Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/
works/12612348.
  Rating:
      Explicit
  Archive Warning:
      Graphic_Depictions_Of_Violence, Major_Character_Death, Rape/Non-Con,
      Underage
  Category:
      M/M, Multi, Other
  Fandom:
      One_Piece
  Relationship:
      Monkey_D._Luffy/Trafalgar_D._Water_Law, Eustass_Kid/Trafalgar_D._Water
      Law, Donquixote_Doflamingo/Trafalgar_D._Water_Law, Donquixote_"Corazon"
      Rosinante_&_Trafalgar_D._Water_Law
  Character:
      Trafalgar_D._Water_Law, Trafalgar_D._Water_Lammy, Donquixote_"Corazon"
      Rosinante, Donquixote_Doflamingo, Eustass_Kid, Monkey_D._Luffy, Portgas
      D._Ace, Sabo_(One_Piece), Vergo_(One_Piece), Fushichou_Marco_|_Phoenix
      Marco, Shirohige_|_Whitebeard_|_Edward_Newgate
  Additional Tags:
      Abuse, Child_Abuse, Emotional/Psychological_Abuse, Physical_Abuse, Sexual
      Abuse, Drug_Abuse, Rape, Underage_Rape/Non-con
  Stats:
      Published: 2017-11-03 Updated: 2018-01-06 Chapters: 3/? Words: 9390
****** Anthem for the Broken ******
by Novicecomics
Summary
     If you asked Law what he wanted in life just a few weeks ago, he
     would have gushed about following in his father's footsteps and
     becoming a doctor. His tiny eyes would glitter as he ambitiously
     stated how he'd find a cure for his sister and live happily with his
     family.
     Now, however, all he wants is his freedom and a chance at a happy
     life. But will he get that when his every move is puppeteered by the
     infamous boss of the Donquixote gang? Follow the life of Trafalgar D
     Water Law as he fights for his freedom from abusive situations and
     cling to any relationship he can muster, healthy or not.
     Will he make it out with his sanity or die trying?
***** Flames *****
Life at home was normal. Wake up, eat breakfast, say goodbye to his mother,
father, and sister, then leave for school. Law would happily skip down the
street with a group of boys from the same class as him. They would play on the
grounds and through class much to the teacher's annoyance. A happy smile
constantly covered his face throughout the day. As soon as the bell dismissed
the restless kids, Trafalgar would rush home and greet his family with stories
of his day. While his mother fixed diner for the family, Law would perch
himself on a cushioned chair next to his sister's bed. Tiny arms flung wildly
in the air as he told her of the world outside and what he had learned in
school that day. Lami would sit on her bed and watch the antics with glittering
eyes. Their mother would come in afterwards with plates for all of them so they
could eat together as a family. Their father would talk about his day and quiz
both children on medical knowledge before it was time to go to sleep. Some
nights, Law would sneak into Lami's room to keep his sick sister company in the
lonely hours.
It was a simple life, but it was a happy one. Even at a young age, Law knew
what he wanted to do in life. His goal was to become a great doctor just like
his dad and work together to cure his sister of her mystery illness. Tiny hands
wrapped around his sleeping sister as he thought about it. He held her close to
him as if to protect her from the disease. All she had to do was stay alive and
happy until then. "I promise." He whispered to the top of her head as they laid
cuddling in the dark night. No one would bare witness to his promise, but he
knew he'd keep it either way.
"There you are!" Law's mother exclaimed as she walked into Lami's room the next
morning. "You're going to be late if you don't get up soon." She smiled at the
children who were sleepily rubbing at their eyes. "Run and get changed then you
can eat with us." His mother said as she set down a few plates onto a table in
the center of the room. With that, the tiny kid shifted out of the large pink
bed and down the hall.
No more than five minutes went by before a dressed and groomed Law walked
through the doorway. The rest of the family had all sat down in their places
around Lami's bedside with their plates as they talked. Their father motioned
Law to take up the seat next to him. "I have a proposition for you!" He smiled
like a toddler who had a secret to share. "Remember that coin collection we
started together?"
Law nodded as he situated his tray and grasped at his juice.
"There's a grand celebration tomorrow. It's the town's 100th birthday and
they're releasing a new coin at the festival!" Law's face lit up. It had been a
while since they last added a coin to their book.
"Can we get it, dad?" He shouted through a mouth of half chewed food.
"Only if both you kids promise to attend the festival with your mom and me!"
The older man's face wore a soft and gentle smile on it. Immediately Lami
squeaked and bounced in her bed.
"Can I come? Really?" Her eyes grew twice their size and sparkled as if the
night sky inhabited them.
"Of course honey! You've been doing well lately and it's no fun being stuck in
your bed all day." Their mother reached over and ruffled the girl's hair as she
answered. "Your dad and I finally have some time off to spend with you and we
decided this was the perfect outing. Not only can we get a coin for these two,"
She waved a hand towards the two boys who were rambling betwixt one another
about their collection, "but we can even look for a new dress for you. I'm sure
the stalls will have something cute for winter."
Lami jumped up and down in her bed so much that the plates on their trays
started to rattle. Lami didn't calm down until her lungs failed her and she
ended up in a coughing fit. Both parents immediately attended to her and gave
her a small dose of her medicine.
"Oh Law, what do you think it's going to be like?" Lami asked through labored
breathing.
"Hopefully there will be lots of music and fun things to do." Law replied while
his mind drifted off.
