Forgotten Memory
Penguin was lying in his bed upon the small sub. He was trying to get some sleep while the two women he was with were piloting the sub but wasn't able to so. And not because of the pinging of the sub's instruments. He was use to those since he lived on a sub for much of his life. His mind just wouldn't leave his sister's state. So he was just staring up at the ceiling above his bed obsessing over what Neo was doing and how she was doing. Was she getting any sleep at all? Was she still alone? Had Pendulum done anything to her? How much longer were they going to have to float around in the water like this? It had already been a week or so he thought. They had no actual way of telling how much time had gone by except for making a makeshift calendar on the wall, after finding some black ink like substance, to try and keep track of that. He felt like he was going to go insane from all the worrying and from having nothing to do in this place.
Then a sudden feeling of peace washed over him from out of the blue. He sat up and swung his legs over the side of his new bed, studying his feeling carefully. He knew it had something to do with Neo. A smile spread across his face. Some how he knew she was fine and had seen the captain. He wished it were the captain that had returned first. But whoever it was, he was glad. Even if it wasn't the captain it was someone she trusted enough to keep an eye on her while she projected herself to the one she needed to see the most. Now she would definitely be able to survive until they all made it back to her. "That's my girl. Just hold on for a while longer, little sister. We'll all be back before you know it. I promise we'll be there soon."
…
Neo sighed before opening her eyes. She didn't want to. She wanted to keep them closed and stay with Law forever. But she was back. The all too familiar smells of this place had replaced the void of scents she was currently in. She could feel the sprites and Chopper eyes watching her carefully and tensely incase Pendulum came back. Tears were streaming down her cheeks, she laid her arm over her eyes. She wondered when exactly she had started crying in her real body. But it didn't matter. She had seen her love finally after an agonizing five days of being without him. It would only be a few more weeks before she would be back with him. She could handle that. She would handle that.
"You okay?" Chopper asked softly.
"Yeah." Neo nodded, brushing away her tears.
"Is Law okay?" Chopper asked.
Neo nodded and told him everything that Law had told her.
"So Nami and Law are together," Chopper said. "That's good. Nami can keep him cool enough until you're reunited. I'm glad."
"Yeah. I'm glad they have someone they can trust to. Bindy seems nice enough since she's helping them," Neo said before pausing. "I'm kind of tired now."
"I figured you would be," Chopper said. He then picked up a medicine cup off the table and handed it to her. "That's why while you were gone I prepared a sedative for you. It's going to help you sleep. I really think you should take it and a nap now. You don't have to worry about anything now. I'll keep watch while you're sleeping."
"Okay." Neo took the little cup from him and drank it without protest. With another sigh, she handed it back to him and settled back down in the couch. Forcing herself to keep calm and not focus on anything else but sleeping, she found herself soon drifting off into peaceful, dreamless slumber.
Five hours later, Neo started to wake up. For a few moments she kept her eyes closed and listened to Chopper exchange stories with the sprites before revealing to them that she was finally awake. She shifted and opened her eyes.
"You're awake," Elian said, noticing her first.
"How do you feel?" Chopper asked. He slid off the couch and walked up to her. Reaching into his bag he pulled out this blood pressure cuff and his stethoscope to check her vitals.
"Better," Neo said. "The nap really helped. My brain doesn't feel as clouded anymore."
"That's good," Chopper said. "It looks like your blood pressure is down again as well. That's so great. I was so worried. I guess that trip to see Law and your nap was really all you needed."
"It was," Neo said, adjusting the blanket on her lap. "I still will have issues sleeping until Law gets back here, but I know I'll sleep a little better now that you're here with me."
"I'm glad," Chopper said, going back to his seat. "I just wish we could communication with the others. I'd like to know how they're doing. They could be injured. It's killing me not knowing."
"I know how you feel," Neo said. "But I know they're fine. I'd know if they weren't."
"Yeah." Chopper nodded. He gasped when he felt a strange pressure appearing in the room. "What is that?! What's going on?!"
"You've got to be kidding!" Neo stood up just as the sprites flew into her hair. "Why now of all times?!"
