Hey guys, I know it's been a while but now I finally have a new chapter for you. It has been betaed by my dear friend LoveroftheKiller.
Merry Christmas!
Somewhere in the North Blue, A few years ago
A tall man wearing a feathered coat was despondently hunching in a small boat. Gentle waves were rocking the ship, and the sun was just peeking over the horizon. His shoulders hung low, and an aura of deep despair surrounded him.
No leads. No traces. Nothing, he thought. It's gone, he realized and was hardly able to wrap his head around that fact.
While listening to Law's shallow breaths nearby, Donquixote Rosinante, also known under his alias 'Corazon', contemplated where everything had gone so horribly wrong.
He had been so close to stealing the Ope Ope no Mi. Rosinante had known its supposed location—Minion Island—and had been sitting on the lookout to snatch it away when the time was right.
Only the Devil Fruit had never shown up.
After a day of fruitless waiting, no pun intended, the spy had decided to investigate and found out that a storm—a bloody storm, of all things—had sunk the ship the Fruit had been on.
The priceless Devil Fruit had apparently never made it to Minion Island.
The severity of that fact hit Rosinante like a ton of bricks.
Nobody knew where the Ope Ope no Mi had disappeared to. Which meant that the only thing able to cure Law—their only hope—was lost at sea.
It was devastating.
Even worse, Law's health was rapidly declining, but there wasn't anything that Rosinante could do.
Law was like a son to Rosinante. There was nothing that he wouldn't do for him. During the last year, finding a way to help Law was the only thing that had mattered to him.
Rosinante had left his brother, abandoned his mission, to search for a cure. Hell, he'd been prepared to betray the Marines and the World Government alike, everything to ensure that Law could eat that Devil Fruit and heal himself.
If somebody else had stolen it, Rosinante could've killed them and taken it back. If his brother had gotten his hands on it, against all odds, Rosinante could've somehow managed to get it to Law, no matter the cost.
It would've been their salvation. No visits to hospitals with incompetent doctors or people treating Law like an outcast anymore. No more suffering and white spots on his skin. Maybe he could've finally been a normal child and found some resemblance of happiness in his life.
But a storm? As strong as the spy was, even he was powerless against the force of nature.
Now the Ope Ope no Mi was lost to them and nobody knew where it had gone. How was Rosinante supposed to help Law now? There was no enemy to beat. No traces as to where it could've gone. No doctors nearby that could help Law.
Rosinante's hands were tied.
(He should've realized from the start that his plan was doomed to fail, all his efforts in vain. It had been foolish to hope.)
His desperation led him to call the only person he could possibly trust to help.
"Rosinante?" The Marine on the other side sounded stressed.
"Admiral," Rosinante greeted quietly.
Explaining his situation and failed plans to Sengoku was a risk but Rosinante saw no other way. He was sure that his friend and mentor was the one person in the Marines that he could trust with this.
Rosinante turned his head to where Law's feverish form lay asleep on their small boat. With the fruit's disappearance and the boy's condition worsening, there simply was no other option left to him.
The words were flowing out of his mouth almost on their own. He told Sengoku about the hopelessness of their search. How they had traveled across the Seas, trying to find a doctor that could help. How they had been turned down, again and again, fear and disgust imprinting people's faces.
Halfway through, Rosinante started choking on his tears. Nevertheless, he went on.
He told his mentor about the frustration and anger that came from being chased out of hospitals and towns alike. The helplessness that he went through every time Law did so much as cough. How the only thing Rosinante so desperately wanted was for Law to live. To stop suffering. To find something akin to happiness.
And finally, Rosinante confessed about his plans to steal the Ope Ope no Mi, how he had failed miserably because of circumstances beyond his control.
After his torrent of words had ceased, silence reigned for a few minutes. Rosinante spent the time staring dejectedly out on the sea.
Eventually, Sengoku let out a long, weary sigh.
"What a mess," the Admiral murmured tiredly, "This day is a nightmare."
"It is," Rosinante confessed in a whisper, "I keep hoping I'd wake up, but it's no good."
"Are you ready for more bad news?" Sengoku asked.
"How much worse can it get?" the spy murmured dejectedly.
"It's about your brother," the older man began hesitantly, "Minion Island...He..." The Admiral took a deep breath before forcing out, "I've received reports that Doflamingo annihilated Minion Island."
