Well hi everybody! Look who came back with a peace offering *nervous sweating*
But yes, to put it bluntly, I have been super busy. I've managed to get a chapter of this done, and of The Portgas Clan, and I'll keep trying my best to do more. When I'll get to those chapters? Hopefully soon, but don't quote me on that. I've been working on the sequel to book 2 of my series The Wardens of Strar which I'm hoping to self-publish next spring and plotting up the 3rd book. I've also been trying to fix my health, so that has been keeping me occupied too. But here we go, we've got a chapter of The Chosen Few, and I hope you all enjoy it :D
Chapter 17
"I want to ask you something, and you don't have to make your decision now, but it is important that you do so quickly." A man's voice. A familiar voice that filled Ace with warmth, safety and anger.
"Why? What's wrong?" That woman's voice. Again. Who was she?
"I'm sorry to ask this of you, but I must. Forgive me."
Ace breathed in deep and stared up at the clock tower. He had been away for an hour, an hour too long. He needed to get a hold of himself. He had told Jonathan he'd go back, that he'd give the Chosen a chance, and he would. For the world's sake.
For the Lady's sake.
She had chosen them for a reason. He just had to believe.
"Hawkins... Kobatu was my friend." A man's voice, one Ace didn't recognise.
"I know, but I require her power. All of your powers in fact." That was the Necromancer who was after Tama. Ace frowned. He had no idea what had happened to him.
"You're making me a fallen creature, Hawkins. People should really know better than to corrupt my kind."
Ace scowled. No. These damn voices needed to stop bugging him. Ace had too much to do and so little patience and maybe even time. So many people were after them, the Chosen, that it was ridiculous.
"You think because he is a God he cannot be killed," A child's voice. "But there are ways, and this time it's demon blood."
"How can demon blood kill a God?" The woman's voice. "And how do you even know all this?"
"Gods are the embodiment of life, while demons are death. Any undead creature could hurt us in theory. They shot me with an arrow yesterday as a test run. I still haven't finished healing. Shanks has been such a pain about it..."
"Why didn't you tell anyone?"
The child snorted. "And let the other Gods know I'm injured? We're not as united as we would have the world believe. No, better for them not to know how weak I am right now."
Ace shook his head. Demon's blood? Demon's blood was the way to kill a God? Zoro had to know plenty of demons, they could donate blood and use it to defeat Teach! But why hadn't anyone done that before? What were these voices trying to tell him?
What did the Lady want from him?
He couldn't question her. No, what he had to do was get back to the others. Ace straightened himself up and marched forward. He needed to find the others. It had taken nearly an hour to find them. Another hour. It was getting late. They needed to go, they needed to hurry up. Some part of him wanted to move. To work.
It was like an inch he couldn't scratch.
His fellow Chosen ones were seated upon a stairwell. Marco stood up from the steps the moment he saw Ace. He looked scared, nervous even, his hands twitching.
"Ace-" Marco winced. "Dammit, Ace, I am so sorry-"
"I don't believe half the shit you're trying to feed me," Ace said, crossing his arms. "But for the sake of the world I'm willing to put aside whatever this is and save it from Teach."
Marco bit his lip. "I... I can't blame you for feeling like this isn't real. What happened is, I will spend every day trying to prove it to you that I didn't tamper with your mind, but stopping Teach comes first."
Ace paused. He was surprised to hear that. So far Marco hadn't been exactly one of the most selfless people in the world. Vampires, urgh, of course. But this was actually good, maybe this was why the Lady had chosen this vampire?
"So, we're all good then?" Vivi asked hesitantly.
"I'd hope so," Law grumbled. "Because now we have multiple problems. Doflamingo knows where I am, we have two witches being hunted, and a captured leader, while still needing to deal with the darkness in your arms and Teach himself-" Law's eyes landed on his arm, and his gaze darkened. "Ace," he said through gritted teeth. "Why is your tattoo bigger?"
Ace blinked and looked down at his arm. Ah, yeah, it was bigger.
Law let out a screech, a rather frightening screech actually, that made all but Luffy back away. Law stormed over and grabbed his arm.
"You have to keep an eye on these things!" Law snarled.
Ace sweat dropped. "Oops?"
Law glowered. "You did not just say 'oops'."
"No," Ace said quickly.
Law smiled sharply. "Good, because otherwise I might just rearrange your organs the next time you fall asleep."
Ace cowered. No, he fell asleep a lot! It wasn't his fault he had narcolepsy.
"We need to move." Zoro got up from the steps, yawning into his palm. "Like Law said, there's a lot of people after us now, all thanks to the Love Cook."