"You two can dream about the festival later. Law needs to get going now." Their
mother gave him a stern but loving smile.
His eyes darted over to the clock on the near by bed stand. The tiny child
jumped up in a hurry when he realized he really was running late. The boy
stuffed his breakfast down his throat and started running out the door. He then
ran back in the door with just as much speed and vigor to give each family
member a kiss goodbye. Once again his small legs carried him out the door and
down the stairs. Law snatched his hat off the bottom of the banister and
scooped up his bag next to the door. Another large smile crossed his face as he
sprinted down the street. He could always count on his mom to place his things
right where he could grab them on his way out. Granted he never made it easy on
her since he'd dump everything as soon as he was home just so he could spend
more time with Lami.
Throughout the entire day at school he fidgeted in his chair. His teacher's
voice may have well been a fly buzzing in a field far far away from him. He
didn't hear her when she reviewed the tests out loud, nor did he hear her call
his name multiple times to answer a question. A quick lecture on not paying
attention was a small price to pay when it came to thinking about spending a
whole day with his family.
Law had decided that if there was music he would dance with his sister. She was
too sickly to stand on her own, but he figured he could wheel her around in her
chair like she was dancing. Maybe one day when they were older he could holder
her up to properly dance with her. Law was certain his sister would enjoy that.
His mind drifted further and further away from the small classroom as tempting
illusions of tomorrow clouded his thinking. What would the new coin look like?
Would it be silver like all the other coins, or would they tint it gold for
such a special occasion? What about the story that would come with the new
coin? Law dreamed of his father reading off the history behind the town and
what ever image the new coin will bare. That was one of Law's favorite parts
about coin collecting. His father always knew the history and fun facts
surrounding them.
A soft giggle shook his body as he imagined his mom chastising them for making
such a fun event so boring. She didn't collect coins like Law and his father
did. She didn't understand how fascinating they were. It was fine though, he
knew she was just kidding every time she picked on them about it. His mother
would pull them into a hug and ruffle their hair while telling them to enjoy
the festival. She was a kind woman who encouraged everyone to live their best
life.
After going through a few hundred different scenarios, the iron bells of the
school house rung out. The children rushed out the door and down the familiar
streets. He said his goodbyes as the group of boys he walked with parted and
went their separate ways. They had chatted about the celebration on the way
home and one boy swore up and down that an infamous group of musical criminals
were going to perform. No one believe him of course, not since the town was far
from a safe place for any criminals. The army had a large presence in the town,
keeping the people safe from harm.
Tiny feet tapped against the pavement as Law rushed home. His pace slowed just
two blocks away. Curious eyes watched as firetrucks and police cars whipped
past him in a rush to get somewhere. Maybe going home could wait. He was going
to follow them and tell Lami about whatever was causing all this excitement.
The small child followed the cars with a different kind of excitement. For now
he was still on the same path home as normal. If it was close by he could sneak
a peak and be home before his mother noticed he was late. It was the perfect
crime.
Law watched as a police car turned down his street. Lights covered the
surrounding area in blue and red. Suddenly it wasn't as exciting. The small boy
could feel his heart jump into his throat as he ran harder and faster than ever
before. It was just a coincidence, right? The old lady across the street must
have croaked. Yeah, that's all there was to it. That's why so many emergency
vehicles were there. Even while thinking this. Law continued to run at full
blast.
His face reddened and eyes dropped as he turned the corner. Only then did he
notice the smoke billowing up into the sky. The tall trees along the route had
hidden it away from view up until then. Tears prickled up on the sides of his
eyes. Tiny feet pounded against the sidewalk as he raced faster and faster
still up to his house. The boy ducked under the police tape and past a few
surprised men. He stopped short halfway up the drive way. His house was no
longer there. It had burned down. All that remained was ashes and a few damaged
support beams.
He whipped his head back and forth trying to make sense of the situation and
trying to find his family. "L-Lami!?" He shouted through tears. "LAMI!" He
screeched again. Water gushed down his face and his entire body shook.
"Mamma!?" Without knowing it, Law was taking a few steps back trying to
distance himself from the site. "...daddy?" His voice faltered and the word was
barely that of a whisper.
A few men in uniform tried to calm him down and talk to him, but Law was too
shaken up to hear much. Over the radio hooked on a cop's shoulder, he heard the
report come in. There were people found declared dead on site. The tears had
clouded his vision after that. The world went dark, cold, and ever so silent.
Law crumpled in on himself as he screamed his head off. Somewhere among the
nonsensical howling were the names of his family he called out in disbelief.
They were supposed to go to the festival tomorrow. Lami was going to dance with
him. His dad was going to get a new coin for their collection. Their mother was
going to chastise them while they enjoyed the party.
What had happened to that?
 
.......................
 
Three days had gone by. Law was still a mess. There were dark rings under his
eyes from sleepless nights when the terror of reality had forced him awake mid
nightmare. His face had gone pale and seemed to be stuck like that. He couldn't
fathom that he was really and truly alone.
He had been left mostly alone in a small room in the police office. The small
town didn't have any agencies in place to take care of a case such as Law's, so
he was the station's problem until someone from a nearby place could take him
in. He was fed and treated much like any other person staying in the jail. The
only socialization was on the rare occasion that an officer would come in and
tell him that the transfer was taking longer than expected, or that the
paperwork had to be redone due to some error.
