Chapter Text
"The good lawyer is not the man who has an eye to every side and angle of contingency, and qualifies all his qualifications, but who throws himself on your part so heartily, that he can get you out of a scrape."
– Ralph Waldo Emerson
The day Ace lost everything started unassuming enough. School was boring, as usual, and the walk home was just as uneventful. The only thing he really had to look forward to was the bright grin his baby brother gave him each time he returned home.
'I wonder if Luffy will be up to going to the park?' The ten-year old thought, picturing the wooded play area in his mind. The sun wouldn't go down for a while so Gramps probably wouldn't mind.
Monkey D. Garp was Luffy's biological grandfather and Ace's legal guardian. The old man adopted him after his father, an infamous criminal named Roger, died. Ace didn't really know the details, but apparently Garp used to chase his Dad during his time in the military and they ended up sort of becoming…acquaintances? Friends?
He wasn't really sure how to define their relationship but at least it kept him out of foster care.
If Ace was to describe their Gramps in a word, it would be crazy. The old man was obsessed with training them and had a lot of weird hobbies. When he wasn't trying to teach Luffy (who was seven) how to disarm a man, Garp would lock himself up in his study and go over all sorts of old books.
Ace and Luffy managed to sneak in there once but couldn't make heads or tails of the weird language the texts were written in. They just figured it was Gramps being weird again.
Lately, Garp hadn't been quite as…loud, as he usually was. Ace often caught him giving Luffy weird looks and he'd started making the rambunctious child stay home a lot more than he was supposed to. Ace, wanting to be positive, told a concerned Luffy that Gramps was probably just worried about him but he honestly had no clue what to think about the strange behavior.
Maybe he was just sick or something.
When Ace turned down their street, a chill went up his spine, making him come to a swift halt. He looked around instinctively, unsure what caused him to have such a bad feeling. Suddenly nervous, he hurried down the sidewalk, seeing shadows out of the corner of his eye as he went. It was a strange phenomenon that Garp said was normal…where people thought they saw something in their peripheral vision, but nothing was there.
To Ace, they'd never seemed so real.
By the time he reached their little, red-brick house, Ace was gasping for air. He barely managed to open the door on his first try and slammed it shut behind him. Taking a few moments to catch his breath, the boy shivered again. The cold was even worse inside…what was going on?
"Gramps…? Luffy?" He called, dropping his backpack and padding carefully towards the living room. His stomach dropped when his smiling little brother didn't come to greet him and the drapes were pulled, something Garp never let happen.
Now very scared and worried for his family, Ace went from room to room, checking for signs of Luffy and Gramps…but they were all empty. After a few minutes of blind searching, he stopped in front of the only place left: the basement. They hardly ever went down there, and Ace couldn't think of a reason why they would, but he refused to leave any place unchecked.
He tried the door, only to find it was locked. Frowning, Ace pushed his ear against it and gasped when sounds came through the wood. They were down there! The voices were all weird and garbled and the longer he stood there, the colder he became. Though he was tempted to just leave them be, something curled in his gut at the thought of leaving.
If Luffy was down there, then he wanted to be there to.
With a swift kick, Ace tested the durability of the door. When it cracked under his strength, he knew he had a chance. Seven attacks later, it was splintered enough to allow his small form through, and he was immediately hit in the face with a sense of wrongness.
Swallowing hard, Ace took in the eerie purple light coming from the bottom of the stairs.
'What the hell is going on?'
Curiosity getting the better of his fear, Ace walked down the stairs, beads of sweat falling down his spine. When he finally reached the concrete floor and got a full view of what was going on, his heart almost stopped. Luffy, his sweet little brother, was on his knees besides Gramps, looking terrified, as their Grandfather chanted something, making a drawn circle of some kind glow.
Before Ace got a chance to say anything, Garp finished his chant and the circle screamed, consuming the massive pile of papers set in the center. Luffy covered his ears and Ace swiftly followed suit.
"Gramps!" He screamed, finally drawing the man's attention to him.
"Ace!? You shouldn't be here! Go back upstairs, right now!"
"What!? No way!" Ace retorted, taking a step forward, until the air chilled so much it stole his very breath. Gramps whirled around to the circle with a scowl as smoke the color of blood billowed up, revealing the gruesome silhouette of a creature most believed were just myths.
"Fufufu…what's this? A pathetic human who thought he could keep my prize from me."
Ace's knees went limp before the being, its presence literally sucking all the resolve he had away. It appeared male but was much larger than any human. When it smirked, it bared rows of sharp teeth and its wings were just as large as its muscular body. Leathery things, they flapped almost lazily as the creature, a demon, Ace told himself, seemed to balance itself on nothing but its pointed tail.
"You…" Garp snarled, eyes flicking down to the now ruined circle, "You aren't supposed to be here." At his feet, Luffy trembled like a leaf, eyes as big as dinner plates. The demon wagged its finger at him like he was a disobedient child.
"Did you really think I'd sit back and watch while you sold my Twelfth to some no-name fool? I will admit though…I admire your proactivity." Ace jolted when the papers that had vanished in the smoke, reappeared, pages flying as the demon read over it. It was easily as large as a dictionary but the creature went through it like it was nothing but a pamphlet. "This contract is quite extensive. Frankly, I'm surprised you found someone who was interested."
While the demon continued to ramble, Garp's eyes flicked down to Luffy and he made to scoop him up, only to fly into the far wall. Ace's mouth dropped open at the ease of the attack and was too frightened to go check on him.
"None of that now." The creature tutted while looming over a terrified Luffy, "I can't have you taking my precious Innocence away…now can I?"
Ace mouthed his brother's name when the demon snatched him up, Luffy struggling the second it touched him. The monster just cackled, not affected at all by the tiny boy's wriggling.
"What a beautiful soul…" The monster whispered darkly, catching Luffy's chin in his clawed hands, "…and it's all mine." The tiny boy cried and met Ace's gaze just as his captor reached inside his chest. Luffy's eyes widened and went dim as a brilliant, light blue thing was removed. The demon held it like it was the most precious thing in the world.
However, before it could be completely separated from Luffy, runes like the ones on the pages of the book appeared in the air, prompting the monster to push the orb back into the child's chest. Ace's heart started beating again when Luffy gasped, life returning to him.
