sarge1130 – Yeah, I have to upgrade her abilities, everybody got stronger after the time skip and I believe that she also got more powers than before. Yes Law have his plans, but sometimes just planning and planning and never executing can be harmful. I love the Heart Pirates and Bepo is so cute, they will have their own characterization for this fic since we know nothing about them. Thanks for your comment!
SEllen23 – You got it right. I have read a lot of theories and they are so good. And the one about making WB sick is one of the bests. Also you will soon notice that there will be another theory I will incorporate in this fic, this one involving Doflamingo and Thanks for the comment!
The Richmaster – Yes he did. When I think of Marineford and then remember that WB was sick, full of nurses and everything else, and we look at what he did, oh man, on his prime there will be nothing left of the will appear, but it will take some you like this chapter, thanks for the comment.
So… I'm back with the more chapters. I once again thank you guys for the comments and likes and everything.
The feedback makes me so happy, you guys have no idea.
"A new era is coming, Law. I can feel the change, and I know I'm not the only one."
Doflamingo said it while stroking Law's hair.
Law was sitting on his lap as he read the newspaper, in that same newspaper, in the corner of the front page, away from emphasis, almost like a footnote, was a little news of a teenager who can turn himself into fire.
That little news had no importance to Law, but it called Doflamingo's attention.
The Mera Mera no Mi.
It could only be it, and Doflamingo was curious to know who could be the new user.
"You're delirious, I don't see any change ..." said Law "... The Marines still present, however they still pathetic, minor pirates come and go, and the Yonkos remain untouchable. Basically no one seems to want to change the world. "
"Is it true?"
"Of course, they're all parasites. They are perfectly safe and well fed where they are."
"Stop being naive Law, it does not suit you. Everyone wants more ... more possessions, more influence, more power. Staying where you are does not guarantee it, the only ones who gain something with the immobility of the Great are the Marines and the Government. No ... the top of the food chain in this world is full of sharks. It will only take a drop of blood in the sea and everyone will be crazy to chomp and kill. "
Law put the paper down and curiously looked at Doflamingo.
"And what do you get out of it?"
"Why do you think I get something?"
"Now it is you that is thinking I'm too naïve. You're too interested, too philosophical for someone who will not gain any advantage."
Doflamingo smiled, it was at times like this that his heart almost beat, that boy was so unique and belongs only to him. How could they accuse him of not having a heart, when he was that boy right next to him? Always surprising and intriguing.
"Fufufufu ... My Law, dear Law. You're right, I have a lot to gain from it. The more they fight, the more weapons, drugs, mercenaries, slaves and information they will need, and I provide this to them."
"So it's all about money."
"No, I don't deny that money is one of the things that I will gain, but this is for power. Information is power, and I provide for everyone, the good, the evil and the neutral. Pirates and Marines, Rebels and Government. I provide to this world, I keep hunger of these monsters sated. Imagine what would happen if I stopped feeding them ... and what if I feed them with rotten food? "
Seeing the light reflecting in those red glasses, and seeing the huge smile that grown bigger and bigger in that face, the face he despises, was too much for him – before he could do any bullshit, Law just turned and went back to reading the newspaper, he didn't want to think about it.
He didn't want to think, because he knew it was true.
He knew Doflamingo was not at the top of the food chain, but what scared him was that the entire top is being held only by Doflamingo, if the man loose his hold on them or simply decide to drop it, everything would fall down, leaving only Doflamingo standing.
How could the world let one single man held so much power and influence?
How could the Government and Yonko let it happen?
Does everyone in this world connect to Doflamingo?
And it profoundly scared Law, if he had difficulty imagining himself being free from Doflamingo with the power the man has now, with all the power he could have, it would be impossible.
He could heard Doflamingo's laughter and fell his eyes on his person, but he decided to ignore the man and stayed pretending to read the newspaper as he thought about what he had asked for Bepo to do.
A simple plan, but that would take time to become true.
He put Bepo on charge to look for possible crewmembers.
Bepo had been excited and so was Law. But unlike Bepo, Law was more realistic, he was happy with the possibility of a crew and everything, but he was well aware that Doflamingo would not let him go.
He had to make Doflamingo think it was his idea.
But after hearing Doflamingo's speech, the plan to break free and cut all ties with the Warlord doesn't seem to be so interesting anymore, if Doflamingo become the top, it would means that he would also be at the top and then when he finally kill the miserable, he would be the man with more power in this world, no one would ever be above him, no one would ever have control over him and his life.
Law was ruminated with the possibilities and also with the fact that Doflamingo could have told him that just because he wanted to see Law in doubt and unable to make a decision.
~~ FLASHBACK - BEPO AND LAW ~~~~
Law didn't know, but his personality, his kink for thinking too much and plan too much, was keeping him from running away.
