Chapter 26 - Truth or Lie
"A game?" Trafalgar looked at her curiously.
Lily was already struggling to understand everything that was happening to her right now.
Being invited to the Heart captain's cabin hadn't been at all what she had been expecting when she got up this morning. Neither was the mountain of déjà vu that was currently hitting her from all directions.
The wood paneling and hand carvings that dotted the cabin gave it a homey vibe, one that was rugged and yet cozy, that was a bit more unique and intricate than the rest of the ship. The bed was immaculately made and everything was well organized and in its place. It was clearly the home of a bachelor and a doctor, the area was covered in books, notes, scientific equipment, but arranged in a way that was neither messy nor chaotic.
The smell of the scented candles he had lit, matched the smell of his shirt that she still wore, reminding her of wood shavings, grassy meadows, and the ocean. It mixed with the whiffs of Earl Gray tea and the sweeter chocolate scent for whatever drinks he was busy brewing over near his desk.
All of it felt so comfy, so cozy, so nostalgic to her!
It felt like she had entered an area of belonging.
It felt…
… like coming home…
Even as she talked and argued and even did a freaking staring contest with the frustrating surgeon, she couldn't help feeling familiarity in it all. And it didn't seem to be something that only she felt. In every way that Law spoke to her, especially since after the surgery, it was with an ease and familiarity that hadn't been there before.
Something had changed, and she would get to the bottom of it. He knew something that he hadn't known before. She had been patient at first, but the more time she spent around him, in this room, the more intense her longing became. She was good at hiding it so far, but it was getting to the bursting point.
And she was a Revolutionary. There were ways to put that newfound openness and intimacy to use.
And thus the game.
"'Truth or Lie', have you played it before?"
The brunet nodded, "Hmm, when I was a kid, yes."
Excellent. Lily went on with her proposal, "We'll each make a statement that we believe to be true about the other. You must answer honestly if it's true or a lie. Each of us can keep going until one of us answers that it's a lie, then it becomes the other person's turn."
"Or if the person decides to decline to answer." Law interjected, his eyes keen with a mischievous twinkle.
She acquiesced. "If the person declines, it also will end your turn. However, you only get 3 of those."
"Agreed," Law sipped his tea before placing it on the nightstand and leaning forward, his elbow resting on his knee with a hand under his chin, his voice so relaxed it was nearly a drawl. "Though I have to wonder, why you're all that interested in playing such a game, when it's high time you went to bed."
She lifted an eyebrow before laying back against the pillows of the window seat and pulling her leg up towards her. She met his gaze with one of her own, letting a bit of her purpose and determination show through. She ignored his strange recent bossiness to instead reply, "You say we're not strangers anymore, and yet we barely know anything about each other. Don't you think we should change that? Especially when you invite someone into what is essentially the very heart of your most intimate place on the ship?"
His eyes narrowed in response and he sat up a bit straighter, even removing his hat to place it easily on a nearby hook that seemed made specifically for that purpose. Yet the devilishness of his visage remained steady…as did the trust and expectation.
"If you say so. In fact, I wholeheartedly agree." Law nodded in response, this time his attention completely on her. "The first one to get 5 Lie responses loses and then it's time to sleep."
Her smile became a grin, "Agreed, though I feel like I must remind you that I'm not a child and what goes for me, must also go for you."
Trafalgar shrugged that off, "Doesn't matter. You're younger than me, thus a kid. Just don't become a 'brat', missy-ya."
She rolled her eyes. Pirates…
But at least she had gotten what she wanted. Marco had been right. Coming at Trafalgar head on wouldn't have been the right idea. This work around seemed to fit much better, in a more private setting when defenses were down and facades were relaxed. He also seemed to appreciate mental stimulation as well, thus a game of will and wits might indeed work best.
He indicated with a hand for her to begin, having the first turn.
Lily sighed, pushing down all her bubbling thoughts and questions before she let herself sharpen to the task at hand. Clasping her fingers together under her chin, she began with something easy.
"Your favorite color is steel blue."
Law's eyes widened with surprise for a moment, "Not most people's first answer, but it is indeed Truth."
Lily shrugged, "You have a lot of black around you and in your wardrobe, but if one knows where to look, there are subtle traces of steel blue everywhere. It's the more enduring color, even if it's not the most noticeable. My turn again."
She thought through her next one, "Your favorite food is potatoes, steak, and onions with cabbage."
Law smirked at that one, "Not even close, Lie. It's grilled fish and onigiri."
Lily sighed, well that had been less of a sure thing, but she had still learned something in the loss. "Fine, your turn."
Law took some time to think through his statement. "Your favorite color is blush pink."
She looked at him in shock, "Now, how did you know that?"
She had purposefully kept any trace of her favorite colors or styles out of her wardrobe while working undercover and none of her current clothes matched either.
Law only smiled in return, "I'll let that be my secret for now. Truth or Lie?"
Lily rolled her eyes, "Truth."
He nodded in self-satisfaction before continuing. "Alright, for the next one, your favorite animal is a polar bear."
This time she rolled her eyes even harder, "Come on, you're not even trying! Truth."
He laughed at that, "Alright, alright. How about this one..."
They went back and forth making different theoretical declarations about each other, some spot on and some blind guesses.