"What's going on, Neo?!" Chopper asked. "What is this pressure?!"
"It's Pendulum," Neo hissed. "This pressure comes when he's about to arrive. I don't know if it's something he has to do or if he's just showing off."
"What?!" Chopper flailed his arms and legs before dashing behind Neo's leg. "D-don't worry, Neo! I won't let him hurt you!"
"It's all right, Chopper," Neo said just as Pendulum appeared. "What do you want now?"
"A bit cranky from having just woken up from a nap," Pendulum said, smoothing down his robe despite it being wrinkle free. "I'll chalk that up to a pregnancy symptom and let it go."
"What?! You're spying on Neo?!" Chopper demanded.
Neo placed her hand on top of Chopper's hat.
"It's not so much as spying as it is keeping a watch," Pendulum said. "And it shouldn't be a surprise considering I have been keeping an eye on all of you. I must congratulate you on finally retrieving the shard and making it back here."
"Oh yeah. Where is that shard?" Chopper asked. He glanced around the room. "And the monkey? I haven't seen either of them since we were back on that dome."
"Don't worry about them," Pendulum said. "I have them both back in my possession."
"So why are you here?" Neo patted Chopper on his hat to ease his tension. "I doubt you came here only to congratulate Chopper in getting the shard."
"That is true," Pendulum said. "I've come to give you your reward."
"Reward?" Chopper asked.
"Y-you…mean," Neo stuttered.
"That's right," Pendulum said. He started slowly walking around the room. "You've been a very good girl so I'm going to take you to your lover. Your friends are also going so it's double the reward. You won't be alone."
"You're going to take Neo to see Law?" Chopper asked. He started to mention that Neo just projected herself to Law but stopped himself just in time. Pendulum didn't need to know about that, assuming he didn't know already.
"I am." Pendulum nodded. He paused and turned back to the pirates.
Neo kneaded her eyebrows. There was something sparkling in the man's eyes that she didn't like. Once again she found herself wishing she were better at reading people. Pendulum was planning something. Getting to see Law, in the flesh, sounded far to good to be true. So what was he planning? Why did he say she wouldn't be alone? If he were really taking her to see Law, she wouldn't be alone with him and Nami there.
"And, I mean, if you four want to go with her," Pendulum said. "Unless you all want to stay here."
"No," Chopper said. "I'm staying with Neo."
"We g-" Celeste started to shout.
Feeling the sprites move around in her hair, Neo could only assume that Velocity and Elian clamped their hands on the young sprite's mouth and pulled her back into her hair.
"Very well then. Enjoy your time with your lover. It will be a rather short visit I'm afraid. He has a very special mission after all to complete. And I'm sure you wouldn't want to do anything to mess that up," Pendulum said just before everything around them turned white.
The two pirates blinked. The white void around them faded and they found themselves in what appeared to be a thicket tucked in a forest in a countryside somewhere. The grass a lush and bright green so they knew it was summer where they were. Some houses were scattered in the distance, a few with barns and animals. A small river ran beside them with a few fish jumping out of the water to snatch bugs that were hovering too close to the water's surface.
"This not Time Dome," Celeste said, poking out from Neo's hair.
Elian and Velocity poked their heads out of Neo's hair too. They exchanged concerned looks when they saw the fluffy clouds floating lazily above them.
"Where are we?" Chopper asked. "And where is Law? I don't smell him or Nami."
"He's not here. I don't sense Law at all," Neo said, her eyes locked down on the ground. "I don't understand. Celeste is right." She brushed her foot over the soft grass below her. "These plants are real. I can feel the wind too and all of the animals. I'm not sure but I think we're back in our world."
"We are in your world but with only one difference," Elian said.
"Difference?" Chopper looked up at Neo's hair were the sprites were still tucked in.
"He took us back in time," Elian said, finally coming out of Neo's hair to land on her shoulder.
"Took us back in time?" Neo asked. "Why would he do that?"
"We don't know," Velocity said, joining her brother while Celesta flew around the immediate area looking for fun. "He said that he wanted to take you to see Law. But why would-" She gasped. "Oh no!"
