Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Doflamingo received word from an important contact. It was something about an invention from Dr. Vegapunk. The man apparently simulated something from the time travel fruit. The plan was a sword that could cut through time, but it was considered a failure. Doflamingo wanted it. That was all Law knew. He heard Buffalo and Baby 5 mentioning that maybe there was a future cure for him, but he didn’t believe it. Law had no reason to hope. What good would it do him?

Capturing the Navy cargo ship didn’t take long. Law kept his focus partly on Corazon. The man was hiding his voice, and would probably steal the sword if he found it first. When nobody was looking, Law noticed the clumsy man sneaking in a different room than everyone else. Why wouldn’t he follow the giant mime of a man?

Quietly, Law checked a couple boxes on the other side of the room from the silent man. That is when he touched the hilt of a sword. Law felt extreme emotions of pain and joy pass through him. Like he burnt his hand, Law dropped the object. Well, he dropped it for all of two seconds before he noticed Corazon heard him and was looking right at him. What else was the shabby, sick kid to do than pick up the sword and draw it from its scabbard?

Suddenly, Law was being kidnapped by Corazon. Then he was being dragged between hospitals, and the man gave a drunken confession of how he grew to care about the kid- love him. Cora-san… Cora-san just called ‘Crackers’ about the Opi-Opi No Mi’s location. Law was going to live, and this man he stabbed, this man he showed nothing but spite to would die to save him.

When his vision cleared, Law realized he was still in the ship with Cora-san, no- Corazon looking down on him. He felt the tears coming to his eyes. The boy tried to blink away his tears, when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Law was biting his lip to hold in his tears when he heard Cora-san’s voice say that one word. “Calm.”

As reality set in, Law broke. His tears came out in security that nobody could hear him but Cora-san. He could cry without fear. Suddenly that sword had him back in a chest listening to the man’s last words as he said “I love you, kid.”

…

Rosinante didn’t know what to think when he saw Law crying. He would have kidnapped the kid once the boy didn’t sell him out if it weren’t for this exact mission. Rosinante was partly hoping this would help him find a cure for the kid quicker. That, and Dofi knowing the future better than he already did with observation haki was terrifying.

As a Marine, he knew where to look for the tool. He also knew Vegapunk’s idea for a failed experiment could even be a simple color problem. With that knowledge, this tool could be valuable. He didn’t expect Law to follow him, but he was okay with the kid being there. Better to keep the boy with the will of D close.

While reading the Marine ship's hidden logbook, he heard the crash, Rosinante noticed the kid holding the sword. To him, it would be a little bigger than a dagger, but the weapon was almost longer than Law was tall. Never had he seen Law with so much emotion in his eyes. For a moment Rosinante thought the boy would stab him again, but then he saw the pain in the kid’s expression. The man thought of how much pain the kid had to be in. What if this was showing the sick kid his future? Did the boy feel himself dying? Rosinante moved forward and placed a calm over the boy so he could cry without anyone hearing. A moment passed and Rosinante honestly thought the kid was going to stab him as he howled out his pain in solitary silence. He was okay with that. He wasn’t the one in real pain. Rosinante wanted to promise the kid he would find a way to prevent that painful death, he wanted to do something to stop feeling so useless. He took a knee in front of the kid. He didn’t know if he should hold him, or what to do when suddenly Rosinante had a little child curled up against his chest and clinging to his shirt while wailing out his silent tears. It only took a second for the man to instinctively wrap his arms around the boy.

Rosinante blinked down at that fluffy hat hiding the boy’s face. Never did he think he would see this kid so vulnerable. Really, this was something new. Rosinante couldn’t completely understand the protective instincts in his soul as he held the kid and started scoping out the ship with his observation haki. Then he reached out to the weapon Law just dropped with his free hand. Rosinante didn’t expect his affection for the child in his arms to multiply as he touched the sword. Suddenly he felt like the child crying in his arms wasn’t just a D, but his own kid. There were other memories trying to flood into his mind that he hadn’t experienced yet, but they didn’t matter right now. All that mattered was Law.

The man hid the weapon in the feathers of his jacket. There were enough hidden compartments in there for him not to worry. Then he simply leaned back and held the kid in his arms. At that point Rosinante let himself break. He cried out in the silence always surrounding his voice box and ignored the fear of his makeup smearing. Instead he created a bubble of silence around him and Law when he calmed down so he could hear the boy’s tears. By that point he realized that Law’s cries had resorted to hiccups that met his ears in the safety of the bubble. The boy blinked and looked up at him, so the man gave his kid the biggest smile he could give.

Wrong move. 

That smile suddenly had Law punching his fists against Rosinante’s chest as his tears came back. He could hear mumbled cries of ‘stupid’ and ‘Cora-san.’ That just made the man smile wider in a genuine grin as he hugged the kid.

“Don’t worry Law, I’ll find a way to save you.” He said as he rubbed the boy’s back. It was a miracle the kid was letting him hold him like this. It was like the boy changed in the blink of an eye. Yet still, somehow that was again the wrong thing to say.

“I don’t want you to save me.” Law finally said as he hid his face with his hat. He was still sitting on Rosinante’s lap, so that was a win. “I don’t want you to die saving me. You lied. You said Dofi wouldn’t kill you. It’s not worth saving me if…”

The Marine looked down at the kid with wide eyes as his words set in. Suddenly grabbing that weapon to properly peak ahead seemed all the more tempting. That was true, but getting off the boat with Law was a lot more important right now. Then the kid’s words set in. “There is a cure! I told you, let’s steal a boat and find it!”

Law shook his head. “The only cure is the Opi-Opi No Mi. Stealing it will put both Dofi and the marines against you.”

Rosinante blinked as everything set in. “It’s too dangerous to run away now.” He told Law. “We will sneak out tonight to find the fruit when everyone is asleep.”

The boy just gripped his shirt tighter. “Cora-san.”

That cracked voice brought Rosinante back to tears.

He brought the bubble of silence down to just inches around his voice box and sleeping boy’s head to conserve energy. He would hold the boy till he grew calm enough to move forward. That weapon weighed heavily in the man’s cloak. He found the research notes for why it was a failure before Law got the tool. The weapon didn’t cut time, but showed the holder the future like observation haki. The problem was, it would only show the future from the moment the weapon was made. If a life was saved, the saved holder wouldn't see anything when holding it. Every little change made the weapon more and more useless. That, and it would only show faded memorable events coming in the next six months, and events of extreme emotion/trauma of the next year. If not, it would just mess up your emotional state.

Rosinante thought it was strange, but valuable. From before he touched the weapon he felt an attachment to this kid. Now he knew he would do anything for him. The thing is, he needs to be careful to make sure Law still survives. That, and make sure Dofi doesn’t get wind of any of it. He hoped his brother still had some affection for him, but Law just confirmed it, the man didn’t care about his blood family at all. As he looked down at the sleeping kid in his arms and thought about Sengoku how he raised him, Rosinante realized he had no reason to care about his living blood family either.

…

The plan was a bust. Doflamingo was mad. If anyone deserved to know the future, it was him. It was his divine right. On top of that, his oaf of a brother and Law didn’t make it back at the time they were called. Dofi was going to send his crew back to the Marine ship when he noticed with his haki that Law and Corazon were in the same room. Didn’t they hate each other? The kid’s haki signature was so weak he must be dead or asleep.

When he walked into the room, the last thing Dofi expected to find was his little murder project asleep and curled up in his brother’s arms. To make it worse, his brother was asleep too.

This didn’t make any sense! Didn’t Corazon hate kids? Dofi was sure his brother’s first instinct to seeing Law was throwing the brat out the window. Yet despite that, here the man was protectively wrapped around that very child like a human shield. That feather cloak was like a blanket to them both. Dofi could even see tear stains smearing his brother’s makeup.

The kid was an even stranger phenomenon. Dofi knew Law, he was making this kid his pet project. It was a real shame the kid wouldn’t grow up. He was so much like him, he would be the perfect weapon, but dangerous if he grew too big to know his place. If he wasn’t sure that Law would die, Doflamingo would have done more with that defiant streak. Yet, despite all the spite in that child, Dofi could see that little white hand gripping onto his brother’s shirt. That brat was holding Corazon like his life depended on it in his sleep! What did he miss?

The captain bent down and picked up a crinkled paper beside the two. It was information on Flevance. Right, the brat was from Flevance. The paperwork was silly, just some articles on doctors and burying a report from escaping the island proving the disease wasn’t contagious. That explained it. The brat finally broke and his stupid brother remembered he had a heart. By tomorrow the kid will forget, or try to forget this event.

The sweet sight before him was making Dofi sick. So, he made the logical decision of kicking his brother lightly… well, hard enough to shake both of them and crack the wall. 

Both of the fools looked confused for a moment, and Law surprisingly curled up closer to his brother and kept sleeping. Dofi was already planning his revenge of teasing for the brat.

Corazon looked up at him. His eyes looked so tired. Even more interesting was the way he never let go of the brat as he cracked his neck and stood up. Then the man started to tap the wall without letting go of the kid. 

“Nightmares.” That was what he said in morse code.

Dofi blinked. “They burned Flevance, just like our house.” He smiled at his brother. “I thought you already knew that.”

His brother just shrugged with tired eyes as he held the sleeping kid gently and started walking to the door. Dofi saw Law’s eyes open for a moment. Law looked up at Corazon holding him and yawned. Instead of lashing out, the kid just closed his eyes again.

Dofi found himself alone in the room after seeing his brother so careful not to wake or drop that dying kid. What did he miss?

This strange phenomena continued into dinner. Law decided to sit beside Corazon, and got mad at Buffalo and Baby 5 when they tried to pull pranks on the man. He actually swapped out the tea with salt instead of sugar and replaced it with normal hot but not burning tea with milk and sugar. Everyone was noticing how strange his actions were. Since when did Law know how Corazon liked his tea?

The next morning Doflamingo found a note for him on the table. It was from his brother. He actually left a note saying that he was going to find a cure for Law. A life boat was missing with the man and child.

Despite the strange change, Law was a deadly and skilled fighter in spite of his age and weakness. This is also the first round of emotion he had gotten out of his brother. That is when it finally dawned on him. The Opi-Opi No-Mi. He could make his brother be the one to eat it and heal both him and the kid. That would kill his brother, and show the brat loyalty.

A week later Doflamingo heard the first account of a hospital burning down that he could trace to his brother. As time passed and every report that came in made Doflamingo laugh more. That was, until he noticed the Navy was easing up on him and things were going smoother than they had in years. Things were starting to click. That rat! He couldn’t be…

Well, if his younger brother was really a marine, then why would he give up his mission for some brat? Well, if his brother is that attached to the kid, then as long as Law is part of the equation he has complete control of the man.

…

Cora-san was still dragging him to hospitals. Law hated it, but he understood. He needed to make sure this timeline lined up as much to the last one as possible. The main difference is that this time, Cora-san was asking more often for ways to slow the poison and dull pain. Despite that, they were still going to the same hospitals on the same days. Cora-san kept a hand on the sword to make sure he knew exactly how to line up the timelines. The only hospital he didn’t enter was the one that tried euthanasia behind Cora-san’s back through manipulation. They still stopped on that island though, and his old nightmare is now completely leveled.

“Are you planning to die?” The kid finally brought himself to ask three months in. He could see every moment of that dreaded day clearly now.

“What?” Cora-san asked with wide eyes as he set his jacket on fire.

Law looked down at the food he was making in a pot. “You want everything to stay so close to the future where you died. Why?"

The man looked down at him with wide eyes before noticing the flames on his jacket and patting out the fire.

“You should quit smoking.” Law said. “It will ruin your lungs. I… Do you want to leave me?" He chose to glare at the bread when he spoke. Why did Cora-san buy bread?

The man shook his head. “We still need the Opi-Opi No Mi to save you. That is my first priority. This time I will make sure to get us out of there quicker.”

“I’ll avoid Vergo.” Law told him. The bread in his hands didn’t look good. His stomach didn’t feel good when he ate bread. It never felt good with the poison in his DNA, but allergies make everything worse.

“I still can’t believe Dofi has Vergo of all people acting as a spy in the Marines. Should have known.” The man muttered as he shook his head.

“You are stupid to do the same thing again. Also, you didn’t call the Marines on him during yesterday’s call.” He kept glaring at the bread. “You lied about that too, and you also bought bread.”

The man rubbed his face. “I’m planning to leave the Marines behind anyway. I just need to think this time and only give Dofi’s plans to someone I trust before running. I have a friend who left the Marines to raise her kids; two daughters. She cut all ties, and actually faked her death to get out. I helped her before taking this mission. I’d like to seek her out after this.”

Law glared at the man. “You promise you won’t die?”

The man ruffled the hair poking out of Law’s hat. “I have a kid to take care of now! If I’m a pirate I can claim treasure, right? You are mine now.”

The kid blinked. “Cora-san?”

The man didn’t object as Law walked over to the sword and grabbed it. He could faintly see a polar bear after Cora-san’s death, but that was it. He mostly saw pain. “If you are going to survive, we need to prepare a way to hide, or fake your death.”

Cora-san nodded like he knew that. “Why do you think I am still wearing this makeup? I’ll take it off, and your face will be free of those spots! Nobody will recognize us!”

Law glared at the man. “Dofi won’t stop looking for us.”

The giant of a man sighed as he took the bread out of Law’s hands. He replaced it with the fruit and vegetables he was going to eat. “I may need to fake my death. Dofi will only believe it if he pulls the trigger himself though. I know how he plans to kill me, armor and fake blood could work.”

Law looked up at the man with wide eyes as his blood ran cold. “I’m not getting in that chest again.”

…

The boy would not be swayed. This time, when the day came, he waited on the boat. Cora-san would need to get to it safely if he wanted to save Law. They left the island in silence, before Dofi ever arrived.

Law chose the island he finished healing himself on. Only after he was healed did he learn how bad a shape his father figure was in. Cora-san let Law scan him to test his powers. In that scan, the boy was filled with horror.

“Are you clumsy because your legs were broken and never healed right? That, and… you have severe nerve damage. Pain receptors exist to protect you from further injury… not to… not to...” Law was brought back to that memory of Cora-san getting drunk and crying. He said Law stabbing him didn’t hurt. That was one of the few places his nerves were working. Law did stab him where it hurt, yet Cora-san still thought he was the one suffering.

“Don’t worry about me kid.” His smile was strange. It was weird seeing the blond without makeup. His face was kinda close to Dofi’s, but Law could never confuse the two. Where Dofi was all sharp and slick, Cora-san was soft and a little shaggy. He let his hair fall in his face and lost his silly hat. Law was tempted to find one matching his for the man. It would look nice, because both the man and his hat felt like home.

“But… I need to test my powers anyway.” Law’s argument was valid. That, and he couldn’t just continue without trying to heal the man. Not when he could do something about it.

Chapter Text

https://youtu.be/qMjMNvr7OKQ

Bell-mere told her daughters, “I love you.”

Then she smiled. She knew this was the end, and she knew this was the only way to save those girls. They were her girls after all. The woman’s hands were stained red by her time in the Marines. Her daughters could live and find joy though. She wanted them to remember her for her smile and those last words.

As the gun cocked, a voice broke the tension from behind the crowd. “Is this a bad time?”

Arlong didn’t lower his gun, but he didn’t fire either. Instead, everyone looked up at the man towering over all the humans and fishmen ahead of him on the path. Blond and ten feet tall. She knew that face.

“And who are you?” Arlong asked.

Rosinante shrugged. As he opened his mouth to answer, another voice spoke up for him.

“Corazon?” The words came from the lips of an octopus fishman of all people. “Cora-san, is that really you?”

Rosinante blinked. “Hachi? What are you doing here?” Everyone in the crowd parted as the outrageously tall man walked past them to look directly down on the fish man with a smile.

Arlong glared at the newcomer and turned his gun on him, finally giving Bell-mere a chance to breathe. She wasn’t stupid enough to run. All she could do was hold her daughters as they ran up to grab her legs.

“Hachi, who is this?” The shark fishman captain asked as he gestured with his gun.

Hachi glanced back at Arlong before throwing two of his four arms around Rosinante’s waist in a side hug. “This is Cora-san, or Rosi… I think. He saved Cami and my life back in the North Blue!”

Rosinante took the embrace in stride and threw an arm over Hachi’s shoulder. Bell-mere could see Arlong’s face contorting in anger at the interaction between the two. All the mother could do was hold her daughters and hope her old friend from the Navy had a plan.

“Hachi, what were you doing in the North Blue?” The question finally came from a blue fishman with oversized lips.

The octopus blinked. “Remember that adventure Cami and I went on? It was when I took a break from Fisher Tiger-san’s crew. Anyway, Cami got eaten by a sea king. I followed her in, and by the time we escaped, we were in the North Blue! It didn’t take long for Cami to get caught in a slave market. I went to some Marines for help who just turned me in at the slave market! That’s when I met Rosi here! The man was an undercover Marine taking down crime syndicates from the inside! Not only did he manage to save Cami and all the other slaves, he gave us a Marine pass that said we had information for Fleet Admiral Sengoku! The next Marine ship guided us back to HQ before dropping us off near Sabiodi! Cora, or Rosi here promised to come visit us once he is done taking down the crime syndicate he was undercover in!”

Arlong blinked. His face contorted in anger before he took a deep breath and then spoke. “Hachi, you are a pirate. Why would you be talking to a known human Marine spy?”

The one in question blinked. “He saved us.” Then after glancing up at Rosinante he added. “Besides, I saw him shoot the Marine who turned me in at the slave market in the head with a sniper rifle. He was using his undercover pirate status to kill bad Marines.”

Bell-mere blinked as she looked up at him. Then she realized that Rosinante had the attention of all the pirates and townsfolk. She was just thinking back to see if her gentle friend would ever do a thing like that. She knew he had a crazy side, but he was always so kind. Then again, this was Rosinante… Actually, yes, he was surprisingly deadly.

The pirate captain leveled his gun on the tall man. “I have two questions for you. First, how did a Marine of high rank infiltrate a slave market well enough to dismantle it?”

Rosinante scratched the back of his head. “That’s the embarrassing part. The leader of the gang is my brother by blood. I wanted to atone for his sins in some way.” He said before chuckling. “I thought he wouldn’t kill me.”

Hatchi stepped in front of his friend and looked up to meet his eyes. “You thought?”

Rosinante shrugged. “That’s a lie.” He said as he pulled a cig and lighter out of his pocket. “I shouldn’t have needed to wait for confirmation. I knew it from the day he shot our father and made us orphans when he was ten. My brother is a monster.”

Just as he raised the cigarette to his lips, it got replaced with a leaf. Rosinante glared at it, then shrugged and dropped it. It was only after that when he realized his jacket was on fire and patted out the flames.

“Your brother shot your dad? Did he shoot you? How are you alive?” Hatchi asked what everyone was thinking. Even Arlong’s grip on the gun was wavering in its aim.

Rosinante smiled so bright it was blinding. “Stubbornness and my kid. Genius wants to be a doctor and managed to patch me up! Can you believe he goes through medical books at the rate most kids go through comic books- He likes those too! My boy even has a near perfect memory! It was worth getting hurt to protect him from Dofi.”

Arlong lowered the gun to aim it at the floor. His eyes were wide in shock. “Your own brother shot you while you were protecting your kid, his nephew?”

Rosinante’s eyes widened as he opened and closed his mouth in silence.

The captain rubbed his webbed hand against his brow. “Humans are terrible creatures… Why are you here?”

Rosinante blinked. “To ask Bell-mere for single parenting advice.”

Suddenly all eyes were on the mother holding her two girls protectively. One of her arms was broken to the point it pierced her skin. Still, she held them. “I think everyone in town has said I’m in over my head as a mother.” She admitted.

“No!” Nami argued. “You are perfect! You love us!”

Nojiko’s voice added in. “We love you. I don’t want another mother.”

Bell-mere saw Arlong’s sneer from the corner of her eye, but chose to ignore it. “I thought you couldn’t have kids. Didn’t you say your bloodline was cursed and any kid you have would be fatally sick?” If he was stalling for time, this could help. “You even avoided bars like the plague after that one time we dragged you off to celebrate your promotion to captain. Your lack of licker tolerance was hilarious.”

“I was sixteen!” Rosi grumbled. “What kind of tolerance was I supposed to have?”

“We thought you were older!” She groaned. “How you got enrolled in the Marines so young wasn’t common knowledge, plus you're stupidly tall.”

Rosi buried his face in his hand. “I still don’t remember that night.” He shook his head. “We were talking about my kid.”

“Right, how did that happen? Is the kid okay?”

The man shrugged. “It was an accident?” The way he blushed was rather cute. “I mean, Law was sick, but he healed. The worst we are expecting is stunted growth.”

Bell-mere rolled her eyes. If his plan was to garner sympathy, she doubted it would work. “What did you want to ask?”

“How do you stop them from multiplying?” His tone was dead serious.

At this point everyone looked at him with wide eyes. Bell-mere noticed Genzo and a fish man share bewildered looks. Finally she spit out the word. “What?”

Rosinante started pacing. “It was just me and Law. That was fine. We were on the run from my brother and trying to cure him. Then we got the cure by betraying the Marines. Soon after, we ran into Bepo. Bepo is a mink cub who somehow got lost in the North Blue. It’s too dangerous to get him home to Zou right now, and he became fast friends with Law which is strange because Law is extremely antisocial. That was fine, till suddenly we had two more kids stowaway on our boat! The boys were saved by Law a few days before from a ridiculous accident that proves they need parental guidance. The thing is, they both claimed abuse by their legal guardians. I checked, and what do you know! It’s true! I couldn't leave them there, so now I am traveling with four kids, two of which are uncomfortable around most adults!”

The man was practically pulling his hair out by the end. Then he sat down in front of Bell-mere. He was still the height of some of the fish men and adults while sitting. After taking a deep breath, Rosi continued. “I’m not saying the two stowaways are the problem. The kids take care of each other, I just can’t handle more than this while on the run from both the Marines and my crazy brother.”