One was amusing himself in wonder at the idyllic surreal situation that never in a million years he'd believe he'd be having when he woke up that morning. Also, the old saying, "the more things change, the more they stay the same" was not really that far off. She had grown and blossomed, but many things about her had ultimately stayed the same. He was both surprised and not by how many things she noticed or somewhat recalled. The meal she had mentioned had been one he enjoyed as a kid though he hadn't had it since. It gave him hope for her mental recovery.
On the opposite end, Lily was marveling at all the observations of this pirate that seemed to come to her mind as if it were second nature. She had been able to read him without much difficulty, even better than she ever had with the likes of Shanks or Marco. And reading people wasn't even her strongest suit!
It was almost as if some part of her already knew, and it would come to her in the vaguest whispers, triggered by the simplest of things. His dislike of bread, his secret hobby of people watching, the fact that he had designed all of his tattoos himself, all of these were things that came to her, from the simplest or smallest of clues. Some were even blind hunches that simply felt right, and often were.
Her confidence had grown, what barriers there had been, were lowered, and with the night beginning to wane, she decided to take a chance with a bigger question. One she had truly been after.
Sipping at her drink she came out with it. "You stated earlier that you knew about me. That you understood White Lead Disease, that you understood this."
She used a hand to vaguely gesture at her own body.
"The look in your eyes said you truly did, Trafalgar…" she looked up to meet his gaze. "You were born in Flevance too, weren't you?"
Law's golden eyes stared directly into hers, but this time the look on his face was implacable. For several long and arduous moments nothing was said and Lily felt her stomach knotting upon itself as she awaited his answer. Truth or Lie? Or would he decline? Suspense built up as she fought to be patient and hold herself back.
After a moment eventually he sighed before putting his mug down on the table, his hand running through his ebony hair. His voice was lowered to a muttered whisper, but to her, his answer was as clear as a bell.
"Truth."
The grin that appeared on her face was enough to light up Eigis Kingdom's Crystal Palace. Her laughter erupted like sparkling bubbles and Law suddenly found himself pulled up from his seat and swinging around in her arms.
"Hahaha! I KNEW IT!"
She held him up (which was interesting considering he was significantly taller than she) and smiled with excitement. Her questions nearly tumbled on each other. "I have to know everything. Who are you? How did you survive? Do you know any other Flevantines?"
Despite delighting in his sister's wonderful laughter, he raised an eyebrow even as he regained his footing. Of course she had figured that out as well. Very good, little sister. But we still must be careful now.
He wanted to simply tell her the truth, but he had to stick to his guns. Small piecemeal bites rather than the entire course all at once. He could not risk Lami's status of mind or mental state, even to her own longing curiosity.
He tilted his head with a slight turn to his lips. "Was there a declarative statement in there anywhere? It's still your turn."
Her eyes flattened and her mouth dropped as she almost literally deflated. "Oh come on, Trafalgar. Enough with the game."
He smirked even more before leaning forward and tapping her playfully on the forehead, "It's Law. And if you forfeit the game, then I win and it's time to go to bed, as per our agreement."
Her face crinkled in frustration, and he could have sworn she was going to petulantly stamp her foot. Instead, she resisted the urge, whirling around and sitting back down calmly at the window seat. Crossing her arms, a familiar expression came over her. "Alright Law, have it your way. Next one: Considering you are a Flevantine survivor, you were only a child back then. You escaped the massacre because you were a nobleman's child, maybe even a royal."
Law felt himself subtly flinching, even as he headed back to his seat. He was sure to keep his face—and any telling cracks that might have appeared—turned away from her.
And so she continued, unaware of the painful sting that her insinuation had caused.
She doesn't know. She doesn't understand. She doesn't remember. It was the most logical thing to think considering what Lami had to work with.
Sufficiently soothed enough to keep his demeanor in check, Law plopped back in his seat, hand under his chin, a fox-in-the-henhouse grin gracing his face. "Sorry Sprite. Lie."
The smile on her face dropped, complete confusion coming over her as she sat there in befuddlement. "But…wait..how can you…? You're not…? But HOW?!"
"I'm afraid it's my turn now."
She huffed in return before falling backwards against the cushion in exasperation. "Fine, but I'm going to get answers out of you. Also, 'Sprite'? Is the pirate lexicon of nicknames just endless? I thought we agreed on real names?"
"I don't recall agreeing to that." He gave her a wily smirk, "But don't worry, I promise I am calling you by your real name in my head."
She grimaced, vexed, but let him continue.
He took a drink from his tea before continuing, this time his eyes narrowed a bit and his voice became just a tad serious. "You are a part of the Revolutionary Army."
It came out of nowhere and she had still been reeling from what he had just revealed, but Lily guessed that she should have seen it coming. Law was no more of a slouch in the deduction department than she was. A staring contest of a different kind took its place as she tried to read his motives.
Reluctantly, Lily realized at this point, the fact that she was a Revolutionary wasn't really all that hard to figure out, since it seemed every other pirate captain she had met had been able to. Also her commanding officer and other agents would be coming tomorrow, so there was no point in keeping it a secret any longer.
Still, it annoyed her a little to realize how easy it was to peg her. Was she really that much of an open book?
Finally she spoke, "Truth. How did you know? Did Ace tell you?"
He shook his head, "No, it was just a hunch. But thank you for confirming it."
She tutted her tongue before turning away in a huff. How had she fallen into a trap like that?
His voice soothed, "Don't be too hard on yourself. It wasn't hard to figure out from the clues both you and FireFist gave away."