"What's wrong, Velocity?" Chopper asked.
"How many times do I have to say it before you understand?!" a distant voice asked. "I don't want to go to any more hospitals!"
"Will you shut up about that already?!" another, older, voice said. "We're going whether you like it or not!"
"I don't want too!" the first voice said.
They all turned their eyes in the direction the voices were coming. A few seconds later the bodies housing the voices walked around a tree. One was a tall man with blonde hair. He was holding someone over his shoulder with one hand while his other hand was holding a map. The young one screamed, "It's pointless! I've told you countless times that White Lead Syndrome can't be cured!"
Neo's eyes widened. Her heart took a sharp jolt in her chest, her breathing hitched hard in her lungs while her mind began to spin causing her to become light headed. Pendulum really did take her to see Law. Just not the Law she knew and was use to being around. Pendulum had taken them back in time when Law was till a teenager with White Lead Syndrome and when Corazon was alive.
"Hey, what's going on here?" A tall blonde haired man looked up at them when he noticed the small group standing there. He narrowed his eyebrows in suspicion. "Who are you people?"
"Uh," Chopper said. "I'm Chopper."
"Celeste!" Celeste flew up to the man and spread out her arms and legs with a carefree giggle before anyone could stop her. "I Celeste! Celeste is me!"
"What's going on?" The boy lifted up on the man's shoulder to see what was going on behind him. "Who are these people?"
"So much for hiding now," Velocity said, flicking her wings.
"It shouldn't matter," Elian whispered. "We just don't need to reveal that we're from the future or anything else that could damage the timeline." He looked up at Neo. "Did you hear that, Princess? Princess?"
Neo didn't hear him. Her eyes remained locked onto Law and Corazon before her knees buckled under her and her eyelids fluttered closed. Law's hat fell off her head as she tilted backwards. It hit the ground and rolled to her left side.
"Neo!" Elian shot out his magic just before Neo could hit the ground.
"Neo?!" Chopper panicked. He danced all over the place. "What do we do?! What do we do?! We need a doctor! Oh! Wait! I'm a doctor! I don't know what to do!"
"Calm down," Elian said. "She only passed out."
"Pretty Princess sleeping!" Celeste said.
"Yeah, something like that," Velocity said, rolling her eyes at Celeste's naivety.
"Princess?" the boy questioned. "Is she a princess?"
Velocity was quick to think on her feet. Not wanting to lie or tell the truth, she said, "Celeste only calls her that. It's a nickname."
"Is she all right?" the tall man asked, his eyes dropping down to Neo's rounded stomach.
"She'll be fine," Chopper said, checking her pulse.
"Is she pregnant?" the boy asked.
"Law, why don't you go get her some water?" the man asked, sitting the boy down on his feet.
"What? Why me?" Law asked.
"Just go," the man said.
"Fine," Law grumbled. He wondered passed the group and over to the river.
"Law?" Chopper blinked at the black haired boy a couple of times before the reason why Neo passed out hit him hard. His brain then registered the young boy as the Law he knew. He screamed. "What?! You're Law?!"
"Uh, yeah," Law said over his shoulder from where he was filling up the canteen. "Corazon just said my name."
"Corazon? You mean-" Chopper started but got Velocity's magic clamped over his mouth. He looked down to her when she flew in front of his face. Realization hit him when she gave him a 'Be quite' look. He nodded and she released him.
"Does she need something?" Corazon asked.
"No, that's okay," Chopper said, stroking his hoof over Neo's hair. "She just needs a minute to rest. It's been a bit of a long day."
"Being pregnant will do that to a woman," Corazon said. He sat down and crossed his legs. His eyes lowered down to Neo, eyebrows kneading again.
Chopper swallowed hard when he realized that Corazon was kneading his eyebrows in confusion. He should have assumed that Corazon would be able to tell that there's something different about Neo. His eyes drifted to Law as the boy filled up the canteen. He wondered if Law at this age would be strong enough to tell that she was different or not.
"Listen," Velocity said from the back of Chopper's hat near his ear. "You can't tell him anything about us or where we come from, even about your crew and yours ships. It could wreck the entire Time Stream if you say the wrong thing."