The authorities didn't help him much. They weren't concerned with a small brat
when there was so much else going on it seemed. The boy had overheard a lot of
what was going down at the station during his stay. Reports of the festival
being overtaken by criminals and a riot kept the majority of the police busy.
What really had caught his attention was an outbreak. Day and night reports of
people being diagnosed with an odd sickness poured in. Young, old, and everyone
in between seemed to be contracting some disease that made them bed ridden.
Normally waves of flu and colds were pretty common and kept under control by
the hospital, but this one was different. The head doctor was no longer there
to control the issue. Outbreaks spread faster than what they were used to. The
effects were devastating.
It was late evening on the third day of his stay when he heard it. A report
came in to the desk stating the first person to die from this epidemic was an
elderly gentleman. He had contracted the disease just a week before. Cases like
this were common for a lot of sicknesses, but only a week had killed him. Law
had originally chalked it up to the man being ill before hand and this is what
got him in the end. He quickly questioned that idea as all through out the
night the reports kept coming in. More elderly people from the same care had
passed. Towards midnight a blue collar worker had worked himself to death on
the job while fighting the sickness. Come 2 am the radio flooded with reports
of otherwise healthy individuals dying after less than a week of being
diagnosed.
Law sat back on his bed and listened through the door as the desk worker was
overwhelmed. He had a small note pad and pen one of the officers had given him
and was writing down the reports. The death rate was rather high and from what
little he heard of the symptoms it wasn't a run of the mill disease. He cracked
his door wider and watched the officer take down more reports.
Another call rattled the phone. This time, he couldn't hear the report. Music
sounded from further down the jail. Law was suddenly so mad at the interruption
that he threw his note pad down on the ground. Who the hell sings at 4 in the
morning!? The boy sat up, watched the night guard pay no attention to the boy
or anything behind him, then sneaked out of his room. Unlike the other
residents, Law wasn't confined to his room, but the cops didn't seem to want
him wandering around unsupervised.
After a quick, angry walk down the hall he came upon the newly occupied cell.
It was full of the unruly criminals from the festival. They were all disheveled
and singing loudly in a happy tune. Had it not been for interrupting an
important report, Law would have probably enjoyed the shanty.
The boy slammed his tiny hands against the bars to get their attention. The
shanty died out and what seemed to be a leader of the rag-tag group of singers
looked his way. The man stood up, afro almost touching the cement ceiling,
before giving an odd laugh and bowing a bit to talk to the angry boy. "Ah, I'm
sorry. Did we wake you up?" He had an oddly laid back expression for someone
who was being kept against their will.
"No. Your music was too loud. I can't hear the reports." Law said as he stood
up as tall as he could. He, however, only came up to the other man's kneecap.
This didn't keep him from trying to sound stern while lecturing the criminals.
"You mean those dreadful calls they've been getting all night?" The man looked
surprised. "They're so sorrowful. We figured it was best to bring some
happiness out by singing."
"That's what the Rumbar Group does best!" One of the other men shouted from the
cell.
"Happiness isn't going to come any time soon." Law muttered more to himself
than to the criminals. "I need you to be quiet. I can't hear the death rates if
you're so loud."
"You WANT to hear that!?" The leader asked in an astonished tone. "What ever
does a child like you want with that? You're supposed to be enjoying youth with
friends and family."
"Well, I can't. My family just died." Law admitted through clenched teeth. Up
until now, he hadn't said those words out loud. He refused to believe them. But
it was true and he had to move on. This epidemic was the only thing keeping him
sane. It felt like a puzzle he could work on and solve from his little cement
room.
"Oh my, it sounds like you need some happiness." The tall leader bent down
until his head rested on his knees. He gave a weird, but almost comforting,
smile before reaching through the bars. He extended a hand to shake while
continuing to speak. "I'm Brook, second in command of the Rumbar group. If you
need anything like a happy song, some friends, or an ear to listen, we'll
provide it. Though," the man's voice got higher as he pushed his afro back to
reveal his over sized ears, "I guess I'm nothing but ears!" He joked.
Law turned away from the hand and ignored the man all together. Brook gasped
out in surprise that he was being ignored. Even his joke didn't get a chuckle.
"I don't need that. I need to listen. Maybe..." Law trailed off suddenly
realizing the futility of his actions. "maybe I can help?"
"If you think you can, I'm sure you will." A third man came up and rested his
elbow on Brook's head while leaning against him. "Think of us as extra support
though. You're now an honorary part of our group."
"You can't be that helpful if you're all locked up." Law muttered again more to
himself. All the men in the cell gave out a loud surprised noise at this
attack. It was true, but this kid didn't need to say it.
"At any rate, you may need to pick the brain of someone who's dealt with an
epidemic like this before. An older officer, or a doctor who's seen it all."
Brook offered.
"Good luck with that, they're all busier than hell because of that." The first
man spoke up while leaning even further against Brook.
"I think my dad worked through an epidemic years ago." Law thought out loud.
"He's not here, but maybe one of his medical journals is still around!" The
boy's face brightened up at this break through. "I can see what happened then.
I bet he would know just what to do!" With that, the little boy turned on his
heels and ran back down the long hall.
 
.......................
 
Law shuffled his feet against the cobble stone pathways towards his old house.
He had gone to the hospital first thing in the morning and easily got into his
dad's old office. The hospital staff was indeed flooded with patients. This
left him alone to read through the books and journals his dad had left in the
small room. There was nothing helpful though. It was mostly procedure books and
the odd college text book. Any hand written journals were cases of people
coming in for repeat visits.
