Disclaimer: We all know the drill. I don't own One Piece, and I know I never will. I'll just close me eyes and... *insert Steven Tyler's song here* DREAM ON!

I only own the plot, though. What, I'm stripped off its ownership, too? Please, don't sue me! *terrified*

Author's note: The dialogues in chapters 1 and 2 are directly from the manga (in case no one noticed. Oh, I know you did notice!). I am merely an author who speculates what the heroes in this story were feeling, as well as their thoughts.

Author's note 2: IMPORTANT! READ FIRST! Thirteen years ago! It should ring a bell, and yeah, I'm writing the reason why Law came to hate Doflamingo, and who Kora-san might be. Everything's originally in this whole chapter, but it's too long so I divided it into parts.

Enjoy reading. *smiles*

"I've seen it all back in Marineford. The boy will come running like a dog mad for food."

Doflamingo grinned evilly. Just like what he thought of. He commended his protege's way of thinking. It was brilliant like his own, thank you very much.

"So...?"

"Heh. Of course you knew what's next. The Mera Mera no Mi should do the meager task as bait in luring the target. You bore witness on how he tested both fate and peril just to save Portgas D. Ace. I, on the other hand, witnessed his anguish and despair upon losing that brother of his." A smirk full of both certainty and confidence for a foolproof plan appeared on the younger man's lips. "Mugiwara-ya will come for it, Doflamingo..."

The blond Warlord's grin transformed into a bitter smile and threw the vacant Heart Seat a resentful glare. If Law was here in this room, seated in the comfort the velvet cushions offered, those were the words he would exactly say. He would have been assigned to participate in the tournament and further lure that rubber brat to their bait according to plan. Things would have been perfect for Doflamingo, and he would not have been thinking of Law's betrayal and their upcoming meeting. The blond tore his gaze off of the Heart Seat and his vision of the would-have-been damned owner of the said chair. Unbeknownst to him, his henchmen were just talking that matter and they, in return, did not know that Doflamingo was fighting the urge to force the Heart Seat to Law whether the latter liked it or not. He would have done the same if only Law was not planning and looking forward to the blond's downfall. The brat said it himself back in Punk Hazard via den den, and his words rang in Doflamingo's head like a bell's unnerving toll.

"Your overconfidence will be your undoing!"

As if. He did not choose to bear such confidence for nothing. Doflamingo had everything planned, including a special one regarding his traitor for a brother and his stupid alliance.

The blond Warlord paced around his office, a large and fully furnished room, which was only bathed in the light of the morning sun pouring through the high sixteen-pane window. He passed by the window and ran his long, tanned fingers on the dark and heavy drapes. The crowds below were still on an uproar, demanding to know why he quit being a Shichibukai and king of Dressrosa and pleading for him to change his mind and keep his positions. Doflamingo's thoughts were somewhere else. The blond's lips curled with contempt. Honestly, he did not know the reason why Law betrayed and defied him. Was it about Vergo beating the shit out of the raven-haired youth years ago and him(Doflamingo) not doing anything about it? He gave Vergo the power over Law to beat the latter into submission to fully insert discipline and obedience in the youth's stubborn head. Doflamingo smiled briefly at the trait the raven-haired youth took from him. Though, he knew that Law would not attempt to hold a grudge against him. He was not the one who administered the beating, did he? It was Vergo, and Law did deserve it back then. The raven-haired youth disappointed Doflamingo, and Vergo's beating was enough to teach Law a lesson, and that was to not defy the blond Warlord ever again. But there Law was, betraying and defying him yet again without a care in the world. And he even formed an alliance with the Straw Hat pirates as an added bonus.

Obviously, the lesson was never learned. Or perhaps, chosen to be forgotten.

Where there other reasons, though? Doflamingo could not possibly think of any. Turning his back from the window, he continued his pacing as he waited for his most trusted henchmen. He walked back to his desk and leaned against the edge before opting to sit on top of the wood. Upper body leaning forward and elbows resting on his knees, face set in utter seriousness and whole body momentarily unmoving, one would mistake him for a statue. Think, think, think. Doflamingo pushed his mind further to think until he felt something snap in his temple. Blast, that hurt. He rubbed his throbbing head until the pain left and once more, his gaze fell on the empty Heart Seat a few steps in front of him. Doflamingo's eyes widened with sudden realization, forehead knotted and jaws tight with pure anger. Surely, that was NOT Law's reason...

With eyes still transfixed on the seat, he remembered the previous owner of that chair.

The Heart Seat and its previous owner.

Heart.

Heart.

Doflamingo's lips curled in a wrathful smile. If he was correct...

"How I hate you," the blond muttered, gripping the edge of his desk very tight until his knuckles were white with the pressure. "How I hate you for making him choose you instead of me, you wench... And how I hate you for choosing that scum, Law. For everything you've done against me, I'll..."

The door opened and in came a servant, informing him of Diamante's arrival. Doflamingo grinned, eyes glinting with the intent to murder.

I'll kill you, Law!

- X -

Thirteen years ago...

He was practically defenseless. Maybe that wasn't the right sentence to start up explaining the predicament he landed himself into.

