Apologizes for the late post of this one guys! I am currently abroad and traveling and haven't had a chance to sit down for anything writing-related. Hope you guys can forgive me for the delay and any grammar errors my sleep-deprived brain didn't catch before posting this! If not, I hope you can forgive me knowing that I'm posting a two-fer to keep up with the schedule for a chapter per two weeks (once again, sorry in advance for any grammatical errors from a sleep deprived brain). Anyway, Enjoy reading and as always, appreciate any reviews you guys post (they honestly mean so much to me!)

-Airi out

P.S. sketches of reverted (by modo modo) Charlotte available on my ig page. Link in Bio! Let me know what else you guys like to see


Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece, just the OC(s)


Chapter 23

"Don't you ever think before you act so recklessly?" Law scolded, yanking his frustration out on a roll of bandages. They were back in the infirmary, having made a safe retreat. Law dutifully checked them for any injuries when he realized that the two marines weren't going after them. He was fine with no major injuries, but he eyed the child on the medical bed and sighed. "Not only were you hit by the Devil Fruit ability, but you also managed to get your right arm crushed."

"Wow!" Charlotte spun back to stare at the doctor with an incredulous look. "That's the thanks I get for saving your ass from breaking an arm or worse? I would be fine if I didn't have to save your ass!"

"I would have made it out fine without your help!"

"Are you as blind as you are stupid? You would have gotten caught in seastone. The only reason why you're fine and dandy is because of me!"

"Really? Because the way you kicked me into metal cabinets was totally pain-free!" His left side still ached from being basically snapped in half. Did she forget that she's also weak to seastone? He thought with a huff a moment later.

"Well, sorry! I'll be gentler with the damn princess next time!" Law clicked his tongue when the woman made a move to throw both her arms into the air, including her broken arm and he reached over to stop her from hurting herself more. "DON'T TOUCH ME!"

Law pulled back at the sudden shout. His eyes wide, then narrowing as he eyed the purple orb glowing around her good hand. She pulled back, smushing herself against the back wall. Platinum eyes glaring daggers at his hand. "She stays her distance, doesn't she? Like your touch will burn her." Law lowered his hand and frowned when she relaxed. He placed the bandages down on the bed between them and turned away. "Bind your arm and I'll find you something to wear." He said, voice carefully neutral, and Charlotte paused to stare at the back of his head for a moment.

The white marine top was far too big for her small frame. The top acting more like a dress with how it fell by her knees. He pivoted topics instead, his voice pulling Charlotte from her straying thoughts. "You didn't have my ability at the time. That's why you kicked me away instead of shambling me." She hummed a confirmation.

Law frowned when he came up with nothing to fix her wardrobe issue. "What are you doing?" Law deadpanned at the tiny huntress tangled up in the bandages. She looked like a contorted mummy.

She blinked back at him, mumbled something he couldn't catch under the thick layers of bandages around her face, and then flopped backwards, unbalanced. "Bandaging the wound!" She finally managed after getting some bandages off her mouth. "That's what this was for right?" She waved the bandages around.

Law sighed at the hopeless child, remembering her lack of medical knowledge. "You hiss at me when I try to treat you but can't treat yourself. Aren't you troublesome?" She rolled her eyes, deplorable, at his comment and Law chose not to comment on how innocuous she looked.

He quirked a brow when her stare remained. "I thought you didn't want me to touch you." He commented, a slight tease in his voice.

Charlotte flushed at that, anger and embarrassment heating across her skin. She bit her tongue and jerked her head away as far as she could while being tangled up. She blinked when the world shifted and she was sitting on the medical chair. The bandages no longer binding her.

Charlotte snapped her head up towards the doctor who seemed suddenly busy with something else. Did you just shamble me out? She wanted to ask. Her mouth opening and closing. She didn't understand why. It would have been easier for him to just untie her than to use his Devil Fruit ability. Less tiring too.

Law watched her reflection debate over a plausible explanation and when her gaze pulled towards his hands did Law supply a potential answer. "You managed to copy the girl's ability, right? You should be able to turn yourself back with it as long as the copy doesn't get overwritten."

An explanation that the huntress took in strides, even if it wasn't truly the reasoning. "That's true! Thanks for thinking of my ability and of me." Now it was Law's turn to freeze, surprised. Did she figure it out? He slid his hands, the ones she seem always so cautious of, to the side slightly to see if her eyes were following. They didn't.

"Though I won't be able to use her ability well to return myself until I figure out what the ability is." Charlotte continued, still oblivious to the shock on Law's face. She turned over her shoulder to look at Law, misattribution his shock for confusion to her abilities "It's not like abilities come with instruction manuals." She said with a slight shrug.

