Chapter Text
Part 81
“This is not what I expected,” Law said a couple of weeks later as he watched a small boat approach the shore of their little camp. Kid and his crew had sailed off once more to try and gain some more ground in the New World. Law and Kid’s sparring matches had all ended the same way… with Law kicking his ass in multiple different ways. Killer even forbid the two of them to use their powers in a way to try and make their fights more equal… it backfired because without his powers Kid was no match for Law’s sword techniques. Kid had decided that he needed to train more before going up against Law again… he decided that after being decapitated for the fifteenth time. So, they had set sail. Kid and Killer had promised Law to come back in a couple of weeks. Law was waiting eagerly. His crew was making progress in all their training and Law was insanely proud of them. Well… right now every single one of them were hiding. Why? Because a Marine Battleship had arrived a while ago and a single rowboat had been lowered… but a familiar shape had been inside that boat. Well… three familiar faces to be exact.
“It’s interesting,” Law continued.
“It’s not interesting, Captain!” Penguin shouted.
“Yes, it is. I expected Grandpa to show up, but I never imagined Garp the Fist and Tsuru-san would show up as well.” He heard his crew squeak in terror behind him and looked at them over his shoulder. They were all hiding. Law chuckled and drew his sword.
“Captain you can’t fight all three of them!” Shachi shouted.
“I imagine I only have to fight one of them,” Law replied calmly and focused his Haki. “Besides… this will be good practice. Here he comes.” A whistling sound could be heard and a cannonball came soaring at them. Law smirked and used Kikoku to whack it back in the direction it came from. He heard a loud laugh on the wind as Garp the Fist whacked the projectile aside as well, making it hit the water with a loud explosion. Then Garp charged. He jumped from the boat and rushed at Law. Law only smiled and rushed to meet him. His blade collided with Garp’s fist, sending sparks all over the place. Law’s muscles strained but to the awe of his crew and Garp’s amusement… he held the Vice Admiral back. Garp smirked in satisfaction and swung his other hand at Law’s head. Law very calmly teleported out of the way. He had put up a transparent Room as soon as he realized who was approaching him. Garp grinned and spun around, throwing another punch that Law blocked. Law jumped back and moved his blade in a wavy motion, creating a flying cut that moved like a wave through the air. Mihawk had taught him that, but this was the first time he did it. A few of Garp’s hairs was cut and he laughed loudly and came at Law once more. His fist collided with Law’s bicep and the young captain was sent flying through the air. Law used his powers to end up in a tree. He lifted his hand.
“Takt,” he said and a lot of huge rocks was picked up and flung at Garp. Garp smiled and crushed them all with his fists. Only to blink in confusion when his world started tilting to the side. Why? Because while he was busy punching the rocks Law had cut off his legs by the knees. Garp hit the ground and stared at his feet and shins that were still standing where they had been. Then they jumped into the air, kicking at Law. Law had to block with his blade or risk getting kicked. Garp got up and used his fists as well. Now, Law was getting attacked from more sides than one.
“This wasn’t very thought through”, he grumbled as he ducked, jumped and blocked. Garp just grinned. “Shambles!” Garp’s legs got attached to his body again. The Vice Admiral laughed.
“Garp that’s enough!” Sengoku shouted and Garp pouted.
“Meanie,” he said and crossed his arms, pouting. Law blinked. He could clearly see the resemblance between Garp and Luffy. Sengoku pushed past Garp and headed straight for Law. Law sheathed his sword and strapped it to his back. When he was done Sengoku was upon him, pulling him into a tight hug. Law was a little shocked. Sengoku held one strong arm around him and used his other hand to cradle the back of Law’s head. Tears were streaming down his cheeks. He had believed Law would try and kill him or attack him on sight for what he had done. He had done exactly the thing Law had accused him of being able to do all those years ago.
~*~
“Just as I thought…” Law mumbled and gripped the edge of his hoody tightly. “A Marine through and through. I bet you would kill the son of Gold Roger if he had one!”
“Law”, Cora exclaimed. “Sengoku-san would-”
“You are correct”, Sengoku replied and Cora stared at the Den Den Mushi.