She sighed, "How much did Ace tell you, exactly?"
He shrugged, "Not much, really. Though that's a rather dangerous group you're with, isn't it?"
She lifted an incredulous eyebrow at the change in topic as well as the outrage hidden in the list of his voice, "Dangerous? Me? Says the pirate."
"Being in the Revolutionary Army is much more dangerous and you know it."
"Of course it is! But the cause is just and worth the sacrifice. The fight for freedom is worth it." She shot back.
Silver eyes flashed. "Then let others fight it."
Her voice rose up in outrage, "And let them die in my place, when I could have done something?!"
This time he didn't say anything, but the look in his eyes said all that they needed to.
Piqued, Lily rose from her seat, "How dare you? I fight for what I believe in. And I want to try and save people just as I was saved!"
At this, he seemed just a bit contrite, his gaze losing a bit of its heat and becoming thoughtful, his voice soft. "What did they save you from?"
"I didn't hear a declarative statement in there anywhere. It's still your turn, Trafalgar-ya." She spat his earlier words back at him, her voice rough with her anger, her accent becoming thicker.
Lily turned away from him, putting her mug down. Her mood sufficiently soured. "In fact, how about we call it a night. Thanks for the drink, but I think perhaps this was a mistake. Good evening, Mr. Death Surgeon."
She stalked away towards the door, needing to get away, to get some space and breathe.
This wasn't how she had wanted this to go.
Foolish, obstinate, irate man! What was people's problem with her being a Revolutionary? First Ace, and now Trafalgar…not everyone has the luxury of being free to go about the seas doing whatever they want!
Her hand was on the door handle before she felt another hand take hold of her other.
Like always, it was gentle, never harsh…though a tremble of desperation could also be felt in his palm.
His voice, no longer demanding and authoritative, but soft-spoken and supplicant, called to her, "Please…"
She stopped, but didn't turn back.
His quiet plea continued, "Please…don't go."
And it seems, as it had always been….he couldn't stand seeing her upset for very long.
Law was used to the rough ways of the world and fighting for everything that he got. He was used to being a captain, but it had been a long time since he had been a brother. And he realized that he had ended up pushing some strong buttons of his own. He recognized how upset his sister was under her angry words.
His displeasure at her being a Revolutionary was complicated.
In earnest, he had no problem with the group in and of themselves. In fact, he applauded their work and what they had set out to do, fighting the good fight against the world. And from what he had observed and read in passing, the Revolutionary Army wasn't some toothless tiger. It was a true threat that was responsible for real change the world over.
However, such an outfit was too dangerous for Lami. Their agents and soldiers fought in war zones, were hunted by Cipher Pol, were constantly on the run for their lives, and if caught…would face agonizing torture, long before death would be granted them.
The very idea of her being on the Marineford battleground…her possibly dying from something as simple as a stray bullet or mortar shell, or being found out after she had had to risk her life to pull FireFist off that field…
The very idea that they had been that close….the two of them had been in the same area…without knowing. He could have lost her and never have known…
The fact that the RA put her in such a position was in and of itself unacceptable.
His chest and fist clenched at the very thought. He was her elder brother. It was his job, his duty, his privilege to protect her. He knew he had failed all these years and it would take many more years to make that up. However, he had made a mistake, gone about this the wrong way. Lami had been living 14 years without him, and she had survived, probably with the help of those same Revolutionaries.
He had to take a step back, to mentally take a breath. Think of this from Lami's perspective.
The Revolutionaries were a loyal bunch, and if Lam had joined up with them, it was for a good reason. And to be fair, he had no idea how long she had been with them or the circumstances. And compared to his past with the Don Quixote clan, he'd rather her be surrounded by Dragon's outfit, then mixed up with the World Government, slaving away as a Marine, or part of some undeserving, backstabbing, manipulative pirate's crew.
And from what he could gather from both her words and FireFist's, he had the Revs to thank for her freedom from…from…
Later.
Later for later. Now for now.
His body had simply reacted on instinct as he watched her storm out. It clicked in him distantly that she was leaving.
She was going to leave and disappear out of his life just as quickly she had returned. And his body knew even before his mind fully comprehended—that he couldn't take that. The trauma of his past at the idea of losing her, that he was responsible…
A feeling of protectiveness and clinginess that was absurd but still very much there, that if he took his eye off her, she would disappear, that it would all be a dream. He couldn't lose her again. For the first time in forever, open wounds that he had carried for so long, felt whole again. He'd rather die than lose that.
Law hadn't begged for anything for a very long time. Not since Corazón…
Such vulnerability was unseemly and a huge show of weakness.
.
.
.
But this was different.
This was his sister. His only blood family he had left. He couldn't lose her.
He just couldn't.
And so he had reached out.
He unashamedly begged her not to leave, taking hold of her smaller hand that was still trapped in the too-big sleeves of his sweatshirt.
She stopped, but she didn't turn around to face him. He patiently waited in silence for her response.
Finally she spoke. "What is this, Law?"
"'This'?"
"What is this between us? You can't tell me you haven't felt it too." She turned around and her eyes were full of frustration and welling tears.
He nodded solemnly.
She removed her hand and crossed her arms. "No more games. Tell me the truth, how long did you know that I was from Flevance?"
He answered truthfully, "I only knew for sure a few hours ago."
Lami gazed back at him with both confusion and suspicion. He held his hands up in surrender. "Truth."