"Oh don't worry, I wasn't going to kill him." The demon said to no one in particular, "I just wanted a peek at what's mine."
Ace took a step forward when the monster turned around and stalked towards a dark portal that appeared out of nowhere at the snap of his fingers. In his arms, Luffy squirmed and fought as much as he could, but it was clear he couldn't escape.
"L-Lu…Luffy…" He managed, voice breaking, "LUFFY!"
"Ace, help me!" The boy cried, reaching for him with those tiny hands of his, "Please, I-I-"
He rushed forward, reaching for his little brother, even as the demon began to enter the darkness, glancing over his shoulder only briefly to smirk down at him.
As if to gloat.
When Ace was inches away from Luffy's fingers, they vanished, swallowed up by the void.
That day, he knew true despair.
The hours after Luffy's abduction were a bit of a blur for Ace. He remembered calling the police (because he wasn't sure what else to do) and trying to rouse his Grandfather. The old man did wake up when officers arrived, but it was like he couldn't speak. Garp was swiftly carted off to the hospital while Ace was questioned by person after person. Even though he told them exactly what happened, no one seemed to believe his story and chalked it up to 'trauma'.
The official story that was released to the media involved a home invasion gone wrong that ended in the very tragic kidnapping of a promising young boy. Ace received sympathy cards from his classmates at school and lots of unwanted counseling regarding the event…but that wasn't the worst of it.
A few weeks after the incident, Garp finally started talking again but the doctors said it was just gibberish. Ace had to beg the social worker assigned to him to drive them to hospital, but the woman eventually agreed. While she stood outside the room, the ten-year old listened to his Grandfather ramble softly to himself while staring off into the distance like a man haunted by something.
"I-It was perfect…I wrote it right, so why did everything fail?"
Ace bit his bottom lip as he continued to listen.
"I did it to protect him! Oh no, oh no…Luffy."
"What the hell did you do, Gramps?" Ace asked quietly, getting no response from the old man. Through his loose interpretation of his muttering, he deduced that Garp had been dabbling in something dangerous and Luffy had been caught up in it.
He didn't protest when Gramps was institutionalized. The doctors sat him down and explained that they believed Garp had a mental breakdown and needed help, but all Ace could think about was Luffy's terrified face.
"Good." He remembered snarling to the doctors, "I don't ever want to see that bastard again."
From that day on, Ace was moved from home to home. He was labeled a 'delinquent' and most foster families gave him back a few months in because of his uncontrollable behavior. For his part, Ace was just lost. Luffy, his sunshine, had been literally stolen and now he wasn't sure what to do with himself.
He just felt so…useless.
In high-school, Ace started moving from delinquent to criminal and was arrested on multiple occasions. They were mostly minor crimes that resulted from his desire to release his frustration, such as vandalizing the school, or getting into scuffles, but one day he set a teacher's car on fire and that was the last straw.
Ace growled at pretty much anyone who tried to speak to him and made sure they knew that he wasn't repentant. That bastard told him that he was lucky he didn't have any siblings because there was no way they'd love a trouble-maker like him. Spandam had always been a jerk, but that was crossing the line.
The officer who arrested him, a middle-aged man named Smoker (weird name, but whatever) was actually instrumental in Ace turning his life around. The man didn't make fun of him, call him names, or even offer him sympathy. He told him how it was and visited him often during his stint in the juvenile detention center.
"Don't throw your life away, Ace. This isn't what your brother would've wanted for you."
It was during those two years that he finally came to terms with the fact that Luffy was gone, likely dead…and that he needed to move on. No matter what he did, the boy wasn't going to come back, so he needed to start living in a way that would've made his little brother happy.
Now, that didn't mean he gave up looking into what happened. Any chance he got, Ace checked out books on the supernatural from the library. Just because his psychiatrist said that he'd had a 'trauma induced hallucination' that night didn't mean that's what happened.
He knew what he saw and refused to believe it wasn't real.
"Um…I'll have the special. No wait, is the whole wheat bread used for the melt gluten free?"
"No, Sir, there is definitely gluten in the bread." Ace replied, resisting the urge to roll his eyes, "Our gluten free options are located on the back of the menu."
"Oh okay…"
Portgas D. Ace, now twenty-one years old, tapped his pen against his notebook. As grateful as he was to Rayleigh and Shakky for giving him a job at their restaurant, being a waiter was often exhausting. People could be mean but in a profession where most of his money came from tips, Ace couldn't afford to be rude.
When the customer finally decided what he wanted, Ace returned to the kitchen to deliver their order. He huffed when the heat hit him in the face and pushed a stray hair behind his ear. He'd learned early on that putting his shoulder-hair length up into a low ponytail was the best way to keep cool during his shift, especially since their uniform was all black.
"Working hard, honey?" Shakky asked as she made her rounds through the kitchen, keeping an eye on the chefs, "Sorry, I know it must be rough to be built like a furnace." Ace chuckled.
"It's not so bad during the winter."
"Well, don't be afraid to turn the AC down. Business is good right now so there's no need to skimp." Ace nodded, grateful to have such an understanding boss.
Rayleigh and Shakky were apparently old friends of his Dad but had long since gone legit. No more illegal activity for them. Instead, they opened Rip-Off Bar and Grill and had hired Ace on the second they heard he was looking for a job. It wasn't exactly the easiest job in the world, but it made sure he could afford his own (albeit tiny) apartment in town and could pay his bills.
What really helped was putting in the effort to become a certified mixologist so he could work the bar as well as the floor.
Once his shift was over, Ace said goodbye to his co-workers and headed out, newest book clutched under his arm. It was called Supernatural Occurrences throughout History: An Anthology, and he couldn't wait to get into it. Unfortunately, most of the books he found weren't particularly reputable…but he had high hopes for this one.
When he was about halfway home, Ace decided eh, what the heck, and opened it up. He didn't usually read while he walked, but there weren't many people around at the moment.
"There have been many instances throughout history where people have reported being caught up in supernatural occurrences. Though most call them liars, we would be amiss to disregard such testimonies. Even in ancient times, people have vanished due to 'unknown circumstances' that, looking back, were clearly related to irresponsible dabbling in the supernatural. In this book, we shall look at distinct historical events that-"
Ace was startled away from the pages when he ran into someone, causing the person to drop their satchel.