“WHAT?!” he shouted at the same time Shanks and Benn also did
“Don’t get me wrong, I would take no pleasure in it… but Roger was a very dangerous man and if someone was just like him…” they could all hear Sengoku shiver. “I’d rather eliminate a threat like that before it got the chance to fester.”
“Which proves what kind of people Marines are”, Law shouted, ignoring Benn’s attempt to calm him down. “You can’t pin the sins of the parent on the child! If Roger had any children, they would be innocent! If what you say is true, then I should already be dead and buried!”
“Law!” his dads exclaimed.
“Because according to your government my parents, my sister, my friends, and my home had to be destroyed because of the sins of the nobles mining the Amber Led! I should be dead because of someone else’s greed!”
“Law!” his dads called again.
“This is why I hate the World Government and the Marines!” Law shouted angrily. “Because you all lack compassion!”
~*~
“I’m sorry,” Sengoku sniffled as he clutched Law tighter to him. “I’m sorry… I’m sorry for everything!”
“Grandpa…” Law whispered.
“You were right. I am a Marine through and through… heartless, cold, easily manipulated, weak and cruel. I nearly executed your friends and for what? Because of whom their fathers are. I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry Law. I’ve proven that I am just the type of man you accused me of being all those years ago.”
“Grandpa…”
“It wasn’t my choice! I had no choice! I proved you right because I did not put up a fight! I didn’t even hesitate! The Gorosei said jump and I jumped. They said lose your heart and I did without hesitation. They said break your grandson’s trust and I did. I didn’t even bat an eye. I didn’t even hesitate. I proved you right… I’m so sorry. I am just as weak as you thought I was. I’m sorry Law.” He held Law as tightly to him as he could. Law smiled a tiny smile and carefully wrapped his arms around Sengoku, hugging him back.
“I love Sengoku my grandfather,” Law whispered. “Sengoku the Fleet Admiral is a man I will beat the crap out of if he ever shows himself to me. I can forgive Sengoku my grandfather… not Sengoku the Fleet Admiral.”
“I’m not the Fleet Admiral anymore…”
“Which means you are just my grandfather; I can forgive my grandfather.”
“Thank you, Law,” Sengoku sniffled and held him even tighter. Law just smiled and hugged him back.
“And I’m sorry too,” Law continued. “For scaring my grandfather during the War of the Best. I’m not sorry for disrupting the Fleet Admiral’s plans though.”
“I know… I know…” Sengoku heard Garp laugh and glared at him. Tsuru rolled her eyes as she moved closer.
“See,” she said. “I told you the boy would be understanding.” She turned to Law. “Hello dear, how are you holding up?”
“Pretty well, Tsuru-san,” Law replied politely, and she smiled.
“Have you talked to someone?”
“My dads, I wrote Banchina too.”
“And have you talked to me yet?”
“No, Ma’am.”
“In that case…” She grabbed Sengoku by the ear and pulled him back. “Let him go. This young man and I need to have a little talk between four eyes.” With that she grabbed Law by the wrist and dragged him off into the forest. Law’s crew stared in horror and then nervously turned to look at the former Fleet Admiral and the Vice Admiral. Sengoku looked at the crew and cleared his throat.
“So, uh… I am Law’s grandfather,” he said. “If it isn’t too much to ask for… may I have a cup of tea?”
“S-Sure Sengoku-san,” Kujira said nervously and ushered Tsuno and Jako towards the area where they had their remote kitchen. “C-coming right up!”
“I’ll much rather hear some of your stories from your travels,” Garp said happily and plopped down. He then blinked when he noticed four of the Hearts staring at him. Especially one of them was outright staring at him. He had blue eyes and black hair. His skin was tanned from being out in the sun so much. He had two katanas strapped to his sides. There was something familiar about the way he was staring at Garp. Garp looked at the other three.