"The Devil Fruit encyclopedia. Those constant questions and interest towards Devil Fruits despite saying you hate them." Law muttered, connecting the dots quickly and Charlotte beamed, nodding happily at his quick deduction.

"It's not that I hate them necessarily." Charlotte corrected after a moment thought. She glanced at her exposed hands. Her gloves had fallen off when her body shrank, no longer fitting on her baby arms. "It just hurts whenever I copy an ability. The feeling… how do I describe it… it's like my body is being burnt alive every time I copy an ability. Like the genetic code is rewriting itself… and it hurts." She wrapped her tiny arms over her small body as if trying to keep herself safe from the dangers around her.

Law grimaced at the description and his gaze drifted toward the thick leather gloves resting against the counter. He shambled it with them when they made their getaway. "That's why you wear those thick gloves and cover up as much skin as possible." Law said while turning back towards the huntress who seems surprised at his observation. "And why you're so cautious of my hands." He continued, relief washing through him. It wasn't because she disliked him. He stopped. What did I just think?

Charlotte hummed an affirmative while pulling on the bandage again, deciding to give it another try. She looped the fabric around, completely lost. Charlotte jolted, body tensing and head snapping back when she felt a pair of hands against her. "Didn't you just say—" She paused, confused, when the familiar heat didn't sear through her body.

Law had put on a pair of gloves.

Charlotte passed the roll towards Law's expert hands in silence. "It's rare to see you wearing gloves." Charlotte murmured. It was a strange feeling; being the one to not wear thick suffocating layers yet not burned from another fruit user. But it wasn't a bad feeling, she decided. She could get addicted to this.

"On the contrary, doctors typically wear gloves." Law corrected, and busied himself with the bandages, avoiding eye contact. There was no need to look so happy at something as simple as this.

He noticed her left shoulder, bare from where the oversized marine sleeveless top had slid off slightly. "That scar is missing." He noted out loud, and Charlotte flinched at his words. "I did a medical examination earlier when I treated you." He explained only to realize that she wasn't looking for an explanation. Her attention focused on her reflection in mirror. She reached over, grabbing at her shoulder and massaging the flesh there as if she couldn't believe it.

"The scar's not there because I hadn't gotten it yet." Her voice was light as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing. The bruises on her face were gone too. Law lifted his gaze towards hers, meeting her gaze through the mirror. "This was how I looked when I was nine."

She winced and Law scolded her quickly for being so rough with her broken arm. He bounded it up tighter and looped it through the sling he made her, muttering about how he'll need to fix her lack of medical knowledge.

"I don't need it." Charlotte retorted easily and Law turned to look at her incredulously. "I don't need it if I never get injured." She moved to cross her arms proudly, only to wince again when pain shot through her broken arm, further proving Law's point.

"Says the one who's injured." Law held up a gloved finger to point at his evidence, to which she profusely dodged. She stuck out her tongue at him from the far end of the medical bed and Law held back the urge to shamble her back and poke her again. "Let's not forget your needlessly reckless tendencies." He droned on, steel eyes landing on her pointed. "Who was it again that charged headfirst into being sliced into a million pieces when we first met?"

"That was different. I knew I'll be fine." She countered as if that was logic enough to justify her dangerous antics.

"Oh?" Law hummed while rested his chin on his hand, watching Charlotte easily remedied her wardrobe issue by tugging off the blue marine scarf and using it as a belt to fix the marine top in place. The length acting as a dress. How easily adaptive. "As long as you're still alive, anything goes, huh?" Law rephrased, and then frown when the other nodded. That wasn't exactly reassuring. Just how far would she go? An arm? A leg? At what point was it too much? The heart he had tucked away suddenly weighing on his mind.

Charlotte threw her signature scarf over her shoulder and hopped off the medical bed easily. "What's the plan now? Can't really go walking around with our covers blemmepfh."

Law raised a curious brow at the flattened huntress. Her face smushed against the tile floor, limbs sprawled out and feet tangled in her own scarf. He watched as she planted her good arm against the floor, plucked herself up and dusted herself off and then proceeded to trip again. And again.

Charlotte plopped her head up, nose scrunched together and face red. "Not a word." She ordered when she heard a snicker escape from the doctor. Her glare and bite disappeared instantly as gloved hands slipped under her arms and lifted her off the floor. Her legs dangling helplessly as Law brought her to eye level. "Still feel that you'll be fine?" He teased and her face dropped. She made a move to kick him, but her legs were too short. She really is tiny like this.