"Oh, I'm so sorry! Are you all right?" He said, helping the man collect his things. Ace recoiled slightly when the man straightened up abruptly and stared at him with bloodshot eyes. He looked like he hadn't gotten much sleep and was extremely pale. "Uh…Sir?"
The guy just mumbled something to himself, held his satchel tight against his chest, and rushed into a nearby alleyway. Ace watched him go, blinking in confusion. What was his problem? Just before he continued along the sidewalk, a flash of blue caught his eye. He squinted and peered into the alleyway, unsure what it could be. Curiosity hit him like a truck and he immediately felt the need to check it out.
Glancing down at his book, Ace swiftly closed it and made his way into the alleyway. It was surprisingly free of trash and, strangely enough, the man he'd run into was still there, fidgeting in front of an empty wall. The blue light he saw was coming from a neon sign hanging on the brick that read Whitebeard Consultants.
'Some sort of…law firm?' Ace thought, unsure why someone had decided to put it up so far from…well, anything really. There was no business or door in sight. Just as he thought that the pale man exhaled sharply and just walked through the wall, disappearing seconds later.
Ace's jaw dropped.
What. The. Hell.
He stood up and held his book tightly, unsure what to do. Was this some sort of-of magic or…was it supernatural? Swallowing hard, Ace snuck up to the sign and eyed it cautiously. No matter how he looked at it, it didn't fade away or disappear…it looked real. Mustering up his courage, Ace reached up and tapped it, causing the metal sign to sway.
"It's a pretty nice sign, huh?" Someone said, almost making Ace jump out of his skin. He whirled around to see a tall man in a suit. He had brown hair that was styled in a rather old-fashioned pompadour that matched his cheeky grin. In his right hand was a hefty briefcase that looked like it could hold a lot of files. "Helps people find us."
"U-Uh…right." Ace replied, glancing to the sign again to make sure it was still there, "Do you, er, work here?"
"Sure do!" The guy exclaimed, whipping out a business card and tossing it to Ace (who barely managed to catch it), "Name's Thatch Newgate, it's nice to meet ya kid."
Ace looked over the business card in his hand. It looked fairly normal…had the guy's name on it and the name of their firm. What really caught his eye was the company slogan: We sue demons!
"Uh-"
"Listen, why don't you come inside and we'll get you all fixed up!" Thatch said, suddenly throwing an arm around Ace's shoulders and moving him towards the brick wall, "You probably have an appointment, right?"
"No, I-"
"Well, that's okay! I'm not busy right now so I'll take your case pro bono!" Ace dug his heels into the ground while Thatch continued to talk, "Ha, take that Marco…I'm totally going to beat you this month."
Before he could properly resist, the strange man pushed him at the wall. Ace braced himself but, just like the other guy, he went right through it. He blinked and ran his hands over himself to make sure he was still there and unharmed. Sighing when nothing seemed out of place, Ace looked up and took in his new surroundings.
It…looked like a law firm. The company name hung proudly on the wall and there were clearly offices through the glass doors on their right. A few people sat in the waiting room and two receptionists manned the front desk. Ace glanced to his left, noting a large picture of an old man who he assumed was probably their founder or something.
"Right this way!" Thatch chirped, ushering him through the glass doors with a nod to the receptionist. Ace, still in shock, eventually found himself sitting in a decently sized office across from possibly the strangest lawyer in existence.
He held his book tighter against his chest, like it could somehow keep him grounded.
"So, what's the case? Imp cheat you out of your inheritance? Lose your soul?" Ace shook his head silently. He had no idea how to respond to those questions. "Cursed? Grandma's old jewelry possessed? Cause we can totally sue for that."
Ace just stared at the lawyer like he'd lost his mind.
"I've got no idea what you're talking about, Mister." Thatch blinked back at him.
"You…don't? Then why'd you come to us?"
"I-I saw the sign and got curious…I guess." He replied, prompting the lawyer to hum.
"Huh. Hang tight for a second, 'kay? I'll be right back." With that, Thatch got up and left the office, leaving him alone. Ace shifted around in his chair, unsure if he should be trying to escape or not.
Thankfully, he didn't have to wait too long. Thatch returned with a blonde man who wore a long-sleeve button-up shirt and a tie with the sleeves rolled up. He looked rather exacerbated while Thatch had a sheepish grin on his face.
"We've talked about this, yoi. You can't just let everyone who wanders into the alley in."
"I know, but he could see the sign so I thought…you know."
Ace turned around in his chair to greet the newcomer, albeit cautiously.
"Hello there, my name is Marco Newgate. I'm one of the partners here, yoi." The blonde said, shaking Ace's hand, "Thatch says that you don't have a case for us?"
"I don't know what the hell is going on." He admitted, prompting Marco to glare at Thatch.
"I-I…he could see the sign!"
"That's not an excuse, yoi. I'm so sorry…what was your name?"
"Portgas D. Ace." He answered, relaxing slightly. The blonde seemed a little less scatter brained than Thatch.
"Ace, yoi. Please accept my heartfelt apologies for my brother. He can be…impulsive sometimes. Let me show you to the door."
Surprising himself, Ace remained seated, his thoughts running a mile a minute. Whatever operation they had going on right now was clearly different…and he found himself getting curious.
"Um…what is it that you guys do, exactly?" The lawyers glanced to each other before Thatch answered.
"A little bit of everything really, mostly personal cases-"
"No, no, I mean…do you guys deal with the supernatural?" Ace asked, swallowing nervously. He wasn't sure what made him ask the question, but finally seeing something so obviously magical and unreal made hope bubble up in his chest. Maybe these people could help him. "Because if you do, I may have a case for you after all."
Marco examined the young man before them. He looked to be in his early twenties, had black hair, and freckles on his nose. What really caught his eye was the deep sorrow that appeared on his face when he asked them if they dealt with the supernatural. It was clear that he'd seen something or had some connection to the other world, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to see the sign.
"Sounds like you have a story for us…but before that, I think it's prudent that we explain who we are and exactly what we do, yoi. As I'm sure you've noticed, we don't deal with average cases." Thatch made to protest when Marco took a seat in his chair but settled for grumbling about how he kept 'stealing his office'. "We are a specialized law firm that deals with matters of the Underworld. As Thatch mentioned, this includes any creatures that live there, spells gone wrong, possessed objects, curses, and other related subjects."