The tiny boy ran a hand over the soft fuzzy hat on his head as he sat back. The
large leather chair swiveled away from the desk and out the large window behind
him. It was still likely a journal with the information he needed existed, the
only issue is it would be at the house. After hours of reading and ransacking
the office he resided himself to this fact.
Even knowing this though, he wasn't ready to confront the burned remains. The
long walk from the hospital to the house just wasn't enough time to prepare
himself for it. The burned structure was roped off with police tape. That
didn't stop the small boy from ducking under it once again and walking to the
mess. It was even worse than he had remembered. The house was mostly burned
away with a few walls and burnt items. Hesitant feet walked up the stairs and
through a door that hung halfway off its hinges.
The stairs that once stood grand and ever steady were burned and mostly gone. A
few warped stairs still existed, but they were unsafe to climb. The entire
second floor was ashes with only a few burned parts shaking in the light
breeze. His small feet carried him through the living room. The large TV stand
and the couch were disfigured masses of what they once were. Law could still
see how everything should have looked and was growing more and more distressed
by the fire. It was as if someone had taken a lighter to all his memories.
Finally he stopped in front of his dad's study. Judging by the rest of the
house, the study wasn't going to look much better. Law shut his eyes tight and
remembered times when his dad was hunched over his work. The man could easily
get lost in his work until Law came running in. Seeing that room ruined felt
like Law would have to give up on his dad forever. He'd have to face his
father's death and move on. Shaking hands reached for the knob unsure if he
really wanted to do that just for a journal that may or may not exist.
He could save lives though. That was the only thing that made him turn the
knob. His parents had taught him that if he could save a life, he should. He
pushed the door open and watched a burned study reveal itself. The desk was
burned and damaged, but somehow still upright. The carpet was singed. The
shelves were burned but the books remained mostly untouched. The man in the
room, however, didn't look the same.
"Who!" Law's jaw dropped in surprise. "Who are you!?"
***** Ashen Research *****
Light from the afternoon sun filtered through the singed trees that once
surrounded the beautiful property. The light and shadows danced along a ten
foot tall giant standing in the middle of the burned down study. Law froze in
place as he took in the frightful looming figure. He couldn't make out much
aside from a large coat puffed up like a crow's chest. The feathers rustled in
the slight breeze. Slowly the figure started to turn away from the bookshelves
and face the tiny boy.
Blood turned to ice in the child's veins. He wanted to run, to save himself and
hide in the concrete room back at the police station, but his legs had turned
to stone. All he could do was stare up at the painted face that stared back at
him. The tall man wore an angry expression as his eyes narrowed. He was lean,
tall, and had a long, thin smile painted in red on his face. Law could feel
dread well up inside him at the man's odd appearance. His grey eyes jumped
around the man's whole being, trying to take in every detail to retell to the
police later. If there was a later, he feared.
A loud slam sounded through the burnt building as the tall figure closed the
book in his hands. Law hadn't even noticed before, but it was one of his dad's
medical journals. Why was this man here? Why was he disrespecting his dad's
study and life work? His tiny hands balled up into fists at his side. He wanted
to shout at the stranger who was intruding on such a sacred place. Before he
could, the man took two large steps and stopped right in front of the boy. Any
and all emotions other than fear flushed out of his body as he stood next to
the man. His size was daunting, much like the criminals back at the station,
Law was an ant in comparison. He didn't even come up to the other man's knees.
His tiny eyes widened in horror. What could such a scary, large man want with
him?
The stranger crouched down to what had to be an uncomfortable stance. His knees
bent fully trying to frame his body, his face dropping nearly to the same
height as Law's own. It was only then, while the two were inches apart, that
the kid saw heavy scaring that marked up the man's face. The tips of his lips
had been split and torn across his cheeks. A large scar was burned into his
skin just under his right eye, thinly masked by purple makeup.
Something clinical overwhelmed the tiny child. He no longer saw a huge
stranger, but instead a patient that he needed to unlock the mystery behind.
What scaring he could see under the thick red lipstick was old and ridged. What
ever happened occurred long ago. Most likely someone with a shaking hand or
someone who was untrained tried to leave slow cuts on the man's face. Law could
see what appeared to be the residue of stitches from the time. Tiny holes
dotted the top and bottom of each scar. The job was far from medical quality.
He had seen this poor first aide before from a patient who tried to patch
themselves up after a bad work accident.
Law didn't even notice his hand was reaching out towards the scarred cheek in
front of him until the man stopped him. A small notebook with a message written
on the pages was held up between them. "Scram kid" was scrawled out in messy
handwriting on the lined page. Trafalgar read this out loud and looked back at
the still angry man in front of him. "I will not!" He spat out in anger.
Suddenly he felt braver. "This is my dad's study. I have every right to be
here."
"Leave brat. I have work to do." The stranger quickly scrawled out on the page.
He tossed the note pad on the ash covered floor near Law's feet as the man drew
up to his full height once more. He turned his back to Law and started to rifle
through the contents of the bookcases.
Trafalgar felt a painful fire burn in his chest as he struggled to breath.
Tears raced down his face as he stared at that stupid note pad. Who did this
guy think he was? More importantly what could a small kid like him do to get
rid of the man defacing the only thing left of his dad?
