Heyho it's friday!

Yay! (Except I'm having advanced training the whole weekend, so I won't have any freetime, thus posting this chapter during our short lunchbreack^^')
I hope you will enjoy this sweet little chapter and have a great weekend!

See you next week ;-)
Sharry

Chapter 20 - Worth

"Corazon, would you like some tea?"

Surprised, he turned around when the blond - Sanji was his name - handed him a porcelain cup.

"Thank you very much."

He stood at the bow of the ship and watched the Straw Hat and two of his crew members play cards. The other crew members were scattered across the ship.

Last evening, they had left for the island Aki. To Rosinante's great surprise, the navigator of this ship – Nami – was able to target islands even without Eternal Port. He had never heard of anything like this before and he wondered who these people were.

"Are you okay?" Sanji asked. "Nami said we will arrive in two to three hours. Do you think we're still in time?"

Rosinante shrugged. It was early afternoon, two days after Law had left him.

"I don't know. However, I have my doubts that your swordsman will get the fight he hopes for."

The other laughed slightly but did not respond.

"When we talked, he said something like another one, what did he mean by that?"

The chief smiled softly and looked at him.

"It seems that those of us who face their past always assume that the best way to protect friends is to leave them in the dark and settle things alone." Still smiling, the other shook his head. "And each of us had to realize that this is absolute nonsense and only makes the others worry even more. That's what the Marimo probably meant by that, another one to explain to that friendship doesn't work like that."

"A wise observation," Rosinante remarked, drinking a sip of tea.

"Oh, he shouldn't talk so high any mighty. He's no better than the rest of us."

Grateful for the distraction, Rosinante agreed.

"Was he also another one?"

Sanji snorted quietly.

"We all messed up, believe me, but this bastard took the cake. Even though I have to say that Law may even trumped him."

Now Rosinante laughed quietly, but it was hollow and fake.

"Well, I would say it's pretty spectacular to rise from the dead, but even that doesn't seem unusual in your crew."

"At least not the most unusual," the other agreed.

Rosinante knew nothing more to say and stared out at sea. He had barely been able to sleep – nonsense, he had not slept at all – and with every second that passed, he became more restless. What if... what if...?

"Thank you, by the way."

He turned to chief.

"That you called us. Law is our friend, we all want to help."

So Law had made really good friends.

Rosinante sighed.

"The truth is you were the only ones I knew how to reach. Law told me next to nothing about his own crew. I don't think I even know all their names, let alone where they are at the moment. Law had said he would go in case you guys would call, so I just hoped that you would as well if he called."

The other next to him nodded and folded his arms, dark shadows lay over his otherwise rather friendly face.

"Yes, what happened was cruel."

Wars are never easy, on both sides there have been many losses.

"What?"

"Oh, you didn't know?" Sanji looked at him slightly surprised and then looked away.

"What happened to his crew?"

I disbanded my crew before the Great War because I didn't want them to fight.

The other hesitated, but then shrugged.

"Three years ago, as we prepared for the battle, which would later become known as the Great War, there were riots in Impel Down. We were too far away to intervene. But Law had previously decided that his crew would not fight with him on the front line; I don't know the details, just that it was probably a huge dispute."

I left them no choice.

"He sent them, along with some of our allies, back to our checkpoint near the Red Line, in case others would use the war to cause conflict."

But sometimes I wonder if it was worth all the lives that died for it.

"Marine Ford," Rosinante suspected.

"Well, it was actually the Sabaody Archipelago, but that doesn't make much difference." Sanji sighed. "As I said, I don't know exactly, but during the Impel Down revolt, Doflamingo also threatened to break out and Law's crew decided to stop him on their own."

Law might have been able to elicit something interesting from him, but he refused to see him again. Not that I could blame him.

"Most of them did not survive this fight and the few who did will probably be marked by it for the rest of their lives." The other remained silent for a moment. "We received the news that the revolt had been stopped during the battle. What it had cost, only afterwards."

After the war I had decided to turn my back on this whole world.