A very muscular redhead with tanned skin was looking at him in awe as well, not staring as much as the other one that appeared to have stars in his eyes. The third one was shorter and lean, with brown hair and honey-colored eyes. He appeared very nervous and was somewhat hiding behind the muscular one. The last one was also behind the muscular one, but not by choice. The muscular one was standing right in front of him in a somewhat protective manner. The fourth one had short, almost buzzcut, blonde hair, had blue eyes and a scar across his face. He was looking at Garp with apprehension and awe at the same time. Like a feral cat ready to strike but also longing to be petted.
Garp could swear he had seen this scene before somewhere… wait… there was an island in the Grand Line. Many years ago. Garp and his crew had been there to resupply. It had been an island crawling with corruption. The people were starving and seeing urchins in the streets wasn’t unusual. He had been out walking one night when he saw some men trying to beat up four little boys. One with black hair, one with red hair, a quivering and sobbing brunette, and lastly a feisty little blonde. The red haired one had kept the brunette and blonde behind him while the black-haired one had been in the front, trying to defend his friends with two small knives. Garp had helped them and the little boy with the knives had wanted to join his squad then and there. Garp had laughed and told him to wait a couple of years… Garp looked at the four men and chuckled. Of course. It was them. He started laughing, startling nearly everyone there.
“So, you joined the Marines,” he sniggered and looked at the Marine Four. “And then betrayed the Marines and joined this pirate crew?” He chuckled. “Interesting.”
“Being a pirate is far better than being part of a fucking corrupt pothole full of shit!” the blonde spat.
“Aji!” the brunette squeaked. Garp only laughed.
“True, true,” he chuckled. “The Marines on that island are filled with corruption. Tell you what… if you wish to you could join my squad here and now.”
“Garp!” Sengoku scolded.
“What? It’s a shame to lose these fine young Marines to piratery.”
“That’s not a word!”
“Of course it’s a word! I just said it!”
“You made it up!”
“Yeah? Well where do words come from hm? Someone had to make them up and now I did so shut it Senny! I am being serious though.” He turned back to the Marine Four. “If you want to rejoin the Marines, serve under me… then just say the word and I’ll see it done.”
“What about our bounties and reputation as pirates?” the redhead asked.
“Screw that!” the blonde spat. “I am not leaving Captain’s side, not even for this asshat of a geezer!”
“Aji!” the brunette squeaked again. “He’ll kill you if you keep insulting him!” Garp only laughed loudly.
“I like that one,” he said and nodded at the blonde, Aji or whatever his name was. “He’s got a mouth on him. We’ll be here for a few days, think about my offer. I even have a perfect excuse we can use.”
“Oh this I must hear,” Aji spat. “What sort of crapshit excuse have you figured out?”
“Well, Mr. Potty-Mouth it is quite simple really. You four have been working for me for a long time. I sent you to that island as fake recruits to root out the corruption. While there you caught the attention of Trafalgar Law, an up-and-coming pirate rookie. Since the Fleet Admiral was worried about what that young man could become we decided to give him four moles. You four would join up with him and then try to take him down from the inside. He caught you though which is why you got that scar on your face.” Aji gritted his teeth. “How about that?”
“I-it’s a good story, Garp-san,” the black haired one said.
“If you want it, it’s yours,” Garp laughed. “Think about my offer.”
“No thanks assclown!” Aji spat.
“Aji!” the other three scolded.
“I am not betraying the captain!” Aji rounded on the other three, giving them a menacing glare. Then he turned back to Garp. “You can go screw yourself old man! I’ve found a higher calling!”
“What about your friends?” Garp asked.
“If they want to go, I won’t stop them, but I won’t join them.” He grabbed his polearm and rammed the blunt edge into the ground. “I’m a Heart Pirate! I serve under our captain, Trafalgar Law! Where he goes, I go! Come hell or high water! I don’t give a crap for your Marine life anymore! You can shove it where the sun doesn’t shine!” Garp laughed once more. Aji growled and turned on his heel, stalking off. A little guy with a mask and a large man with a black hat and a goatee followed him. Probably to try and calm him down. Garp chuckled and then noticed the black-haired man approach.
“Is it true you used to fight Gold Roger?” he asked and Garp chuckled and nodded. “Do you have many stories?”
“Lots,” Garp said and noticed quite a few of the Hearts looking at him curiously. “Do you want to hear some?”