He heard a dull thunk sound as a medical book was casually tossed over the
man's shoulder. The pages were bent in odd directions as the debris and ash
painted the book. "How dare you treat my dad like that!" Law screamed. He meant
to say his dad's study. He really did. But this place was the very epitome of
his father. Absorbed in his work yet always a beacon for Law and Lami. He had
so many memories of his dad pouring over books and paperwork in his room. All
the medical lessons he gave and how his door was always open to listen to the
kid's dreams, nightmares, worries, and even just casual conversations. Seeing
the books treated so lowly as the stranger tossed another one into a pile of
collapsed ceiling left the kid seeing red.
"Get out!" Law demanded. He rushed up to the gigantic man and started pounding
his tiny fists against scrawny legs. "Leave my dad alone!" He cried through a
face full of salt water and snot. Law felt himself fly through the room and
slam into a shaky wall. A chunk of scorched debris fell on top of his. The
stranger had kicked him and man did that hurt!
Law wasn't done. He jumped back up and ran at the tall man. His tiny hands
grasped at a metal pipe that was left from the fire. Before he could bring it
down with his full force, a large hand scooped him up by the scruff of his
neck. Trafalgar struggled and strained against the stranger's grip. After
quickly realizing he was stuck he gasped out at the livid man who held him
tightly. "I'll help you find what you want, just leave?" He cried out in
defeat. His face and eyes already burned from how many tears he had shed.
Terrifying red eyes stared at the boy as he swung in his grip. Seconds felt
like hours as the stranger looked the boy over. Finally he let the boy go.
While Law fell onto the floor the man scooped up the note pad from earlier and
started scratching out another message. "You can just tell me, ya know?" Law
offered as he dusted himself off. He jumped back in fear as the stranger
snapped his head back to him. His hands started moving rapidly. The kid
recognized the movements enough to realize the man was using sign language. He
was far from fluent, but his class taught him the bare basics. He quickly and
clumsily signed back "sorry" as he said it out loud as well.
The stranger rolled his eyes and threw the note pad at the boy. "You're dad was
hired to do some research for my boss. Any clue where his latest research
journal is?" Law read and reread the page. He didn't remember his dad ever
doing research for anyone else. In fact his dad only ever took interest in
questions he asked himself.
"I doubt you'll find anything like that mister." Law answered as he handed the
note pad back. "My dad was researching my sister's condition last. It's right
here." Law hesitantly walked past the large man and to the bookshelf closest to
the desk. He thumbed through a few of the burned books and picked out a thick
journal with lots of notes that stuck out of it. Law went to hold it up, but a
large hand snatched it out of his hands. The large man rushed through the pages
looking at the words and entries. He hadn't even gone through the whole thing
before slamming the journal on the ash covered floor.
A hand reached out for his note pad as he hastily scratched out "Not that one!"
He shoved the note in Law's face for a second before pulling back and writing
on the next page. "Think long and hard. Was there another journal your dad kept
for a new drug?"
"I don't...." Fear crept into Law's voice as he tried to answer. "That's the
only one I know of. We were working on it together. He doesn't keep things from
me." Law tried to stitch words together in his panicked state, but he could
only get out slightly understandable sentences.
The tall stranger's foot connected with the desk right next to Law and shoved
the whole thing with a loud KACHUNK. The kid cowered in on himself, hiding
under his hat and arms. He shook in fear for his life. His mind started racing.
That really was the only journal Law knew his dad was working on. Or.... Now
that he thought of it, he did find a journal awhile back. His dad got angry
when Law was found studying it, which was odd since his dad usually encouraged
it.
Law chanced a glance through his arms up at the stranger who was now throwing
things around the burnt office. He had turned towards the kid and looked like
his rampage was about to make a direct course towards the child. "W-WAIT!" Law
yelled out. "I think I know where it is!" The older man's hand stilled in the
air just inches away from Law's tear stained face. "He...." Trafalgar swallowed
a lump in his throat before continuing. "He kept one that I wasn't supposed to
mess with. It's in the safe last time I checked."
The stranger grabbed the kid by the shoulder and pulled him up to his feet. He
signed something that Law guessed was along the lines of "Show me" or "Where is
it". The kid pulled out one of the bottom drawers of the desk and reached in
the empty space between where the drawer was and the floor. Tiny hands produced
a small metal box that was tightly locked.
"The key is on top of that shelf there." Law said as he pointed to a near by
book shelf. The tall stranger effortlessly slid his hand over the top, knocking
much of the ash and burnt house off of it. A smell metal key clinked against
the ground in a flash of silver. The large man tossed Law the key and he
quickly opened the safe up. He picked a smaller journal out of the safe and
looked it over. It was far smaller and less decorated than what his dad usually
wrote it, but this was definitely the one he remembered being yelled at over.
His hands shakily handed the journal over to the stranger.
The man thumbed through the book and looked over the writing. He suddenly
seemed content with what he was holding. The tall stranger turned on his heels
and offered a vague wave as he started towards the door Law had left open. The
kid couldn't believe that was all it took to get rid of him. "Wait..." The word
left his lips before he even noticed he was speaking.
The stranger turned around slightly annoyed. "What do you want with that? It's
not even finished."
"Need it." The man wrote on the pad before trying to leave once again.
"It's not even finished. I don't know what it's supposed to cure, but that drug
isn't finished yet."
This caught the stranger's attention suddenly. He scribbled on his pad and held
it out for Law once again. "You know it's a drug?" Law nodded and another note
followed. "Forget what you know about this journal and leave." The demand threw
Law off guard.