"How did you know?" She pushed further.
"FireFist informed me."
This time her eyes widened before she looked away, smacking her lips in annoyance. "He wasn't supposed to tell anyone anything. How much did he tell you?"
His voice warmed. "Please don't be angry, Sprite. He only told me enough information to try and convince me to save you."
Both eyebrows went up at that. "Save me? From what?"
"Truth or Lie? There is a controller chip in your neck."
She closed her eyes in resignation. "He told you about that too?"
He took up her hands in his, "He pleaded for me to help you and guessed correctly that my powers could. And I will. Not just with the chip, but with the White Lead Disease as well."
She looked at him in question, "What are you talking about?"
"You were wondering earlier if I was of noble blood. I'm not. I was just as sick as you but was able to save myself using my own devil fruit."
"But if you weren't—"
He put a finger to her lips, shushing her. It was time to end this. He had wanted to be cautious, but perhaps he needed to take another huge gamble.
"It's my turn now. You forfeited, remember?"
She frowned in confusion but motioned for him to go on.
He took a deep breath, gathering his courage before forging on. "You don't have any memory of your life prior to when you were a little girl."
She was surprised that he had realized, though it also could be that it was another thing Portgas had told him. Exactly how much had that idiot spilled? But then again, perhaps her words about her powers, had also given him clues to work with.
"Truth." She confirmed.
However, his next words did more than stagger her.
He spoke quietly, "You were born in a palace by the sea."
Her heart nearly shuttered to a stop and her head snapped up, her eyes widening to the size of moons.
"W-Wha…did you…"
But Law continued anyway, "Your mother was one of two of the best doctors in the land, working for the king and still taking cases even up until her 9th month. You came while she was still in the castle, coming back from her latest check-in with a patient and she had no choice but to have you there. The only non-royal to be born in the palace."
He felt her tremble in his hands even as she continued to stare at him in complete shock. Law answered for her, "Truth."
But he didn't stop there. He couldn't stop there now that he'd begun.
"You loved science and always wanted to be a doctor. You also liked ballet and music and fairy tales. Your favorite ironically was—"
She spoke in a shaky whispered breath, afraid to break the thick atmosphere that had weaved itself around them. In Baltigo, she'd come across a book of fairy tales and while she enjoyed it very much, there was one tale that somehow resonated with her more than any of the others…
"Princess Anya"
He nodded. "You lived in Flevance until you were 6 years old. Before the massacre, you lived in a comfortable home in an upper middle class family. You were always so happy with a bright smile that always lit up the room, all the way up until the day you got sick. The treasure of your family—Truth."
Lily felt her legs buckle under her but Trafalgar's arms came around her, not allowing her to fall. His voice was calm as he spoke, but his eyes belayed the storm of emotions raging within him.
Her own emotions were no better. She could only soundlessly mouth one word in response.
Family…
"Yes…family." His voice was strong and emphatic even as his warm golden eyes shined wet with unshed tears. His hand came to her own cheek and came away wet as he futilely attempted to wipe away her own weeping. "A family that loved you very much—Truth."
A sob came from her throat and she cried all the harder, tears falling heavily. How could he possibly know that? How could he be so sure—
"It's true. You know very well it's true! Somewhere deep inside, you know this! If you didn't, you wouldn't still have this longing that I see in you. A longing for love, home, family…a longing I understand very well. It's what's caused this strong connection between us from the moment we met!"
A keening sound arose from her throat and he held her all the more, even as they both began to slide to the floor. He was her anchor, the only thing barely keeping her from falling.
"Your father was the best doctor in all of Flevance," He held the small alabaster head nestled under his chin, even as his eyes stared forward, looking back to a distant past, tears already following. "His name was Nelson, Dr. Trafalgar Cape Nelson—Truth.
Her sharp intake of breath was harsh to his ear, but he couldn't stop. He had to finish this to the end. He could already feel the crumbling barricade that he had hastily reconstructed earlier that night, already threatening to collapse once again. He didn't think that he'd be able to reassemble it again.
"Mother was his equal, both as his partner and as a physician. Her name was Horatia, Dr. Trafalgar D. Victory Horatia—Truth."
His voice was getting thick with emotion and he no longer could hold back as his vision began to cloud. And still, he held on.
"They ha…had two children. You…you had…a brother."
Her slender fingers clasped onto his shoulders, even as she kept her face hidden against his chest. She whispered tearily, " I know…"
He rubbed circles hesitantly along her back, "You remember?"
"I had a dream…sob…a memory…of a boy who stayed by my side while I was sick as a child…"
Law bit into his lip at those words. Would she ever forgive him for abandoning her? He was getting ahead of himself though, he had to finish ripping the bandage off the wound and end this.
"Mother and Father were killed in the last days of the Flevance Massacre. Your elder brother was separated from you during a fire at the city hospital, and assumed you had died in the blaze…sob…if only I had…" His voice sputtered and he choked on tears, even as he felt his mouth go dry, before shutting his eyes, the rivulets running down from them not slowing.
Surprisingly, he felt her arms strengthen in their embrace. She still herself wept, and still didn't glance at him, but even so, her presence was both comforting and encouraging. And so he continued, "...his name was Trafalgar D. Water Law—Truth…"
Lily could only burst into more tears once again at the admission. At the conclusion, the solution to all of her many questions finally answered.