"I understand that," Chopper whispered while Corazon was still busy inspecting Neo. "But what do we say?"
"We'll just have to come up with something," Velocity said. "Since the princess is pregnant we can't tell them we're on a long trip but we can't say that we live around here without them possibly asking to stay at our place. I guess we'll just have to be on a small trip. Maybe say that we're going to met with some of Neo's family before she has the baby."
"That might work," Chopper said. "As long as they don't ask for details about where we're supposedly heading."
"It's all we got unless we can think of something better," Velocity said. "We'll be sure to inform the princess of this when she wakes up and do our best to keep Celeste quiet as we can. She'll be our biggest concern."
"Pretty Princess, wake up," Celeste said. She floated over Neo's face, curiously taking the pirate in. "Come on. You're much more fun awake."
"Just give her a few minutes, Celeste," Elian said. "She'll wake up soon."
"So where are you all from?" Corazon asked, sitting down on the ground.
"We're from around here," Chopper said.
"Oh? Just out for a walk then?" Corazon asked. "That can't be good for her."
"She's use to walking around a lot," Velocity said. "She's very healthy. We're actually going to see some of her family. They want her to visit before the baby arrives and she and her husband get busy with their child. They can't travel because of health issues."
"I see," Corazon said. "I guess that makes sense. We're traveling ourselves. A bit of a vacation from everything you could say."
Law scoffed. He walked over to Chopper and handed him the canteen he had filled. Plopping down on the ground, he said, "We're not on vacation at all. You're forcing me to go to hospitals even though I don't want to."
"Oh, hush! You're going to get cured! One way or another!" Corazon said.
"I will not!" Law snapped. "How many times do I have to tell you that?!"
"Ignore him," Corazon said. "He's only a brat. He's really a softy at heart."
"I am not!" Law said. The boy's eyes dropped down to Neo when she moaned a bit in her unconscious state.
Chopper swallowed hard again and held his breath. So far Corazon hadn't mentioned that Neo didn't feel human, so he figured he wouldn't, at least not yet, but he had no idea what Law was going to do. It was clear that the young boy was more outspoken that the man was.
"How long is she going to be like that?" Law asked.
Chopper sighed. It appeared that Law didn't notice anything different about Neo, at least not yet. He really wished they had a better way of telling how strong a person has to be before they noticed that Neo wasn't human.
Neo moaned again then opened her eyes. The sky above her spun until Chopper came into her view.
"You okay?" Chopper asked.
"Yeah," Neo said.
"Pretty Princess awake!" Celeste announced. "Pretty Princess awake!"
"We were worried about you," Elian said as Neo started to sit up. "Take it easy."
"I'm sorry," Neo said. Her body flinched when she saw Law and Corazon again. "I'm not feeling very good right now."
"I'll bet," Chopper said.
"What does that mean?" Law asked.
"Ack! She's pregnant! That's all!" Chopper said with a nervous chuckle. "I didn't mean much by it!"
"Whatever," Law grumbled.
Neo placed her hand on her face before dragging her hand through her hair. Her heart skipped a beat to find Law's hat missing. "La-My hat! Where is it?!"
"Right here," Corazon said, picking up the hat the was next to him. He tossed the hat to her when she looked at him.
Neo caught it and hugged it to her chest.
"You have the same taste in hats that Law does," Corazon said.
Law scoffed again. "We do not. They're only similar. It doesn't mean we have the same taste." He looked back at Neo. "And you're acting like you about lost a special treasure. It's just a hat."
"You could say that it is a treasure. It's actually my husband's." Neo placed the hat back on her head. "I'm just…borrowing it for a while."
"Princess," Elian said when he landed on her shoulder. He leaned into her ear and whispered Velocity's plan to her. "We also think it's a good idea for you to not use your crystals while we're around these two."
"If Law is in trouble, I don't know if I'll be able to hold back," Neo said.
"I can't understand that," Elian said. "But you know he survives everything that he goes through. If you use your crystals it could affect the future you have with him. He might get hurt, or you might, or the route he takes when he finds you might not happen."