He couldn't believe this stranger would ask him to forget something of his
dads. Anger welled inside him and he launched forward. His hands wrenched it
out of the unsuspecting man's hands and he held it to his chest as he raced
halfway through the burned down house. "You forget it then!" Law didn't know
much, but he was fairly certain this man was a mean evil old guy. He didn't
want his dad's research to fall into his hands.
The stranger started to use his long legs to close the distance between them.
The look on his face was less than friendly. He held one hand out in a "Give it
to me" kind of way. Law's grey eyes darted around the burned room as he tried
to think. He threw the book open and tore out the pages. This caused the man to
suddenly stop. Law took the opportunity to shove the pages in his mouth and eat
them.
The tall man rushed over trying to force Law's mouth open. The two struggled in
the burnt living room. Somewhere along the way Law felt his side smash into a
table they kept near the front entrance. He was pretty sure he had smacked the
man's face a few times but his eyes were closed for most of it. In the end, Law
had swallowed a hand full of pages from the journal. Many more were torn when
the two of them fought over the book that now laid in pieces smothered in damp
ashes and burnt house debris.
"Now only I know his research! You'll never have it." Law yelled out. He bit
the man's hand trying to get loose. All he needed was a few seconds to slip out
and race down the law and drive way. If he could just get to the street he'd be
close enough to the rest of the neighbors. They'd surely hear his yelling and
come to his aid. All he had to do was get free.
The stranger took more from that outburst than Law meant for him to. He had
accidentally let it be known that he had in fact studied his dad's forbidden
journal. This child prodigy was about to learn that being smart wasn't always a
good thing. The kid suddenly felt the man's hands wrap around his neck. Small
hands scratched at the bigger ones that held him in place. The world was
quickly getting darker and farther away. He struggled with all his might but
found that his strength was leaving him.
Small grey hands scanned over the dilapidated house he once called a home. The
black ash was soon the only thing he saw as his lungs burned for air. His head
fell to the side in the stranger's grasp as he lost consciousness.
***** Mind Games *****
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes
It smelled like a fire. That was the first thing Law could think of as he
slowly came back to consciousness. The second thing was the pain in his head.
It was the worst headache he could ever recall having. The pain was so great he
could cry, well he would if it didn't feel like he was dehydrated and dizzy. As
he slowly came back to consciousness more and more, the nerves in his body
started screaming at him. Nothing felt broken, but damn he felt like he lost a
fight with a car.
Law forced his hazy golden eyes open. What was going on? Where was he? His
memory was foggy and he half expected to wake up in his room. The comfortable
sheets tangled around Lami and him with the sound of his parents waking up down
the hall. Instead, he saw a large obsidian room. The tiles were black as night
and shined with a glittering lacquer finish. The walls were covered in the same
tiles and large cloths of neon pink fabric fell from the ceiling in waves.
Fairy lights glittered in the tulle fabric over head. The dull lights reflected
on the walls and floor all around him. It was like the last lights at dusk as
the sun set and left the world in darkness.
"You let a brat like this get the better of you?" A low voice snickered. "Maybe
it was a mistake to trust you with such an important task. Next time I'll just
send Vergo." The voice sounded haughty, like he owned the world and would gloat
about it to anyone who lent him an ear.
A scratching came next. It sounded so vaguely familiar to Law. Even worse,
though, is how quickly his fight or flight response kicked in from listening to
that sound. Law could feel the pain in his body lessen as the weight
disappeared. Every muscle now screamed at him to flee and never look back. His
memories rushed back. He recalled the burned down house, the missing family
members, and the fight with the tall scarred stranger. Frightened golden eyes
widened as he turned his head. Tiny arms pushed him off the floor, bracing to
run on his hands and knees like a desperate runner at the start line. His nails
scratched at the glistening black tiles below him as his worse fear was
realized. The tall crow man from before was in the same room as him, writing
angrily on that beat up note pad of his.
"Looks like he's awake." The voice called out a bit louder than before. It
seemed more for Law's sake, so that the boy knew the two men noticed him waking
up. Golden eyes flicked over to another large man who sat in a large pink
throne on the opposite side of the black room. The new man had to be just as
tall as the other. He had similar short blond hair and lean stature.
"Who..." Law coughed slightly as he tried to push the words out of his dry
throat. "who are you?" Ice cold sweat broke out over his body as he assessed
the situation. To the best of his knowledge he wasn't tied up or shackled. He
didn't feel any resistance when he moved earlier and there was no extra weight
around his wrists or ankles either. The two tall men stood on the other side of
the huge obsidian room. Seeing as there was no door behind them nor on either
of the walls Law could see, surely it meant the door was behind him. If he ran,
if he jumped up right now and his legs carried him as fast as he could, maybe
he'd get away. His golden eyes slid away from the tall figures and eyed at what
little he could see behind him. There was just a bit of a door frame covered in
pink with large diamond knobs. Yes! He could run away. How stupid to leave him
so close to the door.
"Go ahead and run." The deep voice suggested. Law snapped his eyes back towards
the pair. Had they read his mind? "A young kid like you must have the energy to
run pretty far. We're rather older than you and neither one of us like to run."
The man cloaked in pink continued. "It's not a bad plan but do you know what's
outside that door?"
Law felt his face drop. He hadn't put too much thought into that. Whatever it
was, he doubted it was a police station.