"Underworld?" Ace echoed, eyes big, "So…so it's all real?"
"Yes, and as I'm sure you know…when humans get involved with magical or occult beings, bad things tend to happen, yoi. Our job is to rectify problems that arise from unsupervised or irresponsible dealings with creatures of that realm." Ace surprised him by standing up, pupils dilated.
"What about demons!?"
"…yes, they fall in our jurisdiction."
"C-Could you bring someone back from this-this Underworld."
"Depends on the circumstances." Thatch put in, earning Ace's attention, "Why don't you sit down and tell us what happened."
The young man pressed his lips together and lowered himself back into the chair, hugging the book in his arms.
"I-It happened eleven years ago…I walked in on what I can only describe as a demon summoning probably orchestrated by my Grandfather, but I don't really know for sure." Marco nodded, pulled out his glasses, and jotted some notes down. "But, I think something went wrong, and a monster appeared…well, I guess he was a demon, just not the one Gramps wanted. It…"
Marco looked up when Ace sniffled, eyes moistening with emotion.
"…it took my little brother. He was only seven-years old." Thatch gave him a surprised look and placed a soothing hand on their new customer's shoulder. Marco, meanwhile, circled the number seven in notes. It was extremely unusual for demons of any kind to target children as their souls were generally not well-developed. Sometimes, they would scare them to entertain themselves, but they were usually left alone.
How odd…
"And your brother's body, what is its condition?" Marco questioned, making Ace look up in confusion.
"H-His body?"
"Yes, if the demon took your brother's soul, that means his body was left behind." Most humans who were victims of the Underworld were left as husks of themselves, barely able to communicate, though it depended on what kind of contract was involved.
"No, no, you don't understand." Ace quickly corrected, "It took all of him, there's nothing left."
Marco almost dropped his pen at that. Most incidents they dealt with involved a dumb person who desired power (or something similar) getting their hands on what was called forbidden magic. They'd draw a circle, summon a demon, and make a contract that usually called for their soul in exchange for whatever they desired. On average, about two and a half weeks into the 'exchange period', they'd come crying to Marco that (surprise, surprise) it hadn't gone according to plan.
Demons were notoriously good at finding loopholes in contracts and could cheat humans out of everything they owned.
It was very rare to hear about a demon taking someone's body as well as their soul…almost unheard of, actually. They had no use for a human's physical body and it was a pain (or so he'd heard) to keep it alive in the Underworld. All demons wanted was the soul, their main source of nutrients and power.
"I need you to tell me any other details you remember." Marco insisted, making Ace nod jerkily, "Anything, no matter how small."
"Um…the demon was big, tall…had wings."
"Were they wearing any identifiable clothing?" Thatch asked, trying to help the young man be more specific with his descriptions.
"Yeah, glasses with red lenses and a big, pink coat."
'Extravagant…probably ranked fairly high.' Marco thought as he wrote down the details.
"Oh…and it said something…weird." Ace continued, the young man frowning as he tried to remember the event, "Something about not wanting Gramps to 'take its innocence away'?"
He frowned at that. Of all the things for a demon to say…that was odd.
"That's all good, very good, yoi. Now, Ace…are you busy for the remainder of the day?" The raven-haired man shook his head. "Great. We have some documents for you to sign so we can officially open this case."
Ace seemed…almost shocked.
"Y-You're going to help me?"
Marco could see the unsaid question.
You believe me?
"Definitely, yoi. We'll do everything in our power to help you get your little brother back."
Meanwhile…
The Underworld wasn't like what most people thought. It wasn't all fire, brimstone, and moaning of dead people. It was almost like a mirror image of what they called the Overworld. Instead of bright sunshine, they had darkness and this weird purple fog that would come in occasionally.
Well, they did have a moon, but it was red and kind of scary.
It was also very dangerous so most sentient creatures, like demons, lived in fortresses or castles of their own creation where the less savory beasts couldn't reach them. Dressrosa was one such place and was, unfortunately, where Monkey D. Luffy now resided.
He supposed it was 'pretty' for a palace in the Underworld. It had lots of gardens full of weird plants and a river that went straight through it (though it wasn't good for swimming…or escaping, thanks to the carnivorous fish that lived in it. Luffy still had a scar on his ankle after that attempt).
Just down the hill from the main palace was a town where lesser demons lived. From where Luffy sat on the wall, he could just barely see tiny little forms going about their business. With a huff, the eighteen-year old adjusted himself on the head of a stone gargoyle that served as his 'special seat'.
He enjoyed coming up to the wall to be alone and just…look. It reminded him that there was more than just what was in the castle, Doflamingo's domain.
Donquixote Doflamingo, Luffy's self-proclaimed 'Master', ran Dressrosa with an iron fist. Everyone followed his rules without question or they paid the consequences, and that was just for the servants. Luffy, as a human, barely had any rights at all. He, along with eleven others, made up Doflamingo's famous 'collection' of pure souls that gave him so much power and influence.
"Oi." A voice called, making Luffy sigh. Looks like his time was up. "You know you're not supposed to be up there."
"I like it here." He shot back, glaring at Bellamy who was one of Doflamingo's subordinates. The blonde-haired demon made it his personal mission to 'keep him out of trouble' which was a real pain. "Besides, I already finished my work for the day."
"Doesn't matter. The Young Master doesn't want any of you near the wall, so come down before I drag you off myself." Knowing he was serious (and not in the mood for serious rebellion), Luffy climbed down the gargoyle to the flat area of the wall, never once dropping his glare. Standing in front of Bellamy, he was always struck by how big most of the demons were. He barely came up to his chest. "Come on, there's only a few hours before-"
"I know…" Luffy interrupted lowly, allowing the demon to lead him along by his upper arm. He'd once wondered why no one but Doflamingo used the short chain that attached to an elaborate collar around his neck, but now he knew why.
The archdemon was a possessive bastard and didn't want anyone else going near the stone that served as a prison for his soul.
A few servants glanced at them as they walked through the garden, though most didn't even give them the time of day. They were all too busy getting ready for the showcase that evening. Doflamingo held them regularly as a way to bring in new allies, demonstrate his prowess, and show off his collection…which was why Luffy hated them.
"Hoh…did the slave sneak off again, Bellamy?"