She could now hear the boy's voice from her dream, within the man who was by her side.
She could see the younger, kinder face that was in her mind's eyes, become the more world-hardened, older visage of the pirate before her.
And the name that he had first given her, finally felt complete!
"I have a family…I'm part of your family…Brother…!"
The whisper of the long ago title actually coming from her lips caused his heart to be squeezed like a vise. "Sister…"
He cradled her closer if that was even feasible.
She was shuddering as she wept, "H-How is this possible? What are the chances that this could happen, that we could meet like this, a-after all this time?!"
He gave a bit of a laugh, "Believe me, I've been asking myself that question all night."
Her head finally popped up and her reddened shiny eyes and sniffling little nose looked up at him in question, curiosity, and wonder. "But why didn't you just—"
He smiled through the tears before reaching up and grasping the sides of her face with his hands. "You were forced to lose your memories—and yes, before you ask, Portgas told me that as well—I was worried about the shock of the truth overwhelming you. But don't worry! I'll make sure to figure out how those bastards did it. I'll undo everything they did to yo—"
She placed a finger on his lips, shutting him up for now. Her eyes looked up at him pleadingly, "Tell me Law…brother…what is my name?"
Lowering her finger to allow him to speak again, he looked down at her expectant face before taking a shaky breath. "You were such a small scrawny little thing the last I saw you. How you've grown…Mom and Dad would be so proud of you… D. Lily Lami."
Her eyes widened as the name clicked in her mind. "Trafalgar….D….Lily Lami…Lami…!"
INITIALIZING…INITIALIZING…
ACTIVATION CODE ACCEPTED…
SHUTDOWN PROTOCOL INITIATED…
TWENTY SECONDS UNTIL IMPLEMENTATION IS COMPLETE…
20…
19…
18…
"My name was Lily all along?" Her eyes were dilated with shock.
He smiled gently, "It's your secret name. Just as mine is Water."
She touched the back of her ear. "Secret name…Water…Lily…"
15…
14…
13…
12…
He bent his head down, and revealed the tattoo that matched her own. "It was your idea, you know?"
She gasped before pulling his head over awkwardly bending him down in order to see the previously hidden tattoo. "The tattoo! You have one too?"
8…
7…
6…
He gave a small laugh as he let her examine his skin, "We got them together when we were young. Aqua et Lilium—Water and Lily…"
Her grip loosened and her hands slid away, allowing him to sit up. As his golden eyes met her icy white ones, he could see that the truth was beginning to fully set in.
"Ha…Haha…Hahaha," her laugh was full of disbelief and it struggled to come out. It slowly transformed to crying once again as she shook her head staggeringly. "Are you the sweet invention of another foolish dream? Or is this really as wonderful as it seems?"
4…
3…
He held a hand to her cheek, and for the first time since she had awakened, he called her by her true name out loud. "Lami…"
Her eyes snapped up at the name.
2…
She looked up at him and smiled brightly even through the tears. "Law—"
1.
SHUTDOWN INITIATED.
Her voice was cut off by a gasp, followed by a low moan.
Suddenly without warning, Law watched as his sister's body froze in his arms. Her entire form tensed as one, almost as if it was about to go into convulsions!
Any happiness that had been showing on his face was wiped away as he looked at her in confusion. "Lami?"
Then, just as suddenly, her eyes rolled back into her head and her body went completely slack in his grasp. She was like a marionette whose strings had all been cut!
"Lami?! Lami!" He tried to shake her awake, but it was clear she was completely unconscious. His horror and alarm spread all the more when he spotted blood beginning to drip down her nose and mouth.
Something was wrong.
Something was very wrong!
Cursing up a storm, the Heart Pirate captain quickly picked her up and carried her to his bed. Even as panic began to set in, he turned to first aid.
"Come on, Lam please. Don't do this to me. Wake up, Sprite. Please! This isn't funny."
He checked her pulse. It was weak but steady.
He checked her breathing. Similar.
Her pupils? Slow to dilate.
His hands shook badly and he could barely keep himself together. What was wrong with her? What had happened? This was his fault, wasn't it? He told himself several times that trying to awaken Lami's memories haphazardly could have dire consequences! Dammit!
Or could this be some part of her White Lead sickness? Maybe she wasn't in as strong a stasis as she had stated! What if her powers had run out? She had been really tired! Maybe that was it! Or could it be—
Law!
A voice called out in his mind as it was still right by his side, rather than more than a decade in the past. And just like back then, he stopped and listened.
…It has the ability to alter the human body! Its miraculous operations can cure even unidentified ailments!...But it ain't magic…You need medical knowledge to make the most of it! That's why you're the perfect person to eat the fruit!
Another voice followed.
…Son, listen well. A true surgeon is never fearless. He fears for his patients, he fears for his shortcomings, his own mistakes, but he never fears for himself or his reputation. A good surgeon must have a hawk's eye, a lion's heart, and a woman's hand. And most importantly, as a surgeon you have to have a controlled arrogance. If it's uncontrolled, you kill people, but you have to be pretty arrogant to cut through a person's chest, take out their heart and believe you can fix it. And when you succeed and the patient survives? You pray, because it's only by the grace of God that you did.
His hand curled into a fist and he took a deep breath, stabilizing himself.
He needed calm.
Another breath…
He needed clarity.