"I'll let you in on a secret." The haughty man mocked with a thin smirk on his
lips. "You're twenty six floors off the ground. We're in my private owned
building. No matter how fast you are, you wouldn't have enough time to figure
out the layout and get all the way out of the building. Don't be surprised if
my pawns tackle you to the ground as you try. They are rather suspicious of
anyone who tries to run around in here."
"Why are you telling me this?" Law barked out. He hated how quickly all hope
for him seemed to shatter as if this man just threw a glass to the floor.
"I'm simply hoping you'll make the smarter choice and sit down for a rational
discussion. Like I stated before, Cora and I don't like to run." The man's long
arm swept towards a fancy pink couch that sat between them.
The kid bit his lip as he shakily pushed himself off the floor. He slowly
walked up three large steps onto a meeting area that was raised above the rest
of the room. There were a few pink couches with black wood work set around the
throne the man sat upon. On either side of the couches were a few chairs with
the same vibrant pink fabric mixed with carved black wood framing. He shuttered
nervously, his body giving away his fears. Shaking legs nearly collapsed under
him as he sat on the center most couch. Law took the chance to scan the room in
more detail.
Four large chairs sat three more steps above the sitting area Law was on. From
left to right it was an emerald green chair with the back forming an elaborate
four leaf clover next to a red chair with a beautifully haunting heart design.
In the middle was a large space with six more stairs leading up to where the
two men were stationed. After the gap was a yellow diamond chair. Last was a
purple spade chair. All of them had the same black lacquered wood for their
frames and were far bigger than any chair ever needed to be.
The large pink cloaked man sat atop it all on a plush pink chair that really
must have been a love seat by how big it was. This one was the nicest looking
with how much black lace and gems adorned the bottom of it. The man wore a
smile that was unsettling at best. He turned to the scarred man who wore a
jacket of black feathers and muttered something to him. The standing man nodded
and walked down the steps. He took a seat in the red heart chair before the
other spoke out loud again.
"This meeting is now in order. As a courtesy to you, despite your young age, I
shall treat you with all the formality of any other client. As much as I would
love to address you as a brat, that's not the kind of respect I show. Who am I
addressing?"
"Huh?" Law had geared up for the worse. Some how, a formal conversation with a
strange man wasn't a scenario he had even thought of. "I mean, uh, Law. My name
is Law." He bit at his lip, suddenly uncertain if just his name was too much to
give out.
"Well Mr. Law," The older man started. "I am Doflamingo. It's quite a mouthful
so you may address me as Doffy for now. You are currently a guest of the
Donquixote gang. My brother, Corazon Donquixote, has brought you here in light
of a recent incident. It has come to my attention that you destroyed a rather
important medical journal of mine."
"That was my dad's journal!" Law shouted in protest.
"A corpse possesses nothing." Doflamingo frowned. "I had commissioned the man
to research a little something for me. Upon hearing of his passing I merely
wished to take back what was rightfully mine."
"Your idea of taking it back included trashing what was left of his study?" Law
spat out venomously.
His attention turned towards Corazon. He cocked an eyebrow before letting slip
a small laugh. "My dear brother can have a rather hard time finding things some
times. He meant no ill will towards you. He could have just left with the
journal and let you straighten up what was left behind, but you made that
impossible for him." Doffy turned the conversation back in his favor. "That
journal was rather important to my business. I'm rather a nice guy but ruining
my business affairs really pisses me off."
Law's eyes widened at the man's words. He was an adult, but he just cursed in
front of a kid! Adults didn't do that! Suddenly Law felt the gravity of the
situation set in. Maybe the man really meant it when he told Law he would be
treated as an adult. Would he be tried as an adult as well?
"My brother knows far too well what happens when you disobey me." Corazon
frowned and his eyes darted away. A hand instinctively raised to cover his
lower face, hiding his torn cheeks. "Imagine my surprise when he reported back
to me that he lost the journal!" Doffy said in obvious mock surprise. "And yet
the person who did it was alive and unharmed."
Law's hands turned to fists in the pink cushions under him. Yeah right he was
unharmed. Any kid would have some major injuries after a fight like that.
Nothing was broken but he was pretty sure his ankle was twisted and one of his
elbows was sprained. Something in the man's words made it seem like he didn't
even think those injuries were relevant. Law kept his mouth shut as Doflamingo
kept talking.
"So is it true? Do you really know what was in that book?" Doffy asked towards
the end of a lengthy tirade that Law mostly didn't pay attention to. The kid
shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Should he lie? Would he be let go if he
didn't know? No, this man was dangerous. Even if he didn't get killed on the
spot, he may be in trouble if Doflamingo found out his lie.
"It is." Law finally nodded. "My dad was teaching me medicine. I studied his
journals for fun."
"That can't really be fun." Doffy muttered more to Cora than to Law. "Would you
be able to reproduce the journal?" He asked in a louder voice.
"I could." Law again nodded as he spoke cautiously.
"Do that for me and you'll be released." The pink cloaked man smiled down at
the kid. The promise was tempting, but there was poison between the words.
"No." Law answered.
"And why not?" Doffy resituated himself in the giant chair, leaning on his
hands. He hunched over and stared down his nose at the tiny boy.
"I don't trust you with the journal or with your promise." Anger crossed the
man's face and for a second Law realized his arrogance may have just sped up
his inevitable death. Corazon let out a strangled noise much like a laugh. He
quickly hid his smile from his brother and turned away from the two of them.