Luffy snarled at Diamante, one of Doflamingo's Generals. The demon was ridiculously flamboyant with both his attitude and dress. He also greatly enjoyed messing with the humans they kept, Luffy in particular.
"Yeah, just the usual place. I'm bringing him back to the Sanctum."
"Good, good…have to get him all dressed up for the event." Diamante said with a dark smirk that made Luffy's blood boil. He knew how much all of them hated it. "You're lucky your contract is so rigorous, brat, or Doffy would've put you in your place long ago."
Diamante was referring to the massive document his Grandfather had written before attempting to sell him off to some other demon. Luffy wasn't entirely sure what happened there, but Doflamingo intervened and abducted him, ruining whatever Garp had planned. He'd long debated if that was a good or bad thing…but the contract did help ensure that Luffy was treated decently.
Not all of the human slaves had that luxury.
"Go die in a hole!" Luffy hissed, pulling against Bellamy's grip. Diamante's smirk just widened and he reached over to pat his cheek.
"That just earned you some quality time with Doffy after the event. I'll make sure he knows just how rude and rebellious you've been today." A shiver of fear went down Luffy's spine but he quickly forced it down. His contract strictly prohibited any form of 'corporal punishment' so Doflamingo had to get…creative.
But it wasn't anything he hadn't had before. He could handle it.
Besides, it was worth letting Diamante know what he thought of him.
Luffy nearly tripped over his feet when Bellamy roughly pulled him through the remainder of the garden and stopped at a thick, locked door located off the main promenade. The blonde demon opened it with one of the keys on his belt and drug Luffy inside. After traversing a spiral staircase, a long tunnel, and moving beyond a large door that looked like the entrance to a vault, they arrived at what was called the Sanctum. It was an atrium located on the lowest level of the castle where the Twelve were housed, including Luffy.
The tall ceilings revealed a glass dome far above them where the moon would shine down into their 'home' at certain times of the day, illuminating the elaborate mural painted onto the tile floor. A few couches littered the center of the room, designating it as a communal area of sorts, where they'd gather to play games or just talk in an attempt to pass the time.
All along the edges of the circular space were doors that either led to individual rooms or bathrooms. Luffy's room (AKA cell) was located just to the right of the entrance. This was because he was Number 12, Innocence, and that was exactly what was engraved on the plaque that was hung to the left of his door. Naming him like some sort of sick pet.
Though the metal bars that served as the door were open at the moment, the second Bellamy tossed him inside, he shut them, locking him in his cage.
"No free roaming for you until Doffy says the word."
Luffy just stuck his tongue out at the demon and threw himself onto the soft cushion in the corner that served as his bed, determined to let Bellamy know that he was upset. The demon just scoffed and thankfully left, prompting Luffy to go limp like a noodle.
His room was one of the newer ones and featured a scarlet cushion with lots of throw pillows, stuffed animals, and a string of lights that went all the way around the small area. Luffy was told that Doflamingo had decorated it himself when he first brought him to the Underworld, but he didn't remember much of that time. He supposed the stuffed animals were a remnant of his childhood…but he didn't want to get rid of them.
Even now, they sometimes offered him comfort.
The only other thing in the room was a handwritten work schedule that told him where he needed to be and when. Though they were Doflamingo's prized possessions, he did require them to work around the castle when they weren't in their rest period or toted along to fancy meetings as a way to give the demon clout. From what he'd been told, most demons didn't keep complete humans in the Underworld because they didn't like having to take care of them (i.e. keep them fed, clothed, clean, alive, etc.), but Doflamingo had no such reservations.
In fact, Luffy was fairly certain the bastard enjoyed it.
He glanced up at the schedule and bit his lip when he noticed that his turn was coming up. Doflamingo regularly consumed their souls which was a particularly terrifying experience. The soul stone that was embedded in his collar was a beautiful ornament that hid a nefarious purpose: it held his soul inside.
They were magical things that started out white until a soul was sealed inside. Luffy's, for example, was a pretty seafoam green (which was apparently the color of his soul). Doflamingo, the sadistic bastard, made sure to remove their souls from their physical bodies not long after they arrived in the Underworld, affixing them to soul stones for his convenience.
Now, Luffy wasn't very smart, so he didn't really understand how he was still alive after having his soul ripped from his body, but Torao, one of the other humans held by Doflamingo, had once explained it to him. The soul stones apparently made it easier for their 'Master' to consume their soul energy without completing draining them. He also said that so long as the stones were within a certain distance from their physical bodies, they'd remain alive, but this magic only worked in the Underworld.
If they were to leave…their physical bodies would collapse and become soulless husks. In other words, the soul stone was also the main thing chaining them to the Underworld. He'd tried to break his, of course, but it was impossible. Only Doflamingo, the owner of his contract, could free him.
Which sucked.
"You get in trouble again?" A voice asked, prompting Luffy to turn back towards the locked door. It was Zoro, one of his closest friends amongst the Twelve. The green-haired man looked like he just woke up and yawned, accentuating the dark circles under his eyes.
"Yeah…no biggie." Luffy answered while sitting up, "What about you? You feel okay?"
Zoro shrugged and leaned on the bars.
"Like crap but what's new." Doflamingo had just drained Zoro a few days ago, leaving him in a deep sleep. It usually took a few days for their souls to replenish enough energy for them to wake up, hence the scheduled 'rest periods' after their time with Doflamingo. "Where's everybody else?"
"Probably still working but I bet they'll come back soon." Luffy said while playing with the hem of his shirt. On normal days, they weren't given much, just a simple, black shirt and capris, no shoes. Zoro wore the exact same thing though he didn't have a collar like Luffy. No, Zoro's soul stone was located in the first of three, tear-drop earrings that hung from his left ear. Currently, the deep green soul stone was looking a bit dim, probably because he hadn't completed his rest period yet.
Doflamingo enjoyed coming up with individualized ornaments for them to wear, so none of the jewelry their soul stones sat in were alike. Luffy's hand moved up to the short chain that hung from the slim, silver collar. It was very beautiful and intricately engraved, which only pissed him off more. He wasn't a pet that his owner could leash.