"I understand," Neo said. "I'll try not to use my crystals. But if his or Cora's lives become endangered I won't just stand there."
"Just do your best," Elian said. "And remember we're here with you. We can use our magic more often than you can."
"So where exact are you heading?" Corazon asked.
"Oh, a little farther up the river from here," Velocity said.
"We're heading that was as well," Corazon said. "You might want to travel along with us."
"Why's that?" Elian asked.
"There's been some bandits spotted in the area recently," Corazon said. "I wouldn't want you all to get attacked."
"I see," Elian said. He ran his eyes over his friends. They all, but for Celeste, didn't really know what to do. So he made the decision for them. "If you don't think we'll be a bother, we'll be glad to walk with you for a while."
"Oh, yes!" Velocity clasped her hands together. "That would be very nice. We don't want anything to happen to our little princess here. Isn't that right, P-Neo?"
"Yes." Neo nodded. "It wouldn't be good for us to travel by ourselves with bandits in the area." She placed her hand on her stomach, ever playing the vulnerable pregnant woman. "My husband would be upset if something happened to us."
"Looks like you've already been hit by the bandits," Law said. He pointed to her bare feet. "Your shoes are gone."
"Oh…no, I don't wear shoes much," Neo said. "I didn't wear them much growing up so they're quite a pain to wear now. I only wear them when I absolutely have to."
"You're so weird," Law said.
"You have no idea," Neo murmured.
"Let's be off then," Corazon said, standing up. "I'd like to get another mile or two in before it gets dark."
"Can you stand up now?" Chopper asked.
"Yes," Neo said with a nod. She stood up and brushed the dirt off her clothes. "I'm all right."
The walk through the forest was a fairly quiet one. The only noise they had entering their ears was the running water, the birds chirping, furry animals scurrying off when they got too close, their footsteps, and Celeste's typical chatter and the occasional scolding from Velocity or Elian. Neo couldn't keep her eyes off of Law. Her body still felt cool and numb from actually seeing him at this age. She wondered if this was affecting her Law in the future at all at any point in time. But mostly she wondered if he remembered seeing her like this. He's never mentioned it before so he must have forgotten this happened. It wouldn't surprise her if he did forget it. He lost Corazon after all. She looked around. That time could actually be coming up fairly soon since Law was clearly still sick. They haven't learned of the Op Op Devil Fruit yet.
"Celeste!" Velocity snapped for about the twentieth time in the passed out. "Stop riding that fish like a horse!"
"Seahorse! Seahorse!" Celeste chirped. Her feet trailing along in the cold water as the fish swam around.
"It's not a seahorse!" Velocity said. "It lives in the river not the sea!"
Celesta looked at Velocity, considering her words before saying, "River horse! River horse!"
Corazon laughed. "She's quite the odd one, isn't she?"
"You have no idea," Velocity said.
"So where's your ship?" Chopper asked. "Or are you staying on this island?"
"We actually got done with what we had to do here," Corazon said. "We're heading back to our ship now to head off for another island."
"I see," Chopper said. "So have you been traveling long?"
Neo looked at Chopper, wondering if he was bored with the silence. He probably was. After all he was use to having Luffy around. This time, she was glad the Straw Hat captain wasn't around. She had no idea how they would keep him quiet about any of this.
"It's been about five months," Corazon said.
Neo swallowed. She was right. They were coming upon the time when Corazon gets the Op Op fruit and then dies. On impulse she opened her mouth to tell them where to find the Op Op fruit in an attempt to save them both. But before she could get a word out several bandits jumped out of the bushes and down from tree limbs. She cursed herself. If she had been paying more attention to the world around her instead of obsessing over Law she could have seen this coming. The animals could have warned her. They probably tried and she didn't hear them.
"Well, look at what we have here," a bandit said. His eyes went directly to Neo, eyeing her hungrily. "A pretty little woman lost in the woods."
Neo rolled her eyes. She wasn't lost at all.
"She's pregnant, Boss," another one said.
"No big deal," the boss said. He swung his large club around then placed it on his shoulder. "We can easily get rid of the babe."
