha." Yukimi thrust her arms back. Pulling thin steel wire from her fingertips, she yanked all the weapons she just threw into the air then whipped them back with a vengeance. Vergo turned just in time to get pummeled by the weapons. Yukimi's grin dropped when he faced her fully. None of the shuriken or kunai were embedded in him. The haki had deflected everything and left not even a scratch.
Vergo picked up a handful of the steel wired projectile weapons off the snowy ground then yanked her back to him.
Yukimi yelped as she was sent flying over to the man, receiving a punch to the gut. The kitsune gagged before she was given a series of punches, varying from her stomach to her face. Yukimi doubled over onto her hands and knees, coughing up blood after being dropped.
Vergo grabbed hold of the kitsune's throat, lifted her up with ease, and began to squeeze. "You would do well to have more respect for your superior next time, you insolent fox," Vergo scolded as he watched her squirm in his grasp as her air was slowly squeezed out, not at all bothered by the kitsune's futile attempts at clawing his haki covered skin.
"Stop it, Vergo!"
Yukimi gasped for air but couldn't take in anything as she felt her windpipe being crushed. She felt her lungs burn as everything started to feel heavy and colder than before as black blotches clouded her vision.
"Vergo!"
The haki covered man finally threw the barely conscious kitsune to the side, then slowly walked over to the boy who shouted his name.
Law was terrified for Corazón and Yukimi as neither moved from their fallen positions on the ground. He couldn't tell if they were still alive as Vergo stopped in front of him. Tears pouring down his face, Law looked up at the man in fear, before being harshly knocked out cold.
*^.^*
Law slowly came to sometime later. "Cora, what happened to us?" he asked with a cracked voice. He turned his head to his right now noticing Yukimi lying next to him, still out cold. She was covered by Corazón's coat, keeping her warm as blood was drying from a cut on her bottom lip and down her chin from coughing up blood earlier. The kitsune had dark bruises forming around her throat from being strangled, even the beginning of a black eye was forming around her right eye. "Y-Yukimi-ya?" Law sighed in relief as he noticed she was breathing alright after being strangled. The boy looked back over to the blonde man then up at the sky, seeing white lines. "What's that?" Law asked.
"That's one of Doffy's abilities, I suppose. I've never seen it before but there's one thing I know. We have nowhere to run," Corazón grimly replied.
"What?" The sound of rustling distracted Law from the outside. He looked back over to the wounded kitsune, finding her waking up. "Yukimi-ya, are you okay?"
Said albino groaned as she slowly opened her red eyes. "Law?" She turned her head toward him, a small tired smile forming on her face. "Good to see you're okay, Doc." Yukimi looked up to Corazón, finding white lines in the sky. "Cora, what's going on?" she asked worriedly. The man turned toward her. He slowly walked to Law's side, placing his hand on the boy's cheek silently. Yukimi then realized that Law had passed out again. She watched as Corazón snapped his fingers, making his soundproof wall around them before picking the boy up. "Let's get going," he said facing her, giving her a big goofy grin.
*^.^*
Yukimi observed how Corazón moved next to a tree, holding his arm as he hid from the Family. She was glad she had convinced him to let her stay out of the trunk away from Law. To give the boy every chance available to escape, she would become a decoy when the time was right. Of course, it was hard for Law to digest the plan, but it was for the better anyway. Corazón didn't like it either. The kitsune knew there was a chance she might get caught, but Yukimi managed to convince Corazón in the end. It was better this way. Doflamingo was planning something nefarious with Law's fruit. What if he discovered Law was in that chest before he could escape? This was the reasoning behind Yukimi's plan. Why give that pink bastard a stone to kill two birds, when you could give him a decoy, creating a larger chance for Law to get away clean.
"That smile," Yukimi mumbled smirking to herself. "Doubt I'll ever forget a face like that." The kitsune rubbed her arms to create friction to keep her skin warm. She had given Corazón his coat back, saying it wasn't her's to keep. It would also make it hard for her to move around because it was like a huge blanket for her small stature. It still didn't help the fact she was freezing her tails off again. Yukimi made a mental note to be more prepared for the weather next time.