He just got the shit beaten out of him and he did not even get the chance to properly defend himself. Ah, for heaven's sake, who was he kidding. He was just trying to make himself fell better despite every pain and the cold he felt.

Law blinked and winced as sharp pain flared on his right swollen eye. He lifted a bruised and scraped hand up to touch and feel the injured part of his face. The skin was cracked and his flesh felt tender to the touch. It was like he was pounded mercilessly using a giant meat tenderizer. The teen groaned and gingerly ran his free hand on his torso to check for broken ribs, hoping against hope that he might find none. His thin, pale lips formed a smile. If it wasn't his lucky day...

"Five," he mumbled with amusement at such irony, referring to the quantity of broken costal bones. He ran slender fingers on his chest again to further check if he missed something, but to his relief found no more.

Snow started to fall for the second time that day, and for the first time in a long while Law disliked it. Wrong timing, he thought angrily upon remembering the snow under him. The raven-haired teen tried to pull himself up but discovered that he still cannot move properly without further forcing his broken left arm and leg. Stupid limbs for taking majority of the hard blows from that stupid bamboo staff. It was his instinct and reflexes, though, so naturally he could not blame himself for being left-handed. Putting his whole weight on the right side of his body so he can support himself using his right arm and leg, he tried to get up again. Successful at the attempt, he allowed a grin to appear on his face. Now, to stand up and find a temporary shelter to spend the night in. Law took a deep breath and softly exhaled, the air from his lungs coming out in misty wisps on the cold twilight. He looked up and uttered a small prayer for additional strength and guidance before pulling himself up in a staggering, standing position. The teen almost flopped back down in the flurry heap of snow if it wasn't for a long tree branch that snapped and fell on his side just within an arm's reach earlier. He used it as a walking stick to be able to further support himself.

The temperature gradually dropped as the minutes passed by. Law thanked his luck for being properly clothed at such a drastic time. He pulled his woolen spotted hat lower on his head and adjusted the thick blue and slightly bloody scarf around his neck. The teen narrowed his good eye to be able to see clearly through the steadily growing darkness, given that his other eye was currently useless at the time. He fought the wince that almost crossed his face as his left leg almost gave up with the strain of being forced to keep walking. Law breathed quickly as he looked at the broken limb. He reached out his left hand to soothe the pain only to yelp when he remembered that the bone was broken there, too. Something warm pricked in the teen's eyes but he forcefully blinked them away. No, he would not wallow in self pity and cry this time just like what he did when he accidentally cut his palm when he was five. Murmuring a few words of courage, as well as urging his broken leg to continue, Law allowed himself to lean against a nearby tree when a mixture of fatigue and pain coursed through him. He slowly slid down in a sitting position and deposited the makeshift walking stick on his side. The teen's breath came in quick and shallow when he accidentally jarred his broken ribs as he shifted a little. Law closed his eyes and panted heavily as he waited for the pain to dull. When it did, he opened his good eye and checked his surroundings cautiously. Huge and savage beasts were known to prowl in the dark of the night, and it was now completely dark this time. The snow continued to fall and it hindered Law's vision. He cursed under his breath as he gazed around, checking and feeling for some presence that might jump at him.

Snow crunched a few meters away from the teen. In Law's battered state and one useless eye, he was glad for the sharpness of his hearing. The fact that it was dead silent in the forest and the only sound present was his ragged breathing helped in the situation. He squinted, trying to make out if there was something out there in the woods. The raven-haired hoped that it would not be one of those savage beasts but the possibility was so high that it nearly caused Law to stop breathing. Storm cloud-like eyes traveled on his bloody scarf down to his equally bloody clothes and a curse floated softly off of his lips. Maybe one of the beasts(Law prayed that it would stay at that number) caught a whiff of his blood and decided to follow the trail he made as he walked, er, limped. He swallowed thickly, his uninjured hand quickly making its way to the tree branch he was using as a walking stick and pulling it close to him.

A dark and huge outline loomed through the trees, its footfalls heavy and steady. Law's grip on the brach tightened as he pressed his back further against the rough bark of the tree. The footsteps never faltered until the teen finally caught sight of his silent pursuer.

It was a polar bear, its white fur standing out against the snow and making the latter appear greyish in sight. But what surprised Law the most was that it was standing on its hind legs, looking as if it was used to walking that way. The bear's beady black eyes were boring through his grey orbs, its snout twitching slightly as it sniffed the air. After what felt like hours of staring at each other, the bear lowered itself and started walking towards the teen on all fours in a predatory manner. Law's breath hitched and he quickly lifted the branch up in an attempt to appear that he was prepared to fight. The bear only moved closer.

Damn...! thought Law when the bear was only a few steps away, opening its mouth in what appeared to be an evil grin. Damn Vergo for even throwing him out here in the forest! Law would not allow himself to be killed by this creature,and he will crawl his way back in the base even if he had to and kick the older male's ass for doing this to him. The teen gritted his teeth with anger, eyes gleaming with determination to prove himself. If Vergo wanted Law to survive in the wild even when injured, he will do just that and shove it down the man's gullet. Law then remembered Doflamingo. Just where was that crazy sadistic bastard when he needed him the most?