Bell-mere blinked at him and realized Arlong wasn’t holding a gun to anyone anymore. Everyone just seemed too caught up in Rosinante’s antics. The man was looking at her with wide sleep deprived and half crazed eyes. Yep, he definitely hasn’t been sleeping. That was a normal sign of new parents. It also meant he wasn’t using his calm at night anymore. Probably paranoid about his brother and the kids.

“It might be easier if you find a place to settle down for a bit. The East Blue doesn’t have too many eyes, but your height will stand out.” She told him.

Rosinante nodded. “That’s the plan after I deliver my last report. Can’t have my brother running around without at least some good Marines knowing his plans.”

The one to step forward next was Hachi. He walked right next to Rosinante. “If you can’t stay here, Cami could maybe help you stay on Fishman Island. That or some nearby islands. Your history saving slaves could help, especially if you help deal with pirates and slave traders from time to time!”

“Hachi!” Arlong yelled in chastisement. “How dare you encourage a human to stay so close to our home! His mere presence would corrupt the minds of our youth!”

Rosinante held up his hand to stop Hachi's pout. “Thanks for the offer, but I’d rather stay farther away from Marine HQ and  Mariejois. Law wants to travel though, so we may drop by from time to time.”

That’s when Bell-mere’s brain started realizing some of this information didn’t line up. Her mouth moved before she could stop it. “Why would the Marine’s golden boy be on the run? I know you challenged the superiors a lot, but… you always used that stupid nepotism to combat corruption.”

The giant of a man smiled before saying. “Long story.” Then he stood up and brushed the dirt off his knees. “Anyway, what kind of a mess was I interrupting? Is your arm broken? My kid will throw a fit if I don’t take you to see him, or a local doctor.”

He reached out a hand to help Bell-mere up, and she took it without much thinking. Her daughters stayed close, and the group had already taken a few steps with Hatchi following before anyone seemed to notice this as anything more than a natural occurrence.

“Wait just one moment.” Arlong said as he leveled his gun at her again. This time though, Rosinante could casually cover her and the children with a side step.

Silently, Rosinante looked at Arlong with his brow raised. Then he let out a sigh. “Law’s patience is going to be running out by now. He was unhappy enough hiding, and I’d rather not have this escalate into a fight.”

“Maybe the kid will be smart enough to know his place.” Arlong said before he fired his gun.

In the blink of an eye, at the sound of the gun firing, a kid appeared in front of Arlong with a sword in his hand. The fishman didn’t even have time to blink as the kid was dropping from the bullet’s location and suddenly had what looked like a beating heart in his hand.

Rosinante sighed. “Hachi, can you please protect Bell and the kids for me?” After saying those words he walked right up to the kid that appeared out of nowhere. The man looked down at the kid with his hands on his hips. “Law, that was overkill.”

Bell-mere blinked. If this was Law, he had to be adopted. The boy looked nothing like Rosinante, yet there was something familiar about him. Their skin tone was close enough, but that is where the similarities stopped. While Rosi had golden hair and gold eyes that seemed red at times, Law had blue-gray almost silver eyes and black hair. When he mentioned Law’s height being stunted, Bell-mere didn’t picture that his kid wouldn’t even go up to the man’s knee. Was he adopted? The fish men didn’t seem to notice how different the two looked.

Arlong blinked before laughing. Then he said, “Overkill, the brat didn’t do anything!”

Law smiled. Bell-mere had only seen that smile a couple times. It only came when Rosinante was truly angry. That smile made nightmares seem peaceful. A chill went up her spine that his glare was what Law inherited; the crazy side.

“You let your guard down.” The kid said before holding up the heart and squeezing it.

Arlong let out a screech of pain and everyone seemed to step back. Everyone except Rosinante. Instead the man just rubbed his head. “I told you that there was a way to avoid violence.”

Law nodded. “This seems to be a good way to avoid violence.” His tone was business casual.

It was at this point when Arlong stood straight up and put his hand over the gaping hole in his chest. “How?”

Law looked back at him with that smile. “I ate the Opi-Opi No-Mi. Didn’t you hear dad say I was sick and he made the government and everyone else mad saving me?”

“Law, your fruit is supposed to help you heal people and yourself, not cut others up and steal body parts.” Rosinante said as he picked the kid up and held him at arm’s length.

Law just shrugged. “I can do both. Besides, he shot at you.” It almost looked like the kid was pouting as he crossed his arms when the heart bigger than his hand started floating beside him.

Of all the responses Rosinante could give, he pulled the kid into a hug. “I love you too, kid!”

Everyone else was too flabbergasted to say or do anything. Bell-mere started thinking that the children multiplying was the least of her friend’s concerns if this is how his kid acts.

After the kid started whining from being pulled to his dad’s chest in a steady grip, Rosi reached out and almost touched the floating heart. “When did you learn how to do this?” He asked.

Law finally stopped struggling and just settled himself in one of Rosinante’s arms. “I mastered it when dissecting frogs last week. I realized my powers let organs function separate from the body back when I was cleaning bullet wounds out of you.” After saying that, Law directed a glare at his dad’s face. The contrast between the child with a death glare in the arms of a sunshine golden boy of a father was a sight to behold.

…

Twenty minutes later, Bell-mere found herself in the town as she held Arlong’s heart with her good hand, and Law fiddled with her broken arm to fix it three feet in front of her. Rosinante wanted to take the heart, but Law refused to trust the man with it. At this point, she didn’t even remember when the polar bear showed up. He just appeared. At first it terrified her girls. Now Bepo was in the corner playing with Nami and Nojiko as her arm was fixed. He actually appeared once Nami objected to Bell-mere’s arm getting cut off, didn't he?

Rosinante was walking around trying to pull both fishmen and humans into conversations together. The fishmen who wanted to kill all humans kept glancing at Law. They grouped around Arlong and schemed to get the heart in her hand. Bell-mere knew that was the only reason none of them had attacked yet. Despite the conflict, Rosinante had roped Hachi and some humans in to start cooking together. Some fishmen got up “to make sure the food wasn’t poisoned.” In the midst of it, conversation was starting to form.

The woman was having trouble paying any attention to the kid as she marveled at everything else. Actually, she was trying to dissociate from the moment her arm came off and she could still move her hand. The town’s doctor was hovering over Law with questions and marveling about the boy’s power and knowledge for his age. How old was he? The boy didn’t answer.

Before she knew it, food was being served. Law was giving Bell-mere a lecture about how she needed to immobilize her arm, and rest for a few days. The kid was giving her detailed instructions about what she would need to do for her first exercises and everything to maintain her arm. The woman nodded along to pacify the brat, but she knew she couldn’t afford that much rest.

“Where did your dad go?” She asked Law after Nami and Nojiko ran up to her with a large bowl of takoyaki.

The boy just shrugged as he nodded in thanks to Bepo bringing him food.

Again the woman found herself looking around with wide eyes. How could a man that tall and ridiculous just disappear?

“He is probably bringing food to Shachi and Penguin. They are watching to make sure nobody tries anything funny.” Law finally answered her question.

Bell-mere blinked as the concern started sinking back into her bones. “Are those your friends or your soldiers?” She asked in jest.

“They are terrible soldiers.” Law answered as he curled up into Bepo’s side. “They try though.”

Then Bepo said, “We will be a force to be reckoned with when we grow up! Maybe we can talk Hachi into a race later. I’m sure a fishman could give some swimming tips… sorry.”

In response, Rosinante’s boy just shrugged and nodded.

When the man appeared before them a few minutes later like he had never disappeared, he sat down next to his kid. Immediately, Law shifted to be leaning on him instead of Bepo. Bepo also moved to be leaning on Rosi. The two were curled up in the man’s feather coat. It was a cute shift from that murderous and calculating gaze of the boy a few minutes earlier. Bell-mere really wanted to see the other kids now.

The man moved to take a bite of food before snapping his fingers.

At once Law shifted and widened his eyes at attention. Rosinante took a deep slow breath before speaking. “Penguin and Shachi are keeping an eye on us from the trees. There are a few fishmen targeting the other towns on the island as we speak and shaking them down for beri. I think we can calm a few down, but we need to be very careful. We should stick around a few days before dropping off my intel on Dawn Island. Hey Bell, think we can stay with you for a few days? We’ll pay you and provide protection.”

Before Bell-mere could answer, Law nodded and took the heart from her lap. “I need to stay to make sure Bell here follows my instructions and rests to heal.”

Bell-mere blinked. She even overlooked the lack of honorifics. “What do you mean by making sure I listen, brat?”

The boy gave her that murder glare. “If you are anything like Cora-san, I fully expect you to ignore doctor's orders. As a medic, I can’t allow that.”

“Excuse me! You don’t get to tell me what to do. I have work to do and mouths to feed.” She told the kid.

“Please rest, Bell-mere-san!” Nojiko said.

Nami grabbed her good arm. “You need to heal. We don’t need three meals a day or new clothes.”

Rosinante laughed. “We just said we would pay you for lodging. Do you think I’m that cheap? We may try to build a storage shed for you. I don’t expect much, it’s not like I fit in most beds anyway. Law will just curl up on me or Bepo, and the other two are still small enough to share. Really, one bed would be enough for Penguin, Shachi, and Bepo.”

All Bell-mere could do was blink. “Do I have any say in this?”

“No.” Law answered.

Rosinante smiled as he glanced at her. “You heard the doctor.”

Bell-mere glared at the man. “How did you go from a top Marine to a pushover who lets his kid get away with everything?”

The man gave his oversized smile. “A Marine’s job is to follow and protect Law, right?”

She didn’t know what to say as a moment of silence passed. That is when she realized that he was using his powers to give them privacy. That silence was quickly drowned out by Law’s groan. “Please, never say that again.”

Again Rosinante smiled before laughing. Then he snapped and the sound around them returned. Casually, the man placed his hand on Law’s head and scuffed his hair peeking out of the stupid hat like it was second nature. Then the man leaned back and closed his eyes like he was taking a nap.

Law poked the man. “Don’t think you are off the hook from me checking your wounds tonight either.”

The man smiled and chuckled. “Love you too Law.”

…

As the evening was wrapping up, Hachi came over after being pulled into a conversation with Arlong and his top men. He looked a little uncomfortable and wrung his hands together. “Cora-san, the guys… well I-no. Arlong wants his heart back.”

Rosi sighed, and opened his mouth to speak, but Law spoke first. “How can we trust him not to kill us while we sleep?”

Hatchi waved his hands. “I- Arlong wouldn’t…”

“He would.” Rosinante said. “He would and you know he would. He hates humans, and there are no exceptions. Right now this heart is the only thing keeping half the fishmen here from jumping us.”

The octopus blinked. “That…”

“Check the other towns.” Rosinante told him. “Some of the other members of your crew shook them down for beri during the party.”

This poor fishman looked so sad. “Go back home and find that Cami girl you and dad saved.” Law said. “You don’t seem like a monster. You will regret staying here.”

The boy’s haunted look made Bell-mere cringe.

Chapter Text

When they split up for the night with Bell-mere and the girls in the master bedroom, Rosinante and the boys took the kid’s room. As expected, Shachi and Penguin didn't really interact with Bell-mere and the girls much. It almost seemed like they were hiding behind Law or Rosinante the whole time. Once the door closed, the beginning of a tale and questions on observation haki started seeping under the door before being overtaken by silence mid word. Well, at least these boys felt safe with her klutz of a friend. Rosi would stop them from destroying the world… right? ...

...

Inside the room, Law watched as everyone else was going to bed. Sachi and Penguin got one bunk, and Bepo got in the other. Despite the offer to curl up with the bear, Law chose to curl up on Cora-san’s feather jacket. He had a reason for this.

During Sachi and Penguin’s debrief of the island, Law tried to make a mental note of where they hadn’t seen any threats, and what the rest of the island looked like.

It took a while for everyone to fall asleep. It was a risk staying here, but a bigger risk staying on a boat when the biggest threat was fishmen. The other two had hidden their treasure, and Law chose to trust them. The idea that their boat would be gone by morning was a real threat.

By the time everyone had fallen asleep, it was late. Law double checked that everyone else was in bed before he walked over to Cora-san and kicked him in the leg. The man awoke with a start. He quickly calmed when he noticed Law in front of him with a finger in front of his lips to signal silence. It was almost instinctive with the way he didn’t hesitate to make another barrier of silence around the two of them.

“What’s the matter, Law?” He asked with a yawn.

Law looked at the half asleep man. “What did Bell-mere mean by nepotism?”

Suddenly he was blinking away his sleep in confusion. “What? It doesn’t matter.”

“You’re hiding something from me again.” He accused.

Cora-san sighed. “I don’t want… I don’t want you to hate me.” He said as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.

Law scoffed and moved closer to the man who gave everything to save him. He stood to glare up at the man who was now sitting crisscrossed. “That’s a stupid fear. I’d be more mad with you hiding things, and knowing you- having it come back to bite me later.”

The man looked at him in resignation. He was definitely awake now. “Which family do you want? Biological or adopted?”

“Both.” Law answered without hesitating.

Cora-san didn’t meet Law’s eyes. He gazed at the floor next to him. “When my father… When Dofi killed our father, I was found by some Marines. The one who adopted me is Sengoku.”

Law glared at him. “The Fleet Admiral?”

The man flinched and finally met Law’s eyes. “He wasn’t at the time. That, and he actually has far less control than you’d think. He hates being a figurehead and puppet of the world nobles, but he can at least try to minimize their destruction from his position. I checked, he had nothing to do with Flevance.”

The boy nodded as he processed this. Sengoku was the one Cora-san was always reporting to. Sengoku probably thought his kid was dead. Suddenly Law was wondering if he would ever betray Cora-san for a random kid. “You can try to call him.”

The two held eye contact for a moment before Cora-san dragged the boy into a tearful hug. Once Law was a little too smothered, he asked a question he thought would end the embrace. “What about the biological family?”

The way Cora-san stilled was an answer in itself. Really, Dofi’s mere existence was answer enough. Then again, he said Dofi killed their father. Cora-san knew being brothers by blood wouldn’t protect him from Dofi. That is a lie he would talk to the man about later. Right now, Law realized this had to be something bigger than even the Fleet Admiral.

“What do you know of celestial dragons?” Cora-san asked.

Law blinked. “Not much. They rule the world with no laws against them. They always stay in the capital. People call them gods…” The words died on his lips as Cora-san’s previous words came to his mind. Those with the will of D were the natural enemies of the gods, and… and he needed to stay away from Dofi. Dofi would kill him for being one of the will of D. “That’s impossible. If you were a celestial dragon, you wouldn’t be in trouble for anything. Dofi I could see being one. You?” The boy shook his head.

At this point Cora-san sighed. “My parents were wonderful people. They were the only ones in  Mariejois who refused to own any slaves. They were trying to convince the other celestial dragons that they were only human at the core. They hated lording over people and knew it was wrong. So…they gave up title and status when they began to fear Dofi and I growing up to be like the monsters around us. They wanted us to be humans- good people.”

“Let me guess, it was too late for Dofi?” Law asked.

Cora-san shook his head. He was looking at Law, but his eyes saw something else. “Leaving Mariejois had more consequences than they thought. Everyone on the island knew someone who was killed or enslaved by the celestial dragons. They couldn’t retaliate in fear of a buster call, but now my family was fair game.”

Law blinked. “But, you said… you said your family didn’t own any slaves?”

Cora-san met his eyes with a haunted gaze Law had never seen on the man’s face before. It didn’t belong there. “Do you really think that stopped them?”

In response, the boy could only shake his head.

Cora-san curled up as if trying to make himself small as his gaze shifted somewhere else. “Mom died of disease early on. She was the lucky one. Dad, Dofi, and I lived long enough to get strung up and tortured. They wanted to prolong our suffering. They may have killed us if Dofi hadn’t unlocked conqueror's haki.”

Law’s eyes widened as Cora-san said that. He had heard whispers of it, and Cora-san mentioned he used observation haki constantly these days. Something made Law sick knowing that Dofi actually saved Cora-san. He didn’t want that monster to need to exist. Then, after a pause, Cora-san continued. “Dofi shot dad in the head. He shot him in the head as dad was holding me. Dad’s last words were an apology to Dofi and I. Then he cut off our old man’s head and took it back to Mariejois. I refused to go with him and Sengoku found me. The celestial dragons didn’t take him back.”

Cora-san’s eyes refocused as he looked at Law. “Being the Fleet Admiral’s foster kid isn’t how I got away with anything. Having the blood of a celestial dragon is how I got away with things… that and some stories I learned as a child. Despite having a relatively good life, knowing Dofi was out there always haunted me. The final straw was when I found out Dofi can work out a deal to get back to  Mariejois. The list of things he needs to achieve are next to impossible, but this is Dofi we are talking about. He will paint the seas red to get back up there. I may have been able to achieve the same with less bloodshed as a Marine, but I don’t want to. I’d go crazy surrounded by people with Dofi’s god complex.”

Law didn’t know how to process all this. “If I’m a D, then I’m your natural enemy too.”

Cora-san didn’t hesitate to pull Law into a hug. “Weren’t you listening, I’m not a celestial dragon. On top of that, I don’t care about that anymore.”

This time, Law let the man curl up around him in an embrace. After that story, he needed it. He also thought Cora-san needed the hug more than him.

After a few minutes when his head finally cleared, Law asked. “Is stealing the Opi-Opi No-Mi really so bad that nobody would forgive you? Or… are you running because I hate the government?” Law didn’t leave the embrace as he asked this. He just clutched the man’s nightshirt and the feathers from his trademark coat.

“I don’t know.” The man answered. “Dad won’t be able to defend my actions. I’d be fine, but the celestial dragons would probably take you from me. I would need to properly join the competition to return to Mariejois to even have a chance to protect you. Your childhood would be locked in a room studying to perform that surgery Dofi wanted so badly. I’d rather just let DonQuixote Rosinante die and be a normal human.”

Law bit his lip as he considered the backup plan he has had since… since he first heard Bell-mere mention nepotism. “Would it still be the same if you told them I was your kid?”

Cora-san shook head. Law could feel the movement above him in the hug. “The celestial dragons care too much about blood to ever consider adoption valid.”

The boy shook his head. “That’s not what I meant. If the worst case scenario happens, can you tell them I’m your kid? White-led stunts growth. I should start shooting up now that it’s gone, but you can say that’s why I’m so short.”

Cora-san chuckled. “I can’t have kids. Neither can Dofi. Any time a celestial dragon has a kid with someone who is not another celestial dragon, the kid dies of sickness before adulthood. There are no half breeds. It would take a miracle for me to have a kid that survives childhood.”

“Cora-san!” Law whined because the man wasn’t paying attention. “You are not listening to yourself.”

The man blinked and leaned back from the embrace. He was still holding Law, but now he could see the man’s face. “There will be a DNA test eventually. That and I’m not old enough to be your father.”

Law glared at him. “White Lead was in my DNA. I changed that. Also, you look old enough to be my dad.”

The emotional conflict on Cora-san’s face was screaming. There was joy, horror, concern, and offense all at once. “How old do I look?”

Law squinted. “I’m only thirteen. You need to be at least in your thirties.”

The man pouted. “I’m twenty-seven.”

The boy blinked. “What? You look…”

“And you look like you're still ten years old!” Cora-san argued back.

His words made both of them blink in realization. “You had me at sixteen that night when you finally agreed to go drinking with the other Marines. You are a lightweight, and my mom was a black haired nurse from Flevance. My actual aunt died when I was a baby… She served as a nurse for the Marines. I can claim she was my biological mother. That, and I’m only ten or eleven, depending on how the days lineup.”

“Almost eleven, the party was a week after my birthday. Most women who have kids with celestial dragons die during or around childbirth. Kids seem to be born early too.” Cora-san added. “I wanted to keep it a secret so you wouldn’t be discriminated against like Dofi and I were. I was checking in on your birthday every year and during some time off. By the time I learned about the buster call, it was too late.”

“I was smart, and pretended to be older than I am because of my sick looking face and intelligence. When all else was lost, I went to seek you out before I died. That is why I hunted down Dofi to find you. I claimed to be ten thinking it was old enough to join you undercover and spend time with you before I died.” Law added.

Then Cora-san jumped in. “My first instinct seeing you in the same room as Dofi was to throw you out a window. Essentially, keep you out of the man’s sight.”

Law snorted. “Do we need to keep that part?”

“If we do get caught, Dofi will find out eventually, and try to argue he can prove we are not related.” Cora-san countered. “You were mad that I didn’t want you around. When I realized how fast your health was deteriorating, I ditched the mission to save you.”

Law smiled. “To add to that, everyone here thinks you are my biological dad. We haven’t mentioned my age either. We just need to clue the crew in.”

Cora-san blinked. “What would make them think…”

The boy glared at him. “When Bell-mere asked how you got a kid when you wanted to avoid it. You said it was an accident. I even called you 'dad' in front of the fishmen.”

Again the man blinked like he was processing things. “Fishmen wouldn’t question why we look so different. Their DNA is passed down strangely. You can look nothing like your parents and that is normal… but you called me Dad? I thought I was hallucinating."

Law huffed in aggravation. “Yeah, Dad. You better get used to it before you give away our cover.”

His expressions were the same as the first time Law called him Cora-san. The hug was even more suffocating and backbreaking. The man’s screams and tears of joy were overwhelming.

When he finally got room to breathe, Law said. “Don’t think you are replacing my parents. I’ll never forget what happened to them but… My memories of them are already fading and when I think of a dad… it’s somewhere between doctors notes, sanitary work spaces, and an idiot mime setting himself on fire. You could never replace him… but.” Law didn’t even look up at the man before he was pulled back into a bone crushing embrace.

…

Hatchi had to check what was reported by Cora-san. It was true. Arlong was treating the people like slaves. Granted, these slaves were treated like the better treated slaves, but slaves nonetheless. Well, slaves or the way celestial dragons treated normal people. He set out with Fisher Tiger to help fishmen. He went with Arlong instead of Jimbe because Arlong asked him to come. Did he make the wrong choice? If… If it weren’t for Corazon, or Rosinante, or whatever, would he have noticed what was happening before his eyes?