"I would like to say that we did the right thing. But we did not. The war had been… well, how you'd expect a war to be, many died or were seriously injured. When Law said goodbye to us with the words to travel to Impel Down, none of us questioned that. That was the last time we saw him. He was gone as if he had disappeared from the face of the earth."

Rosinante remained silent, not knowing what to say.

Suddenly, the navigator called them, saying that they had almost reached their goal and should prepare.

Deeply inhaling, he decided to suppress his feelings for the moment. He would need a clear head no matter what to expect, and no matter what had happened in the past, he couldn't change that, he had to focus on the present now.

And yet...

But it was probably better. I still have contact with them from time to time and they all lead a happy, happy life. How they deserved it.

Together with the Straw Hat, the swordsman, the chief, the navigator and the... racoon... Rosinante stood in front of the huge black wing door.

In case this was an ambush, the others of the crew stayed behind as their safety net, yet neither the captain nor his grumpy swordsman had been deterred from accompanying Rosinante. In response, the chef had also come along and Rosinante remembered how he had mentioned Mystoria. The... raccoon had insisted on coming along in case Law would be injured, and the navigator had claimed she would come along to prevent worse chaos, whatever she had meant as she warned her crew members.

Rosinante didn't really care, or much more, all of it wasn't relevant anymore, depending on what he would find behind that door.

He knocked decisively and almost at the same time the winged door opened as if on its own. Behind it bowed several employees, in the front of them a broad-shouldered man, who did not look as if he was the brightest.

"You have been expected," he remarked, stepping aside and clearing the way inside the villa.

Rosinante followed the employee and ignored the fighting straw hats behind him.

Then he finally entered a large hall, which he could only describe as an oversized conference room, to his left a long table, but opposite him, at the other end of the room, on a simple chair, a wine glass in one hand, sat probably nobody else then...

"The boss."

"Donquixote Rosinante, also called Corazon, I was waiting for you," she greeted him with a smile. "After everything I have heard about you, I was really looking forward to meet you. Even if I would have preferred you to have left your coworkers at home."

His heart was racing, but he did not let himself be put off by it.

"You heard about me?" He replied calmly, while the Straw Hat behind him remarked something loud only to be scolded by one of his crew members.

Her smile grew.

"Of course, you have to be someone very special. However... didn't you say he would not come, Law?"

The door to her left opened, like it was moving on its own.

"I just said I didn't tell him anything. It's not my fault he has such a bullhead."

"Law!" Rosinante ran towards the other, but the Straw Hat was faster, hurling himself across the room and clashing against an invisible wall right in front of Law.

"What the hell...?"

"Law!"

"Let him go!"

Before Rosinante even knew what had happened, the navigator stood next to her captain, the... Racoon next to himself, the swordsman and the chef to the left and right of the boss, the top of a sword under her chin, a leg raised threateningly.

They were all in combat mode and Rosinante suddenly knew why they were advertised as the strongest crew in the world, and not even all members were present.

But he didn't really care.

In the doorframe, behind an invisible wall, stood, Law without looking at him, his head lowered, his face hidden by the shadow of his cap, but obviously alive. If the situation weren't so serious, he would burst into tears and scold Law like the stupid boy he was.

The woman in her chair laughed softly and placed her wine glass on her armrest.

"Momo, you can retreat, it's all under control."

Only now did Rosinante notice that the broad-shouldered man had also set in motion and stopped immediately. He hadn't even noticed that the stranger had tagged along, that distracted he had been.

"Are you sure?" Grumbled the swordsman, whose blade flashed.

"So my dear ones, just to make that clear. Not all people use their skills for fighting." Suddenly her smile faded and an icy atmosphere swept through the room. "And for that you should be grateful."

For a moment, Rosinante's gaze lay on Law, who didn't move, almost like being held by invisible chackles, but then he turned to the boss.

"I'm not here to fight," he said, "but to negotiate."

"Oh!" Apparently enthusiastic, she got up and clapped her hands together, unimpressed by the weapon at her throat. "To my liking."

Then she turned to Law.

"I know what you see in him."

Rosinante didn't know what he had expected, but probably not that.

Without being disturbed by the pirates, she pushed sword and chef aside with two fingers each and approached Rosinante.