That brought Rosinante up short. "He what?"
"I suppose he didn't take the disappearance of the Ope Ope no Mi well. Tsuru immediately went over from Swallow Island but she was too late. He destroyed it. There's nothing left but debris."
"Has anyone survived?"
"There's been only one survivor as of yet," Sengoku confessed quietly, "We already knew Doflamingo was unstable but this... wiping out a whole island in a mindless rage?"
"My brother has always been prone to fits of anger." Rosinante pressed his palms to his closed eyes and tried to calm his raging emotions.
My brother? No, that's not what he is. A monster is more like it, he thought.
"How far are you away from Minion Island?" Sengoku inquired.
"A reasonable distance. We left the island several days ago, sailing south."
"Good. At least you weren't present when he went crazy," the Admiral sighed, sounding relieved, before he continued hesitantly, "Yet, you being several days away is problematic."
"What do you mean?"
"Tsuru has long left Minion Island. With her gone there is no ship nearby your position that could pick you up, not to mention one that we could trust with keeping Law's condition a secret."
At Sengoku's words, dread started to fill Rosinante and he squeezed his eyes shut. This was a disaster. It meant that Law's chances of survival were nonexistent. He would die. Law would die and it was all because of—
"A storm, a fucking storm!" Rosinante spat.
"I read the reports. Apparently, it came out of nowhere," Sengoku explained quietly. "There had been none of the usual signs that a storm was coming. It's like the sea was suddenly in an uproar from one second to another. That would've been normal for Grand Line weather but... we're talking about North Blue here, Rosinante. A storm like this in any of the Blues is unprecedented."
Was there some inevitable destiny written somewhere? Did some higher force out there not want Law to live?
As if on cue, the child in question let out a low, pain-filled moan and began turning around fitfully while unconscious. Hastily, Rosinante rushed over to him and refreshed the cooling cloth on his forehead.
Law is getting worse every hour, he realized and tiredly rubbed his eyes.
After another worried glance at his charge, Rosinante dragged himself back to the Den Den Mushi and for a while, silence reigned.
"It's bad," the spy whispered. "I'm no expert but I think he has only a few days left—at most.
"I'm sorry, Rosinante," Sengoku murmured. "Even if there was a doctor nearby, one that would even treat him, despite his condition, I doubt anyone would be able to help him at this point. The Ope Ope no Mi was probably the only chance he had."
"So there's nothing a normal doctor could do," Rosinante concluded, feeling very tired.
"There isn't," Sengoku agreed.
Rosinante opened his mouth to answer but no words came forth. He tried rubbing his chest with the heel of his hand as if to stop the pain from spreading there. What could he even say? There was nothing he could say or do that would help. No normal doctor cou—
Then it hit him.
"What about doctors that aren't normal?" Rosinante demanded, suddenly wide awake.
His friend's confusion was evident, "What do you mean?"
"Well, when a Devil Fruit is the only thing that could help him and a normal doctor can't either, what doctors with a Devil Fruit do you know that could help him? There's only one that comes to my mind," he rushed out, trying to keep his excitement at bay.
"Marco the Phoenix," Sengoku caught on.
"Yes!" the younger man exclaimed, "I don't have any way to contact him but surely you have your ways as an Admiral! If we call the Whitebeards and they're close enough, we might have a chance! They would surely—"
Sengoku remained silent.
"Sengoku?" Rosinante asked, faltering.
"I...I can't," the Admiral refused, sounding older than the spy had ever heard him.
"But you're an Admiral!" Rosinante emphasized heatedly.
"I could contact the Whitebeard Pirates but I won't! I'm an Admiral of the Marines, I can't just call a pirate for a favor! Even if it were to save a life, I'm still obliged to the World Government! It's my duty to catch pirates, not to conspire with them and it should be your duty too! Or did you forget what it means to be a Marine during your time as Corazon!?" Sengoku barked.
Rosinante was thunderstruck. Was his mentor right? Had he forgotten how to be a Marine? It might be true, after all, Rosinante had planned to steal the Ope Ope no Mi and had gone directly against his orders in doing so.
But he had done it to save Law. Everything he did was to save the boy that was like a son to him. And if he had to persuade Sengoku to help him save Law, he would try.