After everything, he went back to the Marine lady's house. He didn’t know why, maybe he just wanted to ask his friend what to do. Maybe he just wanted to be around someone he could trust.

That is when he noticed the other members of his crew surrounding the Marine lady’s house. They wanted Arlong’s heart back. The humans were practically holding the captain hostage, but that wasn’t even enough for his crewmates to stop attacking people. Were they… were they the bad guys?

Hatchi didn’t move in till he saw one of his crewmates crash through the window. There was no sound of glass shattering. After all the nightmares, Cora-san used his powers to help him and Cami sleep. That meant Cora and his kids were sleeping in there. The pirate didn’t let himself think more than that. He wasn’t smart and he knew it. So, instead he acted and fought. He wouldn’t let any other fishman enter the room.

Before he knew it, another was fighting beside him.

…

Suddenly, Law felt Cora-san still in his embrace. There was a shift in the silence, a shift Law knew. They were no longer alone. When the boy tapped the larger man on the arm, he didn’t hesitate to let the boy slip to the ground silently.

Law ran to secure Arlong’s heart, as the larger man grabbed both his pistols and the sniper rifle. No matter how hard either of them slammed anything, every move was silent for both of them. He didn’t know when, maybe it was when he started respecting Cora-san as almost family, that Law started to feel comfortable in the silence. The two didn’t need to talk. Silence was just another form of communication for them.

When a fishman came crashing through the window, the two were ready. Well, Cora-san was the one who acted first. He kicked the man and sent him flying straight out the window within a second. Law expanded his "Room" as far as he could see and stayed in the center of the beds where he could watch both doors. Then, it took a moment for them both to realize that nobody else was crashing in.

Cora-san’s hand signaled for Law to stay in the room before dropping his silence and jumping out the window. That is when Law heard it, someone was already fighting outside. While the silence was gone, the boy realized as he snuck close to the window that he couldn’t hear Cora-san fighting. The man was keeping his pistols silent, and working on those hand to hand combat skills he had been training at night.

Law screamed in silence as an enemy snuck up behind Cora-san, but the man tripped. He legitimately tripped just as the enemy fired the gun where his head was. At this point Law almost wondered if that clumsiness was an act. That was when Hatchi charged the fishman with the gun.

The boy watched with wide eyes as he realized that Hatchi was a pretty great fighter despite his lack of brains. He could fight, swim, and he was another adult. This could come in handy.

Law thought back to the memories he got with the sword buried in Cora-san’s coat. The real reason he made it so easy for Shachi and Penguin to sneak aboard is because after Cora-san’s death, he only got a few future memories from it. All those memories contained Bepo, but some had the other two brats. His last future memory was of a submarine blueprint. The boy remade the design and commissioned it from the mad scientist on Swallow Island before they left. Law trusted he didn’t miss anything too important. Cora-san was alive, and Hatchi would make a valuable crewmate, or friend.

…

They were at a stalemate as Cora-san and Arlong stared each other down the next day. Arlong threatened to inform Dofi of his brother’s whereabouts. Cora-san threatened to keep the heart and see how long the other could live without it. This impasse was finally broken by Hachi again. The octopus fishman was now standing with the townsfolk. “Cor… Rosi-san, what was the other reason you came to the East Blue? You said there was someone you trusted with your brother’s plans?”

The tall man looked back in confusion. Then a calm and tired smile overtook his face. Law was growing fond of that look. It reminded him of his real father, and every time Law drew that sword, he remembered the pain of losing Cora-san. That may be the real reason he came up with the whole father-son hoax. This man was indeed a father figure to him.

Then he shared his original plan. “Yes, I came to give the intel to Vice Admiral Garp, one of Dad’s closest friends… or at least leave it with his grandkids. Hopefully I will be gone by the time the man comes back. What I do know is Garp is morally upright enough not to be swayed by my brother, and strong enough that my brother couldn’t assassinate him.”

Arlong blinked. His blue skin paled. “Who?”

Law gave Arlong one of his smiles of death. “You know, Monkey D Garp, the Marine hero who captured Gol D Rodger? Did you know he keeps his family in this sea and visits on all his breaks?”

“Shit.” Arlong mumbled. “We are moving out. Let’s go to the South or West Blue. The East Blue seems to be more unpredictable than I expected. Give me my heart, and I will be out of here.” He stretched out his hand.

Cora-san stepped between Arlong and his kid. “Send your crew into the ocean first. If any of you come out of the water, or step back on this island, I will not hesitate to shoot, and shoot to kill.”

The captain held his stance for a moment before making a fist and his arm started shaking. He flashed his teeth and glared down his nose at Law smirking behind Cora-san. His glare could kill, but the kid didn’t stop sending back an equal glare. Hatchi told them about the slavery, but he also told Law and Cora-san that Arlong wasn’t one of the slaves. The boy had seen hell on earth and survived. In his short life, Law had seen the worst the world could offer. Arlong’s horror was nothing like what happened to 'The White Town,' and his power and maniacal destruction was child’s play in comparison to Doflamingo.

Eventually, Arlong turned his gaze from Law and glared at the grass before looking at his crew. “Head out everyone, I’ll meet you in the sea.”

As everyone left, Hatchi hesitated. He looked back before he started to move forward. Law looked at Bepo and gave a nod before gesturing to Hatchi with a flick of his head. Shachi and Penguin got the message too. A second later, the trio was on the move. Bepo stepped in front of Hatchi with watery eyes asking him not to go, and the other two each grabbed the lowest arms, one on either side of the fishman, and started pulling him back.

Arlong noticed the scene and glared at his powerful crewmate. “Race traitor.” He said before walking towards the tree line.

Hachi’s face dropped for a moment. Then he looked at the people around him. Genzo gave the former enemy a pat on the shoulder. “We could use some protection if you wouldn’t mind sticking around, at least till Rosinante gets that note sent off to the Marines.”

The octopus fishman looked around and took in the nods of acceptance from the town’s people. Bell-mere smiled and nodded last. Soon the six armed goofball was on his knees crying.

Cora-san looked over his shoulder at Law. “You planned that.” He whispered under the crowd. For all Law knew the man used some silence so only the two of them could hear.

The kid smiled back. “Why suspect me, Dad?”

A flash of affection and almost-tears that crossed Cora-san’s face. It was quickly stomped down by a smile Law knew was a mask waiting for tears later. The man just shook his head and focused his attention back on his haki as he stood tall.

“I’m getting sick of this.” Arlong said.

“They made it to the water.” The ten foot tall man announced.

Instead of walking up to the enemy, Law glared at him and decided to give him an order. “Pick up that rock.”

Arlong looked at the rock on the floor next to him. Then he sneered a glare at the kid again.

The boy shrugged as an evil smile crossed his face. “Your loss.” Then he put out his hand. “Room… and shambles.”

When the rock and heart traded places, Arlong almost flinched back. Then he bent down and picked his heart up with much care. A second later he looked at the kid. “What do I do with this?”

The boy actually paused glaring for a second of shock before he smiled. “You slide it back in.”

Arlong held his heart and turned it around in his hands a few times. His confusion melted away quickly to frustration. He glanced up, before his focus returned to his heart.

Cora-san chuckled. “Anatomy isn’t taught everywhere, Law.” He flicked his head at Arlong.

The boy brooded, but Cora-san would call it 'pouting like the adorable child he is'. That man has problems. “He can ask for help.”

The man shook his head. “Put it back in, and make sure it’s in the right way and won’t cause any problems later.” He leveled his gun at Arlong’s head. “He won’t hurt you, son.”

Realizing this was the man actually putting his foot down on something, Law relented. Well, that didn’t mean he had to be nice about it. He walked right up to the fishman as he set up a 'room.' Then threw a rock at Arlong’s chest before using the room to teleport himself there. The other reacted on instinct and flinched to attack Law, but the click of Cora-san’s pistol halted his movements. The boy didn’t stop his task, he wanted it to be over. He just held out his hand for Arlong to hand over the heart as he glared at the hole. It appeared that not only do humans and fish men share the same blood types, but a rather similar heart structure. If only he had the chance to vivisect some of them with his powers. Oh well, Hatchi was still in town. He will probably agree in time. Bepo already broke. It won’t be long till he has a complete understanding of fishmen biology too.

When Arlong passed the heart over to the kid, he kept his eyes trained on Cora-san. “I don’t trust this brat, or you. How do you know you won’t shoot him by accident if I move?” The pirate asked.

Cora-san smiled. “He’s my kid.” Then his face shifted into a sadistic grin, so similar to Law’s. “It’s called mutual trust. He knows I won’t hit him, and I know for sure that if you so much as scratch my son, I will make you beg for death.”

Law felt the fishman still as his heart literally skipped a beat. How foolish was this pirate? Cora-san wasn’t scary. Dofi and the world government are scary. Oh well, Arlong holding still made it easier to return the heart. Once that was done, the boy looked back at his foster father. The man smiled and flicked a coin with his back hand that wasn’t holding the gun. The kid understood the silent que and used 'shambles' to switch places with the coin. The moment he appeared, Cora-san was holding Law to his chest with his back arm. The man’s body was keeping Law far away from Arlong and the gun was the closest thing to the fishman.

The kid buried his face in his 'dad’s' shirt. The man stopped wearing pink the moment they left the North Blue. It reminded Law of that night anyway, so the boy didn’t like to think of it. The feather coat Law loved so much was back in Bell-mere’s house. It was too hot, and even Law would admit he didn’t want to deal with heat stroke. Bepo was already at risk. The boy told himself he was just holding onto Cora-san because of the father son act. In truth, a deep secret was that he liked it. Law liked feeling loved and protected. This scene was so much like the night Cora-san should have died, but so different. Law wasn’t hiding, and Cora-san was the one who held all the cards.

…

In the distance, Genzo slipped right behind Bell-mere. “When you said that boy inherited his father’s 'psycho face' yesterday, I didn’t believe you. Rosinante simply seemed too kind to appear psychotic.”

Bell-mere smiled. “It’s cute how they shifted places today. Law cuddling up in his Dad’s arms with that fluffy hat, as Rosi is threatening pirates like the monster he is. The man’s blood family is known for being mentally unstable. Rosinante’s crazy button was always simple things like slavery, and the harm of families and children. The insanity was extremely dialed back for him, but he loved harming true villains.”

Gen nodded. “And now he has his own kid.”

Bell-mere nodded and pulled her daughters close. “And now he has his own kids.”

“Do you mind if I invite him to move to town here? If this proves anything, we could use some muscle. Island Security sounds like a good job for him. We won’t need him when the Marines are in town. The biggest danger is someone seeking him and finding you.” He asked her opinion.

The woman smiled. “I have a feeling they won’t want to stay in one place for too long. Still, I can promise that as long as Law is on an island, Rosi will do anything in his power to protect that island. I think you made a good choice. Hatchi may try to join their gang too. That is six mouths to feed.”

“Eight if you chose to join and help out. It’s a big island, and after his family, you have the most skills. Train with him, and when Rosinante leaves, you can be our local law enforcement.” He said as he placed a hand on Bell-mere’s shoulder.

The woman laughed. “Right now you are hiring literal Law enforcement.”

Gen looked at the man cradling his kid and had to agree.

Chapter Text

Law and Cora-san were alone again in a small boat on the way to the Goa Kingdom. For a small amount of time, the group debated traveling en masse, but then Cora realized how easy it was to recognize their odd group. People in the East are not usually ten feet tall. A mink was just as rare in the east as the north. Fishman were just stories here. Instead of worrying about the kids, Rosinante wanted to leave them all with Bell. That said, Law wouldn’t let Cora-san travel alone. No, the kid would rather die than send his ‘father’ to seek out a family of D after learning what that meant.

Instead of pulling straight into the city, they pulled the boat up to the coast of the forest first. Law didn’t question it. Cora-san mentioned the man they were seeking grew up in the forest.

As the clumsy man tied up their boat, Law glared at the forest. He felt like a Marine could jump out at any moment. The boy stood lookout as the feeling of being watched crawled up his skin. While he could use that sword to see memories of what would be happening if he didn’t save Cora-san, so far most of what Law was learning was medical information. It gave him a chance to spend more time with his almost family while still getting stronger with his powers.

Just as he was starting to bury the feeling of being watched, Law saw a giant tiger jump out of the forest. He almost didn’t dodge in time. He hardly got to the side of the beast’s claws as Cora-san jumped to the beast’s side and swung his large sniper rifle into the tiger’s head. Law watched the animal fly into the forest over his body.

“What was that?” Law asked.

The man spoke as he was panting. “I thought… He said the animals were big here, but I’ve never seen a tiger that large outside the Grand Line.” Then, slowly the man’s expression hardened as he readied his gun. The beast was getting up again. Law didn’t hesitate to use his room this time. In a few swipes the tiger was split into three pieces.

“Are you sure that wasn’t overkill?” The man asked.

“It’s not like the Marines haven’t figured out you gave me the Opi-Opi No Mi.” The boy replied as he tried to hide the fact that left him panting.

Cora-san just shrugged in response. “Stay close. I am going to hide our haki signatures so less creatures or people can find us. There are a few people living in the forest from what I can tell. Let’s start there.”

…

The two had hiked for close to an hour. Law refused to let Cora-san carry him. Despite that, the taller man had to help Law get through a lot of the paths. While Law was mostly healed, there were side effects. It would take time and training to build his body up to the point he could be traversing forests steps larger than he is tall. Amazingly, Cora-san never tripped when he was using his haki properly. The man only fell twice, and Law wondered if it was out of sympathy so Law wouldn’t feel as useless if he needed to help the man up too. This forest was wild in a way Law had never seen before. It was a far cry from all the cold winter lands the boy was used to. This was a true tropical land. As interesting as it was, Law was tired. “Do you know where we are going?” he finally grumbled.

Cora-san snapped his fingers to create a small bubble of silence. “We are waiting.” The man said as he took a step down a slope and reached out his hand to help Law get past a boulder bigger than he was.

“Waiting for what?” The boy tried to move his lips as little as possible as he huffed.

The man smirked. “We are being followed. Have been for the last twenty minutes."

The boy held his breath as his eyes widened. He had to resist the urge to look around. “How many?” He mumbled as he reached out for Cora-san’s hand to climb another boulder.

“Three.” The man answered. “They seem small, young. If Garp grew up fighting animals in this forest…” The man didn’t finish as he let go of Law’s hand and they started walking side by side through a worn path.

Law understood. The ones following them were probably Garp’s grandkids. That was unsettling. The boy thought of Flevance. What would kids training to be Marines be like? As Marines they were a threat to him, and as those with the name D, they were the natural enemy of Cora-san. Law would not let them off easily. There was no way he would let his guard down around these kids for a single moment.

After a moment of no reply, Cora-san snapped again and the bubble of silence disappeared.

Another five minutes hiking in the heat made Law frustrated. They passed a stream, and Law wanted a break. “Dad, can we stop to eat something? Finding your…” The boy shook his head. “Your foster father’s friend could take a long time. Why don’t we rest.”

Cora-san paused and looked at Law. He blinked before letting off a relieved sigh and smiled. “You asked right by a creek where we can refill our water. You're so smart!” He said as he patted Law’s hat and scuffed up the hair peeking out.

“One of us has to be.” The boy scoffed back.

Cora-san took a step back and put his hand over his heart dramatically. “You wound me! Questioning the intelligence of your own father!”

The boy opened his mouth then closed it again as the older man took a seat. The simple remark about being adopted died on his lips. Instead he focused on the fact people were listening in. “I’m the one who memorizes medical texts and learned how to do surgery as a child.”

The man tapped Law’s forehead. “Book smart doesn’t always mean street smart. You don’t even know half the horrors I survived when I was younger.”

Law blinked at the man as he was grabbing food. “You got yourself into more life and death situations than you told me about?”

Cora-san pulled out a bowl of rice, a can of beans, and some fresh fruit. “Yeah, did you think my life was boring?”

“Dad, do you have a death wish?” Law asked this question in the most monotone and harsh voice of accusation he could use with his glare.

The man flinched as he was grabbing the can opener. This caused him to completely drop it before shaking himself off and grabbing what he was originally planning to get. “I don’t have a death wish.” He confirmed without looking at Law.

“But you did.” Law interpreted.

The man sighed and nodded. “I’m not going to leave you as an orphan, Law.” When he looked at Law with those golden eyes, the boy could read the words he couldn’t add out loud right now. ‘I won’t leave you alone again. I understand now, and won’t let you lose another family.’

Law nodded and reached out to take his food. That conversation got way too deep too quickly. It was just supposed to be a stop to see what these navy brats would do.

The boy had taken three bites of his food when he heard slurping next to him. Law looked up instinctively ready to berate whoever had such poor manners out of his friend group. Penguin and Shachi stopped slurping, and Bepo only did it with particularly delicious food. The problem was; the boy next to him, Law didn’t know. This dirty forest child was wearing an oversized straw hat with a red ribbon. The kid had a layer of dirt on him and chose to wear flip flops in the forest. That just didn’t seem practical. The rest of his outfit was a simple dirty tee shirt and jean shorts in a similar condition. The kid also had a pipe of some sort on his back.

Law placed his hand over the sword on his hip for his own comfort. This blade he asked Cora-san for replaced the time one. It was too dangerous to fight with that weapon. “That’s our food.” He stated the obvious.

The boy looked at Law with wide eyes, but just kept chewing. Cora-san silently placed more food in front of the kid as he downed more than father or son planned to eat combined. Law couldn’t help but feel his eye twitch. It was beyond his control.

“Slow down kid.” Cora-san said. “When was the last time you ate?”

The boy didn’t even bother to swallow as he answered. “A few hours ago. My brothers and I caught a crocodile!”

Law blinked. “If you eat more, your stomach will explode.”

This boy shook his head. “Mine is rubber. Anyway, Grandpa says food makes boys strong men. I could eat a tiger too. It’s just as good as crocodile meat. My brothers made me share with them, so I couldn’t eat the whole thing myself.”

“Hey!” The voice came from a boy with similar black hair. He looked older than this one, with a tank top and shorts as well. He even had a matching pipe. The biggest difference is this boy was more pale and had freckles. Really, it was mostly just an older version of the brat beside Law.

“That crocodile was bigger than all of us. We all got to eat our height, and then some!” The older brother argued, making Law’s jaw drop.

“But Ace!” The younger one yelled. “You and Sabo are bigger than me!”

The older boy, Ace, walked right past Law and Cora-san like they weren’t there. He grabbed what was probably his brother by the cheek and pulled as he pinched the boy’s flesh. Law watched as the younger kid’s skin stretched like elastic. “We are older, bigger and need more food. We told you to catch more, not bum off strangers we don’t know!”

Cora-san was covering his mouth with a hand. Law knew the man was chuckling. Then the larger man dropped his hand to reveal a soft smile. At times Law missed the makeup, but this face had a more genuine smile than the ‘corazon’ makeup. It was like saying the man was free from his brother and his death wish. Law hoped maybe it wasn’t just Cora-san giving everything up for him, maybe he really could make that man smile one day.

“Do you live out here?” Cora-san asked Ace and his little brother.

“What’s it to you?” Ace fixed the adult with a glare as he let go of his brother’s cheek. It snapped back in place like a rubber band. Law had a feeling his glare was more threatening than this boy’s.

Always the one to calm down tension, Cora-san answered. “I need to get an important message to someone. Once that’s done, my kid and I are planning to disappear.”

“Who?” Ace asked. His glare shifted from the adult to Law. The two boys stare down quickly became a staring contest as neither would break the glare.

Again the adult chuckled. “Vice Admiral Garp of the Marines. I hear his grandkids live here. This isn’t a conventional way to leave a report, but lives are at stake, and there are too many rats in the Marines where I was stationed.”

Ace’s glare shifted back to the adult. “You are a Marine?”

Cora-san flinched back. “Ex-Marine. I worked undercover in pirate crews and criminal organizations… I needed to quit when my son got sick, then involved. My death has been faked, but the pirate I have evidence to sell out has too many spies in the Marines. I know for a fact that while I can’t show my face in a Marine base again, your grandfather isn’t corrupt, and is strong enough not to get killed before reporting this.”

“I’m going to be king of the pirates!” The younger boy randomly yelled as he jumped to his feet. The food was already devoured. Law felt his lip rise into a smirk.

“Oh really?” Cora-san said with a smile as he leaned forward towards the kid. “What does your grandfather think about that?”

The boy grumbled and crossed his arms. “Stupid old man can’t tell me what to do.”

Ace on the other hand looked at the tall man in suspicion and fear. “How did you know Luffy is Garp’s grandson?”

The man smiled. “I’ve met Garp. You are his grandson too, right? Let me guess, Monkey D Ace, Monkey D Luffy, and” He pointed over his shoulder. “and Monkey D Sabo is hiding up in the trees behind me ready to attack.”

Ace took a fighting stance and leveled his pipe at Cora-san. Law started to grab his blade, but halted when he met his father’s warning glare. Then, once he knew Law wouldn’t attack, Cora-san answered. “Educated guess.” Then he started counting off his fingers. “Garp mentioned before that he grew up here. I know he has grandkids he brags about, just not the names, how many, and the ages. He comes back here on all his breaks. He complained to Sengoku about not getting enough time off to visit you. Garp is one of the only men I have witnessed who eat as much as Luffy, and you just confirmed all three of you have that appetite. I know another of the will of D, and I’m starting to fear he is malnourished, because he eats like a normal human on a good day, or less most days. You are inhumanly strong. Oh, and you are also the only kids in the forest I can sense with my haki. That, and you told me your names through the conversation.”

“What’s haki?” A new voice asked. The boy the voice came from dropped from the trees to stand back to back with Ace. His pipe was leveled at ready in his hands as he glared at Law. The new boy stood out with his blond hair and ragged dress clothes. He looked to be the same age as Ace.

Of all the questions out of Law’s mind, what escaped his mouth was a stupid one. “Are you fraternal twins?” Did he ask that because he was wondering for weeks about ways to explain how he was related to Cora-san? He was wondering that and then a genetic answer dropped right in front of him.

Sabo blinked at him.

“What’s Fra-two-ail…” Luffy started.