Neo took a step back. Her hands shot to her stomach while Chopper and the sprites jumped in front of her.
"You'll do well to stay away from her," Corazon said before anyone else could issue a similar warning.
"She is your woman?" the boss asked.
"No," Corazon said. "But she is under my care for the moment. And I won't allow you to hurt her or anyone else here."
"We'll see about that!" The man charged forward. Corazon easily dodged attacks from them. Velocity and Elian also jumped into the fight. They used their magic to trip and float the bandits around, dropping few in the river. Celesta made faces at one until he angrily swung at her. She easily dodged him and continued making faces until she managed to get him on the edge of the riverbank. He swung his arms in an attempt to keep his balance. Celeste tapped him on his nose, causing him to fall into the river with a splash.
Neo shot her eyes to Law. He was holding a thick stick in his hands. Focused on one bandit, he didn't notice another one sneaking up behind him. Her heart skipped a beat. She summoned her crystals. The man behind Law started to swing at him. But Law quickly moved out of the way causing the two men to crash into each other. She banished her crystals and placed her hand on her stomach. He clearly was capable of taking care of himself even at this age. Her eyes wondered over to Corazon. He already had over half of the men knocked out. She then remembered that they were part of the Doflamingo Family. Then it was over. The bandits retreated and they were alone again. They continued on their way for two more hours before Corazon decided it was best to make camp now before it got too dark.
They sat around the fire. The only sound around them was the crackling of the blaze and the crickets chirping into the night. The tension was thick as they tried to figure out what to say to each other. Neo's eyes kept going over to Law and her hand to her stomach while she mindlessly nibbled on the rabbit that Corazon had gotten for them a little while ago. While he was gone, she used the chance to grow some fruits in Chopper's bag so they could add to the meal. All the while, she couldn't believe that she was actually seeing Law as a child. It hurt. In more ways than one. This Law wasn't hers. This Law was just a teenager, a teenager that was still sick with the White Lead Syndrome. It took all of her might not to tell Corazon and Law to go after the Op Op Devil Fruit. It took even more for her not to tell them that Corazon was going to die shortly after they find the Devil Fruit. She had the ability to save them both. And she couldn't do it. Her whole body and soul ached. It was painfully tempting to just blur everything out. If she did, what all would happen? Would she completely change their destinies? If Corazon didn't die then Law never would become a Heart Pirate. The Heart Pirate crew would never have been formed. And Law never would have found her. Or would he? If things happened differently in the past, how much would actually change in the future? There was a possibility that Law would still find her. She thought so anyway. But then, maybe not. Law would have no reason to go the route he did while sailing through the Grand Line and to Sabaody. She would never meet her brothers and sisters then. She would probably not even know who she was. It was also possible that she would die in the future when Law should have saved her.
Before she knew it, the sun had set and the group she was with was fast asleep. She tired to sleep. But she couldn't Her eyes just keep going across the fire to Law's sleeping form. Without thinking, she got up and went over to him. Kneeling down, she stared down at Law, the light from the fire highlighting only half of his face. She reached for him but paused just before connecting their skin. Pulling back she bit her bottom lip in a desperate attempt not to cry. She couldn't do it. Pushing up to her feet, she walked away from the fire. Slipping through the trees and bushes, she made her way over to the small river. With the running water to drown her out, she cried. Dropping back down to the ground, she hugged her knees and let it all come out. Several minutes later, she had stopped crying. She felt someone sitting down beside her. She didn't have to look to know who it was.
"So who are you really?" Corazon asked.
Neo lifted her eyes from her knees. "I can't tell you that."
"I see," he said.
"How did you know?" Neo asked.
"You all aren't that good at hiding your facial expressions," Corazon said. "That and the way you constantly look at Law. While I know he's never met you before, you clearly know who he is. I have a little theory on that too."
"Oh?" Neo knew she shouldn't ask, but she couldn't stop herself. "And what would that be?"
"You're his lover," Corazon said flat out.
"If I said that was true, how exactly did you come to that conclusion?" Neo asked.