“Yes!” many voices shouted and Garp laughed again. Sengoku chuckled and threw a quick glance in the direction Tsuru and Law had vanished in. He hoped Tsuru could help Law a little. Sometimes it helped talking to people that you are not too close with… especially about things like the war.
Law broke the stick he was holding in two and sighed. He had grabbed the stick to fiddle with as he talked… to hide how much his hands trembled. He sighed again.
“At the time… I didn’t even think about the massacre,” he said in a somewhat small voice. “That came afterwards. When I was back with the crew. That’s when the gunshots in my nightmares brought me back to Flevance. Every bullet that missed me at Marineford got replaced by the bullets that missed me back in Flevance. The fires and flames around me during the war morphed into those at Flevance, the bodies on the ground of fallen Marines and Whitebeards and allies with no connection to me morphed into faces I knew from my childhood. During the battle… battles, I wasn’t afraid. Well, I wasn’t afraid of dying. I was fearing for my crew, my friends and family.”
“Whitebeard captured them?” Tsuru asked and wrote in the notebook she used for Law.
“No,” Law replied with a sad chuckle. “I went and joined the battle willingly. The Marines… had Marcodad.”
“You feared losing your dad?”
“No… my Marcodad. Dad is Dad.”
“You need to explain that to me a little more. I know you call the Phoenix your Marcodad. What is the relationship between the two of you?”
“It started as an inside joke, Tsuru-san. But I realized… well… Marco is my Marcodad. He is just as protective of me as my real dads are.” Law smiled. “I love my dads… and I love my stepdads too.” He looked at Tsuru. “My dads didn’t really appreciate the joke you three and Icedad are playing on the world. Hawkdad and Crocodad won’t mind, at least I think so. But… Baka Dad and Papa really mind. I know you guys did it to keep me somewhat safer, Tsuru-san… but it complicates some things.”
“I understand. We will come back to that later, Law. I want you to return to your nightmares. I know it is not easy to talk about, but you need to talk about it with someone that isn’t your family.”
“I know,” Law replied and broke the twig in half again. He sighed once more. “Like I told you, I wasn’t scared during the battle itself… or afterwards. I had too much to do. It wasn’t until later, when I met my dads again that all the fears washed over me. I could have died. I should have died a couple of times, but people kept rescuing me… and I found myself wondering if I was really worth it… was I worth rescuing?”
“Who rescued you?”
“Marcodad, Hawkdad, Crocodad, Thatch-ya, Vista-ya, Izou-ya, Oyaji, that woman in the mask… Doflamingo.”
“Doflamingo rescued you?”
“Yes, Trebol and Diamante were about to kill me. He stopped them and rescued me. First, I thought he had some scheme planned. Now I’m not so sure.” Law lifted his head and looked out at the sea. He and Tsuru sat on a rock each, at the top of a small hill. From here Law could see his camp, and his crew. Which was more important to him than being able to see the camp itself. Tsuru looked at him.
“What do you think he wanted then, Law?” she asked gently.
“I think he wanted to save me… because he cares,” Law whispered and turned to her. “He wanted me to leave Marineford, not to help the Marines or World Government… or to make it more difficult for the Whitebeards. I think he truly wanted me out of there to make sure I didn’t get injured… or killed. He kept saying I was part of his family. Not the Family, his family.” Law ran a hand through his hair… huh it was getting long. He’d have to ask Shachi to trim it again.
“What makes you so sure he wasn’t just acting?” Tsuru asked. “Trying to lure you in to be able to kill you and Cora.”
“The way he spoke to me, looked at me… touched me. His touches showed real concern. He… I… I am so confused about that. I have this picture of him in my head as this… this demonic monster that only wants to kill me and my family.”
~*~
“Dad?” Doflamingo asked and then laughed. “Aw how sweet. Little Law has found a family. It will be my pleasure to rob you of another one! I wonder if your little heart can take another massacre. Perhaps I shall burn the entire ship down after I destroy your captain. Make you watch as I slaughter every single one of them. That does sound fun, doesn’t it? Now little Law prepare to watch me ki-” He got no further because a sword was suddenly right in his line of vision. He lifted his hand and managed to block it in the nick of time. Shanks was glaring at him.