“Fraternal twins.” Sabo corrected. “It’s a way of saying twin brothers who aren’t identical. Often fraternal twins look nothing alike.”

“Oh,” Luffy said. “Like how Ace has dots on his face and you are blond?”

Sabo lowered his guard a smidge as he looked between Luffy and Law. “Yes, but-”

“We don’t talk about it.” Ace spoke up for the first time in a while. “And it’s not Monkey D Ace, you dumb giant. I took my mother’s name: Portgas D Ace. You better remember the name! I’m going to make a splash in the world when I set sail as a pirate.”

Cora-san, of all the things he could do, he broke out laughing. Maybe not the best move, but he even fell off the rock he was sitting on. The chuckles just kept going. Then he finally got himself slightly propped up on his elbows. “Do you want to be a pirate too, Sabo? Is it Portgas D, or Monkey D?”

“Um…” Sabo glanced at Ace. “Portgas? Maybe?” He was so hesitant as he looked at the man trying to get his breath back. All the boy’s guards were down.

“Oi, what’s so funny?” Luffy demanded to know. It was like the youngest just needed the spotlight. Law was happy to think he was at least taller than him. Stupid white lead disease and stunted growth!

“All Garp’s grandkids want to be pirates. Sengoku is going to have so many headaches! He was already stressed enough when your dad founded the Revolutionary Army! Man yells at Garp all the time, only for the old man to laugh it off. One time he sent Garp to arrest Dragon, only for the father and son duo to have dinner together and part ways because Garp, ‘can’t arrest his own son!' This sent Cora-san back on the floor laughing. “Worse! Garp expended the meal on the Marine’s dime!”

Law face palmed, but smiled into his hand despite himself. He was so worried about Marine brats, and here he found pirate brats. Maybe he didn’t need to worry another D would randomly stab the silly old man.

“Didn’t you just say you were working to help Gramps take down pirates?” Ace asked in an accusing tone.

The man caught his breath with a struggle before speaking. “Just one. There are pirates like Whitebeard who I would never want to see fall. He does too much good. The pirate I want to take down is evil to the core though.”

”How evil?” Luffy asked with wide eyes.

“You are brothers who would do anything to protect each other, right?” Law asked. Well, he hoped this was true.

The three turned to look at him. It almost seemed they forgot he was there for a moment. Ace and Sabo tightened their grips on their pipes. The three nodded.

“Doflamingo is actively trying to kill his brother. His brother who just wants to live freely with those he loves, but can’t because he feels guilty for the actions of the monster he is related to. I know it's stupid, but he is a kindhearted idiot. Dofi won’t hesitate to shoot, all while knowing his brother couldn't pull the trigger against his own family- not even in self defense. He has been plotting different ways to kill his own brother for years. The brother almost didn’t get out alive.”

Sabo was the first to speak. “What did his brother do to deserve it?”

Law shrugged. “He is kind like their father, who Dofi also shot in the head. The psycho just doesn’t want any family members. Also, his brother is a good person who risked his life to save people, while Dofi owns slave auctions and kills for fun.”

Sabo let out a sigh. “Give me the data for… for grandpa. Luffy will lose it. Ace and I…” He shared a glance with his twin, “Ace and I will make sure grandpa gets it.” The man was quick to hand over the Marine cylinder with his findings.

“What happened to his brother?” Ace finally asked. “He must feel sick living with so much bad blood in him.”

Cora-san shrugged. “You have no idea how bad his family’s history is… but he has hope it can be something better now.” He smiled at Law. “The man has a son, and knows that kid can destroy the bad blood… but he plans to hide his family name. That’s why I can’t judge you for choosing your mom’s. Taking the name of the head of the Revolutionary Army would put a target on your back. You wouldn't be seen as your own person or pirate, but your father’s kid.”

Sabo shook his head. “If this Doflamingo guy killed his father and tried to kill his brother…”

“… then what about his nephew?” Ace finished.

Luffy laughed. “That’s why they are hiding and asking Grandpa to handle the flamingo!”

The older brothers looked back and forth between the giant and the boy. “Oh…” Ace finally said.

“You don’t look related.” Sabo pointed out.

Law shrugged. “So much for you to say. I look more like mom did… and I got a disease that stunts growth.” He pouted at that last truth. Why was he shorter than these two brats?

“Where can a ten foot tall man hide?” Luffy asked.

“None of your business.” Law answered. “We should go before someone suspects we stopped here.” He finished as he stood up and confirmed his lack of height beside the twin brats. He just needed a few more inches to beat them.

Ace nodded. That seemed to be a que.

“Stay for dinner! We can catch something good! Then maybe the pale kid will stop being so short!” Luffy spoke first.

Then Sabo added. “We will walk you to the coast at nightfall. That’s the best time for you to sneak off the island anyway. You can tell us more about this haki thing while we wait.”

Law sighed as he looked at Cora-san. Then the adult nodded and Law had no more say in the matter. He was going to be stuck around these annoying Ds for a little longer.

“We never got your names.” Ace finally pointed out.

Cora-san smiled. “My name is DonQuixote Rosinante, and this is my son, Trafalgar D Waterlaw.”

…

A few days later, Garp showed up at the house. His shock at learning he suddenly has three grandsons quickly wore off as Sabo was pulled into his arms for training.

“Wait!” Sabo yelled. “We have a message for you!”

“Yeah!” Ace added as he stopped biting Garp’s arm. “It’s from that clumsy marine guy!”

“Rosaloko and Traffy!” Luffy added from his position over Garp’s shoulder.

“Rosinante!” Sabo corrected because he was the only one who could pronounce the name.

“And his son Law!” Ace added.

Garp paused. “Rosi is dead. He was killed by a pirate a couple months ago.”

“Are you talking about the evil brother, Mingo?” Luffy asked.

Garp dropped the boys and took the information cylinder. He quickly started reading everything. Then he mumbled, “Why do I have to be the one to tell him?”

He turned and looked at his grandkids. “This will save lives, but it can wait till tomorrow. Don’t want anyone questioning why I head back to headquarters so quickly! Let’s train!”

As the boys started running, Sabo paused to look at Garp. “Can you teach us that haki thing Rosinante was using?”

Garp halted all movement. He looked down at Sabo, then his gaze shifted to his other two grandkids. “You won’t need haki unless you plan to be stationed in the New World. It’s better to train up brute strength and core battle intelligence without relying on haki. You need to master the basics first.” Never had he felt the need to be intellectual about training with the other two brats.

“It can’t be that hard if Gramps knows how to use it!” Luffy said with a laugh.

The old man didn’t hesitate to give the brat a light smack on the head… well light for Garp’s standards. “You already cheated and ate that cursed fruit!”

“Why does it hurt when you hit me!” Luffy whined. “I’m rubber.”

For the first time the old man answered. “Haki.” He said as he threw Luffy under his arm.

Suddenly the two older boys completely stopped trying to escape and smiled with feral grins. Luffy saw their smiles before whining again. “I changed my mind. Let’s not learn haki!”

“Please teach us Grandpa!” The two older boys echoed in unison. “We can promise not to use it before the New World outside of fighting Luffy!”

Garp looked down at the boys with wide eyes. Never before had the brats wanted to train with him. He almost said he would only teach them if they agreed to become Marines. Then he thought of his son, Dragon. Another thought of Sengoku’s reaction to his son’s supposed death, and what he would say once realizing the brat went rogue. Right now the kids were just that, kids who needed to learn to survive in this dark world. “Stick to my training regimen. I’ll teach you when you get a solid hit on my face, or when you turn sixteen. Whichever comes first.”

Those grins told Garp that his boys had no intention of waiting till they turned sixteen. At Luffy’s pout, Garp added. “It can also enhance your rubber powers, brat.”

Chapter Text

DonQuixote Doflamingo was not happy. He had no idea what happened, and time wasn’t explaining anything. The Marines were on his back, and making life difficult. Reports said he had the Opi-Opi No Mi, when he didn’t. Yes, he wanted to steal it, but someone got it first. Doflamingo was played, and he had a feeling he knew who did it.

The oddest thing on Swallow Island was the fact that everything was too perfect. The Marine bust was so clean, and even the pirate crew he attacked first seemed completely confused. The only survivor was a kid that escaped to the Marines. Doflamingo got no information out of the rest of the crew, other than the fact it was a shadow. They called him a shadow who knew what they were doing before they did.

When Vergo reported that he couldn’t talk to the kid yet, he also warned Dofi that Sengoku was mad. The man was extremely pissed, and his son just died. This was the first time Doflamingo heard of the Fleet Admiral even having a kid! Apparently, a bunch of blood and the Marine’s transponder snail was found in a shack a few islands over. There was more than enough evidence to prove his death, but the Fleet Commander wanted a body.

It took him over a month, and still no word from Vergo on what the pirate brat knew. Why did the Fleet Admiral’s kid need to die in the North Blue? Any other sea, and Dofi’s every move would not be monitored. Everyone was suspect, and this was really putting a halt on his plan to escape to the Grand Line, and acquire a Shichibukai title. Yeah, he could grab the title at any time, but being on the Grand Line was kinda traditional. All he needs to do is wait for the heat to die down, or find the Marine’s killer and dump him at the feet of Sengoku. Yes, that is a wonderful plan! All he needs is the identity of the killer! That shouldn't be too hard with his connections, right?

…

That rat!

Yes, Doflamingo knew his brother was probably a Marine. It wasn’t that big of a surprise. Most days he wanted to kill the man anyway, and deep down he knew his brother hated him too. The only reason Doflamingo left his brother alive was because he thought life was worse than death for the man.... And he didn't want to kill another celestial dragon. He loved watching him suffer. Everyone in the family Doflamingo made loved watching Rosinante suffer. His heart, his Corazon, his brother; the one who would be his little puppet and die for him.

The useless brat being a rat to the Marines? Easy to believe. The idea that his clumsy and mentally challenged brother somehow passed Marine training, that is something he didn’t suspect. The idea that Sengoku adopted Rosinante the day Dofi left him to bring their biological dad’s head back to Mariejois: IMPOSSIBLE!

HOW?

How did that idiot keep him fooled for that long? How much information did he manage to steal? Most of all, why hasn’t Rosinante turned in the information to Sengoku yet?

Doflmingo sat down and pondered the information. He ignored Baby 5’s attempts to cheer him up. He ignored the whole crew till they grew too annoying and he needed to send them away. Well, he sent them away after knocking the kids out with conqueror's haki. He hadn’t been so angry that he couldn’t control it since… He honestly didn’t know.

What the man did know was that he needed to find his brother before Sengoku. As much as he wants the Opi-Opi No Mi, that intel can destroy him, especially if his brother is the one to turn it it. Doflamingo was betting on using his blood, and what he saw up there to get into a cozy Shichibukai position. The problem is, Rosinante was always following him around. If the man puts two and two together, and turns in the information himself, then it is all over for Dofi.

The fallen celestial dragon screamed as he paced back and forth in his room. Just think, when had his brother’s cover been shaken? When has that impenetrable Corazon mask slipped?

Law.

It always comes back to Trafalgar Law.

Corazon left his post for over six months to protect Law.

Not long ago, Doflamingo thought Law would be the key to destroying his brother. Something about him brought sanity back to Corazon’s eyes. It all started when Law joined the crew.

No. Doflamingo shook his head. His brother’s first instinct to seeing Law was throwing the kid out a window. The two seemed to want to one up each other for years. It was strange. Law never took part in the pranks on Corazon, but he had his own set of pranks for the man. The pranks were different, more personal. It wasn’t till they were on the Marine ship when the child of plague fell asleep in his brother’s arms after crying about Flevance that...

Doflamingo froze mid thought. Then his head popped up in understanding. Vegapunk. The chance to see the future. The report said that Rosinante moved like a shadow and disappeared before the Drake Pirates could react.

A smile spread across Doflamingo’s lips. His stupid brother chose a homicidal child over both him and the Marines. Yes, he was a little jealous that the man chose a stranger over his own brother, but Dofi would choose himself every time. He only got mad at people who shed the blood of his brother because only a celestial dragon has the right to shed the blood of another celestial dragon. That means he is the only man on the seas below with the right to kill Corazon. It is part of his requirements to ascend anyway. He has been preparing himself to pull the trigger for years. 

The question now is how to find and corner someone who knows the future. He knows the weapon is somewhat broken, but that can mean anything from 'the genius'. What Doflamingo needs to focus on is his brother’s weakness: Law.

Doflamingo felt an odd kinship with the spiteful kid. He had a little too much of a dominating personality to keep on long term without whipping into shape. He wasn’t as malleable as the rest of Doflamingo’s target followers. Despite how hard his past was, Law was a willful fighter. He was the mirror image of Dofi; the perfect recruit. Then again, if they are that similar, then Law may have killed Corazon after getting the fruit. That is what Dofi would have done.

He shook his head. If the kid is scared that Doflamingo will kill him for killing his brother, that will make gaining the kid’s trust hard. Does he really want Law to be the one to perform the surgery for him? The one who does it will be holding Dofi’s life in his hands. The man can’t trust the fruit to anyone he couldn’t trust completely, or at least trust to be too scared to kill him in surgery. That is why his brother was supposed to eat the fruit. Corazon is so easy to control.

The man shook his head and leaned back. He needs to find both his brother and the kid. Best to start putting out underworld bounties. Does he have any photos of his brother without the makeup? For that matter, does he have any good photos of his brother at all? How good is the man with disguises? Someone that looks as much like him as his stupid brother can’t be that good at hiding!

Doflamingo shook his head. No, he will not think that way. Instead he will send two agents to Dressrosa, not just Monet. Actually, he should send three ahead. That, and first put out a bounty for Law alive. He just needs an artist to draw the brat without the white patches on his skin.

His grin began to turn genuine.

Perfect.

Law will either grant him immortality, or grant him warlord status for killing Corazon. What will the Marines do with the little murder child from the 'White Town?'

He should keep the focus on his contacts in the North, and those he trusts most. Can’t be too careful right now. The Marines are everywhere, and here he is trying to beat them at their own game.

…

Sengoku was not ready to have Garp march into his office to steal his food again. He gave the man a vacation. Is he really going to ignore his chance to visit those grandkids he always rants about around the office when he has the chance? What is he going to do? Definitely not his paperwork!

The day Sengoku received word of his kid’s death, Garp came into his office. The man made him want to throw his old friend out a window. Garp was ignoring his work and paperwork to steal his snacks and read over his shoulder. The man was going to snap till he heard one thing that froze all his emotions. “I’m not buying it.”

He grit his teeth and looked over his shoulder at his oldest friend. “If you aren’t buying, stop eating my food!” He tried to steal back his rice crackers. Stress eating sounded like a wonderful idea.

After he managed to wrangle the bag away, Garp seemed oddly resigned. He let the food go surprisingly easily. Then, after a few moments Garp spoke assuredly. “Kid can’t be dead, we would have found his body. Don’t rush to conclusions."

When the door slammed shut, Sengoku realized the bag of crackers he just inhaled to spite Garp was the only thing he had eaten all day. Then he looked at the paperwork again. Yes, the tested blood was his kid’s. That doesn’t mean he is dead. It just means he was hurt, and lost his snail. Given the boy’s biological family, everyone upstairs may actually approve of a proper hunt for his son.

For the first forty eight hours, Sengoku had hope. The trap for Doflamingo wasn’t enough to capture him, and the Opi-Opi No Mi was nowhere to be found, Sengoku was nervous. Did Rosi give everything up for that kid? If so, can he put a bolo out for the brat from Flevance? Sengoku didn’t know what he was supposed to do. He didn’t know what he should do.

 ...

Two months later, things were still silent. Garp was the only one who still tried to resist giving him condolences. By the third month, everyone was pulling back. He knew from his last call upstairs that the only reason that he still had the extra forces in the North Blue was because his bosses wanted the blood of whoever killed one with the blood of a celestial dragon. That, and they probably wanted the Opi-Opi No Mi for themselves. Not even Garp spoke about his kid still being alive. His old friend grew oddly silent.

Sending his old friend out for vacation again was his way to rest- his way to deny that even Garp believed Rosi was dead. Is it wrong that he hopes his kid went rogue like Dragon? It was a possibility with how good his kid was, and how corrupt his bosses are.

…

Now, Sengoku is stuck in a meeting on what is happening in the North Blue with Tsuru. Doflamingo seems to be up to something. Sadly, a lot of Rosi’s reports couldn’t be made over transponder snail.

Every time the reports on Doflamingo got too familiar, Sengoku felt a chill go down his spine. Sometimes, Rosinante would deflect his injuries during their rare calls. At first he avoided answering about his own welfare by asking about people and random things in the office. Then, one day his rants went to a kid in his crazy brother’s gang. He wasn’t the first child in Dofi’s gang that Rosi mentioned, but something was different about this one.

Sengoku contemplated mentioning Law. Then he looked at the latest report from Tsuru. She was holding up a underworld bounty from Doflamingo. The woman didn’t say anything at the recognition in his eyes. The man didn’t know what to say. No, he had never seen this boy before in his life. Yes, Rosinante had mentioned the hat his favorite kid would always wear. That, and this drawing didn’t show a sign of white lead poisoning on his skin. Did the boy… did he eat the Opi-Opi No Mi? If he is on the run from Doflamingo, then things definitely went wrong with Rosi’s cover... right? Rosi wanted to save that boy. He wanted it so badly that he took his first vacation days in years for Law.

Best not to mention the hospitals.

Of course, Garp had to rush in and nearly break down his door in the middle of his meeting. At least he wasn’t alone in being subjugated to Garp’s insanity this time. Tsuru looked ready to blow a gasket.

“You will never guess what happened! My brats want to learn haki! I never told them about it, but suddenly the boys actually want to train with me! They aren’t just running, but fighting back!” He started laughing loudly as he slammed the door and pulled out a box of donuts. Well… at least he isn’t coming after his food immediately.

Sengoku face palmed and prepared himself for the old Garp to return. Yeah, the silence was nerve racking, but the man already missed it. Tsuru, always the voice of reason, spoke up. “Garp, do you really think it is appropriate to be bragging about your grandchildren in light of current events?”

The man spoke between shoving donuts in his mouth. “Why, you want to brag about your grandkids?”

Tsuru shook her head. “I will talk about Kujaku on my off hours.”

Garp shook his head. Then he walked up next to Sengoku. “I was talking to you, Senny!”

In response, the man rubbed his eyes. “I haven’t officially agreed to adopt Drake yet.”

Garp laughed out loud and dropped crumbs on the table before pointing at the kid in Dofi’s wanted sketch. “I was talking about Law!” He said before giving the drawing a closer look. “Not a bad sketch of him.”

Sengoku felt his jaw drop and lost his voice like when Rosi used his powers on him. The kid may as well have done just that. Tsuru spoke after letting out a heavy sigh. “Can you repeat yourself.”

Garp shrugged after shoving more donuts in his mouth. Then he dumped a confidential Marine information cylinder on the table. “Rosi said there were spies in the North Blue, so he dumped the information with my grandsons a few days ago before disappearing. Your brat also added his resignation to the stack. Guess I’m not the only one with an outlaw for a son!” He started laughing out loud.

Sengoku was still in shock. He watched as Tsuru grabbed the information cylinder. “Nothing here should make him an outlaw. Many of my girls have gotten full retirement benefits after suddenly becoming single parents, given a decade or so of service. Rosinante definitely qualifies. That, and going on the run himself is probably safer than working with our witness protection program for now. You are still the only one with an outlaw for a son, Garp.”

A smile started to stretch across Sengoku’s cheeks. Now he just needs to find a way to explain the Opi-Opi No Mi as a reward for dedicated service. Some Marines were awarded devil fruits from the vault for good behavior. Maybe he could work in that it was a promise for Rosinante to get one for Law? He still needs a way to prove that hospital stint as undercover work or something.

No, what he really needs is a way to contact Rosinante and ask what is actually happening.

As he was contemplating this, Sengoku heard a familiar crunching. Those… are those his rice crackers? Sengoku jumped to his feet. “Garp! Those are mine!”

The old pain in the rear stepped back and started waving some papers he pulled out of his pocket in Sengoku’s face. “I brought payment this time!”

When the bright papers fell on the table, Sengoku saw three boys he had never seen before. One of them had that straw hat Rodger and Shanks wore. Obviously, this is a photo of Garp’s grandsons. Since when were there three? Oh well, not like the man’s family stories made sense half the time.

“How are photos of YOUR future criminal grandsons payment?” He couldn’t handle too much more excitement right now.

Garp just kept crunching on the rice cracker stash. “Rosi is the one who was traveling with the photo snail. The ones of just my boys are for my desk.”

Sengoku paused and blinked up at his oldest friend. “Do you even own a family photo? What about your son, or the brat’s mom?”

Garp shrugged. “I have Dragon’s wanted poster in my desk.”

Sengoku decided that ignoring the idiot and letting him keep the stolen food was worth it to look through the photos. Best to get a look at the brats. Oddly enough, the blond in the photo with the one that is obviously Garp’s brat looks the most like Rosinante. The second photo with ‘twins!’ written across told him that the three were indeed Garp’s brats. Blondie also doesn’t reflect the photo of Law.

After swiping through a few of the top photos, he saw a photo of Garp’s grandkids wrestling with the boy from the drawing with the spotted hat. The brat is soaked in a puddle with Garp’s brats laughing at him. Sengoku couldn’t help but smile at the next photo with Garp’s older dark haired brat being attacked by his alleged grandson. The next photo was the first one with Rosinante in it. The man is pulling his kid away from Garp’s oldest brat, the other photo says his name is Ace on the back. Well, it looks like Law won in his fight with Ace. Good.

The photos also had the group eating together. It looks like Law was separated from Ace. The meal also appears to have Rosinante attempting to protect both his and Law’s food. Also, it looks like Law is two seconds away from stabbing Garp’s brats in almost every photo. Sengoku can already relate to the kid. Garp is bad enough. What would it be like having three of him around?