"He will die if we don't get him to a doctor soon! It's a matter of days," the spy pleaded desperately. "This condition, it's been slowly killing him for the last few years! Don't you think I didn't go to every available doctor all across North Blue? They treated him like an outcast wherever we went as if he was cursed! Have you seen the fear and disgust on people's faces when they look at him? Their hatred? It's unbearable to watch!
No hospital, no town wanted him. Nobody did, except me." his rant faltered.
"I took him under my wing as you took me in once," Rosinante whispered. "He is so much like me at times that it hurts sometimes. He is like a son to me and now you expect me to just let him die? I beg you, Sengoku, not as a Marine but as your friend," Rosinante choked, "please help him."
Rosinante could feel the resistance of his mentor crumbling.
"Give me a second, I need to make a few calls," Sengoku muttered, defeated. "I don't make a habit of knowing where exactly Newgate and his surrogate family are at every day of the week," he grumbled, "But Rosinante, if they're close enough to your location... Newgate would never turn away a child in need, I am sure of it," Sengoku promised. "I'll be back," the Admiral claimed and cut the connection.
It was two hours later that Sengoku called again and announced that Marco the Phoenix was on his way, flying over the Calm Belt to pick them up.
"You're a lucky bastard, Rosinante," Sengoku had grumbled, "The Whitebeard Pirates are currently on an island that is near the Calm Belt. Newgate has such a bleeding heart that I didn't even have to promise him a favor for coming to get you."
The relief that swept through Rosinante at hearing those words was so overwhelming, he buried his face in his hands and wept.
Dawn Island, Present
Weeks after Shanks's departure, Sakura entered Gray Terminal again for the first time after the bandit incident.
She would've gotten there sooner, had Makino not been a worrywart. Her incessant fretting had caused Sakura to stay in Foosha a bit longer than necessary, first and foremost to soothe Makino's concerns.
On the junkyard, nothing had changed. Mountains of garbage rose into the sky and the same gray fog still hung over everything, like a veil that made it impossible to see clearly, turning the sunlight from above into a dull twilight.
At the sight of the dim lights that came from the scattered huts and illuminated the half-light with a warm glow, Sakura quickened her steps. The people she passed nodded respectfully at her and she greeted them with a tilt of her head.
Hisato was already waiting for her as usual but his expression seemed tense.
Since word always got around quickly whenever she set foot into the junkyard, he had taken to awaiting her and sharing anything new that had happened since her last visit.
He greeted her with a respectful bow and they started walking towards the small shack that had served Sakura as a place to treat her patients over the last year. In the beginning, she'd been healing out in the open but with time the residents had organized a small cabin for her.
Sakura didn't have to wait long for him to share whatever seemed to distress him.
"You've got a visitor," he began, without beating about the bush.
"A visitor?" Sakura inquired.
Hisato grimaced. "A Revolutionary. He showed up here a few days ago. They must've heard about your presence here."
Her eyes widened and she couldn't hold the sharpness out of her voice. "Heard about me? How?"
"How would I know?" He sighed and lowered his voice, "Those are dangerous people, Sensei. They have their ways. Besides, it's not like you made a huge effort to stay inconspicuous. Word has gotten around. We can only pray that it stops at the Revolutionary Army and nobody else takes an interest in what is happening here."
That sounded ominous. Sakura pursed her lips in thought. "Well, let's see what the guy has to say, right?"
"You seem oddly unconcerned," the old man remarked with a side glance.
"Well, if he threatens me or behaves like a dick, I can always kick his ass," Sakura snorted.
"I'm sure you can, Sensei. Whoever strolls around the island with Red-Haired Shanks in tow like you can surely back up a statement like that," the elderly man laughed, "besides, I think anybody ever laid a hand on you, they'd have to reckon with him."
"Shanks is a friend," Sakura agreed, "and very protective."
Hisato sighed. "I don't know if that reassures me or not. I don't think you have any concept of how dangerous those people are."
Sakura shot him a cool glance. "And I think that you forget that I am dangerous too," she reminded him softly.
Hisato stiffened. "Your appearance is deceiving," he admitted.
A bitter smile played across her lips. "I bet it is."
They arrived and Sakura checked the surroundings with her Observation Haki. She could definitely sense somebody waiting there for her, but their presence was utterly...ordinary. There was no difference to a normal citizen like Hisato at all.