"Look for people who can be useful, intelligent and versatile, but that doesn't appear to be a threat."
"Why? A pirate crew needs strong men."
"Not in my case, everyone else has the advantage of starting without someone like Doflamingo in their pursuit, I will not have it. Our first step should be to go as far as possible from Doflamingo. East Blue would be a good place, and for that we have the submarine. "
"But you're talking about crossing the RedLine, we need fighters for that."
Law shakes his head.
"We already have me and you, Bepo. Now we need doctors, cooks, mechanics, people who know their way around and that learn fast, muscles are not enough against men like Doflamingo, or Whitebeard or even Kaido. If they want to, they will find you, they don't even need to come after you in person, they could send someone else to crush you. Do you understand? I need smart people, because first of all, we need to go away and disappear until we're ready to show up again. "
That was the last serious conversation between Law and Bepo, after that, their encounters seemed casual. Law wanted Bepo to go search for his future crew, but he knew that if Bepo simply stopped visiting him it would raise suspicion.
Bepo would find them, of that Law had no doubt; one more year of waiting would not kill him.
He would be patient, and when the time comes he would be quick, silent and deadly.
And so Bepo visits became less frequent, at the same time he 'kindly' asked Doflamingo to learn more about the negotiations – Doflamingo agreed that Law to know more but still maintaining what really matters secret, but at least Doflamingo said what really he thought in his eternal monologues.
Law over the years learned to remove the egocentrism of Doflamingo's every speech and absorb what was useful to him.
And so he stood there, quiet, thinking about the possibilities while Doflamingo seemed to be enjoying a little too much the news in the newspaper.
Just think about it made him felt like throwing up.
~~~~ FLASHBACK - LAW AND DOFLAMINGO ~~~~
"Time is something cruel. He takes something that was once great and drag it down. What was once untouchable now can be hurt."
"What are you talking about?" Diamond said in an angry tone
"Edward Newgate. He's old and time is not being kind to him."
Doflamingo said excitedly, and the others executives smiled and laughed with him – but Law knew that the Donquixote Family and Yonko Whitebeard had business together. This wasn't what surprised him, what was surprising was the type of business they have together.
Law imagined Doflamingo selling guns or drugs, perhaps even slaves, but the negotiations were other - doctors, diagnoses, nurses and medicine – and that's how he got involved.
He never saw the Yonko in person, but he saw the exams, Whitebeard was simply old, his liver were no longer the same because of the large amount of alcohol ingested throughout his life - cirrhosis was already there and the effects are starting to become visible.
Some ill-treated pneumonia that left his lungs permanently injured.
Bones that didn't have time to recover properly.
Problems in the joints and weakness characteristic of old age.
Obviously for a monster like Whitebeard, it did not make him less monstrous, but Law could say as a doctor that Whitebeard was not as impressive as it once was. And it was scary to know that Doflamingo knew that, but he didn't question the reasons why they have contacted him.
Taking personal reasons aside, he recognized that Doflamingo knew how to keeping secrets and was a very reliable dealer.
Doflamingo fulfilled his promises.
But that didn't mean he didn't have his own agenda.
And it was because of this agenda that he was asked for a medical opinion.
"How long the old man still has?"
"With the right treatment, he will die of old age in fifteen or twenty years, enough time for him to conquer more territories and terrorize more people."
He noted the lack of smile on Doflamingo's face, but he decided to ignore it.
Sometime later he saw some other tests, all of Edward Newgate, and they were very strange, in them he saw that simple symptoms that would heal be themselves given it with time seemed to persist, nothing drastic, but that over time could undermine the man.
Whitebeard wasn't getting sicker; he simply wasn't healing from the simplest symptoms. And those symptoms are accumulating.
That wasn't normal.
That was very dangerous in the long run.
When he questioned Doflamingo, the answer intrigued him.
"Time is cruel, Law."
"What are you doing? Those exams, they don't make sense, some symptoms should already be gone but they still persist."
Doflamingo walked and patted his head before saying:
"You said certain symptoms would pass with time, and that the major cause of Whitebeard's health problems is his age, so I'm getting taking care of that, I'm making his time go faster."
~~ SUNNY - KITCHEN ~~
"WHAT?"
When he hear everyone's amazement, Law got confused and asked.
"You guys know something?"
"Caesar is a scientist who was working with Doflamingo. He is responsible for the creation of the artificial Devil Fruits, who Doflamingo sold for Kaido"
Nami said Law, who looked thoughtful trying to remember if he had heard something about it, but he couldn't think of anything. He remembered that Doflamingo seemed excited about the news and always talked about the 'New Era', but nothing more.
"I think if he had a bigger plan with Caesar, I in my present age, wasn't informed of it"
"Neither the term 'SMILE'?" Robin asked, but Law said 'no' with his head.