Furry ears twitched as gunshots suddenly sounded off everywhere. She could hear the blonde's taunts from afar, making her smirk more but then grimace from picturing him getting beaten up. Shaking her head, the kitsune ran from her hiding spot behind a little vacant house, sprinting across an open area to where the mansion was. Yukimi made it there just in time to see Corazón get slammed against the treasure chest Law was hidden in. Yukimi bit her tongue to keep from shouting out, instead, she moved up to the roof for a better vantage point, not to mention to keep out of sight. Down below she watched Doflamingo walk up to his younger brother.
"It's been six months, Corazón."
Yukimi folded her ears back, practically hearing the tall bastard growl.
Corazón reached into his coat making one of the Family members, Gladius, step forward aggressively, "Young Master!" But Doflamingo held out his arm, stopping them from advancing.
After a minute of silent tension, Corazón pulled out a pistol, taking off the safety. "Marine Code 01746. Commander Rosinante of the Navy Headquarters. Donquixote Family, Captain Doflamingo. I have been undercover to prevent a future tragedy of your doing. I am a Navy soldier!" Corazón knocked his head back against the chest Law was in twice before glancing up to the building to where Yukimi was, seeing her head poking out from her cover watching. "I'm sorry I lied to you..." he said closing his eyes. "I lied because I didn't want you to hate me," Corazón finished looking back at the Family.
"You fool! Do you think it'll help you to apologize now?!" Gladius shouted in anger.
"Stop telling those jokes, and answer these two questions!" Doflamingo said getting angry. "Where's the Ope Ope Fruit?! Where's Law and that kitsune?!"
Yukimi tensed hearing how angry the man was. She swallowed nervously.
"The Devil Fruit... The Ope Ope Fruit...I let Law eat it! He's a Devil Fruit user now! He and Yukimi managed to get out of the cage. I imagine they've been taken into protective custody by a lookout ship from the Navy HQ by now. You can't touch them now!" Corazón declared smirking at Doflamingo.
Doflamingo clenched his teeth pissed off before Buffalo started calling out to him from up in the air.
"Young Master!"
"We heard the Navy said on the radio earlier they took a boy under their care!" Baby 5 called down from on Buffalo's back.
Doflamingo turned up to them, "Why didn't you report that sooner?!"
"I rushed here even if I don't look like it!" Buffalo called back.
"I'm sorry!" Baby 5 cried out.
Yukimi blinked, 'Another boy? It doesn't matter anyhow. This could very well work to our advantage!'
"Check into that quickly! I'll undo the birdcage!" Doflamingo called back up to them. "If what he said is true, we'll sink the Navy's lookout ship and get Law and Yukimi back!" Doflamingo ordered the rest of the Family with him.
"Don't. Why would you wanna go after them?" Corazón asked.
"Why would I wanna go after them?" Doflamingo repeated the question mockingly. "If Law ate the Ope Ope Fruit, he needs to be educated in order to die for me! And you can guess what I'll do when I get that kitsune, Yukimi back," he grinned.
Yukimi shivered not just from the frostbite she might be getting, but from how Doflamingo spoke about her.
"Boy...you've done tons of unnecessary things!" Doflamingo pulled out his own pistol. "Why do you wanna get in my way?!" Doflamingo pointed the gun at his wounded brother. "Why do I have to kill another member of my biological family?!"
Yukimi didn't know what to do. She desperately wanted to jump down there and help Corazón but knew she couldn't, and it killed her on the inside.
"I know you can't shoot me... You're so much like your father!" Doflamingo hissed.
Corazón grinned, "Law and Yukimi won't obey you, Doffy..." The blonde slowly started to stand up, "Affected by Amber Lead Disease, he was doomed to die in three years. But he got over it. He's not the same Law...who lost track of himself and came to visit a crazy pirate that day. There is nothing he can gain from you since you're like a child of destruction! And ever since Law came to join your crew, I've seen Yukimi come time, and time again to aid him. She is very protective of Law. Yukimi has always had a mind of her own, and is not the type to obey people like you! She is a clever girl who would never bow down to someone like you. So leave Law, and Yukimi alone now! They are free!"