"Don't forget I can shrink you too." She warned with a glared when she realized she couldn't reach him. He eyed the tiny purple aura and failed to stifle another laugh. The threat was too cute.

"We're going to stay together." Law informed while lowering her back to her feet. He shifted his hold towards the tail of her scarf, lifting it so she would no longer trip over it.

"I don't need a babysitter!" Charlotte snapped, face red. She yanked the scarf from his hands. "And this is not a leash!" She added. With a harumph, she lifted her nose to the sky and took a few steps forward.

And fell.

"Could you stop getting injured for once?" Law sighed, tending to young Charlotte's newly added injuries. Baby tears budding in the corner of her eyes that refused to look at him. He rolled his eyes at the small pout while she stubbornly accepted treatment, wondering if Ain's ability also reverts personalities. Not that he's complaining. It'd make his life easier if Charlotte was this compliant in being treated versus being forced into the infirmary for hiding her injuries.

"Why do you treat me?"

Law lifted his gaze. "Would you rather I not?" Law questioned, shifting back to grab another gauze to disinfect the new cuts with. He blew lightly against her nose while he dabbed at her face with the alcoholic disinfectant. Her face scrunched tight at the sting. It was moments like these that he didn't understand her. For some reason, Charlotte always avoided treatment.

Charlotte eyed the bandages on her arm quietly. The sight was still so foreign to her. Take those off her right this instant! Scum like her doesn't deserve to be treated! "I'm not used to treatment." Charlotte stated and Law remembered the numerous times he or someone else caught her neglecting an injury of some sort. Usually, they'd forcibly drag her to be treated or sneak it while she's unconscious. Though the second method never worked well given her Haki abilities unless she had been knocked out. She reached over with her good hand to touch the white bandages. The places where Law treated felt warm. "Will you always treat my wounds?"

He raised a brow at the question. "It's the duty of a doctor to treat those injured, and as a captain, I'll take care of anyone who is a member of my crew. You included." He eyed her curiously as he spoke. His eyes widened at the emotions that flooded her otherwise expressive face at his words. Coughing into his fist, he glanced away, adding. "Though that isn't a free pass to get injured recklessly." Her tendencies were a problem already that he did not need to endorse.

Charlotte watched the male for a second more when he suddenly turned around . Did he get hit in the neck? It looks a bit red. Her brows knotted together. "...aren't you supposed to be cold and cruel man?" The words barely above that of a whisper.

His lips twitched at her behaviour, entertained. "I'm sure you know by now that the news are not always the most accurate. Rumors in the news are all but that—rumors." To think that the best hunter on the archipelago used rumors as her source of intelligence. Law could almost laugh. Almost. If it hadn't been for the fact that she did find him. "Didn't I warn you about using rumors instead of facts?" The results she managed with rumors alone were impressive enough.

Law's eyes flickered to her face when she scoffed, trying to hide her wry smile behind her hand. "And are you telling me—your hunter—to ask you about yourself?" The idea was ridiculous to the huntress. She crossed one leg over the other and leaned forward until their faces were inches away. Platinum orbs implore grey ones. "Would you really just let me into every detail of your life, Law?" She cooed. Would you really tell me the story behind that look back in the registry archive room?

Law stared at her, unmoving, unresponsive. Charlotte's brows furrowed together. She had expected some kind of reaction. The idea was ridiculous! Was it not? His eyes widened. Heat crawled up her neck. H-he was being serious?! She pulled away, face turtling into her muffler, cursing slightly. Now this is embarrassing... I even called him by his name. She pulled her muffler higher.

Law's lips twitched. "I didn't know you were that curious about me, Hunter-ya." Her flush darkened and she pulled her not-so-subtle glances away immediately to stare at the white wall. He smirked, deciding he enjoyed the panicked look on her. Doesn't she know that the red of her scarf only makes her blush that much more noticeable? Not that he was going to tell her.

"You're to run if you meet with that swordswoman again." Law instructed, knowing that she was going to snap her head back to face him at the words. The embarrassed look on her face was replaced by another, more familiar one. She really was awful at hiding her thoughts.

"No. I need to meet her again if I'm to figure out what her ability is and turn myself back!" Charlotte jumped off the medical bed, and quickly made her way to the door before Law could stop her. Her feet caught against itself, and she screwed her eyes shut waiting for the impact.

Except there was none.

She peeked one eye open slowly and then the other, staring in awe at the ground still before her. She beamed. I didn't face-planted this time! "You lost twelve years and are now nine years old. You don't have another twelve years left to lose. We don't know what will happen if you run out of years. You could potentially disappear." Law warned. The thought troubling.