Soon, Sengoku was making two stacks. One was of Garp’s brats having fun with the camera-snail. The other was the best photos of his family. Some of these will be framed on his desk. Near the bottom of the pile, the photos were just of Law, or Law and Rosinante. His favorite was the last one where Law was holding up a peace sign, and Rosi had his hand out saying ‘I love you’ in sign language. Both of them had the biggest smiles on their faces. Sengoku could hardly remember the last time he saw his kid smile that big. Law also looked tremendously happier in these photos than the ones with Garp’s brats.

That favorite photo had a note on the back written for him. It was signed, and Sengoku knew it would be on his desk for the foreseeable future.

Tsuru, the only one actually paying attention to the legal reports had to ruin the moment with reality. “Law can’t be his real son, can he?”

Sengoku was reading the back of what was definitely the best photo. “Kid’s birth certificate will have his name signed as Waterlaw.” He chose not to announce that this brat was a D too right now. This note is obviously private. “He was born in Flevance, so finding his records will be a nightmare. We don’t have a lot of the paperwork because legally, the 'white town' never existed.”

Garp finally spoke up through his full cheeks. “What does it matter if the brat is adopted?”

Tsuru sighed. “Sadly, you are wrong about it not mattering now. This can explain why Rosinante started acting strangely later in his cover. If his kid suddenly showed up after a buster call and no longer felt safe around Marines, that would reasonably shake the man. It also explains his desperation. That, and the single parent leave only counts if it’s his kid. If not, he is legally a crazy rogue agent.”

Sengoku looked closely at the photo. “Rosi always called his bloodline a curse. As hard as it is for me to imagine him having a kid and not telling me, I doubt he would let it be known if he had a son as long as his brother is free. This is something we can focus on later.”

Garp’s obnoxious laughter wasn’t as annoying for once. Sengoku was just too happy with the new photo that was already sitting on his desk.

…

Docking back on the shores of Cocoyashi Village was soothing for Rosinante’s soul. Law seemed relieved as well. He hardly got off the boat before the other three boys seemed to appear out of nowhere.

Law, of course, got up and prepared to be tackled by Bepo. The Mink hugged Law and started cuddling with the boy. Rosi couldn’t help but smile at his kid trying to hide his grin. Yeah, he was happy to be alive.

Shachi and Penguin stood a few steps back. Both boys had their arms crossed, and Shachi had his head down as Penguin looked away. “We didn’t miss you or anything.” Shachi said.

“Honestly, we didn’t think you were coming back.” Penguin said in a softer voice.

Rosinante felt something tighten in his chest. Then saw that look on Law’s face when the boy asked if he wanted to die in the two boy’s expressions. These kids, they want him around. This isn’t still the case where they don’t have adults they can trust. Bell is wonderful, even if she can’t handle more kids financially. Other than that, everyone in town here is wonderful. These kids wanted to stick with him and Law.

Rosinante stood up from the boat and pulled the two kids into a hug. Then he looked at Bepo, who was giving him wide eyes as he didn’t let go of Law. The man couldn't resist reaching out and giving the bear a scratch behind the ear. These kids are worth more to him than any treasure he could ever find out there. Hopefully Sengoku forgives him for only sending a photo of Law. If everyone is looking for him and one kid, the other three will do a lot to keep people from noticing him.

After greeting Law’s friends, the next one Law waved to was Genzo. The mayor of this town is doing a lot to keep the place so wonderful. Then he saw Hatchi running down the path to meet him. The fish man stopped and started panting as he put two of his hands on his knees to rest. “I’m sorry… when they… saw you, the kids started running.” He took a deep breath. “I couldn’t… keep up.”

The man couldn’t help but smile. Yeah, they didn’t miss him, and didn’t think he was coming back. Yet, despite that the boys were keeping an eye on the water for them. Hopefully he can find a way to protect them if Dofi comes after him. How… how is he supposed to protect this many kids?

For now he focused on going to give Hachi a pat on the shoulder. “I hope they didn’t give you too much trouble.”

The octopus fishman smiled at him. “The kids are great. They help around Bell’s farm all day, then demand fishman karate training every night.”

In response he just smiled and nodded. The kids know how dangerous the position they are in is. If he is alive, shouldn’t he be the one protecting them?

Walking through the town was more like arriving home than anything Rosinante ever remembered. Everyone waved to him. He felt like he belonged, like he was wanted. The people knew his presence was the greatest threat to the island, but they still wanted to reach out and protect him. They accepted him, and he loved it. This is everything he wanted to give Law and the other boys, but did he deserve this?

…

When the sun set, Rosinante finally found time to himself. He was sitting by some cliffs looking down at the ocean and watching the beauty before him. The sword that started it all was being held in his hands. No matter what he did, it was just a normal blade to him now. It's evidence that he shouldn’t be alive. Evidence that he has no right to exist in this world. He wants to throw it into the sea.

The blade showed him everything that should have happened up to the point of his death. He kept the timeline so close to accurate till Swallow Island. Of course, he saw some important emotional things ahead of time. The three things he saw were Law calling him Cora-san, the first time he lied to his dad, and everything the day he should have died. He mostly remembered the moment he got the fruit to his inevitable death at the hand of his brother. None of those things happened the same. That didn’t make them any less real to him.

Every time Law gets his hands on the blade, he seemed depressed for a few hours. The first few times after his destined death, Law would become a leach to his side for hours. The only reason he kept the blade was because he knew good had come out of it. He wasn’t stupid, those three boys would not be here if it wasn’t for the blade. The first time Law touched the sword and didn’t leach to his side was when he disappeared to grab Bepo. Then, a few days later there were stowaways on his ship who Law just accepted and agreed to being stuck with! Yeah- no, these kids were who Law was supposed to latch onto in the wake of his death. He wasn’t stupid. That doesn’t mean he likes the way Law seems to grow cold when he touches the blade.

Guilt pulled at his heart. In another life he died with a smile knowing Law was alive. That was enough. Never did he consider that his death could break the kid so deeply emotionally. Yeah, he wanted Law to remember him, not grow obsessed with avenging him! He heard the kid mutter about it at night. He heard it when he Law had the sword. If only he could take the burden of seeing that other reality for Law. If only he could have done better the first time, and not needed this second chance.

“You know, Law is going to freak out if he sees you sitting on a cliffside.” A comforting female voice spoke. “He will also insist that you will cut your own arm off if left alone with a sword.”

He couldn’t resist the silly smile that spread across his cheeks. “Are you going to tattle on me to my kid, Bell? It was bad enough when you tattled to my dad.”

Her laugh warmed his heart as she came to sit beside him. She had a bottle of some kind of alcohol in her hand. “It's hard to get quiet moments like this with kids. I thought the Marines didn’t give enough brakes. Parenting, now that’s a real job!”

“Didn’t Law order you not to drink with the painkillers he gave you?” He meant this as an actual question.

The woman’s smirk was knowing and conniving. “I won’t tell if you don’t!” Her wink was familiar with the way she used to flirt with all the men on the base. He knew it didn’t mean anything. That’s just Bell for you. She even flirted with the pirates they were hunting to get them to lower their guard.

“Don’t worry, I won’t stoop to your level.” He gave her a knowing and mocking smile in response.

Bell slapped his arm. “That was only one time! I also didn’t know he was your dad, or that you weren’t supposed to join that mission!”

“Help!” He responded. “A mad woman is trying to throw me into the sea!”

Neither of them could resist the laughter. That just made her shove him harder. Then she just turned to lean against his side as she took a sip of her drink. “I still can’t believe you and that nurse had a kid together.”

“What?” He flinched back.

Bell-mere chuckled. “No need to be shy. I’m happy for you. You are a good dad. Having kids changes you, huh?”

Rosinante leaned forward as he put the sword away and gripped it. His eyes searched out into the sea. “You know, he is adopted. I almost died, and the kid got this crazy idea to pretend to be my kid. I’ll wait a year or so for him to ease up emotionally. He never would have wanted to pretend to be my kid if it wasn’t for my failure. The kid is just latching on right now. He will grow out of it.”

Bell-mere shifted away and looked at him. “Are Nami and Nojiko not my kids because they are adopted? I would be honored if they pretended they were my biological kids. I’ve never asked those girls to call me mom, but that is my dream. For me to accept being called 'mom' it has to be their choice without coercion.”

Rosinante shook his head. “You don’t get it.”

She reached forward and grabbed his arm. “Then help me understand. You came for advice, how can I help if you won’t open up? You are always so quiet about how you feel. Maybe I should get you to drink this instead. The problem is, if I get you to drink enough to talk, it will probably be enough for you to forget.”

He sighed and leaned back on one of his arms. “It’s a long story.”

She chuckled. “It always is.”

“I think we are both supposed to be dead.” He dropped the bombshell.

She laughed. Bell flat out laughed. “Yeah, and I am glad to laugh in the face death! Take that death!”

He shook his head and leaned back. “When I was trying to save Law, we found an invention from Vegapunk to show us the future." He spun the sword in his hand. "I saw my death, Law got to see himself after being orphaned twice. He was on the run from my brother, and alone. I shouldn't be here.”

She gave him a condescending look. “Sorry you survived and saved my life. I’m sure my girls would much prefer to be orphans.”

He huffed out a chuckle. “You always have a way to make these problems so simple, huh.”

Bell-mere looked at him with a smile. “Smart people tend to get stupid about simple things. That’s why you need me.”

He smiled softly at one of his oldest friends. “Thanks, Bell.”

She turned to face the waves in the distance. “Always. Don’t be a stranger. Dropping by unannounced can save a life sometimes.”

The two sat in silence and understanding. He wouldn’t be able to stay for too long, and she wasn’t going anywhere. “I know how to rig up a snail on a private line. Difficult to track and nick names can help if someone manages to tap it. Any time you call I’ll come running.”

“I’d like that.”

The two sat in silence for a few minutes. Then Rosinante told her the whole story. After processing what happened, Bell-mere made a simple request. “If that sword really shows a future where we are gone, please, protect my girls from it.”

“Of course.”

…

Vergo was called back to HQ. Most of the time, he would not be concerned, but times were strange. Getting himself placed on the hunt for the Fleet Admiral’s lost son was hard enough. Some talk was starting about seeking him out in the beginning of the Grand Line. Every single Marine base knew about it. Even the King of the Germa Kingdom was contacted for help. Since he knew Corazon carried the blood of the young master, Vergo wasn’t surprised by the mad hunt.

When he first got the call, Vergo was quick to contact the young master. He wasn’t afraid of dying, but he did fear getting captured without warning them that the rat got back the Marines. This may be the most crucial job he will ever take part in for his boss.

When he arrived at HQ, everything seemed normal. The man made his way through the offices as the secretary guided him. Well, that kid the Marines saved on Swallow Island guided him. Every step closer to the Fleet Admiral’s office filled him with adrenaline. This is either wonderful or terrible for his mission.

The first change to the status quo was by Vice Admiral Garp’s desk. The man was showing off family photos. Those boys… Garp is powerful. Till now, everyone in the family believed he had no weaknesses. One of these photos could give his master a wonderful advantage in the future. Maybe he can steal one on the way out.

Vergo was so focused on Garp, that he didn’t notice much else till he arrived at Sengoku’s office. When he walked in, the man was sitting behind his desk with a smile. It was only after Vergo sat down that he noticed something different in the room.

“Is that a photo of you and your missing son?” He asked.

Of course he recognized the man in the photo. His resemblance to Doflamingo was uncanny. He also seemed a lot more intelligent than the family thought. The honors pinned on his white coat shows evidence of his skill. “It can be valuable for those searching to see that photo. It reflects his height, and how different the man looks with a smile.”

Sengoku grinned at him. Then he waved his hand in dismissal. “This photo is too old. I’m just glad that with his mission over, I can finally share the kid’s photo again without endangering him.”

Vergo clenched his fist. The new 'Corazon' had no reason to know about his undercover operation. Only the young master himself knew Vergo was here. All he needs to know is where the rat is. “Do we have a newer photo? The photo we have been using for hunting reference and his undercover wanted poster look nothing alike.”

Sengoku smiled at him. “I ordered a copy of a new photo to be sent over. It should arrive soon. What I want to know is how you are acclimating to your new position?”

Vergo leaned back. The fact he hasn’t been called out yet was helping to calm him. Sure, Dofi can’t use any info or this photo for a bounty, but if the traitor is a master of disguise, this photo can aid in their hunt.

The former 'Corazon' leaned back and started talking about his daily life. He explained the pros and cons of operations, and made sure to butter up the leadership as much as possible. He wants to make his way to the New World sooner than later.

As the conversation dragged on, Vergo felt more and more assured. The man made sure to act oblivious and forget random things, like the food on his cheek. It made him less threatening, and he was already getting quite used to it. The cover was starting to become him.

When Garp came charging in, he genuinely jumped.

Only when the man looked back did he notice Tsuru lurking at the door.

Suddenly, Vergo felt trapped.

Tsuru began to speak as Garp handed Sengoku the large photo. Somehow the overexcited old man kept him from seeing it. “Though we still haven’t found a birth certificate, we can safely assume he is slightly younger than we originally thought from the sketch and the info on it. What we did find is a news clipping with the brat passing his basic medical knowledge exam by six years old and starting college credits at a medical school. Kid already had some medical texts memorized, and studied at the hospital at times… actually most days. While it’s not a competition, your grandson is definitely the smartest. It appears he did attend school, but that was mostly for a social life as he worked on extracurriculars.”

Sengoku gave Garp a smug smile. At that the Vice Admiral replied by saying. “Book smart isn’t everything. Sabo’s smart.”

“Isn’t he the only literate one?” Sengoku asked. His victory was apparent by Garp’s face turning red.

Vergo knew there was something familiar about everything they were saying. He wasn’t sure what, but a nagging thought was telling him to run. He didn’t know the answer to all the pieces of information being shared, but trusted Dofi would. His brilliant master will form a plan from these seeds of information.

The man took a deep breath and calmed himself as he sat quietly in the middle of the room with the world's strongest Marines. Everyone here was at Admiral strength or higher. It is so strange how low ranked Garp and Tsuru are. That is dangerous. Despite that, they don’t see him as a threat, instead Garp is helping Sengoku put up that photo he just can’t see. Why are they holding the photo and looking at it without turning it around for him…

Oh… Oh no.

“You know, my grandson is rather cute at this angle.” Sengoku said.

Garp laughed and slapped him on the back. “Kid looks sleep deprived. Luffy is cuter!”

Tsuru didn’t leave her place by the door. “Boys, it’s not a competition. If it was, Kajaku, my granddaughter wins by default.”

Both men glared at her. The woman just smiled in victory.

Vergo felt frozen to his seat.

Grandson, the smile, the way Sengoku is no longer depressed. The young master is wrong. Law did not kill Corazon. No, far from it. They were played. They were played from the start. It took everything in him not to react to the happy family photo of Corazon and Law. This is absolutely nothing like what he heard about the duo. Are they playing him right now? This has to be a joke, right?

“What do you think?” Sengoku asked someone.

“Vergo.” Oh, someone is talking to him. “What do you think?”

“I forgot breakfast this morning.” He stated.

Sengoku shook his head. “I was asking about my grandson.”

“It’s not my place to judge.” He answered.

Garp’s laughter rang through the room. “See, my grandkids are better.”

“Well, I wouldn’t take a compliment from a man who takes orders from Doflamingo anyway.” Sengoku said as he looked at Vergo with a smile. “Your cover was rather clever, but it’s time to wash the food off your cheek and fess up.”

Vergo bit his cheek. Oh shit...

The man just sat as he could not think of a way out. There isn’t one, is there? If it was just Sengoku, he could escape. Garp made escape near impossible. Tsuru guarding the door made no amount of armament haki enough to hold over long enough for him to escape this. There was only one option left. “I don’t know what you are talking about.”

“I know that Doflamingo has at least one mole in your organization. The most important one you need to find is Vergo, the former 'Corazon.' He has been close friends with Dofi since we were little kids. It was Vergo that introduced Dofi to Trebol back then. He is unendingly loyal to Dofi, and has been by his side the longest, hence why he held the title 'Corazon.' Nobody is safe with him around.” Tsuru’ s voice came from the door.

Vergo let out a heavy sigh. “Well, I guess I’m doomed. That doesn’t matter, because the young master will win, with or without me. He is destined to stand at the top of this world.”

The older woman’s voice suddenly sounded closer. “We will see about that.”

…

October 6th.

Law woke up with a strange feeling in his gut. It is his birthday. He hadn’t celebrated his birthday since… well, he avoided it. Maybe when he was drugged with painkillers and being dragged to hospitals he may have told Cora-san about his birthday. He didn’t tell anyone in Doflaming’s crew. He didn’t tell the man more than the fact that he was ten. Only an insecure child announces how close he is to being eleven. A smart child pretends to be older or younger to strangers he wants something from.

When he woke up, Law found himself alone and tucked into bed. Funny, he thought he fell asleep on the floor. Well, being tucked into Cora-san’s coat didn’t change. When he was moved to the bed, Cora-san transferred the jacket with him. Everything was silent, absolutely silent. He liked waking up this way.

While he knew that going to find what his dork of an almost family was doing was logical, Law had something else eating at him: the question of what could have been. The boy reached his hand into the feathers of Cora-san’s cloak. It took a moment to find the secret pocket that was not easy to open. Inside he found the blade, the window into another life.

Law checked the blade every few weeks now. It had value to it.

In another life, all Law’s focus was on awakening his fruit, not haki. The memories and what he learned there is a nice shortcut to keep his power from what he learned in another world as a doctor set for revenge. With haki, not only will it help awaken his fruit quicker than whenever his doppelgänger did, but he will have more power in this world to back the tricks he is learning in another life. All he needs is for Cora-san to train him. The other world’s past always came, but rarely did he see that world’s future. It took emotion, extreme emotion for the blade to leak information of the future. Right now, his other self was completely dead inside. Yes, Bepo is a wonderful emotional support animal, but not even the mink could make Law less numb. If he let go of the numbness, no- all Law felt was pain. He couldn’t go back to that hate for the world. That hate would spit in the face of Cora-san’s love. This love saved him. This love protected him. It made him feel alive, but it also destroyed him. Law could no longer hate the world. Every time he used his fruit, he felt the power to heal, the power to save, the will of Cora-san.

In that world, Law woke up on his birthday, and pushed all his new friends away. He wouldn’t let Bepo come near him. There was nothing that could comfort him. All he wanted was to scream out in silence. He couldn’t bring himself to damage anything, but he also couldn’t use his powers to fix anything. In the end, all he did was practice making rooms larger and larger till he passed out.

Great! That won’t do good for his training in this world. Cora-san will never let him do that to himself.

When he let go of the sword, Law felt so thankful. He felt alive. Most of all, he felt safe in the silence. Everyone he cared about in the world was safe on this island... well, relatively safe. That is if Garp manages to stop Dofi, or if Arlong doesn't come back, or if Arlong doesn't tell Doflamingo where they are, or… nobody and nothing is safe.

As he put the sword away, Law thought he was about to throw up. How long could he maintain this reality? How could he ever consider being happy? What…How long until Doflamingo shows up? Will he ever let his brother and the kid with his dream fruit live in peace? Maybe, maybe this other him can help for a plan to stop Doflamingo.

Would any of his past plans work, or will Dofi change things too much?

“I need to train.” He mumbled to himself. Well, he tried to say the words to himself, but he was still on mute. He is safe. The world is silent.

When Law stepped outside of the room, what he stumbled into is something he really should have expected. Cora-san is putting out a fire on his sleeve, and has frosting covering half his face. The entire kitchen is a mess. Bepo has chocolate powder splashed over his fur. Shachi is snacking on cookies as he looks like he is sneaking around. Bell-mere appears to be yelling at everyone from where she is sitting at the kitchen table. It looks like Penguin is trying to keep her from overexerting her broken arm. Her girls look like another mess. Nojiko is putting out the fire, and Nami is running out the door with something in her arms, and frosting on her cheeks.

"Oh. I made the mistake to tell the loud mouthed mime my birthday. He wanted, no- wants to celebrate." He realized in the silence. Cora-san, after he went through so much to make sure Law lives another year, of course he wants to celebrate! Every day he had to make sure the man was alive for months after the day Cora-san was supposed to die, the man still goes out of his way to make sure Law is alive too. He brags that he won. The man was only living because he wanted to be there for him. Law knew the man would choose his life every time, and hated it.

The boy just stood frozen in shock as he watched those he cared about trying to prepare a surprise for him. Since Law hates bread, and is also allergic to gluten, it's hard to find a cake he can or will eat. The ingredients are hard to find, and need to be made by a chef who knows what he is doing. That means that despite all the chaos in the kitchen, the cookies are probably the only thing that will be edible.

A warmth filled his chest. This is so different to the ice he felt a moment ago.

Family. No, this is not his original family. Nami is nothing like Lami, and Nojiko is a bossy little Bell-mere. His friends are crazy fools that he felt safe with in two worlds. Cora-san is his hero, in every world. This is too domestic. A life on the run is the only thing that is safe.

…

In the end, what Law got was cookies, and a cake that looked like a brick. Rosinante wanted to throw a big party, but told Bell that he knew Law wouldn’t want that. The boy would prefer a private party- a safe one. He would never forget the day of his kid’s birthday.

When Law finally admitted his birthday, Rosinante almost dropped the pen in the hospital as he was filling out paperwork in. The kid was delirious, he forgot the year he was born. Yet, the secret suddenly made sense. He was born the day Flevance burned. His parents, his sister, everything was gone. Nothing, absolutely nothing could be replaced.

Having the kid sleep through the majority of the setup was surprisingly easy for a kid who hates sleeping. Silence and that feather coat are like magic. Rosinante couldn’t believe his boy was turning fourteen!

Yes, he still had some concerns. Mostly, Rosinante was worried about dealing with late puberty if the kid already lost his temper and stabbed him once. Law said it was a side effect of the white lead poison. That, and the fact that he was worried if there were any more side effects the fruit wouldn’t cure. At least the boy will be shooting up like a weed soon! How tall will he get? Can the Opi-Opi No Mi prevent any problems from late puberty?

The fact that Law is alive makes Rosinante wake up with a smile every morning. The idea that he can see the kid grow up, that Law calls him dad, it is more than he ever dreamed of. Living, that was a good choice.