"Hey," the swordsman growled, but she interrupted him with a raised hand like he was not more threatening than a bold child.

"I have no interest in physical combat, straw hats. So if that was your intend, I advise you to leave." Then she looked at Rosinante. "But if you have come to negotiate, you are welcome at my table."

She walked through the room.

"And what if we don't want to negotiate, but just want to take our friend with us?" The chef asked.

"Go ahead," she replied simply. "But don't be mistaken. At the due date of his liability, Trafalgar will return and fulfill it."

"Why would he do this?" The navigator disagreed.

"Because otherwise he breaks the contract and whoever breaks the contract dies and loses what was wrongly received."

"What?" Rosinante forgot to breathe for a moment. "And you signed a contract like that, Law?"

The other did not look at him, still hiding his gaze under the shadow of his cap, still as motionless as a doll with all strings attached.

"Well," Rosinante continued, deciding to face one problem at a time, "let me negotiate with you, boss, but first I want to be able to talk to him and make sure he's unharmed."

"Why should I hurt him?" She replied with a raised eyebrow but waved off. "For all I care, go ahead. I'll order us some wine and you others could go to the table. Trafalgar, you may come in."

It was as if glass was silently cracking, breaking apart in front of Law, before falling to pieces, but when it was supposed to touch the ground, it simply disappeared. Law, however, did not move a millimeter.

Very differently to Rosinante. He walked past the others, ignoring their big eyes, and stopped just in front of Law, as if the invisible wall were still intact.

"Are you unharmed?" He asked, well aware that his emotions threatened to overwhelm him. He had to keep a cool head, one mistake and he would lose Law. "Answer me!"

"Cora-san, I… I'm so..."

"I didn't ask about that. Are you unharmed?"

He could see the other trembling, not daring to look up, his hands clenched to fists.

"Yes, I am unharmed."

"Thank God!" He ripped the other into a strong embrace, pressed him against his own body, held his head against his chest. "I was so scared of losing you."

Law in his arms began to tremble, but Rosinante knew that if Law broke now, he would not be able to hold on to himself. So he put his hands on Law's shoulders and put him at an arm's length distance.

These familiar, deep eyes shimmered with unshed tears, and Rosinante knew exactly what he had to do now. He sighed deeply, took off Law's cap, ruffled through his soft hair, and then smiled.

"Very well, boss," he then spoke coolly, pushed the cap back on Law's head, grabbed him by the wrist, and dragged him along to the table, "let's negotiate."

The addressee sat at the end of the table, a glass of wine in her hand.

Of the straw hats on the other side, only the captain, the navigator and the... racoon had taken a seat. Chef and swordsmen stood behind them like underpaid bodyguards.

He pushed Law into a chair and sat down next to him.

"Let's get down to business," he murmured coolly, looking at her. "What do you want?"

Smiling, she took a sip of her wine.

"You are really a man to my liking. A businessman who gets straight to the point. What do I ask for? Nothing at all. Only the treaty must be respected."

"Well, let me rephrase my question: What do I have to do to take over Law's position in this contract?"

"What?"

"Cora-san! You can't..."

He interrupted the straw hats and the man by his side with a single glare before turning to the master of the house again.

"So?"

Her smile faded and it seemed as if she was finally taking the situation seriously.

"Well, even though I really would love to sign a contract with someone like you, that's not possible, my dear. "

"Why?" He asked.

"For exactly three reasons." She held up just as many fingers. "First, your general existence is the subject of the contract and it violates good faith to be both contracting party and subject of the contract. Secondly, it is impossible for me to enter a contract with someone whose lifetime I have previously influenced in order to prevent immorality. Thirdly, of course, in general another person could assume Trafalgar's liability as guarantor. The problem, however, is that the trade was not a life for a life, but the resurrection of a dead person for eternal life, implemented by the abilities of the Op-Op fruit. Since Trafalgar is the only user of this fruit, fulfilling the obligation is actually impossible for anyone else. For this reason, no one else can take his place as a contracting party."

Rosinante took a deep breath

"Okay, I didn't get that," lamented the captain of the straw hats, "but to be honest, I don't really care. Can't you just be nice and let Tra-guy go?"