His father had instilled in him the heart of a doctor and a surgeon's dream when he was very young. Cora had given him the opportunity of life to be able to accomplish that dream by giving up his own, trusting that he would have the ability and technique needed to make the most of the Op-Op fruit.
Law, the big brother had to take a step back to allow Trafalgar, the Surgeon of Death to take his place.
He steeled his heart. Lami would be okay. She had to be. He wouldn't allow otherwise.
Rising up, the Heart Captain ran a hand over his face, roughly scrubbing away all evidence of tears. His other hand twitches and a pale blue ring appears, expanding and taking over the entire room. He had left Kikoku in the OR, and while he would normally take Lam to the operating theater, he knew she would be pissed at him for displacing the patients currently housed there.
Not that that would stop him, mind you, but it didn't really matter. Anywhere his ROOM was, WAS his operating theater, and while his sword was his preferred tool, it was by no means necessary.
Especially here.
Even with the surgeon now in control, he felt a twist in his gut at the thought of turning a weapon against his sister. Reaching over, he grabbed a pencil from his desk. His golden eyes flashed silver as he allowed the full energy of his devil fruit to consume him.
A familiar arrogant smirk appeared on his face. He would succeed here—with or without God's permission.
Though to be clear…
He'd appreciate the help.
The Next Morning
Schaden couldn't even remember having a hangover in his life. He didn't even think it was possible for his species! But by the time he woke up in the early hours of dawn and he slunk away from his dark corner at the party towards the Heart Pirate ship, he wished he'd never found out.
Keeping to the shadows, he did small teleport jumps to get from the island, back to the ship deck. The bear Mink had given them rooms the other day, and he couldn't wait to get back there and settle back in to sleep it off.
The halls of the ship were pretty deserted as he made his way along, but that didn't stop him. Even with his head pounding, he simply followed his sense of smell to his destination. He hadn't been called the "hound" in the Facility only because of the Director's sense of ironic cruelty, but also because his senses in general were heightened in comparison to that of a human.
He didn't utilize them regularly, but he could also remember Lily's scent instinctively. He used it to guide him through the ship's pathways until he came to a single doorway at the end of a hall.
His eyes squinted as he looked at the wooden door. Hmm? He thought the room they were given was closer to the bow? And weren't there more rooms around it? This was one lone door off by itself at the end of a hallway. Had he gotten lost?
But this was where Lily's scent was strongest, so he shrugged and slipped under the door.
The room was dark beyond and a lot larger than he remembered. In fact, it looked nothing like he remembered. The cabin was full of carved wooden accents, bookcases surrounding the walls, and plush chairs let it have a more homey, lived-in quality than the sparse room that he and Lily had first been given.
The window was new, the pale light of sunrise slowly brightened the space. And from that dim light, even in spite of his annoying headache, Scha was able to notice two things.
One was the Heart Pirate captain nearly collapsed over his desk (and yes, the fog was beginning to lift and it was now very obvious that these were the captain's quarters). He looked exhausted and ragged, nearly driven to unconsciousness. Paper and books were strewn about him, all over the desk and floor around him.
The other thing he noticed was that near the pirate was a large bed, and tucked under the covers was Lily.
What was she doing here?
Surprisingly she was in her normal unconcealed form, and almost seemed to be nearly swallowed by the amount of covers and pillows that surrounded her. She was laying there quietly, slumbering deeply, her breathing steady.
She seemed so still. Almost too still…
Moving up onto the bed, he hovered next to her, and only close up did he notice a strange blue luminescence covering her body. What the—?
'Lily? Lily, wake up.'
With no response, he reached out to touch her.
Only for the blue energy to react and suddenly expand!
It abruptly consumed his form and he felt his body tingle as it passed through him. The Cimmerian was suddenly thrown headlong into the opposite wall! He grunted from the impact and had to flinch with pain as something pierced him through the middle!
What the heck was going on?
Blinking, he looked up from where he was pinned to a wall and was surprised to find The Heart Pirate standing before him, his eyes as sharp and deadly as a predatory cat's, gleaming silver in the faint light, blue energy all around him and…was that a pencil in his hand?
However, there was power coming from that pencil. A power that was making it hard for him to concentrate. That in combination with the hangover made it very hard to teleport, and while it hurt, if not for his body's natural intangibility and that he wasn't a frail human—he'd probably be dead right now.
The raven-haired man seemed to recognize him after a moment and his gaze lost some of its ferocity. He still looked haggard and the dark shadows under his eyes had increased, but he lowered the pencil and whatever power was coming from it.
"Oh, it's you. The shadow thing…Schatten? Schaden? Something like that, right?" he asked tiredly.
Scha observed him for a moment as he felt whatever was pining him, release. He was able to move fully again and the feeling that remained wasn't much more than a prickling sensation.
He looked over at his partner, who hadn't stirred at all from her position on the bed. His eyes then turned back to the captain—Trafalgar? if he remembered right?—and narrowed with growing distrust and suspicion.
With the speed inherent in his species and born from constant training, without hesitation, he simultaneously teleported and changed his shape into his larger, more humanoid form. In an instant he was by Lily's side and picked her up in his arms. However, before he could transport them far away from there, his body felt like it hit a brick wall, as the blue energy collided with his own physical presence!
Stuck within the room and the blue boundaries, Schaden turned to face the pirate bastard, holding Lily close to him as he hunched over, letting his form flow over her.
'Let us go! What have you done to Lily, du Hurensohn!'