Yukimi turned away and covered her ears as Doflamingo opened fire on Rosinante. The kitsune kept her mouth shut as she quietly let hot tears stream down her cheeks in her hiding spot. When the kitsune finally peeked over the roof's edge to the snow covered ground below, the Family was already a fair distance away carrying all the treasure chests, and unknowingly Law with them. She dropped down next to Corazón's bullet riddled body. "C-Cora!"
The blonde opened his eyes to see Yukimi kneeling next to him crying. He smiled at her. "Take care of Law, Yukimi," he tiredly patted her between the ears. "I...know you will..."
Yukimi nodded as her ears drooped evermore at his words. The kitsune bent over the dying man and hugged him. "Yeah…I will," she said with a sad smile. Yukimi kissed Corazón's forehead before she sat up. "You could say, you were like the older brother he never had. Thank you, Cora."
With that being said, Yukimi vanished from his view and initiated her part of the plan. She ran all the way down to the last overlooking hill of the island to find the flamingo themed pirate ship moored next to the island. Yukimi took deep breaths from her run and calmed down. The kitsune quickly spotted the chest with Law inside. "Now it's my turn," she mumbled with a growing grin. Yukimi pulled out a kunai with a tied message, then threw it right next to where Law should be jumping out soon. The kitsune was glad she had already hugged Law and kissed his forehead before she separated from Corazón and him. Because after this, there was a good chance she won't get to see him again. Yukimi cracked her knuckles before putting her hands to the sides of her mouth to amplify her voice, "HELLOOO PINK CHICKEEEN!"
The Donquixote Family whipped around at the voice, all staring up at Yukimi on a hill not too far from them. Doflamingo narrowed his eyes upon seeing the kitsune he's had so much interest in lately. "Well if it isn't Yukimi," the blonde grinned. "Where have you been? And where's that little brat, Law?"
"Somewhere far away. Here's a news flash if ya hadn't heard. You're never gonna get him back. Law is beyond your reach now," Yukimi answered, slowly reaching back into her bag.
"That's too bad. But maybe he'll come out of hiding when he hears your screams. Think that'll work, Yukimi?" Doflamingo took a step forward, ready to attack.
The kitsune curled her lips back at his clear intention. "I think you need to shut your fucked up ugly mug, ya pink chicken. 'Cuz that ain't gonna work." Yukimi leaned into the balls of her feet, ready with both hands in her bag.
"How dare you speak to Doffy like that?!" Trébol shouted in anger at the kitsune.
"How dare I? I do dare, ya big blob of blue snotty shit," Yukimi growled in a smooth low tone. "After all, I was never apart of your shitty crew." The ninja bent her knees in the slightest, "I was never even apart of your fucked up Family to begi-" Yukimi shot up into the air, successfully dodging an attack from Doflamingo. The kitsune whipped out her hands, full of tiny black spheres. The spheres were then quickly chucked into the group of pirates, igniting on contact with the ground into an explosion of light, effectively blinding them. Yukimi, still airborne, threw multiple tagged kunai at the pirates, chuckling at the shouts of surprise and pain escaping from some of the crew from the blasts.
Doflamingo had jumped out of the targeted area just as the tagged kunai were thrown at them. Unlike the rest of the crew, he was quick enough to dodge, and deflect any projectiles that strayed towards him with his strings. The tall blonde chuckled as the kitsune landed back on the snow covered ground, "Well, I never expected our resident kitsune to have such a way with words, or the attitude to go with it. I remember how I found you stowed away on my ship, you were quite...timid. This is quite the change in personality, I must say. Very brave or very stupid."
"I merely went into the wrong place at the wrong time," Yukimi scoffed with the wave of her hand, dismissing the mere thought of being timid.