Unfortunately, there wasn't anything he could do to remove it as that would mean separating himself from his soul…which would be bad. Bonney, the only female member of the Twelve, had actually ripped out the ring Doflamingo put in her cheek a few years before, causing her body to convulse almost immediately. She'd nearly died that day and it served as a warning to the rest of them to never remove what the demon put on them.
In the Overworld, when a demon and a human made a contract that called for a soul, the person could still live and move around at least for a while thanks to the demon's power sustaining them. That wasn't the case for those trapped in the Sanctum. Doflamingo simply took what he wanted and gave nothing in return, so if their souls were gone, their life quickly flickered out like a candle in the wind.
"You should get some rest." Luffy suggested, hating how exhausted his friend looked, "We'll all need it for tonight." Zoro nodded and returned to his cell, the one next to his. All of them were numbered based on when they arrived so, being the Twelfth, Luffy was the newest and also happened to be the youngest.
As expected, over the next hour, the rest of the Twelve returned to the Sanctum. Some of them were escorted by guards while others walked free. Though part of the same 'set', they couldn't be more different with regards to their personalities, appearances, and ages. Luffy suspected that this was because of their soul characteristics and just how varied they were.
His eyes wandered from person to person as they entered.
Marshall D. Teach, Cruelty, was Number 1 and had been there the longest. He was a heavyset man and really lived up to his soul distinction. Luffy had altercations with him fairly often, some of which ended with intervention from Doflamingo, which was never pleasant. His pitch black soul stone was housed in golden shackles that adorned his wrists.
Urouge, Contrition, held the Number 2 spot and was the oldest of all of them. Luffy didn't really know him all that well because he spent almost all of his time meditating. His soul stone was an unfortunate brown color and was neatly placed amongst the beads of a necklace that hung down to his chest.
Capone Bege, Ambition, was a troublemaker and Number 3 on the list. He was always coming up with a plan to assassinate Doflamingo or his Generals, though it usually didn't work. The man had been picked up by their Master in the 1920s and was a bona fide mobster, which was cool, but caused problems for all of them when his plans failed. His soul was silver and held in a ring on his finger.
X Drake, Pedantry, was Number 4, and generally a quiet man. He kept to himself and didn't interact much with the other Twelve unless he had to. Luffy hadn't had many conversations with him, so his knowledge of the other was pretty limited. His soul was a bright orange color and embedded in a mask he wore around his eyes that made him look sort of like a superhero.
Scratchmen Apoo, Deceit, Number 5, was another piece of work who Luffy wasn't a fan of. He caused problems among their group fairly regularly by promising to cover their shift or keep a secret before turning around and spilling everything to Doflamingo. No one really liked him. Ironically, his soul was a stark white color and attached to a hair band he wore in his hair.
Basil Hawkins, Conformity, held the Number 6 spot and was a pretty weird guy. He was always messing with his cards and 'predicting the future'. His soul stone was purple and held in an ankle ring that rested around his left foot.
Jewelry Bonney, Gluttony, was Number 7 and a very impressive eater. Luffy thought he had a big appetite, but Bonney was definitely competition. She had a bit of a rebellious streak but as long as Doflamingo kept her fed, she'd usually do what he wanted. The ring in her cheek had long since been replaced, showing off the bright pink stone implanted there.
Trafalgar Law, or Torao, as Luffy called him, was Number 8 and held the soul of Rebellion. He was a cool guy with tattoos and had the unfortunate pleasure of being Doflamingo's proclaimed favorite. He was always dragged around and kept busy but that didn't stop him from scheming against their Master. So far, none of his plans had succeeded, but that didn't stop him from trying. Torao's soul stone was a pretty gold color that blended well with the golden earrings that housed it.
Eustass Kidd, Enmity, was Number 9. Luffy teasingly called him 'Jaggy' because of his spikey red hair. He was a pretty angry guy most of the time, but not at them…at Doflamingo. Out of all the Twelve, Kidd was punished the most for fighting, injuring one of the imp servants, or resisting in some form or fashion. His soul stone was a fiery scarlet and could be seen on a single shackle located around his right wrist.
Killer, Allegiance, was one of Kidd's closest friends and Number 10. The two of them were actually brought in together and shared a contract, or so he was told. He wasn't much of a talker but was a pretty nice guy so Luffy enjoyed his company. Killer, unfortunately, had a mask that was a permanent fixture around his head most of the time. His yellow soul stone was purposefully affixed to the forehead of said mask so it couldn't be removed without Doflamingo being present or it could be dangerous.
Roronoa Zoro, Indolence, was Number 11 and Luffy's best friend. He was captured only a few months before him so they practically grew up together. They were the only two other than Torao who were taken as children and spent their childhood's in captivity. The rest were brought in as adults or in their late teens and had long since stopped aging, at least physically.
Doflamingo, the owner of their souls, had complete control over them, including their physical bodies. Regardless of their actual ages, he could keep them looking whatever way suited his preferences.
Luffy glanced up to the clock located on the opposite wall from his cell. It wouldn't be long before they had to start getting ready for the showcase.
'Maybe Mingo will get sick or fall off the wall before then…' He thought, smiling as he nuzzled down into the cushion. That sure would be nice.
Doflamingo wandered his newly decorated banquet hall, very pleased with how it was all coming together. The massive window at the end of the room was being scrubbed by one of his many imp servants while others scuttled around making preparations. They fluffed the greenery, dusted his throne, and did pretty much anything he asked without question.
That was the beauty of a Contract of Service…the better service you provided, the faster you achieved your reward.
"I-Is it to your liking, Master?" A particularly short imp asked, trembling at his feet. Doflamingo hummed, examining the flower arrangement presented to him. It was a Possessed Purpleleaf, a particularly dangerous species of plant that would attack anything within range unless preened carefully.
Naturally, it was one of Doflamingo's favorites.
"It'll do." He answered before waving the imp off. As much as he wanted to micromanage the preparations, the archdemon had other items on his agenda. Though imps really didn't have much to offer, they were competent when given strict instructions. Doflamingo was certain they'd have the room prepped long before the showcase.
Leaving the banquet hall behind, he returned to his private study that was located deep within the castle. The posted guards straightened up at his arrival but he ignored them. He really didn't need protection seeing as he was the most powerful being there, but Trebol, his advisor, insisted, claiming other demons that were jealous of his swiftly growing fame would come for his head.