"You realize the alternative is just killing you, right Mr. Law?" Doffy stood
to his full height, a daunting ten feet tall and even taller still on his
raised pedestal. Law suddenly was horrifically aware of how small and truly
powerless he was.
"But!" Law shouted trying to save himself even a few seconds. "I will reproduce
the work. I'll never write it down for you though."
"You'll make it for me?" Doffy wondered out loud standing still and staring
back at the boy.
"My dad's work was never finished. He passed before he could make the drug
stable. I was trained under him. I know the science and medicine behind it. I
can continue his research for you." Law found himself standing in front of the
pink couch. He was no where as intimidating as the other, but he still felt
confident in his compromise.
The room was dead silent as the two stared down one another, daring the other
to break. The larger man opened his mouth and started to laugh uncontrollably.
The scratching sound reverberated off the black tiles and echoed through the
room. "You cheeky bastard!" Doflamingo shouted. "That's an offer I really can't
refuse. It's the only way I'll win and you can guarantee your life will
continue. You even gain protection from the most fearsome gang in all of the
Grand Line." The man laughed even louder.
Something about that laughter seemed to unnerve Law more than any other part of
their conversation. It wasn't funny, it was filled with rage and other
emotions.
"You've got some real balls kid. You may just fit in well here." He sauntered
down the steps and grabbed at his brother's shirt. The sheer force dragged the
large man up out of the chair. "Corazon, you're in charge of this brat. Tonight
you'll get him settled in and he'll accompany you on any jobs I have for you
until I have his study ready."
The black cloaked man tore his brother's arm away from him and walked towards
Law. His legs were so long that he skipped the three steps altogether. A hand
wrapped around Law's arm and bore down like a vise clamp. As the two of them
neared the only door into the room, Doffy shouted out one last command. "Send
Vergo in. I have some new assignments for him." Cora raised his free hand and
gave a weak wave.
Law was dragged along in silence through an elaborate up scale building that
looked a lot like a hotel. He did his best to memorize the whole lay out, all
the doors, and more importantly all the faces they passed. The further away
they got from the large obsidian room, the less people Law saw. It wasn't until
a few floors later that he realized why. His face turned to look up at the
large man who was dragging him around. He realized the man was watching other
people walking through the building and taking routes to avoid them. The two of
them ran past an elevator that was opening up and raced into some random room
before the occupants could get out and start walking around.
Corazon threw the kid against the door they rushed into and slapped a hand over
his mouth. The tall man pressed an ear to the door and listened as the people
walked away and finally closed one of the other doors on that floor. The two of
them stood in complete silence for a few minutes afterwards as if to be sure no
one else was around.
Finally, after what felt like forever, the man let go of Law and paced away.
Law could finally see the room they were in. It was a large supply closet
filled with brooms, vacuums, extra chairs and tables, even some very nice
looking china all polished and set in a display case. Corazon was pacing around
the room. He turned to look at the boy and every so often made an exasperated
gesture. He pulled out his messed up notebook and started scratching away on
it.
"That was a dumb move kid. Doflamingo hates to lose." The note read. Before Law
could fully finish reading it, Corazon snatched it back and kept writing. "You
may have bought yourself some time, but beware. You won't be safe."
"What do you mean!?" Law shouted out in fear. A large hand slapped over his
mouth and the man held a free finger up to his lips telling Law to be quiet.
"He-he can't kill me. He needs me. I should be safe, right?"
"For now..." Another note read. "If you ever slip up and give that man what he
needs, you're going to be dead."
"Then I'll just be super careful. I'll never write my work down." Law announced
proudly. "But, wait... that won't work cause I need to keep research notes. My
memory isn't that good." He suddenly started to look panicked. Was this what
Doflamingo was betting on? Law keeping his own research journal that could
easily be stolen? What if Law did manage to stabilize and create the drug?
Doflamingo could give it to a scientist that he trusts to deconstruct it. A pit
formed in Law's tiny stomach. He was starting to see what he really had gotten
himself into.
"Am I... going to die?" Law lifted his face and stared deep into the other
man's eyes. His golden ones were shrunken in terror and devoid of their
sparkling luster. His skin paled far worse than Lami's ever was. A cold sweat
stung his skin as the ice in his veins froze his entire body. What was death?
What would happen? He'd just stop existing? Was it blackness? Silence? He
couldn't even wrap his mind around the idea of not existing.
The large man looked grimly down at the boy in front of him. His lips flinched
into a frown before he pulled away to his full height. He produced a cigarette
from his pocket and lit it. He stared off into the distance and ran a hand
through his messy blond hair. Law could only watch the man as if waiting for a
doctor to diagnose him with a terminal illness. His thumping heart seemed to
slow as he really looked at the foe turned keeper. Something about the evening
light that filtered through the small windows and shined on him was relaxing.
The way the smoke caught the light and floated like clouds, the smell from the
cigarette, even the distant look on his painted face was calming.
Black feathers rustled in the sunlight as the man moved and produced a final
note. "You're going to be okay. I'll watch over you." The man turned fully
towards Law and smiled a large toothy grin. He held up his other hand in a
thumbs-up gesture. The credibility was stripped from the statement as soon as
the feathers caught fire from the cigarette and the man stood in that goofy
thumbs up pose as his shoulder crackled and burned.
Law was rather certain he had been born under an unlucky star.
Chapter End Notes
     Sorry for not posting in forever. I got a job and have had a hard
     time juggling my time ever since.
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