Charlotte fixed her foot beneath her, realizing with disappointment that Law was the reason she didn't fall. She pulled her scarf back from him and loosened the ring around her neck. "So, you want me to relive the last twelve years of my life all over again? I can force her to show me how to change back by hitting her with her own ability. Once I see it, I can replicate it."

Law stared down at the child wordlessly and dropped the hilt of his sword against her head. She glared up at him, baby tears in the corner of her eyes as she cradled her head. "That's if you can get to her before she gets to you. You're both tied in speed. The plan's too risky."

"Got any better plans? Yeah, didn't think so."

"I do actually." She peered up at him. "Leave it to us." He grinned and Charlotte rolled her eyes.

"As if! Peng and Shachi are the only two actually looking for that fruit. Not to mention, we have no way of contacting them. Also, I need to learn more about this ability." She been alone long enough to know that if she wanted something in done, she must do it herself.

Law bonked her on the head again. "There's also me. I'm the Captain."

Charlotte blinked at the man, looking at him as if he had grown a second head or was an alien. He wanted her to put her faith in them, to rely on them? Her brows scrunched together at the foreign concept. "Why would you do that?"

Law's stare went for annoyed to mild surprise. Her confusion's genuine. He realized. "Because it's the Captain's responsibility to take care of his crew." He said simply, and leaned Kikoku against his shoulder as he made his way forward, leaving a young Charlotte to stare at his back, stunned.

Everyone in this world is selfish. When push comes to shove, everyone will only save themselves.

Law paused, turning to look over his other shoulder at her when she didn't follow. "Does something else hurt?"

Charlotte shook her head, pulled back to reality. She stomped forward catching up to Law. Her muffler hiked higher to block her face. "Sounds like being a Captain is a pain."

Law easily caught the action and smiled softly, knowing that she wouldn't see it. "There are perks to it as well. As Captain, I give the orders." He reminded. As he expected, the comment triggered her. He watched the animated child scoot down to gather her scarf in her hands before angrily stomping forward. He chuckled.

"SHUDDAP!"

An alarm went off and instantly their eyes locked with each other in understanding. Kenbunshoku Haki stretching out around them for any signs of threats. "We have been invaded! The Devil Fruit that was being transferred has been stolen by the Heart Pirates!" The intercom announced, verifying Law and Charlotte's thoughts.

"They succeeded." Charlotte said, slight awe in her voice.

"Told you my crew's trustworthy." Law said smugly as he scooped up the young huntress.

"Glad at least someone was on the job seeing as how neither you nor I were doing it." Charlotte retorted easily and honestly. She grinned at Law's narrowed stare and shrugged, unfazed. "What? Don't tell me I'm the only honest one here? Please, you can't say you were actually looking for the fruit."

The tease in her voice dropped, and she tug on Law's shoulder. "Take the next left. There are marines on the right." She instructed, letting her eyes fluttered close and her Kenbunshoku Haki to guide them.

"I know." Law said and Charlotte peered up to see his smug look. "Didn't you say not forget the feeling of Haki?" He retorted.

Charlotte grinned wildly. "Well, ain't someone a keen student?"

The words 'Scientists' Lab' caught Law's eyes and he jerked to a stop, pivoting suddenly. Charlotte gripped at his tie to avoid being thrown off. "Oi, what are you doing? This way's free of marines." Charlotte said, pointing towards where the path they were originally going.

He lowered the huntress to the ground and tied her long scarf into a giant bow behind her, keeping the tail ends far from the ground. "You go first. There's something I have to do. Remember you are to run if you see that swordswoman." Law instructed and before she could protest, he had already darted off.

Charlotte switched between looking at the exit path and then the path that Law disappeared into. She kicked at the ground. "God damnit, you're still my target!" Charlotte hissed, pivoting to follow where Law had gone off when a pair of marines blocked her path.

Charlotte fell back onto her butt, cursing slightly at the dumb number of times she had fallen today. "Sorry, I didn't see you. Are you alright?" T-Bone questioned, crouching down to help the child up. "Are you lost?" He turned to his subordinate who shook his head, not recognizing the child either. "It's not safe to be wandering alone right now. There are pirates here." He said and before Charlotte could say anything T-Bone plucked her off the ground as if she weighed nothing.

"Uh, I don't think she likes being carried, Captain T-Bone." The marine officer said.

T-Bone turned towards the sour-faced child. "Would you like to be on the ground?" He lowering her back to the ground slowly, pausing when her face lit up suddenly at something over his shoulder.