The woman giggled cheerfully at the end of the table and turned to the Straw Hat.

"So, little one, let's assume for a brief moment, I would be really willing to give up from the goodness of my heart what is rightfully mine." Her tone made it clear that this idea alone was ridiculous. "I couldn't. I ate from the trade-trade fruit. A trade that has been settled with my ability must be carried out, even if one or even all parties no longer want to. So even if your cheesy demeanor here would touch me so much that I would want to give up my claim for no reason, it is not possible."

Rosinante pondered for a moment.

"Then let's make another exchange," he offered. "The right to eternal life through Law's devil powers for whatever you want."

Her eyes flashed and her grin grew.

"Interestingly, my dear, I have to say negotiating with you is much more fun than with your favorite. Still, you can't offer me enough."

"I can offer you my life."

"Cora-san!"

"A life for immortality? As if you were offering a bucket of water for the great sea."

"I have information and knowledge..."

"That doesn't interest me in the least."

"We have gold," commented the captain of the straw hats, "huge numbers of... Uh!"

"It's valuable!" Rosinante growled, leaning forward. "I know of things that..."

"Enough," she interrupted him with ease. "Let me explain my devil power to you. I think that's saving us a lot of time."

She got up and walked up and down in front of them.

"My ability allows me to perform an equivalent exchange. This means that things on both sides of the scale must be objectively equal." She smiled briefly. "However, this form leaves many unsatisfactory gaps. Life against life cannot be weighed, the objective value of some goods cannot be determined and so on. For this reason, I modified the equivalent exchange. It is also possible if the exchangeable items are equivalent according to the subjective values of the contracting parties."

"Sounds like cheating," the swordsman grumbled.

"I didn't get it," the captain muttered.

"Then let me give you an example," she said, and suddenly ghostly-looking scale of fog appeared on the table between them.

"Let's use an example with..." She looked at each of them before pointing her index finger. "... you."

The swordsman simply growled in response.

"Okay, let's start. Let's say I had a macaron, prepared by the pastry chef Kanpeki herself, and you would definitely want it."

"Oh!" The chef whispered.

"What about it, Sanji?" The navigator asked.

"Kanpeki is the goddess of the Macarons. She died more than 50 years ago, and her abilities are considered so legendary that there is a myth that people who tasted her food would rather starve than eat low-quality food."

"I see a man of education," the boss smiled. "It's true, so today such a macaron would be worth about as much as the swords you wear on your hip, Roronoa Zoro."

On one side of the scale, the image of the tiny pastry appeared, and on the other side the three swords. The side of the macaron crashed onto the tabletop without even making a noise.

"I thought they were equal," the navigator muttered.

"Purely objectively yes," agreed the other woman, "but purely subjectively, this macaron would be even more important to me than those swords to your swordsman."

"Don't you dare," he growled.

Defensively, she raised both hands.

"You see that objective and subjective value is relevant. My ability allows me to exchange everything imaginable, both materially and immaterial, as long as both exchanged objects are objectively or subjectively equivalent. As you can see from this example, a single little macaron is subjectively worth more to me than anything Roronoa Zoro could offer me. It doesn't matter if it were his swords, his former bounty, his work force, his sword fighting skills, or his loyalty to his captain..." She interrupted herself when the scale suddenly clashed to the other side and the macaron hovered in the air.

"Oh," she whispered, "interesting. What would your loyalty to your captain be worth to you, Roronoa Zoro?"

Her gaze had taken on something eager.

"Eternal life? World peace? No, no, you are rather simple minded, straight forward; the lost years of your dear ca..."

"Enough," Rosinante interrupted, blurring the scale of fog that had begun to move as the swordsman reached for his weapons. "You said I couldn't offer you enough. But according to your choice of words, there is something that is subjectively worth at least as much to you as eternal life, isn't it?"

Now she beamed at him.

"My dear, when this is over, we must become business partners." Her grin grew. "There is just one thing for which I would exchange the claim to eternal life. But you can't get it."

"Who then?"

She spread her arms.

"Why do you think I allowed your coworkers to come along?"