“He even told me he would take pleasure in taking my second family from me…” Law whispered. “But… when we met at Dressrosa, something had changed.”
“What the hell?” Doflamingo asked and spun around, his gaze landed on Law. His tense shoulders relaxed. “Law…”
“S-stay away”, Law raised the scalpel, his arm was trembling. “Don’t hurt these people! Y-you’ve already hurt them enough!”
“They attacked me first. I wasn’t even going to lay a finger on them… but then you chose to run from me.”
“I will always run from you!” Law shouted fearfully. “Y-you’re a monster and I won’t let you chain me!”
“Chain you?”
“You wanted Dad to eat the Ope Ope no Mi so you could become immortal! When he gave it to me that’s what you wanted from me too! Y-you said you wanted both of us dead! You tried to kill my dads and hurt my nakama! You infected me with Devil’s Flu so I nearly died!”
“W-what?” Doflamingo looked shocked at the last thing Law said. “No… no the strings were coated in a poison that would kill the little shit that got Vergo taken away from me…”
“It wasn’t poison! It was a parasite that infected him and then spread the disease to me and Cora! It would have killed us! You knew! You said it yourself! One day you would come back and kill us yourself!”
“Parasite?”
“Devil’s Flu! It affects Devil Fruit users and kills them! You nearly killed my friend, my dads, my nakama and me! I will never forgive you for that!”
“I… I admit I tried to kill your dad… dads. Rosi and Akagami stole you from me. Akagami stole Corazon from me.” Doflamingo balled his hands into tight fists. “I will not let him get away with that!” His anger shook the entire building and Law pressed back tightly against the chimney. “I will have my family back!”
“You have no right to call Dad your brother anymore!” Law shouted. “Not after everything you have done!”
“Shut up”, Doflamingo growled.
“No! You tried to kill him more than once! You tried to use my nakama to get what you wanted! You want my Baka Dad dead, and you want to destroy my family!”
“I said shut up!”
“No! I hate you! You are nothing more than a monster!”
“SHUT UP!” Doflamingo swung his hand, unleashing strings. Then his eyes widened in fear when he realized they were going to cut Law’s head off. “NO!” He pulled on the strings to make them move, but they did not change course.
~*~
“Something in his voice…” Law continued. “He truly had no idea what I was talking about. He wasn’t lying when he denied any knowledge of that parasite. Later… when he asked me to come with him… he was begging me to do it. To come with him. Then at Marineford he was truly angry when Trebol and Diamante tried to kill me. He said some things that got me thinking… something about Diamante and Trebol trying to murder Pink’s family, Baby 5, Gladius and Dellinger… I know Baka Dad crippled Gladius during a fight… and according to Doflamingo Trebol and Diamante tried to kill him… well at least Trebol did. Doflamingo also said that Trebol knew where the Ope Ope no Mi was long before Diez Barrel found it… but he refused to tell anyone because if he did, I would survive and become Doflamingo’s right-hand man… it sounded on Doflamingo as if that was not something Trebol ever wanted to happen. It sounded as if everything that kept happening to people that got close to Doflamingo was because of Diamante and Trebol’s machinations.”
“And you are starting to doubt whether Doflamingo is truly evil or has just been used his entire life by Trebol and Diamante,” Tsuru concluded.
“I remember thinking it was odd that Trebol was always right there voicing his opinion so much, forcing it onto Doffy almost. I remember him telling Doffy to give up on me and Baby 5 after we got defeated by a pirate captain that Doffy saved us from… I’m… I’m confused.” He ran a hand through his hair. “So many things happened during the war… I lost my… bonus grandparent if you like… I nearly lost my friends and my stepdad. I nearly lost my life… And yet… my mind keeps spiraling back to Doflamingo of all people.”
“But not only him, am I right?”
“Y-yes, Tsuru-san,” Law replied and looked at the ground. “I think… I think I am being used and I don’t like it.”
“Used? By whom?”