"Oooooh that's boring. He doesn't remember, we'll have to wait for another day, isn't it? Besides, someone tell me why we are sailing to nowhere?"
"Aren't you listening? We are after Bonney. Don't you want Traffy to go back to normal?" Nami said to Luffy.
Usopp standing nearby decided to meddle.
"Of course we want, but until we find her, he will have returned to normal, this is a waste of time ... not to mention …"
Nami, Chopper and Brook waved their hands trying to warn Usopp, trying to stop him from saying "… it's dangerous!"
"Dangerous?!" Luffy looked excited.
"NOOOO!" They said Nami, Usopp, Chopper and Brook
"If it's dangerous, so it's an adventure! We have to find this Bonney NOW! Torao cannot wait."
"It wasn't you who was saying that it was a waste of time to a few seconds ago?"
Nami snapped hitting Luffy in the head, but Luffy just laughed as he scratched his head.
"Wait ... you said SMILE?" Law said.
"Yes, SMILE and SMILE! Smile for me, Do not let me see you crying, For you must keep on trying, To pretend That You do not care ... Yohohoho!"
Law was thinking when he suddenly remembered something. Something that Doflamingo had told him.
"He told me something about 'SMILE'. He was always saying something about a new era, and that he would name it The Age of Smiles!"
Everyone looked excited at Law, they were finally heading toward some answers, but Law then looked down and blushing said.
"Don't be so hopeful, I only remember that."
That would be like throwing a huge bucket of water on their anticipation and joy, if wasn't for Franky who appeared from out of nowhere and saying:
"SMILE!"
And BAAM a photo of Law with face so red it looked like it would explode and with wide eyes would be forever saved.
"SUUUP ..."
Franky couldn't even finished, and everyone could hear the sound of something falling into the water, they quickly left running to rescue Franky who was on the sea, as Law still red and trying to hide his face within his own body – like a turtle – walking away probably to go sulking somewhere.
Robin only smiled at the situation as a whole, it was refreshing to her, because of what happened with Law they had spent a few moments with so much tension and horrible situations, that it bothered even her - and she had seen and lived a lot to be disturbed by something.
It made her suspect of something, even more now that she knows about Law's and Doflamingo's plans and the most probably reason of why they are attacked.
The last few days were so calm that made her think of the worst.
Law was grown up, almost an adult and one who was playing with fire, and she feared he would get burned soon, after all, Bepo had said they fled when Law was 20 year old, and although Bepo is a bear and do not possess expressions which she was familiar, the other two crew members, Sachi and Penguin, doesn't have a good expression on their faces when that was said.
Something must have happened and she suspected it had something to do with the fact that Law didn't tell them anything. Or he forgot or he couldn't even think of it because of something that happened.
"Rooobin-chan! My sweet lady, want drink made of watermelon?"
And Sanji was already serving her a glass of juice so well served and decorated, that she couldn't say no.
"Thank you, Sanji-kun."
"It is a pleasure to serve you! I'm here to be your humble servant!"
Robin smiled, Sanji was a unique figure in the world, she always wondered what happened that made him treat women with so much care.
"I'm glad my watermelon drink was able to relax the beautiful Robin-chan!"
Sanji danced amid hearts.
"Relax?"
"Yes. You were very thoughtful. Something is clearly worrying you. Care to share?"
"It's nothing, only my fear that all of this is temporary, the last time he faced so much calmness the next day was horrible."
"Do you think it will happen again?"
"I wish it doesn't, but Law doesn't seem to really want to run away. He's a very rational man, staying close to Doflamingo, makes it easier for carry out his plans, escape doesn't and I think he knows that. There has to be greater reason for his escape. "
Sanji took out a cigarette and lit it.
"You forgot something important, he is not only rational, he is also extremely stubborn. And if he put it on his head that he will or have to escape, he will move forward only because that was his goal in the beginning. You know as well as me, that Law is much alike Luffy in this matter. "
"Yes, for good or evil. But there's the possibility of Doflamingo knowing or noticing Law's intentions, and this worries me, that man is extremely possessive, he will not accept that someone he considers his, leaves him."
"Maybe Law negotiated ..."
"Bepo said he fled, and escape and negotiate is very different, Cook-kun."
Sanji seemed to accept defeat on that argument.
Robin was right, Law would do something, and it seemed impossible for Doflamingo to not notice this, and even if this wasn't the case, from what they knew that was a very long and far from being stable relationship.
They all know and saw that it won't take much for both of them to make extreme decisions.
"How long until we get to Bonney lastly known location?"
"Tonight or tomorrow morning, according to Nami."
"Well, like it or not I think tomorrow we will know everything that Law knows or should know. And I really hope you're wrong without his observations, Robin-chan."
"Me too … me too."