Looking around at all the love in the room as Bell-mere yelled at Nami for stealing an extra ingredient made him smile. Two families got saved thanks to Law. If he had gotten here any later, what would have happened? Yeah, it was worth it to save Bell, but he was worried. In reality, did he help people, or just send Arlong to another island to terrorize? A celestial dragon never brings joy to the islands he visits. In what world is one of his blood holding a gun to a fishman’s head the good guy?

The man shook his head. Why does he keep having to think like a commanding officer in the Marines? What he needs to focus on first is Law, then trusting Garp. There was a news report a few days ago saying the old man was part of a mess in Marine HQ. Hopefully that means that they have Vergo.

…

Chapter Text

Building a home was nice.

The first thing Rosinante focused on was setting up watchtowers and barricades. Law was the best help with his powers. The kid did wear himself out a lot, but refused to admit it. That left his 'dad' needing to make him take breaks, or more often just give the kid simpler tasks. Law hated feeling useless.

Hatchi did a lot of work helping too. The fishman stuck around. He felt embarrassed going back so soon after telling everyone he was going to be a pirate. Hatchi wanted to help out of guilt, but he also wanted to learn more about humans. He was no longer discriminated against here. That, and he also wanted to learn from Rosinante about the fortresses and bunkers he was designing in case of pirate attacks. Shachi and Penguin were practically glued to his arms and begging for fishman karate lessons every break.

It wasn’t easy, but they were in the process of making a bunker that could hide a month’s worth of food, and almost the entire village. Cora-san’s plan was that this could hold the children, women, and elderly. Of course, there would be exceptions. Bell-mere is the island's best fighter after all. Still, having this was valuable, and could do more in case Dofi came and the former spy would need to grab his kid and run.

Every morning, the kids lined up for haki training. Really, Rosinante just wanted to relax with some coffee and the newspaper in the morning. At first, he really thought he could keep that up and ignore the pleading eyes. Shachi and Penguin begged the night before, and even surprised him with his favorite breakfast. The french toast was good, he hadn’t gotten bread for months thanks to Law's allergies, but the bribe didn’t break him. Bepo’s pleading eyes did make him waver. Rosinante held strong. These kids were too young to learn haki.

“Observation haki… wouldn’t that be worth it?” Law’s voice came from beside Rosinante. The kid curled up on his chair’s arm when the man wasn’t looking. Rosinante didn’t know how he didn’t see that coming. “It could warn us if Dofi, or anyone tried to attack. We don’t know what someone in this blue would do for a mink. It would probably help me control my rooms better if I didn’t need to make sure I can see everything I move. What do you think, Dad?”

Rosinante felt the breath in his lungs tighten as Law ended with that one word. The boy usually still called him Cora-san in private. He sagged back in his seat as he set the coffee down on the side table with his breakfast. The paper fell discarded on his lap as the man rubbed his face. “Fine, you win.”

Law suddenly had a very proud shit eating grin on his face.

“That won’t work every time.” He told his kid as he looked at him through his fingers.

The boy had a smirk that just made the man want to smile in glee. He kept the smile down though. He needed to be an authority figure here, not… not an adult gushing about his kid finally being happy. Every day that depression faded, and Law seemed to have more hope. Rosinante even managed to order a comic series from the North Blue to come in every month when he caught Law talking to the others about it. All of his kids loved it, and Nojiko was getting into it too. Nami thought it was silly for some reason. That girl preferred maps and called comics 'a waste of beri that could be used on nice clothing.'

Rosinante shook his head with a smile. What did it matter? If he wanted to spoil his kid? He had every right to! Law deserved it! The boy wasn’t stabbing people anymore, and he didn’t need a father to tell him right and wrong. No, Law was too sharp for that. The boy learned from the actions of those around him. Law just needed love, family, and friends. He needed purpose in life, and something to live for.

Law was the quickest to catch on with the observation haki. He was better with it when his room was over the area though. Despite his skills, the kid was a bad teacher. He kept describing it like using his fruit, or performing surgery. That didn't go over well with the other kids. It didn’t go over well with the adults who gave the kids concerned looks. Only the town doctor really got along with Law on these things. The man even gave the kid some new medical magazines, and Law made a fake name to mock some of the other doctors. 'Captain Heart' was starting to grow notorious in the medical community after only two articles.

Hatchi and Bell-mere were the first adults to join the haki training. Bell already had an idea of it, but she hadn’t practiced her skills since she became a mom. The fishman was starting to see ways he could improve his fishman karate. Nojiko was the next to beg to join. She wanted to defend her island too. Nami… she joined after pulling a prank and her mom dragged her into the training session as revenge or teaching discipline. The last girl had potential, but not the patience. Rosi really didn’t think combat would ever be her specialty. The girl was a map maker through and through who wanted to live a life of luxury.

After their training, Rosinante would look glance over his newspaper to see Law and his friends practicing combat moves as a team. He saw how they were training to be ready and utilize their captain’s abilities.

Law never said it deliberately, and his father never asked. He didn’t need to. Rosinante knew his kid would grow up to be a pirate. That was fine. The man wasn’t going to ask his kid to live a life in hiding or join the Marines. He didn’t care if his kid had a bounty as long as Law would live free and happy. What Rosinante did care about was making sure that Law would be the best pirate on the sea. He would equip his kid to survive any battle. Law would learn when to fight and when to flee. The boy would get to choose who to save, but this boy would not hesitate to kill monsters like Doflamingo. The man just had to hope and pray that his kid wouldn't die trying to end the monster Rosinante couldn't stop himself. Even now, he knew he would never be able to fight his brother. It ate the man up inside knowing that his kid was so set on defeating someone he could never... he just wanted the Marines to make his nightmares go away.

When the man’s focus finally shifted from the boys roughhousing, he noticed the headline.

Celestial Dragons Descend to lay eyes on the Goa Kingdom. 

That headline made him pause.

No… that couldn’t be.

In just one week, we will have Saint Jalmack visiting the Goa Kingdom on Dawn Island. It has been years since someone of this status left the grand line to visit our humble sea. Because of this, we ask that all will be on their best behavior these coming weeks. We need to make a good impression in hopes to gain the favor of the divine on our humble sea. Maybe other islands will be blessed enough to be graced by the saint’s presence.

The man reread the paragraph five times. The celestial dragon was going to an island where three Ds resided. Three child Ds who would be ignorant and targeted if their grandfather wasn’t there to protect them.

Rosinante jumped to the fifth page. After a quick scan he found the article he was looking for. Sure enough, Garp the Fist was out busting slavery rings in the North Blue. The man was targeting Dofi and taking out internal spies in the Marines. Vergo finally got arrested. The man wouldn’t be there to protect his grandsons and it would be all Rosinante’s fault.

“Dad, your sleeve is on fire.” Came Law’s voice. The man could hear the worry hidden in his tone’s exasperated mirf.

He looked at Law, then his sleeve before dropping the paper and pouring the lemonade pitcher for the boys on his jacket. Really, how did this still happen? Law bullied him into quitting smoking. That 'habit' wasn't supposed to become a real problem! He was clumsy, but the fire hazard was... real now. He isn't even wearing that coat right now.

“So that’s what has you so riled up.” The boy’s voice spoke as he held the paper. “If you are going to do something crazy, I’m coming too.”

Rosinante pinched his brow. “Define crazy?”

The boy glared at his father. “Go protect some mad D kids from celestial dragons. Just because you were one once, doesn’t mean you are safe from the celestial dragons. On top of that, I need to make sure you don’t adopt these Ds. I’ve made it very clear to my crew. You can be their honorary uncle, but you are only my dad.” His tone was stone cold and serious.

Rosinante couldn't help himself. He cried. He cried and dragged the flustered kid into his arms for a hug. While Law protested in show, he knew it was just that, show. The boy could have teleported out of his arms at any moment. Instead the kid stayed as he grumbled. Finally after a minute and the other kids deciding training was definitely over Law mumbled. “Take the feather coat. It might actually help if things go bad for them to recognize you.”

…

Leaving the island wasn’t too strange for the father son duo. Everyone understood that it was dangerous for them to be there. The Marine needed to check for word of those hunting him from time to time; that was already decided. He once trained people on the Grand Line as a Marine, and now trained many men on the island. He even agreed that his return with Law wouldn’t bring a welcome home party, but a test of the city’s defenses. They would need to try to take him down. Rosinante needed to go, and Law following was inevitable. As the town began to whisper of celestial dragons, it felt safer to have less to hide for a couple weeks.

Getting to Dawn Island was harder this time. A storm threw the two off course in their small boat. They hadn't felt wind like this since that last bout in the Grand Line. Rosinante knew how to travel the Calm Belt, so they just went through. His silence muted haki like sea prism stone. The silence was deafening back then. Law was held tight in his father’s arms as he clung to the ship’s mast. If either one of them fell into the sea, it would be over. That was when Shachi and Penguin really pulled their weight rowing. Now, it was just the two who couldn’t swim on the boat.

By the time they reached the island, the celestial dragon’s ship was already in sight. Cora-san’s eyes were wide with horror, then Law saw an explosion. The kid looked at his dad, then to the small boat that exploded, then back at his dad. His observation haki wasn’t that good, even after a few months of training.

“Sabo was on that boat.” The man said in a small voice. He didn’t stop focusing on the scene ahead.

Law suddenly remembered the pain of all he lost. He didn’t care particularly much about the brothers, but Sabo was the most tolerable of the three. Then his focus stayed on the scene ahead expecting two dark haired boys to burst out of nowhere in revenge. Instead all was quiet as they stayed there for hours. Only when the celestial dragon's boat left did Cora-san start rowing again.

They were about to reach the shipwreck when suddenly the man started paddling their boat back into the ocean. He didn’t raise the sails, and Law recognized the bubble of their sound and haki signatures being hidden.

“Keep your guard up, Law. Someone saved Sabo, someone strong. He feels like whatever threw us off course earlier. Right now we can’t be heard or sensed,” The man was operating in Marine mode. Law hadn’t seen this since he was sick. His father was dead set on walking into a dangerous situation.

He looked at his dad. “No death wish?”

Cora-san halted in his rowing and focused on the boy. “No death wish. I don’t think the man is a threat, but Sabo’s haki feels off since the explosion. He may need a doctor.” His smile was genuine and proud.

…

The two followed an unseen trail all night. Finally they caught up and watched as the ship was evacuated. Law stayed close to his dad… or, Cora-san. He needed to stay close. That, and as he heard about the fires that burnt down part of Dawn Island, the boy was pulled back into Flevance. What if someone had come back then to evacuate his family? The boy tried to push back those intrusive thoughts as he clung to Cora-san. He could see a life where the man died, and didn’t want it. Cora-san he could save, but he was too young, weak, and ignorant to save his family, even if he had seen it coming. That wasn’t something the boy wanted to focus on. He is a different person now. Would his family even recognize him?

No. He needs to focus on the here and now, who he could still save.

Law clutched the feathers on the man’s cloak as they parked the small boat by a dojo. Then he didn’t let go as he followed his dad to the large ship everyone was leaving. Cora-san towered over everyone, and some people seemed to flinch back. Despite that, the large man acted like he belonged and walked with a purpose. The simple fact he hadn’t tripped was evidence of his paranoia.

Anyone who gave the oversized man in a black feather cloak a funny look got a death glare from the kid half hiding behind him. Just because Law knew he had to defer to the adult’s judgment here, didn’t mean Law would let anything happen to the man. He trusted Cora-san, he just didn’t trust anyone else. Law thought the man was too trusting and optimistic.

Cora-san stopped right in front of a dark haired man in a green cloak. Law could feel the tension in the air. “If I knew it was you, I wouldn’t have worried so much about the kid’s safety. Really, I should have seen this coming.”

“What are you talking about?" The other man asked.

The wind was completely still, and something felt wrong in the air. Law resisted the urge to push forward and grab the man’s leg and not just his coat. He had to remind himself he wasn't that young… but he looked like he could be, even with his recent growth spirit. People usually lower their guard around people with kids, right? Who cared about Law’s pride anymore? The boy pressed forward and hugged his dad’s leg.

Cora-san looked down at Law with a soft smile before looking back at the other man. “I’m not here to fight you, and I’m not a Marine anymore. I understand if you don’t believe that given my history of infiltration, but know I’m done. I’d rather be home and alive raising my kid than off playing hero. I just wanted to make sure Sabo was okay. His brothers have got to be terrified, and I blamed myself for failing my mission. Garp is taking care of my brother’s business, so he couldn’t be here right now to protect the boys.”

“Boys?” The man asked in confusion.

Cora-san blinked then looked around in realization before snapping his fingers like things finally made sense. The snap also created a silence bubble. “I met your kids, Ace, Sabo, and Luffy. Garp always bragged about his grandkids, and I knew I could trust him to actually survive delivering my mission report naming suspected spies for Dofi in the Marines. Sorry for getting your kids involved to deliver the intelligence to Garp. I’d hate anyone who got my son involved, but it’s impossible to leave Law home in events like this.”

“Last time I left your side you got shot.” Law grumbled as he buried his face in the man’s leg. “I have no desire to pull bullets out of you again.” It was true. Even with the sword, Cora-san took three bullets getting the fruit for him.

The blond chuckled before bending down and picking up his kid in a hug. “I know your family is strained and I don’t want to pry. Ace wanted to go by his mother’s family name, and Sabo seemed undecided. This rescue might get you points with you boys when you bring Sabo back.”

Suddenly the man’s voice made Law’s understanding of the situation crack when he asked. “Who is Sabo?:”

Law looked at the man as he held his dad’s shirt with white knuckles. “Monkey D Garp is your dad. You are Monkey D Dragon.” The man nodded before Law continued. “Ace, Sabo, and Luffy are Garp’s grandkids, and he only ever had one kid… Was Ace right about you being a major deadbeat?”

By this point, Law realized that Sabo was probably adopted. The blond hair didn’t match. Despite that, he hoped Sabo and Ace really were twins just because it made his story more believable.

“I only ever had one kid.” Dragon said flatly. “Sabo was running from something.” Then his eyes widened and he ran below deck. Rosinante chose to casually stand there after shrugging at those watching in confusion. His eyes lingered on a figure twice height. When Dragon appeared he glared at Cora-san. “Drop the silence.”

The mime of a man snapped his fingers. “I will be taking the boy back to Dawn. I just learned some important information about his family.” Then Dragon looked at Law and his old man. “Is your boat ready to go, or will I be leaving you here?”

For the first time today, Cora-san tripped like the clumsy fool he was. Despite the fall, Law felt himself pulled safely to the man’s chest as he protectively rolled to his back. Really, the guy had no self preservation instincts. It was nice in its own way though. Then Cora-san spoke. “Are you sure you want to come with? I didn’t expect your…trust.”

Dragon glared at him and pulled Sabo closer to his chest. “I don’t trust you.”

The man nodded as he started walking off the ship. Cora-san was quick to follow. The stranger was waiting expectantly for the former Marine to take the lead.

Law climbed up from where he was held in his dad’s arms like a child. He climbed till he could see the other man above the feathers on Cora’s shoulder. Then Law glared daggers at the man. He wouldn’t relent, and he knew Dragon saw him at one point, even if he was hiding his gaze with his hood.

Suddenly he felt a poke at his side. Law shifted his gaze to Cora-san’s eyes. The man just smirked at Law’s glare. The boy could almost hear him mumble something about Law being cute and precious. Really, Law was starting to wonder if he should worry about his dad. No, he wouldn't change the man for the world. He liked having a father that encouraged him in everything. Law didn’t know what to do with the unconditional love changing him from within. What Law feared was how many people he would need to kill to protect his dad. Doflamingo was already on the list.

Once the sails were up, the boat started traveling as high winds began pushing the ship towards Dawn Island. Law grumbled as he glared up at Sabo in Dragon’s arms. He was being gentle, but he hadn’t set the kid down yet. Well, Law wasn’t going to ask to treat him. No, he would wait… but that head injury was bad. The question wasn’t whether Sabo had a concussion, but how bad it was.

Both men sat holding a child. Dragon chose to sit by the head of the ship, and Cora-san sat with Law as he leaned against the mast. He was happy to be somewhat wrapped in that familiar black feather cloak. If it was just a little colder, Law would ask his dad for a matching one.

They arrived at the island extremely quickly. The quartet was first aiming for the city where the Celestial Dragon’s ship was the other morning. That is when the tall blond reached forward to tap Dragon’s arm and point towards the forest. With a nod the boat’s course redirected.

When they docked, Law felt Cora-san stiffen. Then he watched as the man slowly started moving the supplies behind them. Dragon watched too as a sleeping boy was revealed in the back of the boat. The blond man shook his head and looked at Dragon in fear and horror. “Do you know where he came from?”

That is when the kid opened his eyes. “Is it morning already?”

Dragon squinted his eyes. “Are you a student at Shimotsuki Kushirou’s school?”

The boy yawned. “Yeah, I thought I’d take a nap after training.”

“In our boat?” Rosinante tried to clarify.

“Your boat must have gotten lost in my training area.” The kid answered with a shrug before closing his eyes. A moment later the boy started snoring.

Law’s dad looked between the boy, Law, and Dragon with confused and concerned eyes. Dragon released a sigh. “Let’s worry about one kid at a time.” Then he stepped out of the boat and started heading up the trail into the woods. At that Law shrugged and followed. He could potentially help Sabo’s head injury. Stupidity was another problem entirely. It didn’t take long for his dad to start following.

…

Chapter Text

When they got close to a hut in the woods, Dragon suddenly stopped. The father and son paused, only for the other man to place Sabo into Rosinante’s arms. Dragon acted like this made complete sense, and then took a step back.

Rosinante blinked at Dragon, then the kid in his arms. “What was that for?”

“Take him home.” The man instructed.

“You don’t want to see your kid?” Even as he asked the question, Rosinante couldn’t believe it.

Dragon didn’t react, and that was telling enough.

“Why?” He needed to know. “And don’t say it’s for Luffy. I know the Revs recruit children.”

Dragon sighed. “That is only in special cases. Maybe I’m just waiting for you to confirm your story.”

The man sighed before glancing down at his kid. Law’s resigned face didn’t tell him much. He knew there were a thousand thoughts behind that look. It wasn’t the time or place to try to dissect them. That was Law’s job anyway.

Resisting a deep sigh, Rosinante started walking to the hut with Law at his heels. He just needed to walk in with the homeowner’s severely wounded kid... Walk in and tell a woman raising a dangerous man’s kid that her kid who was missing for days was in his arms unconscious, with a fresh burn on the boy’s face.

Oh… He was dead wasn’t he?

Looking back at Law, Rosinante wondered what he would do if someone walked in with Law in this shape after he didn’t return home a few days before. Well, that person would need to be very careful what they say, and how.

Bundling Sabo up in one arm with his feather jacket acting as a blanket the way Law liked, Rosinante finally knocked. What he got in response was silence. Despite that, he knew better from his observation haki. So, he knocked again. This time he heard a grumble. The third knock was met with cursing. Instinctively, Rosinante snapped his fingers and small bubbles of silence appeared around Law and Sabo’s ears. His kid glared up under his fluffy spotted hat. “I’m sure I’ve heard worse.”

In response the man just shrugged at his kid. He dropped the silence when the strongest presence within the hut was nearing the door. The man had to resist jumping back as the door flew open. He may have flinched though.

With a curse on her lips, the door was opened by a woman with long red curly hair. She was burly and muscular with a cigar in her mouth. She reeked of alcohol and Rosinante could see the bags under her eyes. The way he could tell that she was flinching back at the sunlight was enough for him to realize she knew what happened to her kid. Heck, he was that way when Law was sick. Her gaze of hungover drunk confusion didn’t last long.

Given her height, Rosinante shifted Sabo in his grip. The boy was already at the woman’s eye level. It was slow and strange as she looked at the kid in confusion and disbelief. It was only when he shifted and the woman could see the scar that she reacted.

“Sabo!” She looked at the kid's wounded face and reached her hand out to him before flinching back.

It appeared Law had enough. “Great, now can I wrap his wounds properly before it gets infected?”

Dadan glared at Law. “What did you say now, brat?” She ripped Sabo out of his arms and hugged her boy close.

When his kid gave out a sigh of aggravation, Rosinante instinctively moved to damage control. He took a knee and placed his hand on Law’s shoulder, “My son here has read more medical books than most doctors. Also, he ate a devil fruit that helps him heal people. Despite his age, I doubt you could find a better doctor in the East Blue!”

Out of the corner of his eye, Rosinante noticed Law was blushing. The boy pulled his hat lower over his face. How cute!

Right, angry mom. “I can understand your reservations. I know I would be beside myself with worry if Law was in that shape. Let’s just say it was a long story to get him back here, and somehow nobody treated his wounds properly before we got to him.”

“Ace was right about Dragon being a deadbeat. Are you going to set him down or not?” Law asked.

The woman’s face was ghostly pale, but she nodded. Then she leaned back in the door and yelled. “All y'all, get out the back, NOW! I need a private discussion with out guests, so I’ll need QUIET!”

Rosinante heard crashes as he and Law began to follow the woman into the house. He saw the looks of protest fade out as eyes met with Sabo’s unconscious form. Then, a short man walked up to Rosinante. “What’s the payment?”

He blinked down at the man as realization hit him. “No payment. We are just waiting for him to get a medical check. Besides, I owe you one.”

"Dorga, get out!” The worried mother’s voice interrupted. Rosinante noticed that Sabo was on a pillow in the corner with Law already in a room from his fruit with the kid when he finally ducked in the door.

Rosinante looked at the man hesitating. “My son’s devil fruit can help heal people, but it won’t be pretty, and Sabo really needs to get checked. I… I would suggest keeping Ace and Luffy out till he is done.”

”Brats disappeared this morning.” The loud lady answered. “That and I’m not going anywhere. How do you owe us?” She was trying to look tuff, but he could see her shaking.

“The boys delivered a message to Garp for me. If the old man wasn’t out taking apart my brother’s crime ring and slave houses, he may have been here. The celestial dragons owe Garp for saving their lives. He probably could have saved Sabo… I was late. Law and I got blown off course, and by the time we got to the island… I’m just glad I could follow his haki signature long enough to find him.” Rosinante said as he sat down and leaned against the wall. He was keeping Law in sight, but it was best not to appear so tall and intimidating.