“I don’t know…” Law gripped the small part of the twig in his hand as tightly as he could. “And that vexes me. First, I end up in a battle with Doggy-ya and the so-called Chi no Hebi appears and… and… helps me. In a way I am now indebted to him. Then a woman…”
“A woman?” Tsuru asked.
“Yes… dressed in a similar manor to him appeared at Marineford and saved me from Doggy-ya, Mustache-ya and Spots-ya…” Law’s hand trembled. “They said the same things to me.”
“What did they say?” Tsuru asked.
“They told me to grow and serve destiny… and that the Mark of Rebellion is watching.”
“The Mark of Rebellion?”
“Do you know what it is?”
“No. I have heard rumors. As far as I know they want revenge on their former masters.”
“Slaves?”
“Yes. Why?”
“No reason…” Law looked back at his crew. “I just don’t understand what they want. Why are they after me? What sort of destiny is it they want me to serve? I thought my destiny was to help Luffy-ya become King of the Pirates… what do they want me to do?” Law’s hands trembled. “Why can’t I just be allowed to be happy with my crew and sail around fulfilling our goals and dreams without some other shady people interfering? Why me and not somebody else? What makes me so special?” He looked back at Tsuru. “Why me? I wish… I wish my crew and I didn’t have to live through times like this.”
“So do I,” said Tsuru, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us. You wish to sail the seas with your crew and fulfill your goals and dreams? Well, what is stopping you?”
“My own fears… my doubts… What if I am not fit to lead? What if I lead my crew to their doom in the New World?” He met her gaze. “What if I’m not strong enough?”
“Law, sweetheart,” Tsuru said and put her notebook down and got up. She walked over to him and took his hands. “With the strength you have in you, I doubt any of that would happen. And I do not speak of your Haki, your skills or your Devil Fruit. What makes someone truly powerful is the power of their mind,” she gently poked his forehead. “And their heart.” She placed one of her hands on his chest. “It is normal to feel such fears, to think such things. But you need to remember something very important. You are not alone. You have your crew, and you don’t have to protect them all on your own. I know you will do your very best to fulfill all the dreams of you and your crew.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I know a boy from an island. He stands apart from the crowd. He loves the sea and his crew.” She smiled. “He makes his whole family proud.” She got up and looked out at the sea. Law joined her.
“Sometimes the world seems against you, Law,” she continued. “The journey may leave a scar.” Law put a hand to his eye. “But scars can heal and reveal just where you are.” She smiled and pointed down at the camp with her hand. “The people you love will change you. The things you have learned will guide you, and nothing on Earth can silence the quiet voice still inside you.” She placed her hand on his arm, gently. “And when that voice starts to whisper ‘Law, you"ve come so far’. Law listen… do you know who you are?”
“Who am I?” Law asked. “I am a boy from a destroyed kingdom… I am the last survivor. I am the son of Cora the Marine Traitor, Akagami no Shanks and Benn Beckman. I am the stepson of Kuzan, Dracule Mihawk, Sir Crocodile and Marco the Phoenix. I was the junior doctor of the Red Hair Pirates. I am the captain of my own crew. I am the friend to many more. I am the wielder of the Ope Ope no Mi. I am the Surgeon of Death. I am everything I"ve learned and more… I am Law.”
“And do you know something?” Tsuru smiled at him. “That is just enough. You don’t need to be like your dads, stepdads, friends, family, enemies or loved ones. All you need to be is yourself. You are afraid to enter the New World because you do not trust your crew the same way your father does? Akagami is older than you. He has seen more. I am pretty sure he gets scared too… because he is not his father, he is not Roger. Everyone standing on the edge the same way you do now, Law, has had the same doubts. Every single captain entering the New World holds the fear of not being enough for their crew. But… you cannot let that fear cloud your judgement or make it doubt yourself and your crew. Your crew is strong. Not because of their skills, talents, Haki or physical strengths. They are strong because of the bonds they have formed between themselves and you. A crew that loves their captain as much as yours do, with a captain that loves them just as much in return… there is nothing that can go against them. You said you are going to make way for the King of the Pirates?”
“Yes.”