Doflamingo seriously doubted other demons would put the effort into a raid just to kill him…no, they'd probably come for his collection, and nothing else. The humans he'd captured, collectively called The Twelve, were an assembly unlike any other in the Underworld and had earned him a great deal of prestige over the years.
No one else had ever attempted to not only consume Tier 1 souls…but snare them so they became an undying source of sustenance and power. Other demons called him crazy when he first brought Teach back to the Underworld, physical body and all. They claimed it was impossible to keep complete humans alive, but Doflamingo found that it wasn't as hard as they claimed.
The main problem he discovered was that humans died really easily and the dangers of the Underworld were pretty much all lethal to the weak, fleshy creatures. So, he made sure they didn't leave the castle without an armed escort. Problem number two came in the form of their basic needs such as food which was very easy to rectify (with a little trial and error…some foods in the Underworld were not fit for humans). The third issue was actually not with the humans, but with him. He nearly killed Teach the first few times he drained his soul energy, which prompted him to start using soul stones instead. The magical minerals kept him from siphoning the entirety of a soul, always leaving just a little bit so it could recover and be consumed again.
Ultimately, Doflamingo came to the conclusion that demons just didn't want to put in the effort, even when the payout was incredible. Thanks to his sweet little pets, Dressrosa flourished and his own personal power only continued to grow. He went from a mere Earl to a Lord faster than anyone else and now held enough prestige to entertain even the royalty of the realm.
In fact, the guest of honor at his showcase that evening was none other than the King of Beasts himself, Kaido. Doflamingo had spent a painfully long time schmoozing the King's annoying imp Orochi in an attempt to build a connection with the mighty demon, and now it was finally paying off.
Doflamingo sat down at his elaborate desk and opened a drawer near the floor, revealing a plethora of files all labeled meticulously. Any good demon knew how important paper trails were especially when you had multiple contracts active at the same time. He had a section for the imps, random humans who'd made the mistake of summoning him (most of which were deceased but he never threw away contracts, even when they were void), and, of course, the contracts for The Twelve that he went over regularly.
It was important to be familiar with them because, for some of them, if he violated any item required by the contract, he could lose ownership of the human's soul. Now, this wasn't the case for all of The Twelve. Teach's soul, for example, was his via a Contract of Ownership. This meant that there wasn't anything Teach could do to dissolve the contract and that his body and soul were Doflamingo's property unless he said otherwise.
Well, technically, Teach could appeal the contract if he contacted a lawyer but since he signed it willingly (and Doflamingo had the records to prove it) it was unlikely to go anywhere.
The demon ground his teeth together at the thought of lawyers. The annoying human dominated career that had freed many from perfectly valid contracts, thereby depriving demons of nutrients and power. It used to be that humans were completely at their mercy but stick a lawyer in their corner and suddenly they had a chance.
Flicking his wings in annoyance, Doflamingo focused back on the task at hand: reviewing all the contracts of The Twelve before the showcase. He had to make sure he followed the rules (even if he didn't want to) just in case some human lawyer decided to take a swing at him. Normally, he wouldn't be so rigid and strict about it, but he'd worked hard to complete his collection and refused to lose any of them because of his own negligence.
The first thing he did was sort the contracts into two piles: Ownership and Exchange. Doflamingo greatly preferred ownership contracts because there was no equality, just possession. The classic master/slave relationship. He generally drew those up himself and 'convinced' the human to sign it. You had to be careful though, lawyers could claim 'signing under duress' as a way to void the contract, so he had to be a bit…creative.
Teach, strangely enough, signed it willingly without any forms of coercion, but the rest of those in his 'O' stack had put up a fight. The two childhood friends, Eustass and Killian (who preferred 'Killer' for whatever reason), had signed after he'd convinced them that he could heal the red-head's sister. He did heal her of course, but then had quickly spirited them away to the Underworld, trapping them in a one-sided contract they couldn't dispute.
He fought a duel with Capone Bege which the winner lost their soul for all eternity (Doflamingo won, obviously) while Drake signed for a chance at life after getting a hole blown in his chest from an unfortunately placed land mine. Bonney, the silly girl, wagered her soul during an eating contest (in which she was incredibly drunk) to some no-name demon, which made it incredibly easy to slip in and steal her right from under his nose.
Apoo's snaring had taken some thought but was executed perfectly in his opinion. After observing the deceitful little bastard for a while, he infiltrated the man's work as a co-worker. Apoo, ever the slacker, wanted him to cover his shift, but he only agreed to do so if he signed a contract saying he would return in fifteen minutes. When the human re-appeared nearly three hours later, Doflamingo was waiting for him. He'd deceived the deceiver into selling his soul for a mere three hours of time. If only he'd read the terms and conditions…
Doflamingo smirked when he came to Law's.
Trafalgar Law was a bit of a special case.
He was the only one out of The Twelve who'd purposefully summoned him, and Doflamingo remembered that day well. The human had been young at the time and desperate to cause havoc no matter the cost due to an incurable disease and other…familial factors. Naturally, Doflamingo obliged him and formed a Contract of Exchange with the crazed boy, curious what he would do.
However, a chance encounter with his brother, Rocinante, of all beings caused Law's mentality to change. He no longer wished for genocide and actually wanted to be free of Doflamingo, which caused problems between them, of course. It hurt his heart to devour his brother, but it had to be done. Law, distraught like he was, signed the new ownership contract in a daze, barely aware of what he was doing.
The human calmed down when Doflamingo told him that Rocinante would eventually reform as an imp (because he was a kind older brother and left him just a sliver of his soul), but who knew how long that would take. All that mattered now was that Law, his Rebellion, would remain at his side forever.
When he finished with that stack of papers, Doflamingo moved on to the exchange pile. Those contracted to him via an exchange had a little bit more freedom to do what they pleased so long as they held up their end of the deal, which in this case meant allowing Doflamingo to harvest their soul's energy on a regular basis.
Naturally, he hoped to someday have all of his humans caught in a rigorous ownership contract, but that would take time. Right now, he just had to make do.
Urouge was a strange one and had agreed to give up his soul in exchange for just one thing: ten years of solitude and meditation at a place of his choosing. Doflamingo agreed and then, ten years later, he retrieved him. The old monk still meditated most days but at least that meant he wasn't causing any trouble.