“You are that Ro-something guy.” She said in realization.

He chuckled. “Rosinante. I know, what a mouthful. Some people call me Rosi.”

The woman’s face flushed red. He must have insulted her intelligence. Oops. Time for damage control. “Raising those three must be hard. From what I understand none of them are related to you, I can admire you for that. Despite all the struggle, there is no greater joy than being a parent, right? I still remember the first time I saw Law smile. Something in me wanted to capture that moment and make it permanent. I can’t even… I don’t want to imagine what you’ve been through the last few days while we were at sea.”

The woman didn’t respond, and the last member of the bandit crew left. Soon it was just the two parents watching their kids and waiting for word on Sabo.

…

Dadan was certain she was dreaming. Sabo, that brat, was alive. He was being cut up and put back together by a brat with creepy powers. This kid’s abilities were so uncanny, it made Luffy seem normal. Well, Luffy was her kid. He was gross, disgusting, smelly, noisy, and caused her headaches; but he was still that, hers.

Despite all the crazy, the man beside her was what made Dadan positive that she was dreaming. Men that handsome only spoke to her in dreams. Here, this angel of a man appeared at her doorstep with her dead child in his arms.

When the door opened, Dadan’s first thought was that this wasn’t the time to dream of romance. For years she blamed the brats for the fact no man wanted her. Well, not the men working for her. Those guys were subordinates. What Dadan dreamed of was a husband, a prince charming, someone who could sweep her off her feet and give her a break from being the mother bear to a gang and three mongrels. This man checked all her boxes, but showed up right when she didn’t want him, or anyone. She just wanted her boy back. The amazing thing about this man who was not only so tall he made her look up, not only was he handsome, but he brought back her boy! She could kiss him… if she wasn’t so worried about Sabo.

When the man sat down and made himself comfortable, she noticed that he never let his kid out of his sight. The brat must not be as strong and self-sufficient as her boys. That, or it could have something to do with trauma. It was only now setting in that this was a real man, and he is the brother of a criminal who wants him dead. A criminal who has a habit of killing family members. No wonder he was worried about his brat. Well, at least he doesn’t seem like he is going to dump the brat on her. If only the other men in her life would own up for their actions and raise their own children.

She was frustrated that she couldn’t remember his name. She knew it was something long and elegant like a fairy tale prince. Then he said it and offered for her to use a nickname…

Rosi…

She knew it was just the first part of his name, but it was such a sweet and romantic name. She loved it.

Dadan knew it was her turn to talk. She watched as a few emotions passed over his perfect face. Then the man started complimenting her on her parenting! All this time Dadan thought those smelly brats were the reason she would never find a man, and now this perfect man was complimenting her for those very brats!

When the man alluded to Sabo’s state of health and drifted off, she couldn’t think clearly for a moment. Then she grabbed a drink and sat down beside him with an extra bottle. “My brat is too stubborn to die.” She said as she offered him a drink and a new cigar.

The man reached out to take what she offered, but Dadan saw his creepy kid glare at them from his corner. Then the man gave a gentle chuckle and took the drink. “Law forced me to quit smoking. One of these days, he might make me quit drinking alcohol too.”

“Keep it to a minimum. Don’t get drunk, or I will.” The boy’s voice echoed.

She looked up at the man’s kind face. “How could your kid force you to do something?” Her current cigar was being held between her fingers as she spoke. Then suddenly the little blue dome around Sabo and the man’s brat grew to the size of the room they were in. Dadan lifted the cigar to her lips to help calm her nerves, only to find what she was holding was actually a chopstick from the kitchen. When she reached for the pack in her pocket, Dadan found a rock.

Rosi chuckled. “Be happy he chose a chopstick.” He said before looking her in the eye. “I know it can be annoying, but it’s his way of saying he doesn’t want you dead.”

“Sounds frustrating.” She said as she dropped the chopstick on the floor beside her.

His smile was blinding. “I’d do anything for Law. Besides, He forced me to read some medical books on side effects. Did you know second hand smoke is worse than smoking? A drink can hurt me, but smoking can harm Law. He was already sick enough as a kid; stunted his growth, and who knows what other side effects he isn't telling me about. I’m not going to mess around with that again.”

Dadan sighed. “Are you asking me to quit?”

“Can you not act like children? I’m performing brain surgery. I will kick you out if this doesn’t stop.”

“Sorry Law!” Rosinante yelled with the biggest smile. Then he whispered. “He is so cute when he is grumpy!”

The woman looked at the brat again and cringed. Cute… He thought that kid was cute. Well, they say love blinds, but… the boy was as far from traditionally 'cute' with the exception of that stupid hat. Everything else about him looked like he belonged in an emo or goth store.

Then Dadan turned to look at the boy’s father. The man was just like his name, Rosi. He had a soft smile as he gazed at his kid with vibrant golden eyes opposed to the boy’s silver-like blue eyes. Everything about him was so warm. Dadan resigned herself to just sit next to this perfect specimen of a man and wait as his kid saved her son. She could wait and try to ignore the images of Sabo being cut open in front of her, while focusing on the man beside her. The surgery would end soon enough, and Sabo will wake up soon.

Chapter Text

Dadan told him in short summery about the nightmare battle her kids got into with a local gangster. He was worried about people coming after the boys for revenge, but understood they were morning. He also understood Sabo needed to rest. He would leave Dadan's judgment as the authority when it came to her kids. That didn't mean he didn't keep an eye on them with haki.  

Luffy showed up a little before sunset. He was still bandaged from his battle with Bluejam. The boy had water in his eyes, but he was trying to suck it up. Rosinante could tell. He may not be the best with kids, but he did know a lot about children trying to burry their pain. Luffy was just really bad at it. The man smiled and pat Dadan on the shoulder. “Time to give your youngest the good news. I’m sure Ace will show up soon.”

The woman’s face flushed as she got up decently quickly to walk to her kid. At that point, Rosinante walked over to the tree line where Law was spectating everyone. He sat down next to his kid in the shade without hesitating. “Dragon didn’t steal our boat, but the sleeping boy disappeared.” He told Law.

The two watched as Luffy’s eyes bugged out and he tried to run into the cabin. “You need to be gentle!” Dadan yelled as she held the rubber kid close. “He is fragile and hardly alive, no catapulting!”

“Since when did you take on weaklings?” Ace’s voice came from the trees on the other side of the clearing. He was bandaged too, but not as badly. The boy’s glare was slightly reminiscent of Law’s. Rosinante had a feeling the boy wouldn’t let himself cry.

“Sabo is ALIVE!" Luffy yelled.

Ace dropped his pipe.

Suddenly, Rosinante was very aware of Law making a room. The boy was standing in the doorway with his short sword a second later. “You can see him, but if you even move my patent a little bit I will cut you into pieces!”

“He’s not joking.” Multiple bandit voices echoed.

Rosi laughed as Luffy tackled Law in an elastic hug. “Traffy!” Could be heard in a screech. When his kid tried to stab his attacker in retaliation, Ace showed up in the doorway and stole the weapon.

“Thanks, Traffy.” Ace muttered as he rushed in the door behind Law.

He couldn’t help it. Rosinante fell back laughing at Law spluttering as he tried to get the younger boy off of him. After glaring at his dad, Law managed to make a new room and plop Luffy down a few feet away.

Rosinante tripped as he tried to get up. Then he went down in another laughing fit. By the time his head finally cleared, Dadan’s shadow was covering him. The woman was standing over him with an outstretched hand. She wasn’t looking at him. Rosi assumed the woman was frustrated with his childish actions. He did take the hand up though.

“The brats all went inside.” She told him. Then after a moment she looked away and asked. “How long should I expect to have two extra mouths to feed?”

Rosinante let out a sigh. “Law is sticking around till Sabo is healed. That means after the boy wakes up, and whenever the scar on his face is healed enough to lose the bandage. My kid is set on being a good doctor. Don’t worry about food and lodging though. We’ve survived long enough on the run, we don’t need to impose.

“You can stay… if you are okay with sharing a room with our gang. The boys have a room upstairs, and I’ve got my own room. The rest goes to the men. You can take whatever room you want. We owe you enough.” She said as she crossed her arms. “Actually, you are tall. I don’t have any beds your size, and there won’t be much room on the floor. You and Law can take the boy’s room, or mine. I’m sure they will all join Sabo in the main room anyway.”

Rosinante shook his head. “Law will probably move Sabo to a more sterile room tonight before dinner. He and the rest of the boys will probably stick in the same room together. The twins seem like glue, but I’m guessing that Law will kick Luffy out some time tomorrow.”

Dadan blinked at him. “Right… the twins and Luffy.” She paused for a moment before looking at Rosinante. “They aren’t actually twins. Sabo is a runaway from abusive parents. They took him back… I couldn’t stop them… Then when he ran this time, Sabo decided to go to sea.”

He looked at her with wide eyes. “You aren’t safe here.” He realized.

“Ace and Luffy aren’t safe anywhere.” Dadan said. “You already know who Luffy’s dad is. In this forest we don’t exist. If… If they were to take legal action and someone found out about the boys…” She shook her head.

Rosinante took a deep breath as understanding and horror filled his lungs. “You needed to pick between your children.”

“Sabo had a chance to survive. I was going to wait for Garp to come back to get him.” She said, "I never got the chance… I never thought I would have to choose. Maybe I did. Maybe I chose by leaving them on too loose of a leash.”

Rosinante laughed. “Those boys would go crazy on a short leash. I got lucky with Law, he is a little angel. Then again, he may think he’s the one keeping me on a short leash.”

The woman turned her head away as he spoke. “We will welcome you any time. The debt is mutual, let’s just be friends.”

When the bandits gasped in shock, Rosinante just thought of how much this woman must love her boys. To think she would make such an offer to a man hunted by a delusional psychopath was crazy! The boys were safe because nobody knew they existed. He was actually being hunted… if Dofi had realized he was alive that is.

…

Just as agreed, the two new guests joined Dadan's hut. For now, they are all hers to protect.

The place was strangely quiet. The bandits stayed solemn and oddly grew manners around Law. Everyone but Luffy had manners around Law. It was strange. The youngest brat got kicked out every morning. Ace got to stay by Sabo’s side most of the day though. Law forced the oldest brat to take his wounds seriously. Ace was required to eat and sleep properly as well as Luffy. Oddly enough, her oldest little monster started asking questions about healing people of all things. His excuse was that he needed to be able to treat his brothers after all, just like he treated Dadan's wounds after the fire. It was kind of wholesome in a strange way. Ace was growing up, and trying hard to be a good big brother.

It was strange when Sabo’s goodbye letter came in and he was sleeping right next to them. Law seemed to know that Ace and Sabo weren’t related by blood at that point. She wondered if he learned the truth by the boy’s blood somehow, or if it was Rosinante. Probably Rosinante. The man shared everything with his kid.

After the letter came in, Rosi and Law stated it wasn’t that much of a surprise given Dragon didn’t recognize Sabo. It made him slightly less of a deadbeat. The two did agree that the man should have stayed to meet Luffy though. Rosi knew that the boy’s father left the island ages ago, he just didn’t know how.

After Sabo’s letter, Ace decided to announce his true heritage. That is when Rosinante shrugged and said that he had no right to judge.

“Just because you got a crappy brother, that doesn’t make your blood as bad as mine.” Ace argued in the kitchen as he clutched the letter. Rosinante sighed, “I have the blood of true monsters in my veins.” Rosinante answered. “If you ever meet anyone else by the name DonQuixote, run. I’m not just talking about my brother or his gang. If we were focused on blood, you should be trying to kill me.” The man said as he leaned back against the wall. “If you plan to become a pirate on the Grand Line you will learn soon enough.”

Law smiled as he walked in before he leaned into his dad’s side. “My name is DonQuixote D Waterlaw.” He said as he leaned deeper into Rosinante’s fluffy coat and stole some rice from his dad. The boy had a small appetite that Dadan appreciated. “D is the name of the boogeyman to the celestial dragons. They fear us, and tell their children how the family of D will destroy them from where they hide in the shadows of history. You are all Ds, Gol D Rodger was a D. Dad and the man I will never call my uncle are the children of rogue celestial dragons. It doesn’t matter if the couple tried to end slavery, and wanted to live as humans. You witnessed one celestial dragon, that means you know what the family is like. You should also know what people do in revenge to those who carry such blood. I carry the blood of both a dragon, and its destroyer.”

Ace blinked at Law, then looked at Rosinante. Slowly he asked, “Is it true?”

Rosi nodded at the boy. “Mostly. Whatever they say about your dad is nothing compared to the atrocities my family has committed. I honestly think your old man learned something about the void century on that journey.”

“What?” Ace asked.

“There are a hundred unknown years in our history. Anyone who researches it is killed. Some scholars on an island in the west found out how to decode some old texts from that time. The Marines wiped the whole island out, even those who knew nothing of the research. Any Marine who refused to take part in the massacre was killed for defying the orders of the World Government. I had a few friends who committed suicide after. That is actually the event that made me choose to only do undercover work from that day on. It’s also the reason they can’t find me and Law. While my blood may pardon me, but I don’t trust them not to go after Law for his name and fruit.”

“And Gramps wants me to join the Marines despite this!” Ace yelled as he rose to his feet. “I didn’t want to follow orders, but you just made Marines sound like monsters!”

The former Marine sighed. “You may carry the blood of D, and a man who the government hated. That made you a target, but if you make a big splash as a hero, and the grandson of Monkey D Garp, the Marines will have no choice but to protect you. If you join they will figure out the truth eventually, but at that point if you have a good enough reputation, they will celebrate you as one who recanted Gol D Rodger, and stands for justice. Your grandfather is trying to save your life. I’ve worked in the government too long to believe they will never find out who you are.”

At this point Ace was shaking. He glanced away and ran out of the front door in tears. Well, unshed tears.

“What a dramatic child.” Law remarked.

Rosinante sighed as he collapsed on his back on the floor. Then he glared up through his hair at his kid. “You have no right to talk, kiddo.”

The boy just shrugged as he left to check on Sabo again.

“He needed to hear it sooner or later.” Dadan’s voice came when the silence was too heavy. “Honestly, it should have been me who said it.”

Why didn't she ever explain it to the boy? He already knew how much the world hated him. If he wants to live in spite of his father, than being a Marine is the logical choice. She knew the world outside her island was dangerous, but maybe she wanted to live in ignorance. Maybe she wanted to live with the hope Ace would never be known as Gold Rodger's son. 

…

That night Luffy showed up for dinner with his future crewmate. Said crewmate was the green haired kid that fell asleep on Rosinante’s boat when Dragon jumped on board with Sabo. “He wasn’t taken home.” The man was mumbling. “What is wrong with Dragon?”

Luffy went right up to Law. “You bragged about your crew, well look at my swordsman!”

When the new kid, Zoro, just shrugged and went along with it, Rosinante stepped to the back and shared a drink with Dadan. She was relieved that Rosinante agreed to take the brat home when he left. How Luffy managed to recruit the kid who only ate, slept, and trained nobody knew.

…

Chapter Text

When Sabo woke up, Ace and Luffy tackled him without hesitation. He was pulled into a hug that Law almost broke up. Then everything stopped with one question. “Who are you?”

Everyone looked at Sabo with wide eyes. “What?” Ace asked.

“You are our brother!” Luffy yelled as he wrapped Sabo in another hug. “You, me, and Ace!”

”I don’t remember anything… not even my name.” The blond admitted as he gently hugged himself.

“What happened!” Ace yelled as he turned and grabbed Law by the collar. “What did you do! Fix my brother!”

“It's a concussion, idiot.” Law said without fighting back for once. “I can keep him alive, but I can’t control memories.”

Sabo looked scared, but then Luffy chose to speak. “You are my big brother, Sabo.” Luffy told him. “You are my brother whether you remember or not. If you don’t get your memories back, we will make new ones.”

“I’d like that.” The boy’s voice spoke softly.

Ace shook his head as he looked back and forth at everyone in the room. Then he shook his head and turned to run out the door. Rosinante watched the kid run and try to hide his tears. He took a deep breath and stood to follow.

…

Rosi-san

It was after Sabo woke that Ace started thinking of the man like that. The man helped patch up his knuckles after he went out and punched a tree. Ace hit it till his knuckles bled.

How? How was he supposed to rebuild his bond with Sabo? His blood is cursed, he is cursed! Maybe it is for the best that his first friend, his brother, his other half goes on without him.

The oversized man came and sat in the clearing. He didn’t say a word, but he made his presence known. He waited in silence. They stayed like that till after the boy broke three pipes and wore himself out. He didn’t object to Ace getting back up to attack another tree after he wrapped his hand.

“It’s my fault.” Ace said.

The tall man shook his head. “You aren’t old enough, or strong enough to face the celestial dragons.”

The boy shook his head. “I’m not talking about the stupid dragons, I’m talking about his biological family. He sacrificed himself, went back with them to protect us. If… What if I went to save him? Then he wouldn’t have set out to sea alone.”

“You are right.” The man confirmed the thoughts in Ace’s head. Then he added to that thought. “Sabo wouldn’t have set off alone, but he wouldn’t have been able to stay here. That means that the three of you would have set out together that day. Who knows? Luffy could have drowned, or maybe you and Sabo would have drowned saving him. Maybe one of you would be alive. Maybe Sabo would truly be alone now. Maybe it would be you. Maybe it would just be Luffy. ”

Ace blinked up at him a few times. When did his eyes get misty? “You don’t get it. Just because your family is… Are you related to the bastard who shot Sabo?”

The blond shrugged. “Probably distantly. There is a huge inbreeding problem in Mariejois.”

The boy curled his knees up to his chest and hugged them, as he sat on the floor next to the man. “Have you ever failed to save someone important to you?”

The man let out a heavy sigh as he started ripping up a leaf. “I had a friend in Mariejois. People don’t learn how to necessarily be good parents there, slaves raise the kids. My parents got rid of the slaves, and showered us in love, but never got the best training on child rearing. Instead I spent all my days following my brother around. His friends… I didn’t like them, so I tried to hide and watch from a distance.”

“Is this the brother that shot you?” Ace asked.

The man chuckled. “It’s a long story. That’s a little bit of a technicality.” He shook his head and started plucking the grass to play with. “Anyway, one day I fell and broke my ankle. Dofi just snuck out of a room I don’t think we were supposed to see, a room that didn’t exist. He probably didn’t even know I was following him. Anyway, as I stumbled out, I found a slave crying. He was around my age, but huge! Kuma was a Buccaneer, and the last of his kind. His father was just killed in front of him for falling behind on his slave work. If he was found crying… I don’t want to think of what they would have done to him.”

Ace looked up with wide eyes at the tall man sitting next to him. Rosi-san had a soft smile on his face and a distant look in his eyes. “I don’t know what came over me, but when the other celestial dragons came around the corner to complain about the crying, I started balling and said that the slave was helping me get home… Kuma immediately understood. He got me home safe, and then got commissioned to help me walk till my ankle healed. Dofi hated it- that I got a slave and he didn’t. By the end of the week, I told my parents that we promised not to have slaves, and told them to send Kuma away. I couldn’t let Dofi hurt my only friend again.”

Ace clenched his fist in the dirt as he thought about how much he wanted to punch this 'Dofi' in the face. He hadn’t even met the man, and he hated him.

“I thought I did the right thing, but the World Government wanted the buccaneer race extinct. They sent him to a once in a hundred years hunting game where celestial dragons hunt people for sport. He… I never received word of him again.”

Ace blinked at the trees in the distance. “It doesn’t matter that I’m Gold- or Gol D Rodger’s son to them. They want me dead for being a D. They will hunt us down, Me, Luffy, Law, and even Gramps if he steps out of line. All of us are a threat for just being born a D.”

A soft chuckle escaped the man. “They lost. I saw a buccaneer with the Revs when we picked up Sabo. I didn’t get the chance to meet him. Probably best if I never do.”

“You aren’t a celestial dragon.” Ace said as he looked up at the man. “You are one of us now. Let’s drink a cup of sake together! Who cares about my dad, Outlook, or the deadbeat? You can be our dad!”

The man laughed. Then he patted Ace on the head and stood up. “You have Dadan and your brothers. Don’t worry about me. You have enough people to protect here when your grandpa is out.”

…

Life had become a rollercoaster. Dadan was a simple woman. She knew about the world beyond Dawn Island’s shores. She knew what happened to Dragon. The man was once like a brother to her, similar to how Ace and Sabo are now. Most of all, she knew how dangerous the seas were.

When it came to the world beyond, Dadan wanted no part in it. Here she was a big fish in a small pond, and that was okay with her. When a real threat came to the island, she hid. Really, it was just luck that led her to acquiring Ace. Well, that and Garp knowing that she wanted to live a life off the grid, away from society. Dadan wasn’t the woman who would start a revolution, only one who chose to protect her own.

The first time Dragon told her about the celestial dragons, she thought he was lying. It had to be a joke on his name, right? The last time she saw the man was right before he formed the Revolutionary Army. He asked her to join. In response, Dadan laughed in his face. How many years has it been? That was before she got Ace, definitely before Luffy and Sabo came along.

A celestial dragon coming to the Goa Kingdom shocked her. The woman wished the boys weren’t hiding in the tree house when the news arrived. Then she couldn’t find them in the hideout. All the normal traps were set, and it took over an hour to navigate into the boy’s fort; only to find it empty. Dadan scoured the island for hours before she found them. She should have known there was more at stake when Ace said Sabo went back home that night. The boys wouldn’t talk about it, but she knew. She should have just moved quicker. What is one mountain bandit raiding High Town in the grand scheme of things?

Now, she was hosting a celestial dragon in her house. From the moment Law gave that reveal, Dadan couldn’t stop staring. How could this angel share the blood of those pigs? Every day, he humbled and amazed her. The way he revealed his genealogy to Ace actually snapped some sense into the brat! Suddenly the boy was more worried about Luffy’s parentage than his! When it comes to nicknaming Dragon 'the deadbeat,' Dadan had to agree.