"Shachi, Penguin!" Charlotte called, waving as she spotted their familiar hats. The two perked up at their names. They had discarded their marine outfits, opting back for their usual boiler suits. How they got them was beyond her.

The two squinted at the tiny child lifted into the air, confused. Penguin was the first to recover, slapping Shachi up the head. "Oi, did you become a dad without telling anyone?"

"Ow! How are you so sure it's mine? For all we know it could be yours! You're older!" Shachi retorted with a shove back at Penguin who quipped back that age didn't matter in such cases.

"Like I'm the child of either one of you two dolts!" Charlotte snapped back. "Now would you two stop bickering and help me out? I can't touch the floor, the marine is—ah!" Charlotte turned slowly towards the two marines peering at them curiously. Their eyes focused on the strange apple-looking fruit tucked under Shachi's arms. "Oops. Run Shachi!"

"See, she didn't call me 'Dad', must be your kid." Shachi grinned triumphantly and Penguin gave the other a quick kick to the side, pushing him out of the line of shot. "She called both of us by name at the beginning. She's neither one of our kids." Penguin retorted and lowered his stance, turning back towards the two marines.

"Are you two still on that?" Charlotte growled, swinging her legs out as she dangled off T-Bone's grip. She kicked his sword back into the sheath when he tried to draw it. She stuck her tongue out at him when he turned to her in disbelief and confusion. He paused to teach the child that kicking was not polite, ignoring the other marine's comment that this was not the time to be scolding a child.

"Charlotte?!" She heard Shachi called from behind her, his gaze catching sight of the signature red scarf tied into a pretty bow on her back.

"Who else would I be?" Charlotte replied over her shoulder.

"To think that the two I scouted were actually pirates and that a child is amongst them. This is a mistake that I must fix." T-Bone said dramatically and the marine officer next to him readied his gun again, but this time pointing at Charlotte. The pirate's faces darkened, and Charlotte's hand glowed slightly.

"You dare shoot a child?" Penguin asked, voice low. But T-Bone moved first, knocking the gun away. "We do not take hostages. Especially children!" He declared and Charlotte blinked at the strange scene. The marine knocked out from the blow.

"Aren't you on the same side? Now it's a three vs one."

T-Bone turned towards the girl still in his arms. "Three?" He questioned and a purple glowing hand came into view.

"Modo modo."

"Why are you so small?" Shachi questioned as he strolled up next to Charlotte who was patting herself off.

"It's a long story." Charlotte managed between pants. Never had she slapped someone so many times so quickly. Shachi and Penguin glanced nervously at the toddler T-Bone and baby Marine. Not that long of a story. They agreed.

Charlotte eyed the spotted fruit. "We need to get that out of here first. And I need to find that blue swordswoman." She informed, platinum eyes darting towards the side in seriousness. "Hey, are you two even listening to me?"

"Huh? Whatdja say?" The two pirates gushed, unable to take her seriously as she ordered them around and caught them up to speed. The giant red bow behind her bobbing slightly as she dished out orders, face scrunched together in a look of seriousness that only a child could manage.

Charlotte's eyes flashed and she darted forward, grabbing Shachi's pants leg with her good arm and Penguin's with her teeth. She tumbled against the ground as she yanked the two back, wincing as she landed harshly on her injured side. Bullets grazing the air where they were just standing. The two pulled back to reality at the save. They scolded themselves mentally at the tired and panting child. Her body already worn out from having to yank their much heavier and larger bodies out of harm's way. The two stood before her, sandwiching her behind their backs protectively.

Back in the scientist lab, Law picked up the thick encyclopedia he was looking for. It was in the same spot he had come across it earlier whilst searching. He had found it curious, but he had no need to take it back then. Now was a different story. He pocketed the book, hoping that Modo Modo ability and know-hows were written in it. He doubted the Marines would give up marking down all information on each Devil Fruit that they came across or brought. The question was whether this particular volume had the fruit in question. The roman numerals 'IV' embossed on its spine.

"I knew you show up if I waited here. Though I was hoping that it would be Charlotte." Law turned around calmly towards the Marine Instructor blocking his path. Law frowned remember the other's earlier thought to poaching her and was glad he separated from the huntress earlier. The male far too friendly and keen on Charlotte for his likings. "Unfortunately, you're stuck with me." Law smiled maliciously and readied his room.

"That's fine, I've sent Ain after her already." Law frowned. He didn't have time to waste. Knowing Charlotte, she'd probably stubbornly and stupidly charge into battle against that woman.