"Like I said, it's the way you look at him," Corazon said. "That and you touch your stomach each time you do look at him."
"I didn't even realize I was doing that," Neo said.
"You do," Corazon said.
"Are you going to force me to tell you who we really are?" Neo asked, sneaking a glance at the man beside her. He looked the exact same as he did when he was protecting her when she was fighting the poison on Luminous. But he was dead at that time. So of course he would look the same as he did now. It made him miss the man, and Law, even more. She wanted Law, her Law, to see Corazon again. Her eyes went back to the water in front of her.
"I won't do that," he said. "I know you have your reasons for keeping quiet."
"Cora?"
"Yes?"
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"Caring about him. Taking care of him. Loving him." She paused. "I would love to tell you everything. But I can't. But I do want you to know that you mean a great deal to him. Always protect him for as long as you can."
"You're not human, are you?"
"No, I'm not."
Silence fell between them before Neo said, "We're just going to disappear before long."
"Oh?"
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be."
"Will you just sit here with me for a while?" Neo asked.
"I would love to," Corazon replied.
…
A sharp gasp left Law's lips. He shot up in his makeshift bed and grabbed his head. "I remember…"
"Remembered what?" Nami asked, stirring the contents of their dinner on their fire.
"I've met her before," Law mumble.
"Met who before?" Nami asked. "Are you dreaming or something?"
"No." Place placed his hands on his face. "I'm awake. I just…remembered her all of a sudden."
"Remembered who?" Nami asked.
"Neo," Law said.
"Okay, you're not making any sense," Nami said. "Are you sure you're not sleeping over there?"
"I said I was awake," Law said. "And I am. I just remembered that I met Neo long before I found her."
"Huh?"
"When I was just a teenager," Law explained, "a young blue haired pregnant woman, a reindeer and three little sprites suddenly appeared out of no where. It was when I was still sick and Cora was trying to find me a cure by going to hospitals. They kept to themselves most of the time, but then the next day they were gone."
"Okay," Nami said.
"It was Pendulum," Law said. "He took her back to the past to see me."
"But why?" Nami asked. "Why would he do something like that?"
"I don't know," Law said.
"Hey, do you think that has something to do with you finding Neo in the first place?" Nami asked. "I mean, if you met her before you found her, then you had prior knowledge to her existence. And you said that you couldn't just leave her there when you did find her. Is that possible?"
"I don't know," Law said. "I forgot about her. Then I thought it was just Cora who was telling me to keep her, but now I think it might have been my instincts as well."
"How is Neo doing now? Can you feel her?"
"Yeah." Law nodded. "She's a bit upset and confused, but otherwise fine."
"That's good," Nami said.
…
And just like Neo said, they did disappear a little while after she and Corazon returned to the fire for sleep. She felt Pendulum before he appeared. She glared at him. Without a word, they were taken back to the dome. Pendulum was nowhere to be found. She figured he didn't want to stick around to hear what she had to say about what he did. And she had a lot of stuff to say to him, a lot of it was very unlady and unprincess like. Perhaps it was best that he didn't stay. She sunk to the couch and closed her eyes. She didn't want to talk to anyone. The others sensed that and remained quiet for the remainder of the day.
Then it was time for bed. The small group moved back upstairs. Neo quickly used the bathroom and laid down on the bed. Soon Chopper had joined her, his hat was off. She found him cute whether he wore it or not. He said, "Neo, are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," Neo said. "I should have known that's what Pendulum was planning. I could sense he was up to something. And he doesn't seem like the guy who'd do something out of kindness. He seems to enjoy the pain he causes."
"I've noticed that as well," Chopper said.
"Well," Neo said, her eyes growing sharp with distain. "He better get his fill. Because once Law gets here, he won't have another chance. Law's going to kill him."
"Yeah." Chopper nodded. "You should get some sleep now."
"I'll try," Neo said. She closed her eyes, her mind swirling with thoughts of Law.
…
Author's Notes: I really wish I could have gone more into this one. But with how Pendulum is it's just not possible. Same with the other chapters. They would be a lot more fun if they could actually talk to others about what they're doing.