"That doesn't explain your reaction though." Doflamingo didn't miss how the kitsune's ears flicked back at his words. "I heard you had a fight with Vergo earlier. Seems to me he taught you, and the others a lesson. How's that black eye doing, by the way, Yukimi?"
The kitsune lightly touched her right eye, the bruised area tender, but not swelling anymore. Though the darkened skin was still there and quite noticeable against her naturally pale complexion, the size of it was now smaller compared to what it was earlier. Yukimi let her hand drop back to her side. "Better actually. While you morons were chasing Cora, I healed my eye pretty well thanks to my ability." A sharp nasty grin found its way onto her face, "But wouldn't a pink chicken like yourself like to know what it is?"
At that moment Law crawled out of the trunk, quickly spotting and grabbing the kunai with a piece of paper tied to the handle. He looked up to see Yukimi taunting the Donquixote Family away from him, keeping their attention firmly on her. Law hesitated, wanting to be with Yukimi but shook his head. The boy wiped his ever present tears as he hid behind the trunk, immediately opening the paper.
Run Law, and don't look back. Don't worry 'bout me, after all, I'm no pushover at what I do best. You just worry 'bout getting yourself off this forsaken island! I'm sorry I can't keep my promise of staying with you. But know that as soon as I can, I'll come find you! We'll meet up again someday, you'll see. See ya real soon.
Love, Dew Yukimi
Law sniffed, desperately not wanting to leave Yukimi behind with Doflamingo. But the boy had no other choice. Law clenched the letter, and kunai together tightly as he ran off, having another breakdown as his tears ran rivers over his cheeks. Praying to whatever gods above for Yukimi's safety.
Doflamingo tilted his head curiously. "A healing ability? Are you a Devil Fruit user?" The man decided to ignore the murmurings amongst his crew behind him in favor of the kitsune's response.
BANG BANG BANG
The Donquixote Pirates all turned toward the ocean behind them, spotting a large Marine ship open fire on them. "Young Master lookout!" Giolla cried out as a cannonball went sailing toward their leader. Though not having to worry too much as the blonde shredded the iron ball with his strings, letting the sliced pieces crash to the snowy ground behind him. Not two seconds later did something come rushing into the group.
Yukimi laughed mischievously as she left a couple of tags on the backs of multiple members of the crew. She leaped up out of Gladius' reach, whom she just tagged, spun midair, and sent a tagged kunai sailing straight for Doflamingo's face. Only he caught it just inches from his nose and shredded the tag with his Devil Fruit ability.
"Pest!"
"Thanks for the lovely nickname, Pink Chicken, I intend to be one for now!" Yukimi laughed at him as she vanished from view just as she landed. The ninja reappeared behind Doflamingo. He caught the sound of her giggle before he spun around with a swipe of his strings in her direction. The kitsune cried out when she got hit. Yukimi leaped away from a now grinning Doflamingo, holding her left shoulder where blood began streaming down to her hand to drip onto the snow at her feet. The albino grimaced as the menacing blonde stalked toward her. "Ya better stay back...or else," Yukimi warned as she held up her bloody left hand, her index and middle fingers pointing skyward.
"Or else what, Yukimi?" Doflamingo asked as the crew surrounded the two.
The kitsune grinned, 'Hah, the morons! They still haven't realized I've placed tags on their backs!' Yukimi looked around at the pirates marked with the explosive tags. She glanced toward the sea as more cannonballs came flying at them. Yukimi chuckled in spite of herself as the iron spheres were either destroyed by Doflamingo or missed them.
"What's so funny?!" Trébol demanded, getting fed up with the whole situation.
"Easy, you're all fucking idiots!" Yukimi shouted as she raised her hand slightly, "Kasai!"
The tags on Gladius, Giolla, Trébol, Diamante, and Señor Pink immediately erupted into multiple explosions. Doflamingo frowned as his crew went into chaos before noticing the one responsible had vanished from sight. The blonde clenched his teeth together as the Marines were soon upon them. Doflamingo grimaced when he spotted a familiar marine, "Dammit Tsuru, you have bad timing!"
*^.^*