“You are aware Mugiwara no Luffy and his crew vanished?” Tsuru asked and Law chuckled. He had seen the picture in the newspaper and had figured out what it meant. Two years. He would have to wait two more years.
“Yes,” Law said and chuckled. “But they will return. I know they will. I am patient… but you are right. We are soon ready to step out into the New World. To make way for the Pirate King I need to find a way past the biggest threats out there… the Yonko. Three still remain, unless someone else takes Oyaji’s place. Baka Dad will duel Luffy, I am sure of it… the other two will not bow down or move out of the way. I will have to help Luffy move them.”
“And how do you intend to do that?”
“By crippling their resources,” Law smirked. “Kaido wants Devil Fruits that turn his crew into Zoans… I have heard rumors about him working with some genius to create a substance that can make artificial Devil Fruits. Those Fruits get traded to Kaido by an underground broker called Joker.”
“Joker? Isn’t that-”
“Yes… If I can find a way to stop that trade and take out Joker at the same time… Kaido will lose his supply of Devil Fruits. He will get angry and hopefully leave his hiding place. Since Wano is closed to the outside world, he is safe in that little haven of his. I need to drag him out… and I can only do that by removing one cog in the machinery… and that is the scientist they need for the substance. If I can get to him… I will get to Kaido.”
“Be careful, Law,” Tsuru said. “Don’t rush in.”
“I am not. I have some things to finish here first.” He looked down at the camp again where his crew were scrambling to get away from Garp. He sighed and Tsuru chuckled. Some things never changed… and Monkey D. Garp was one of those things. Law looked out at the sea once more.
“Luffy…” he whispered. “When you get back… the New World will be ready for you.” He smirked. “Just wait and see… I’ll fulfill all our dreams and goals. Just you wait.”
Unbeknownst to Law three people were watching him and Tsuru from a hill behind them. It was two men and a woman. All three were dressed in black but wore a mask each. The man in the middle wore a red mask. A cold, thick, black mist curled around his feet. To his right was a tall man with a green mask and a scarf covering his mouth. The woman on the left had her arm hooked to the man in the middle’s. She wore a purple mask and looked at the people below with a little smile. She was humming as she watched and her song was caught by the winds and carried across the waves… all the way to a ship sailing the waters of the New World. In the infirmary of said ship a young man dressed in black, with black hair, amber eyes and a dragon tattoo on his face looked up. His gaze landed on his reflection in the window. He sighed.
“I only want to say...” he began and then sighed. “If there is a way… Take this cup away from me for I don"t want to taste its poison. I don’t want to feel it burn me. I have changed! I"m not as sure, as when we started. Then, I was inspired. Now, I"m sad and tired. Listen, surely I"ve exceeded expectations! Tried for twenty years, seems like two hundred… Could you ask as much from any other man?” He balled his hands into fists. “But if I "die" see the saga through and do the things you ask of me. Let them hate me, hit me, hurt me, nail me to their tree. I"d want to know, father… I"d want to know, mother… Want to see, I"d want to see, uncle… Why I should die, would I be more noticed than I ever was before? Would the things I’ve said and done matter anymore?”
He walked across the room and picked up the black notebook. He gripped it tightly.
“I"d have to know, father,” he said. “If I ‘die’ what will be my reward? Can you show me now that I would not be ‘killed’ in vain? Show me just a little of your so-called omnipresent brain! Show me there"s a reason for your wanting me to ‘die’! You"re far too keen on when and where and how, but not so hot on why!” He opened the notebook and started reading through it again. He sighed and closed it, dropping it onto the desk. He walked to one of the beds and sat down. He ran a hand over his face.
“Alright, I"ll do it,” he whispered. “Just watch me do it… Because… Then I was inspired but now, I"m sad and tired. After all, I"ve tried for more than ten years,” he scoffed. “Seems like ninety. Why then am I scared to finish what I started?” He sighed. “What you started, I didn"t start it! Father, thy will is hard, but you hold every card! I will drink your cup of poison! Be your knife in the dark and do it! Bleed them, beat them! Kill them! I’ll do it, now! Before I change my mind!” He looked out the window again. “Before you change your mind…”