Hawkins had a morbid fascination with the Underworld and gave Doflamingo his soul in return for free access to research materials, tomes, and the like. In other words, so long as the blonde human had his 'study time', he was happy to feed him without resistance.
The only other human he had currently under an exchange contract was Number 11, Roronoa Zoro. His deal included weekly visits to see his sister, Kuina, who'd been snatched up by a demon as well. So long as Doflamingo made sure this was upheld, Zoro's soul was his.
The two stacks complete, he filed the contracts back into their place and turned to stare at the large, locked cabinet that stood along the wall. Doflamingo huffed, stood to his feet, and made his way there. There was only one more contract to review and it always took the longest. When the cabinet door swung open, Doflamingo reached inside and retrieved what appeared to be a thick book…but it was so much more than that.
It was little Luffy's contract.
Unfortunately, unlike the others, Luffy's grandfather had foreseen the boy's future as a coveted soul and attempted to prepare something to protect him in advance. Specifically, it was a Contract of Preservation, one of the most annoying and hated contract types amongst demon kind. It was disliked because it forced the demon to 'earn' the right to a human's soul and often had rigorous rules of how to care for the human in question.
Doflamingo had to wait almost two years before finally sampling Luffy's delectable soul. While it was worth the hassle, he now had to maintain the right he had to the boy's soul which required treating the boy a lot better than he'd prefer. Of all the humans he owned…Doflamingo wanted to change Luffy's contract to one of ownership more than anything.
If he'd had any other choice, he wouldn't have accepted the contract, but since it was already drawn up and, had he left, another demon would have claimed Luffy, Doflamingo didn't have much of a choice.
It irked him that a human of all beings had taken away his choice, but he ended up with the boy's soul, so he considered that encounter a victory.
Just as Doflamingo sat down to start reading the ridiculous contract, a knock sounded at the door.
"Enter." He called while scanning the first page. Vergo, one of his Generals, stepped inside at his reply and approached his desk with a neutral expression on his face, as usual.
"Young Master, the banquet hall and garden will be ready soon. Would you like us to start prepping The Twelve?"
"Yes, that would be appreciated." Doflamingo replied, looking up from Luffy's paperwork, "Make sure they're clean and wear the clothing I picked out. I want them all inspected before they're placed." Some of his more rebellious pets had a tendency to rip or spoil the special clothes he gave them for the showcase just to spite him. He might let such behavior slide on any other day, but not when such important guests were coming.
"Understood." Vergo replied with a slight twitch of his wings, "Oh, also…Diamante asked me to relay to you that Innocence requires punishment."
"Again?" Doflamingo questioned, raising an eyebrow, "What is it this time?"
"He told Diamante to, and I quote, 'die in a hole'."
The archdemon sighed and adjusted his glasses. Luffy's contract, unfortunately, allowed him quite a bit of freedom under most circumstances, which caused the boy to develop a rather cheeky personality. He regularly talked back to the guards and slipped away without permission. As much as Doflamingo wanted to beat the rebellion out of him, that simply wasn't allowed. Thankfully, he'd discovered a type of punishment that was very effective in taming the spirited human.
"Very well, I'll handle it after the showcase. For now, focus on making sure he does what he's told…if one hair is out of place, send him back and fix it."
"As you wish." Vergo answered before retreating out the door, leaving Doflamingo alone with the contract once again. As he worked, his thoughts drifted to the ancient scrolls Trebol introduced him to all those years ago. It was thanks to the observations of that primordial imp (who was so desperate to ascend and become a full-fledged demon) that he even learned about the existence of The Twelve in the first place. It was unclear if the imp Azazel ever achieved his goal, but Doflamingo fully intended to realize his dream and profit from his extensive labor.
Excerpt from the Scrolls of Azazel, page 23. – 1002 B.C.
It is said that amongst the purest human souls, there exists twelve who represent the highest tier of quality available to demon kind. They are, in a word, magnificent, and their unique souls resonate with each other, generating power and sustenance for the one who owns them. As part of my research, I have observed the current incarnations of the twelve souls and created a short guide for anyone interested in continuing what I began.
Be warned, misuse of these souls could end in catastrophe for all beings who call the Underworld home…be cautious and manage them with care.
Allegiance – To be loyal or committed to an individual, group, or cause. This person will be extremely loyal…but likely not to you. Be careful, for they will never give you their full obedience.
Ambition – A strong desire to do or achieve something. The owner of this soul will have one singular thought on their mind and will do anything to achieve that goal. Use this to your advantage if you can…but be wary, for their target could be you.
Conformity – To behave in a way that is socially acceptable or compliance with standards. This person will not be difficult to acquire as they will do whatever they can to survive.
Contrition – The state of feeling remorseful and penitent. This human is usually not motivated by physical offerings. Consider what else has meaning to them.
Cruelty – Callous indifference to or pleasure in causing pain and suffering. The owner of this soul will be dangerous so use extreme caution when dealing with them. They often have a secret agenda behind everything they do and could become a danger to you if not kept in check.
Deceit – The action of deceiving someone by concealing or misrepresenting the truth. The human who holds this soul will have no problem going behind your back to achieve their own agenda, however, this duplicity could be useful in keeping the other souls in line if utilized correctly.
Enmity – The state or feeling of being actively opposed or hostile to someone. This soul will be difficult to tame as they will hold a great hatred towards you. Use caution and make sure to build strong walls around them.
Gluttony – Habitual greed or excess in eating. The best way to entice this soul is to offer it sustenance and other physical pleasures. So long as they are kept happy and plump, they will not fight against you.
Indolence – Avoidance of activity or exertion. This soul will hold a great inner desire for rest and inactivity, but don't let their slothful exterior fool you. When something they love is threatened, they will bare their teeth and attack when you least expect it.
Innocence – Lack of corruption or the state of being pure. Of all the souls, this one is the most beautiful. It will be highly sought after by others and will require vigilance to keep safe. Be wary, for they may appear harmless, but that is often not the case.
Pedantry – Excessive concern with minor details and rules. This soul will likely be a soldier or something similar. Good routines appeal to this person and they will desire to know the details of any contract you present. Clever deception is effective when interacting with them.
Rebellion – The act of resisting authority or control. The owner of this soul will be difficult to tame by their very nature. But, if you are successful, you may be able to nurture their soul to become greater than the others and reap the benefits of your efforts.