Doesn't that guy know Haki, Sakura wondered. That would mean that the Revolutionary Army sent someone that hadn't even reached the second part of the Grand Line. Someone weak.
Were they serious? Well, she supposed, this was East Blue so what did she expect?
Confidently, she stepped into the shack. At first glance, she could see that the few cabinets she'd fit into the room and her personal notes had been looked through and were in disarray. There wasn't anything important besides medical reports or prescriptions of different medications, let alone anything incriminating, but still…
They could've at least tried to hide their snooping. How impolite, Sakura inwardly grumbled.
The man that awaited her had light brown curly hair that was reaching down to the tip of his shoulders. His most distinguishing feature was a black bowler hat with a teal-colored feather. When he noticed her, his eyebrows shot up but he remained silent.
Sakura came to a halt a few steps from the doorway and greeted him with a polite nod.
Instead of returning her greeting, he kept looking past her, as if he expected another person to step into the shack after her. Sakura had asked Hisato to stay outside though, and when nobody else entered behind her, the man's eyes wandered to her, confusion evident on his face.
Her face remained impassive while she waited for him to address her. When they kept staring at each other, Sakura simply folded her arms, waiting. Is he for real?
After a short while, the Revolutionary caught himself.
"Who are you, kid?" he asked flatly, "I wished to speak with the doctor that has been performing the miraculous feats of healing on this island."
Sakura couldn't help herself, she snorted. She briefly contemplated lying to him and hiding her identity as the healer they were looking for, but that would lead nowhere. It would be laughably easy to ask around the junkyard and find out that the doctor in question was a girl with pink hair.
"You wanted to meet me? Well, here I am," she told him bluntly and spread out her arms.
"Wait, what?" The man did a double-take. "But you're a child!" he blurted incredulously.
I'll show him child, the kunoichi bristled.
"Me, a child? I never noticed!" she drawled, her voice dripping with sarcasm. Sakura could almost feel his hackles rising because of her attitude, but he held back.
"If that is indeed true, then please allow me to introduce myself," he began, somewhat reluctant, "My name is Bunny Joe and I work for the Revolutionary Army. I came to the East Blue because we heard rumors about a miracle healer on this island, performing impossible feats of healing."
"That would be me, yes," Sakura confirmed and raised her eyebrows, "Now, what do you want from me?"
Bunny Joe stood straighter and smoothed down his clothes. "I came here to offer you a place among the Revolutionaries. If you join our forces we guarantee you safety, a place to work other than this—"
He inspected her makeshift doctor's office with clear distaste written on his face.
"—dump and there might even be a chance of promotion within our ranks for you. In addition, you would be paid handsomely."
Sakura was baffled. She hadn't expected the man to offer her a place in the Revolutionary Army.
How had they even heard of her? She should probably be glad that word of her distinct appearance hadn't gotten around yet. The last thing she needed was people at Shanks's strength level who not only knew what island she was on but knew what she looked like on top of that.
"How did you hear about me?" she demanded to know and gave him a searching look.
Bunny Joe's face took on a slightly ominous expression. "We have ears wherever there is suppression in this world. The people here have been in a precarious situation for decades now. On top of that, we heard rumors about Shanks staying on this island. Although Red Hair is known to be almost mellow in comparison to the other Emperors, we decided to assess the situation on this island as soon as possible."
"So you became aware of me while checking on this island," Sakura surmised.
"You did a lot of good here," Bunny Joe commended. "Our informants have been singing your praises. That's the reason why we offer you to work for us," he explained and withdrew a roll of paper from his coat.
He unfurled it with a flourish and held it out to her. "Just sign the contract down there," he told her and offered her a pen with his other hand.
Sakura stared at him.
"So you want me to leave the island with you and join the Revolutionary Army," she summed up.
"Exactly," he droned and pointedly waved the contract in her direction, "we can leave as soon as you si—"
"No need," the pinkette interrupted him, "I won't sign."
"I'm sure I must've misunderstood," he said pleasantly, "You wouldn't turn down our generous offer that would guarantee you safety, a fully equipped doctor's office, a chance to join our ranks, and a more than generous payment?"
Well, the fully equipped doctor's office did sound tempting but…
"I don't care!" Luffy shouted. "Even if she is older than she looks! She can't leave! She is my only friend!" Sakura could see his small fists clenching the fabric of Shanks's white shirt.