"Eh?" Sanji growled. "What's that supposed to mean, Moss brain?"
"Just that you almost got caught slacking-"
Sanji snorted. "You're saying that when I had to wake you up from a nightmare a necromancer cast upon you?"
Zoro flushed. Sanji's lips curled into a smirk. Then the pair were fighting, kicking and slashing and yelling. Ace stared at them blankly, because what the hell? What kind of couple fought each other like that? Was that normal?
"Stop it!" Nami punched the pair, sending them crashing into the ground.
People were so weird. The thought made Ace pause, then frown. Sabo was weird, just like Ace was, and it made him miss his brother. Sabo would have been able to make sense of all this. If Sabo had been the Chosen Hunter the world probably would have already been saved, but he also would have tried to kill Marco, Zoro and Nami. Ace shook off the thought. Sabo would just have to wait. In the end the Lady had chosen Ace, and Ace would do his best for her.
"Actually," Zoro grunted, sitting up and rubbing his head. "Sanji, you know what the darkness in our hands does to us, right?"
Sanji paused, then nodded.
There was a hungry look in Law's eyes, and everyone must have felt it because all heads turned to him. Sanji threw him a worried look.
"Tell me everything," Law said slowly, staring down Sanji.
.::.
Doflamingo grimaced, sitting down cross legged on the barrel. He wasn't quite sure where her Ladyship had sent him, but it was annoying. He felt a familiar presence appear behind him, approaching with a furrowed brow as he looked around.
"Why are we here, Doffy?" Vergo frowned.
"Fufufufufufu! An old friend threw me this way," Doflamingo chuckled. "I found Law and his fellow Chosen. All such little brats. And Portgas D. Ace was among them, now the next Hunter Champion."
Vergo's brow furrowed. "But didn't you say that the Portgas family were a head witch clan?"
"Indeed, fufufufufufufu! Things are about to get very interesting in the world." Doflamingo grinned sharply. "I wish I could let Law go out and enjoy it, but he won't last long without his next dose, not after what that necromancer did to him." Doflamingo scowled. "Little shit is lucky he was banished by the last Chosen witch."
"What will you do now then?"
"I think we'll have to ambush them," Doflamingo chuckled. "They're heading for the teleportation runes, probably to go to Whitebeard, but I think we might be able to make a bargain with a fellow God of mine for some assistance." Doflamingo stood up, stretching out his legs. "Let's go pay a visit to Marshall D. Teach."
.::.
"Magic like this tends to corrupt the host slowly. When the Old God of Darkness infected you with his darkness it marked you, and the darkness lingered there," Sanji said, grabbing Zoro's arm, his finger trailing along his skin. Zoro repressed a shiver of pleasure, and almost smiled when Sanji leaned against him. "Until it begins to feed on your negative emotions and spreads, corrupting the host, you guys, further."
Law paused. "Zoro's corruption is the furthest along due to his temper."
"Exactly," Sanji said, grimacing. "Every time any of you hosting the darkness was angry or upset it reacted to your emotion and began to spread."
Ace winced, staring at his own hand. "Y'know, now that you've said that, it makes perfect sense."
Marco rubbed his head, sighing. "Is there a way to fix it?"
"That I don't know." Sanji slumped. "Law could get rid of it because he is a light being in the first place, but I doubt even he could heal you guys."
"I've already tried," Law admitted, but his frown deepened. "Sanji-ya, what happens when the darkness reaches their hearts?"
Sanji's grip tightened on him, startling Zoro. Sanji looked worried when their eyes met, before he looked away, staring up at Law.
"They became brainwashed, mindless Commanders of Darkness," Sanji spat. "Slaves to Teach basically."
Everyone went silent. Zoro cursed, but then jumped when Luffy screeched.
"EHHH?!" Luffy cried. "NO WAY! I'M NOBODY'S SLAVE!"
"Calm down!" Ace whacked his head, sending him crashing into the ground. "Negative emotions, remember?"
Luffy whined.
Law groaned. "This is going to be difficult."
"Whitebeard's head witch might be able to help," Vivi said, wincing. "Hopefully he can get this collar off me too."
"Yeah, he better be able to," Nami huffed.
Marco frowned. "I'm sure we could do something about it back home, but for now I suggest we get there quickly. Doflamingo might come back and Sanji and Tama are in danger out in the open like this yoi."
"Sucks being rare I suppose," Sanji mused.
"It is hard." Tama's shoulders slumped.
"Hey, Traffy, if you're sick does that mean we're all going to be sick too?" Luffy asked, staring at Law.
Law sighed. "No. It's not that type of illness."