He used words that he knew would make the loudest most animalistic hissing sounds, baring his fangs in growing rage. His protectiveness trumped his headache, and he wouldn't let Lily be hurt! He had already failed her by letting her fall into this situation in the first place.
Trafalgar met his gaze with such an intensity that it almost seemed like his eyes were glowing, However, he didn't attack, nor did he get closer to the corner he had backed up into. He didn't lower the barrier of whatever his bloody devil fruit power was, but he also didn't raise a threatening hand (or pencil) again. He was surprisingly hesitant.
They stood there at a standoff. Neither moving nor backing down.
Eventually, the raven-haired human lowered himself onto his haunches making them level with each other. The Cimmerian watched him like a predator.
After a few more seconds, he spoke. "You're her friend. I can see that, and I applaud you for protecting her so. I swear to you on my jolly roger and my word as a pirate, I mean her no harm. If I'm lying, you may kill me and burn my flag to a cinder on the pole from which it stands."
Schaden knew that a pirate's colors were very important to them and that the man was serious, but he still didn't move nor accede.
Trafalgar then moved his hand and Schaden tensed in response, ready to fight back at a moment's notice.
However, rather than make any attacking motion, he deliberately put the pencil down on the ground. Then, reaching into his pocket, he slowly pulled out a small white handkerchief.
It both smelled of blood, and was dotted with the stuff. It was enough to make Scha gag, but he only tensed up more.
Moving to unfold it, the man revealed within the handkerchief, a small piece of metal with circuits within them. He'd been around the bend long enough to know it was a microchip.
It was covered in blood.
The man pointed to it. "This was located in her brainstem, slightly below the medulla. FireFist already told me about it. It's a deactivated slave chip that was used to keep her in line."
The shadow being felt the tension in his body drain as his eyes widened in surprise and shock. How had he known about that? How had Portgas? Did Lily tell them? And how the hell had he been able to remove it?!
His controlling chip had always been in his shackles, which was why the Director had to constantly have him chained up or use threats to keep him cowed.
Lily's on the other hand had been surgically implanted, and while the RA had been able to make sure it was permanently deactivated, they had never been able to remove it. Judging it too dangerous to take the chance without risking her life.
But this man was able to do it?!
He looked from the chip back to Lily, who seemed to have no injury on her, though she still slept very soundly. He then looked back to Trafalgar, uncertainty and ambivalence taking the place of the rigidity in his stance.
The pirate didn't respond to that, but instead, balled up both the handkerchief and the chip tightly in his fist. His voice was monotone as he spoke.
"However, he failed to mention there was a second chip."
Scha jolted, his eyes shooting up in response. What? A second chip?!
He continued, "This chip was hard to find, I had to scan her brain twice to finally see it. It's buried in the limbic system, on the fornix, connected to her hippocampus. Unlike the other chip, this one's still active."
His words felt like the blade of a guillotine slamming down on their world.
Active?
But…how?
All these years?
She still had a ticking time bomb in her head all that time?
He had told her, had convinced both her and himself, that they had put all of that behind them. That the shadow of the Facility would no longer continue to hover over them!
That they were free! Dammit!
DAMMIT!
Tears of frustration built up, and small black drops fell onto the ground as he looked back down upon his closest friend. He caressed her hair softly.
I'm so sorry, meine Kleine.
A hand reached out and hesitantly touched the more solid part of him that was holding on to the girl in his arms. "I don't know what this particular chip did to her, I'm not a technician. But I believe it has to do with whatever those bastards did to force her to lose her memory. Whatever it did, it activated last night."
Schaden couldn't help but gasp before looking at the poor girl with worry and an undercurrent of fear. What did it do to Lily? What could have caused it? Was the World Government involved?
He watched as Trafalgar moved to caress Lily's head and was surprised at what he saw in his face. Humans had many facial expressions, far more than many species he'd ever observed. It took him time to learn and understand them, as well as to recognize when humans hid their true selves behind carefully crafted facades.
He barely knew Captain Trafalgar, and as far as he knew…so did Lily.
And yet the pain and love he saw within this man's eyes was so deep-seated, so palpable and intrinsic, that it felt like they had known each other all their lives.
He had seen men look at Lily with all kinds of different looks: from obsession, to disdain, to camaraderie, to admiration, to lust, to fear. But this wasn't any of those.
This was more.
He didn't look up as he spoke again, "I operated all night to take out the first one. This second one… it's in a very precarious position, even more so than the first. I've scoured every book that I have on neurosurgery, and I have a procedure in mind. It's going to take me a full day and I'm going to need my full surgical team as well as more medical supplies."
Even though he knew the human couldn't understand him, he couldn't help asking, 'You mean, you're willing to help her? More? But why?'
He knew humans, especially pirates, rarely did something for nothing. What kind of deals had been made here? A favor between Portgas and Trafalgar? Maybe this was Lily's recompense for her help with the surgery on StrawHat? Well, he'd be a fool to reject such a chance. If it meant getting that thing out of her, he'd make a deal with the devil himself.
Trafalgar continued speaking, "I'd like to leave right away, but I don't know when she'll wake up, and in what condition. I need to know more about what I'm working with with this chip. I'm missing key pieces. I tried to go and talk to FireFist, but he was so dead to the world that he wouldn't wake up no matter what I did. However, if I have figured this right, you have been with her for far longer—"
"Uhhh…"
The sound of a moan startled them both and simultaneously, both looked down to the woman that the shadow held in his grip.