"Everyone always leaves! My father left me with Gramps, and Gramps left me here and never visits! Sakura already said that she doesn't want to leave so don't you dare try to convince her of something else!"
"You heard me well, I won't sign," Sakura repeated firmly and crossed her arms.
"For what reason?" Bunny Joe demanded to know.
The kunoichi narrowed her eyes. "You know, I've overlooked your rudeness so far, but I'm getting tired of it. My reasons for signing the contract are my own and absolutely none of your business," she warned.
"You'd pass up the chance to leave this hellhole and be a part of something greater? There are people out there that need you," he pressed, making a poor attempt at manipulation.
"There are people here that need me," Sakura pointed out.
Like Luffy.
"Do you think your work here would be anything other than a drop in the ocean? Do you think this island is the only one?," Bunny Joe snapped, losing his composure, "Where the Nobles trample people with their feet, where they torture and murder? There are dozens, hundreds of islands where areas like Gray Terminal exist. You ain't seen nothing yet, girl," the Revolutionary sneered.
Excuse me? Sakura thought indignantly.
This surely must be a subject he was passionate about, being a Revolutionary and all that, but that didn't mean he had to take out his bitter frustration on her.
Had he expected her to be awed and thankful that they contacted her and wanted her in their ranks?
Yes, Sakura realized with flashing eyes, that was exactly what he must've assumed. That she'd just go along with his wishes and sign the contract without hesitation.
Apparently, he didn't know who he was talking to. And he had been rude on top of that and sifted through her notes.
The pinkette bared her teeth. "You seem under the impression that I would gladly join your cause and drop everything to enter your organization," she began coldly, "I'm sorry to inform you that this is not the case. As I already told Red Hair Shanks when he asked me to join his crew—"
Bunny Joe gasped in surprise and paled, which caused a feeling of schadenfreude to surge within her.
"—I will not join anybody but rather be left alone to follow nothing but my own conscience and will."
Sakura barely stopped herself from stamping her foot to emphasize her statement. It would've caused a beautiful mosaic of cracks in the earth and put the Revolutionary into a cold sweat but having to fix the floor wasn't worth it.
"Y-You've been asked to join the crew of Red Hair?" he stammered with wide eyes.
Sakura sent him a glare that clearly said, 'Well, yes, that's what I just said, are you deaf?'
The Revolutionary took a nervous step back. His gaze swept over her form, trying to assess.
"Are- are you a strong fighter then? Or just a good doctor? Red Hair Shanks wouldn't just ask about anyone to join him," Bunny Joe tried to seek information.
Sakura's patience was running thin. Clearly, this guy was totally unqualified. If the Revolutionaries had been trying to impress her they should've sent someone stronger.
"How about you stop wasting my time? As you can see, I have patients to treat," she barked, her voice frosty. Indeed, the first patients had arrived in front of the shack, she could hear them converse with Hisato.
"O- of course," Bunny Joe agreed with slumped shoulders, finally admitting defeat.
Sakura just silently pointed at the doorway.
He passed her but hesitated at the threshold and turned back to her. She tensed when his hand disappeared into his cloak, but he just pulled out a slip of paper and held it out to her.
"Take this," the Revolutionary spoke quietly, "if you change your mind, just call this Den Den number."
The kunoichi took a deep breath to calm herself before she took the number from him with a face that clearly said that that would never happen.
Bunny Joe just nodded at her in farewell, before he finally took off. Sakura was left staring at the slip of paper in her hands and didn't know what to think.
She was being followed. Sakura had realized it immediately when she'd left her makeshift doctor's office and set off for home. Was it Bunny Joe?
No, she could sense two people and neither of them felt like the vexing Revolutionary. Sakura inwardly groaned; it was already afternoon and she'd promised Makino to be back for dinner.
Better to confront them immediately, then.
After she'd turned around the next corner, she stopped and quickly flashed on top of the nearest pile of junk to be able to watch the pathway. It didn't take long until she could see how two boys, about ten years old, snuck around the corner, only to seem visibly confused when they saw an empty pathway.
One had curly blond hair and was wearing a large black top hat with a pair of blue goggles wrapped around it. His companion had dark hair and from this distance, Sakura could just discern that his worn t-shirt had the letters for 'violence' inscribed.