"Then what is this Amber Lead?" Nami frowned. "That creepy said you would become ill soon without another dose, but surely whatever this dose is can't be that bad."
"We can talk about that later, but what Marco-ya said is correct, we can't stay out in the open like this." Law's eyes hardened. "Otherwise we will no doubt be attacked again."
"Yeah, let's go," Zoro grunted.
Sanji threw him a concerned look, but Zoro dismissed it. They'd be fine. They'd beat the shit out of Teach, get rid of the darkness and be good at the end of it. If they're lucky enough Ace would also get his memories back, and fix whatever mess was going on right now.
They just needed to get somewhere safer first before someone like fucking Doflamingo showed up again.
.::.
They arrived at a teleportation rune. Law was thankful, the sooner they got out of here the less danger they were in. He didn't trust that Doflamingo wouldn't come back to attack them again, and Law did not want to be around when he returned. Yes, Law would love to be cured of Amber Lead, that would be a miracle, but the way to cure it? No, he couldn't accept that. He couldn't allow it. Sacrificing Cora-san like that was too much.
Law frowned at the thought. He needed to find another way to cure himself. One that didn't hurt Cora-san.
"Okay, everything is paid for yoi," Marco said, walking away from the attendants. "I'll go on ahead and make sure my family know we're coming through. We walk in as a pair to make it easier on the runes instead of trying to go as a whole group. Ace, do you want to come with me yoi?"
"I'll go with someone else." Ace crossed his arms.
Luffy clung to his arm. "Me! Shishishishi!"
Ace winced. "Okay, maybe I regret my decision a little bit."
Marco chuckled. "Want to change your mind?"
"No!"
Marco smiled fondly, and Law was surprised he didn't comment on it any further or say anything about his 'pet'. Probably a good thing, considering whatever memory issue he and Ace were apparently having right now.
"We've got one extra," Law pointed out.
"Tama can go with Nami," Vivi said. "And I'll go with you. Marco can go by himself and warn the Whitebeards we're coming."
"Alright, see you on the other side yoi," Marco said and jumped up on to the platform. He glowed a strange blue colour, before his body disappeared in a burst of energy.
Zoro shrugged and followed, or well tried to, but he started going the other way. Sanji grabbed his arm and yanked him towards the teleportation runes.
"Damn it, mosshead, you're going the wrong way already," Sanji grumbled. "I swear if you somehow mess up a teleportation rune with your sense of direction I'll kick you."
"My sense of direction is perfectly fine!" Zoro complained.
"Like hell it is!"
They disappeared, yelling at each other. Luffy yelled eagerly and dragged Ace up with him, earning a strangled yelp. They were gone next. Nami and Tama went up, but before Law could follow Vivi grabbed his wrist and held him back. He saw Nami's look of confusion before she disappeared.
"You're still suffering from Amber Lead?" Vivi frowned.
Law smirked. "Ah, that's why you wanted me partner up with me."
"Don't laugh," Vivi snapped. "You're dying, Law!"
"I know I am, Vivi-ya!" Law bristled. "But I can't do anything about it-"
"You can go take that cure that bastard wants to give you." Vivi crossed her arms. "But you're refusing, why? Doflamingo is horrible, I know, but it this cure can save your life it has to be worth it."
Law frowned. "Not to me."
"Why?" she insisted.
"Because the cure is created from an angel's sacrifice," Law sighed.
Vivi's brow furrowed. "An angel's sacrifice?"
"Yes, I told you all how Doflamingo was an angel, but is now fallen, but he has a brother who is still an angel, only the problem was he saved me from Doflamingo and his family."
"He was the traitor..." Vivi said softly.
"Yes. And Doflamingo managed to capture us both when we were on the run from him," Law explained. "He made sure to keep us separated at all times, and not long after I was captured he found a cure to my illness. It wasn't a permanent cure, but it stopped my suffering."
"Until you found out it was your benefactor's life force..."
"Yes. You see why I can't keep taking it, right?" Law said desperately. "I know as the chosen healer you all need me, but that is one thing I can't do. I won't sacrifice Cora-san's life to enable my own."
"I understand..." Vivi sighed. "Will you tell the others?"
"Perhaps, it is a long story, and we're not safe here."
"But you will tell us, or at least tell me more later."
That wasn't a question, and it made him smile fondly.
"I will. When we get a chance we can sit down and talk," Law promised. "I won't hold back on any of it, Vivi, considering we've known each other for many years."
Vivi smiled. "Thank you, Law."
Law nodded. "Let's go, Vivi-ya."
They entered the teleportation rune together and vanished.