Trafalgar then turned all business, "Come on, place her on the bed."
He turned away to grab his instruments from his desk, all the while, a bewildered Schaden decided to do what he said, and placed Lily back where he had found her.
While he placed her there, he took the time to realize that Lily was still dressed mostly in the clothes she had worn the night before, after she had changed post-operation. With the sole exception of the large yellow and black sweatshirt that had the Heart pirates symbol blazoned across it. That, he was pretty sure, was not hers.
It's most probable owner moved to the other side of the bed and with a swiftness and polished skill that rivaled his partner's own, he watched as Trafalgar went through, checking her heartbeat, breathing, pulse, blood pressure, and a myriad of other things as Lily slowly began awakening out of her unconscious state.
As her eyes slowly blinked open and both of them shared a smile of relief.
"Hey there, you gave me a bit of a scare there. How are we feeling?"
'Lily?'
She sluggishly tried to focus on the forms in front of her, her mouth moving slowly as if trying to clear the cotton from out of it.
"Scha…?" She called out hazily.
He came closer, changing more into his natural form and nuzzling next to her. 'I'm here, Lil. How do you feel?'
She slowly raised a hand to her head, "My head hurts a lot."
Trafalgar took a damp cloth and carefully laid it across her forehead. "I'll bet it does. Can you tell me Sprite, what do you remember before you lost consciousness?"
She seemed to still for a moment, her eyes finally zeroing in on his presence, causing her to keep still and watch him for a few moments more. Her icy eyes gained a disoriented cloud for a split second, before being replaced by a shrewd veneer. Schaden had seen her do this before when they were on assignment and she was pretending in front of strangers, but he was not quite sure why she was doing so now?
It was very quick, but even so, he was sure the Heart captain had noticed it too as his smile became a bit less bright.
This time when Lily answered, her response brought more concern than it did relief. "My mind's a bit hazy still, doctor. Was I in some kind of accident?"
Trafalgar looked at her with concern and his mouth was set in a grim line. "It wasn't an accident. You fell unconscious right in my arms."
She looked alarmed and Schaden rubbed at her hand. 'Lily? There's something you need to know. You–'
She gave him the subtle sign to wait and that they would talk later, to which he was confused by, but he complied.
Rather, she looked up at the Heart Pirate surgeon, the same one she had just collaborated with and operated with yesterday on StrawHat and FireFist mind you, and said, "Oh, I'm sorry to have inconvenienced you. Um, Uh…Dr.—?"
This sent huge alarm bells through the Cimmerian. How much damage had that damned chip done?!
However, he was surprised to see the surgeon take this all in stride as he raised a gentle smile to his face and he took off the cloth in order to dampen it again.
"It's Trafalgar. Dr. Trafalgar Law. I'm the captain of this ship. Please know you're safe here. You must be hungry, I'll get you something to eat. Lie down and rest in the meantime."
Schaden watched the man replace the compress before picking up and placing his hat back on head. He moved to leave the room and between the alarm that he felt for the sudden loss of his friend's memory, and the panic that he felt of what it could mean, he noticed that the pirate surgeon used a similar method to Lily's, of shutting himself down emotionally to avoid being hurt.
The smile he had on his face, while gentle, was very much false.
And behind it, Schaden had glimpsed for just the briefest of seconds, another very intense emotion from the male: heartbreak.
As he was about to go, Lily called out to him hesitantly. "Trafalgar…Law?"
He stood still for a moment, his back stiffened ever so slightly, but he didn't turn back. Instead, he spoke softly, "You need to get some rest. Your friends will be worried about you."
He then closed the door quietly behind him, and somehow Schaden felt like he had missed something monumental.
Windstar, Amazon Lily, West Coast
Daylight was fast emerging over the horizon as Kircheis stomped up the stairs onto the top deck of the ship, where Rein was tying down the rigging for the sails.
"Where the hell did he go?"
Reinhard kept to his task as he responded, "You know where."
The redhead stood still for a moment, "You mean he—"
"Indeed."
"But wasn't he—"
"He was."
"Did he at least—"
"Not at all."
He stood there for another moment more before shrugging and reaching over to hand the man a rope he would need in a few minutes. He then shifted the helm to begin guiding the ship closer to the shore in order to drop anchor.
He and Reinhard would find their way on the Island of Women in a bit more of a traditional—well "traditional" for Revolutionaries—manner. If their headstrong, temperamental, hungover brat of a commander wanted to do things the hard way in order to get on the island quicker, he could be their guest.
They'd accomplished most of their mission. Let blondie go wild.
He'd find exactly what he was looking for, even though he didn't know it yet.
A/N:
Told you it'd be sooner than you thought.😉
So Lami learns the truth of her past even if she doesn't quite regain her memories, but the shadows of the Facility still have their grip on her and continue to strike tragedy on our pair of siblings.
However, don't worry. Law's not going to give up, though he might go about things differently. If you're wondering, yes the thing that triggers the chip in Lami's brain, is Law saying her full real name, which is a trigger word for the program that was installed. This part is the most sci-fi leap I had to take since this is not my area of expertise, but I hope it worked out well.
I hope you guys are as frustrated as Law is. I'm building up the hate for the facility and the Director even more.
But despite all this chaos on their side, on the opposite end, Sabo's here!