Why are children following me?
"Oh no, we lost her," the blond groaned and smacked his palm to his forehead.
The other one scowled deeply and hissed, "This was a stupid idea from the start, Sabo, why would we even follow her?"
"She's a doctor, dammit, she could've helped with your arm," the blond hissed back.
"A doctor? That girl? She had pink hair, Sabo!" the other one protested as if her hair color held any significance as to her ability as a doctor. As if her hair color was the strange thing and not her being a child.
Why was it always her hair color that threw people?
"Ugh, Ace," the blond kid, Sabo, groused, "I tell you, she's the mystery doctor that has been healing the people here, I know it!"
"Pah, as if," Ace scoffed.
Sakura decided to step in. She jumped from the heap and landed soundlessly behind them.
"Are you looking for me?" she called out.
The two flinched and spun around. Ace gaped at her. "Hey, where did you come from?!" he yelled, pointing an accusing finger at her.
"Sshh," Sabo silenced him and jabbed his elbow into Ace's side.
"Please excuse the rude behavior of my friend," the blond began and bowed politely to her, "my name is Sabo and this is Ace."
"I'm Sakura," she introduced herself with a nod.
"Nice to meet you," Sabo greeted respectfully, "Ace had an accident and we think his arm might be broken. I believe you are the doctor that has been helping around here for some time now? We know it's late but Ace is my best friend. If possible, could you please help him?" he asked earnestly.
Sakura wasn't sure what to think of the duo. Well, at least the polite one manages to balance out his friend's rudeness, she thought and had to suppress a smile.
"Of course, I will heal his arm," she assured gently and beckoned them over to a nearby pile of debris.
Sabo approached her first and dragged Ace to follow him, who was cradling his left arm and eying her dubiously.
Sakura didn't let herself be put off by his rudeness and spoke, "Please take a seat. This isn't exactly a clean working environment, but it will do."
"Envia-what?" Ace squawked, "Sabo, this is a terrible idea, she's younger than us, she looks like she's six!"
"Ace, sit down," Sabo whispered furiously and pulled Ace down to sit next to him.
As Sakura was sitting directly in front of the duo, she could see a sprinkling of freckles on Ace's cheeks. It would've been charming in a way that contradicted his personality if Sakura hadn't been able to see the beginning of a bruise forming there. She raised her hands to check on the extent of his injuries, but he flinched back.
Someone has hurt this boy badly.
"I will touch your arm with my hands now to get an understanding of the extent of the injury,"
Sakura calmly explained the procedure to him.
When he didn't pull back again, she carefully lifted her hands and placed them on his arm to examine it.
"It's a simple broken bone, I'll just need a second," she stated after a moment. She didn't look up to see their reaction but instead let her fingers light up in a green glow.
Seconds later, she was done. Sabo and Ace gaped at her.
"Your hands were glowing green!" Sabo blurted and Ace was probing his arm with a finger.
"Whoa," Ace shouted, "it's gone!" and waved his arm around wildly. "How did you do that? This is great!" he cheered.
Their reactions got a delighted laugh out of Sakura.
"That's a secret," she grinned at them, before turning serious. "An accident, huh?"
The delight on Ace's face disappeared as fast as it had shown up and he was back to his defensive attitude. "That's none of your business," he snarled.
"Alright," Sakura accepted with a weary sigh. "Will you at least let me heal your bruises?" she asked softly.
Ace opened his mouth to object, but Sabo covered it with a hand to stop him. "Of course we will. It would be nice if we didn't look like a patchwork of black and blue tomorrow, right Ace?"
The freckled boy scowled but he remained silent and didn't protest.
Sakura proceeded to heal Sabo's worst bruises and when it was his turn, Ace complied and let her heal the bruises on his back and his injured ribs without further ado. When she gently touched his cheek with her glowing fingers to wrap up her work, he completely froze and stared at her with wide eyes. The moment only lasted a heartbeat and soon, Sakura pulled her hand back and declared them ready to go.
"The next time you receive injuries during a fight, please consider letting me heal them," she asked softly and gave them a warm smile.
"We definitely will, thank you, Sakura-sensei," Sabo bowed. He waved goodbye at her with a smile and departed, dragging a still frozen Ace after him.
Sakura watched them go and shook her head with an amused smile.
Please tell me what you think!