Kids; the woman never wanted them. It’s not that she didn’t love her boys, but she was gruff and not very good with children. Just look at Rosi! When Sabo woke up and Ace got angry, he managed to do more than calm the brat down then she ever could! He has a gentle voice that soothes the souls of broken children. His smile lights up a room, and she would do almost anything to keep him locked away in her hut longer.

Dadan thought she was going to cry when Sabo was reintroduced to her. The brat didn’t know her at all. Yes, this must have been harder for Ace and Luffy, but Sabo didn’t appear to be scared of them. There was just a blaring ringing in her mind that this wasn’t her boy. The first time she met Sabo, he already decided he was moving in. The boy greeted her with a fart, and crashed at her place after insulting her. This time, he looked up in fear. The boy called her ma'am, and thanked her. The worst part is that he flinched back when Dadan reached out her hand towards him.

How bad of a parent was she for Sabo to flinch back like that? Did she really appear that intimidating? Why does someone as unqualified as her keep getting trusted with kids?

The angel that saved her boy crashed her crying session with a bottle of her favorite beer. He found her on the back steps of the house and handed over the drink before taking a seat a few feet away. He sat on the floor below the steps which left them around the same height. A moment later, the noise of the house disappeared. Dadan could only hear the blissful sound of the birds chirping in the trees ahead of her. The sound of the nearby creek calmed her nerves. The wind in the trees soothed her soul.

“How do you do it?” She asked him.

The man shrugged. “Perks of the Nagi-Nagi No Mi.”

Dadan rolled her eyes. She always forgot the clumsy man was a fruit eater like Luffy. Given the fact he almost drowned in the creek last week washing clothes, she should know better. “How are you such a good parent?”

The man laughed at that. It soothed her soul in a calming way, unlike Luffy’s laugh that always spells trouble for her. “I’m not that great, I just love my kid, and try my best.”

She looked down at her drink. “Sabo hates me.”

“You know that the parent he is trying to flee isn’t you.” He told her calmly. “Sabo will remember soon enough.”

Dadan couldn’t bring herself to look up. “Is it wrong that I’m almost happy he likes me better than the Outlooks?” She asked. “I’m not mad at Sabo, but I really want to raid their house right now.”

“Want some help?”

Dadan blinked up to see a smile on the man’s face. It wasn't like the normal calm ones she was growing to know. This smile reminded her of Law in an ere way. Then she shook her head and continued talking. “I can’t bring that much attention to myself and the boys right now. I’m not strong enough to protect them. Why didn’t I ask Garp or Dragon to train me back when they offered?”

A serous look came over his gaze. Dadan had never seen such a dark frown on the man. “Observation haki and how to hide your haki signatures; at most, that is all I have time to teach you.”

She couldn’t stop her jaw from dropping open. Was he actually offering to spend time training her one on one? Funny, how everything he does makes him seem all the more perfect, yet unobtainable. This is more valuable payment than anyone has ever offered her. Everything also goes to making her a better mother, and mending the chaos with her boys. “You aren’t a celestial dragon.” The words escaped her lips before she could stop them. “You are an angel.”

He laughed.

If she asked him to stay, and offered a safe haven here, would he take it?
…

She never asked, and wasn’t surprised when it was time for Rosi and Law to leave. Dadan held back her tears as she helped the man pack. He was really more focused on cleaning up after himself and making sure Law had everything then worrying about his own stuff. The man traveled light, like a fighter, not a pompous noble.

It wasn’t till they were leaving that the foolish words fell from her lips. “Why don’t you just drop the mosshead off back home, then stick around and marry me.”

The tall blond man blinked a couple times. His kid looked like he was ready to stab her for even making the suggestion. Then after a moment, the man laughed. “Good joke. I’m flattered.”

Before she could take the full hit of the rejection she knew was coming, Dadan got a good look at his eyes. Those ever changing from gold to red eyes were always so expressive. Usually, they were happy with a shine showing his joy. That was until he thought he was alone, in a dark corner with Law nowhere close. The man would let a frown mar his perfect features as his eyes lost their shine and took a glazed gaze of trauma words couldn’t begin to describe. He may be her angel, but the man has hate for his own blood miles worse than Ace ever experienced. That is why he could help her brat. “Don’t be a stranger. You know the boys love you.”

“All the more reason to avoid them.” Law muttered. "Crazy Ds."

The blond looked back and forth as the little samurai tried to walk away from the boat, and Law used his powers to dump the directionally challenged fool in their boat. “Are the boys not seeing us off?” Rosinante sounded sad.

“Oh, you know those brats, they said goodbye last night.” She waived her hand at the trees. “Either they don’t want to see you go, or they are watching from the trees.”

“Let’s go before they ambush us.” Law said. “That little terror practically stained my shirt with tears last night.” He shook his head. “I’ve had enough of the will of D for a lifetime.”

Rosinante laughed. Then he looked back at Dadan after jumping in the boat. “We’ll miss you. Say goodbye to the boys for us! Law will miss his friends, no matter what he says. Also, say ‘hi’ to Garp-san for me!”

The woman watched as the boat disappeared in the distance. She really hated goodbyes. The only reason she followed them to the shore was because the three terrors weren’t there to do it for her. When she got back to the hut, she immediately had to yell at her men for using the sterile medical alcohol Law left for drinking booze. She ignored the mutters of her returning to the grumpy bear instead of a lovesick lady. What does she care what they think? All these fools bum in her house, and hardly do any work!

Dadan went to the back porch and tried to listen to the birds and the river. She nursed her favorite beer. Then it dawned on her that she could actually smoke without fear of a frog appearing in her mouth. For some reason, the appeal wasn’t as strong. Instead she imagined nothing had changed and closed her eyes for a refreshing nap.

When Dadan woke up, it was quiet. She thought Rosinante was being kind, till she remembered he was gone. What happened? With her boys and gang, quiet is a very bad thing. Dadan didn’t hesitate to slam open the door and yell, “What happened?”

Everyone cowered to a corner. Magra, who was caught in the middle, responded as he was shaking. “It’s not our fault!”

Dadan looked back and forth. The brats agreed not to go back to the tree house after the fire. After Rosi’s talk about the dangers of the world, Ace was very strict at getting his brothers back by 9 every night. “Where are the boys?”

Dogra inched forward and handed a note to her. The woman’s eyes bugged out as she read it.

'Dear old hag Dadan,' It began. She immediately knew it was Sabo’s writing. She both loved and hated that he called her that in a letter. 'I've decided to go out to sea… again. You see, we left some papers that will work for you to legally adopt me, and Law thinks he may be able to make it so my DNA doesn’t trace back to the Outlooks! If Grandpa Garp drops by, he can finalize my death and new birth certificates. Don’t worry about us, we are with family, or we will be once we convince Rosi-san to adopt us!'

All three boys signed the paper.

“Oh.” The woman realized as the color drained from her face. Above all else, one thought dominated her mind. “Garp is going to kill me.”
…

Chapter Text

Everything was going wrong since Corazon betrayed them. Trebol suspected something was off ever since the man miraculously arrived out of nowhere. It was just too convenient that his brother showed up, getting attacked by an rival gang, right when Dofi was planning a raid. Dofi was happy to be the hero his brother needed to survive. The whole situation was strange to Trebeol. That, and the younger celestial dragon was a threat.

Trebol knew his limits, but Dofi didn’t have any. The man would follow Dofi to his fate. All this time, he had fun doing it. The only time he suspected his position as the young master’s number two could be at risk was when Rosinante joined the gang. He took the heart seat, and took constant beatings, but like a roach, he wouldn’t die. That, and the man was hiding a secret kindness under his constant scowl.

Most days, Trebol thought Corazon was nothing but a toy doll for Doflamingo to play with. When he frowned too much, Dofi painted a smile on his face. If the man fell, Dofi would laugh, but in the early days he helped his brother up. After all, a mentor stands close, but a shadow is attached to a person in a more tangible way. Dofi loved telling everyone how he cares for, and protects his brother above all.

In spite of their mock family, Trebol doubted the young master truly knew what love was. He needed them, yes. Everyone needs a support to stand on. That is true, but Doflamingo kept his brother closer than anyone else. He also left the man on a looser leash than everyone else.

The loss of the Opi-Opi No-Mi was devastating. The loss of Law was expected, albeit in a different way. The idea that Corazon was a traitor from day one- that oddly made sense. The problem is, nobody was truly prepared for it.

As everyone mourned in shock. Trebol just thought that the young master’s blood brother couldn’t be as weak and dumb as they thought him to be. It made sense that the man was brilliant, even if that brilliance was dull in comparison to Dofi.

Denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance; these are the stages of grief. Dofi wasn’t just in denial that his brother betrayed him, but denial that he got tricked by his brother, or ever cared for him. Denial and anger flooded the encampment through the young master’s haki. It has been almost nine months since the betrayal, and three since they found out the scale of it. To this day, Doflamingo doubts that his brother was ever truly loyal to the Marines.

He needed to talk to Dofi. Another month of this, and people will start to lose faith in their captain. The problem is, there is nothing he can say to get through to the man. Doflamingo’s haki is too much, and right now he can’t risk angering the fragile young master anyway. He sent a new recruit in last week, only to find the man’s limbs shredded by the door. The same happened with the five woman from the local island he sent in, but all of them lasted a few hours before being kicked out in pieces.

Just when he was going to brave Dofi’s presence, the man emerged all by himself. Sadly there was still a gloom over the young master. The rest will pass with time soon too. Soon he will be the only one to ever come close to the position of Doflamingo’s number 2.

…

Business was failing and everyone had a dark air over them. Doflamingo knew this was all because of Corazon. His little brother was the first one to follow him around, all the way back on Mariejois. Everything was perfect till his father ruined it.

Four years. If Corazon was always a loyal Marine, why didn’t he completely sell them out sooner? Yes, the Marines were close, but even if he made sure that less lives were lost, his little brother always came back to him. The family was broken thanks to Corazon and Law. Dofi hated it. He hated them.

“Where is Senor Pink?” He asked at the dinner table. Dofi was too distracted by his brother to notice before now. When was the last time he noticed Pink’s haki signature? When is the last time he paid attention to anyone’s haki signature? Corazon had such a subdue and muted haki. It was almost like he wasn’t there, perfect to fall into Dofi’s shadow.

Everyone at the table looked back and forth in confusion. “I can call him.” Baby 5 said.

“He has been missing a lot lately.” Trebol said before laughing uncomfortably.

Diamante smiled at Dofi. “Do you want me to go and find him?”

Doflaming shook his head. “No.”

Without waiting for the end of the meal, Doflamingo stood up and walked out the door. He had already lost two hearts in the last year. Why wasn’t Pink sharing in the family’s misery and morning? He had a smile the last time Doflamingo saw him. This… this is not right. What could possibly make the man happy in a time like this?

…

A family, a kid: Russian and Gimlet.

Doflamingo felt his smile grow. He couldn’t be any more mad. One moment he saw Pink and Gimlet through the window, then he saw his brother holding Law in their place. Law curled up in Corazon’s arms like a small child on that night on the boat. He could almost be mistaken for Corazon’s own son. That brat! He couldn’t help but laugh. Why do these kids keep stealing his family away?

Doflamingo will get it all back.

Eating dirt on the street with only Rosinante following him- he had nothing. Back then, all he had was his loyal shadow, his brother. The TRAITOR!! From there he crawled his way out and formed his own family. Nobody in this family is allowed to leave him! What could be better for a mere mortal than serving him, a descendant of the gods?

He watched the house from the trees well into the night. Gimlet; what a silly name. He will get it back, he will get them all back. Never again will Dofi let himself fall so low. Nobody, not even his shadow can drag him down! A shadow is supposed to remain with the rest of the humans, at his feet.

At least now he had an idea of the source of his suffering. His brother didn’t leave him, the man was stolen! His heart was stolen away, just like Senior Pink’s is being held captive right now. Maybe everything that happened was for the best. Now he can see the poison for what it truly is. Just like white led disease, these children are a poison. Gimlet and Law are both thieves stealing the hearts of those that are rightfully his.

Doflamingo shook his head. Law was supposed to be like Baby 5, Buffalo, Dellinger, Monet, and Sugar. He was supposed to be an abandoned child that would follow Dofi, and only Dofi. How does he make sure this doesn’t happen again? What kind of poison did Law have to infect his brother? Could that stupid report from that low ranking Marine contact be true about Law being his brother’s real kid? Doflamingo had no need for a nephew, or any half-breed mongrels for that matter.

A plan began to weave together in Doflamingo’s mind like a detailed tapestry. He started to count every string to fix what was his. He would get his brother back. Maybe it’s a good thing that his shadow isn’t as stupid and useless as he thought. Before the betrayal, he was going to lose his brother anyway to gain his immortality. Maybe it is for the best that his Corazon didn’t eat the fruit. Law was the source of all his problems. Doflamingo will be immortal, but why become immortal alone? Wouldn’t it be best to bring his shadow, that which shared his blood, into eternity? To gain that, who better to be sacrificed than the poison brat?

He laughed into the moonlight, as strings ascended into the clouds. Soon a pink shape flew amongst the stars above the islands and people of the north that belonged below him. Yes, this is what he needed. Pink would be a test run, but people are harder to maneuver than puppets. What matters is that the humans play into his hands or remain where they belong: at his heel.

They say time heals all wounds. If his brother could come back to him after the way their father died, then he can get him back when they are the only ones there for each other. Immortality looks nice. Why rush when the long game is ahead of him.

His brother would come back to be his shadow, where the fool always belonged. Corazon will beg for his forgiveness and affection. In response, only after years of pleading, only then will Doflamingo get over his hate and forgive his brother for betraying him. You see, only a truly good master like him could forgive a tarator like his little brother.

…

Returning to the family for work was getting harder. If it wasn’t for Russian and Gimlet, Pink wouldn’t know how to move in the fog of depression. What would Russian do if she knew about this side of him? He is everything she hates. Would the woman betray him like Corazon betrayed the family? These two lives were like two wolves tearing him apart from within.

As he opened the door, Pink couldn’t stop his jaw from dropping. The family seemed happy. Doflamingo had left his room, and the house was clean and ready to go. When they went on their pirate raids this time, everyone was happy, and everything went right. In a moment of peace between raids, the boss man himself came to talk to Pink when he was cleaning his gun, alone.

“You seem different, happier.” Doflamingo said as he placed a hand on his shoulder. “Your family has been missing you.”

Deep dread seeded in Pink’s gut. “Really?”

Doflamingo smiled at him and nodded. “You know, I’ll always be here for my family. You can trust me with anything.”

“Of course.” He answered. If he wasn’t hiding so much, then maybe those words would be comforting.

When his boss began to walk out the door, he paused before leaving Pink with his thoughts. “One more thing, we are headed for the grand line soon. Make sure you have all your affairs in order.”

“Of course, young master.” The words that once made him so happy felt like sandpaper in Pink’s mouth. He needs to choose between his two families. How could he tell Dofi about his family? That was impossible. Yet, telling his wife was even more impossible.

…

It was rare for travelers to visit Cocoyashi Village. Their town wasn’t very important when it came to trade. They were just close enough for people to pass by the island and make it to Logue Town. That being said, there were always people stranded who needed help.

Bell-mere rolled her eyes at the bounty hunters that were passing through town. Since Rosi left, some Marines had already passed through. Their patrols usually only pass through once a year or so. Rosi and the kids hid with Hatchi when the Marines followed up on the Arlong incident. Really, what was there to report? Nothing happened. The pirate dropped by, wrecked some houses, robbed the people blind, and left after a fallout with his crewmate.

A few reckless bounty hunters coming in a group to track down Arlong wasn’t too surprising. These kids are in over their heads though. She knew that from the moment she saw them. What threw Bell-mere was one man in the back. He was older, scarred, and gave her the air of a seasoned warrior.

Of course, instead of taking their ‘protection’ offer, Bell-mere had to step forward as the town’s official protector. As she showed them some of the decoy defenses, and sparred with a few bratty upstarts, things seemed fine. Yeah, these people are strange, but it reminded her more of hopeful new recruits from her Marine days.

The fighting brought back a part of her long lost. Yeah, her girls were her pride and joy, but showing off her skill was something she missed. Who would have thought she could have both? The idea that Nami and Nojiko would actually like bragging about their ‘badass mom’ was beyond her wildest dreams.

It wasn’t till dinner time that she noticed something was wrong. Rosi’s boys were hiding in their room. They did that a lot. The trio wanted to hide with Hatchi when a potential enemy came to town. Maybe they were just trying to keep the Fishman from fleeing, but she thought there was something more to their frowns today.

Nami had her hands behind her back as she dug her toe into the carpet. Nojiko was beside her with a glare and crossed arms. Oh no. What did the girl do now? Bell-mere went to stand in front of her daughters with crossed arms and a glare.

Nami looked at the floor. “I did something bad, but that’s good.”

The woman shook her head and sighed. “Please, do enlighten me.”

Nami pulled a paper out from behind her. Then she held it out for her mother to take. When she saw it, Bell-mere’s jaw dropped. Her cigarette almost lit the paper on fire, like Rosi’s antics. That would have been appropriate since it was his face staring back at her.

The wanted poster wasn't a government issue. Instead it was a hit from the DonQuixote family. The bounty was 150,000,000 Beri. That is higher than any bounty the East Blue has probably ever seen, and higher then most bounties in paradise. She didn’t know if it was a good thing that the poster read ‘Alive Only.’ It is probably not a good thing for Rosinante if he gets caught. At least the photos of him were terrible. One was his old Marine mugshot. It was funny how bad all his ID photos always looked. At some point the man just stopped trying and scowled at the camera. The second one was of the man in clown makeup that made him almost unrecognizable. “Wanted; DonQuixote ‘Corazon’ Rosinante. The Traitor.”

“That’s not the only one.” Nami told her in a soft voice.

Bell-mere knew what was coming before she flipped the page to the next wanted poster. It was a drawing, and a good one at that. Law’s face was staring back at her. He had a scowl, and murder in his eyes. Bell’s stomach dropped when she read the price; 200,000,000 Beri. To make it worse, his poster read ‘Dead or Alive.’ The name on the bottom said, ‘Trafalgar Law.’

“Nami, I want you to listen to me very carefully.” Bell-mere spoke in a measured tone. “You need to return this exactly where you found it, and hope they didn’t notice you stole it. I’ll stay close and protect you.”

“Does this mean they can’t come back?” Nojiko asked. The sadness was bleeding into her voice as much as the strong girl tried to hide it.

Bell-mere shook her head. “They will come back for the boys, but I doubt they will be sticking around. At least we know that they probably haven’t been captured yet with how new the posters are. It also might explain why they have been gone for so long.”

Nojiko nodded. “The boys are packing. They want to be ready to run at any time.”

Nami crossed her arms and pouted. “It’s not fair.”

“Sometimes, life isn’t fair.” She told her girls. “Let’s do what we can to make it a little better. Good job Nami.”

…

He lost everything in a single night. If only he would have told Russian who he really was. If she hated him, maybe her and Gimlet would still be alive and whole through what she would surely call blood money. If only he would have given her a way to contact him, and not feared the family would find out. If he could go back, the man would have changed everything. He would have chosen his real family over a life of crime.

With a broken heart, Senior Pink went to the only one mentally there that he had left. Knocking on the young master’s door was strange. He never thought he would go to see his boss for such a private matter. He just needed someone, something, anything to keep him sane. The man was starting to think going to the hospital with a bonnet was a good idea.

Doflamingo opened the door with a smile and a nod. He invited the man into his presence, and sat down with some snacks and drinks. It was so casual, almost like two friends hanging out.

“I made a mistake.” He admitted without leaving the door frame. “I kept a secret, and it cost me everything. I… you said I can confide in you.”

“Of course, I’m here for you.” Doflamingo answered between sips of his wine. “What else is family for?”

He couldn’t bring himself to look up. Instead, Pink pulled the bonnet out of his pocket to look at. “I fell in love, got married.” Each word was a weight off his chest. “My wife had a baby! I… It didn’t feel appropriate to be celebrating with everything happening in the family.”

“My friend,” Dofi’s tone was calm and inviting. “In this family, your success is our success. Your joy is our joy. The knowledge that your family grew may have soothed the pain of losing our heart.”

“Russian and Gimlet wanted nothing to do with a life of crime.” He spoke in a shaking tone.

Doflamingo’s smile hardened. “She didn’t accept you, which means she didn’t love you. It’s just like my brother.”

“No!” He finally looked up at Doflamingo. “I knew she didn’t want anything to do with pirates from day one. I… I must have ruined her life. Now our child is dead and her mind is lost. They want me to pull the plug, but I can’t.”

For a brief moment Pink thought he saw a vein pop in Doflamingo’s head, then the man seemed to visually calm. “Bring her on the ship.”

“What?” The idea was mad. It is everything Russian hates. If she were in her right mind, she would run.

Doflamingo stood up and started to walk over. “You love her, in spite of her hate, right?”

Pink couldn’t resist the stiff nod that came in response.

“Well…” The man’s smile grew. “Not only do we know where the Opi-Opi No Mi is, but there are many fruit in the sea. If they want to pull the plug, what good is it to leave her here? Once we take the throne of Dressrosa, you will be a hero in her eyes. Morality goes out the window in the face of power and beri.”

With a heavy sigh, Pink nodded.

…

Trebol didn’t know what changed, but the young master was back. They would be moving on like Corazon never betrayed them. The plan was slightly modified and all laid out. Strangely, as Dofi’s mind returned to him, Pink’s seemed to melt. It started with the woman, then declined into bonnets and diapers. What is wrong with the man? Most of all, why does he ignore the ridicule, and why does Dofi seem so happy with what has become of Senior Pink?

The snot man knew he needed someone else to help him support Dofi mentally. Someone mentally stable is needed. All they really need is to get that warlord status; then Vergo can be returned to them. As Dofi’s first friend beyond Merry Joy, and the one who introduced the two, the man needed to come back. Who needs the traitor of a brother when Dofi already had a stable heart to back him up?

…

Doflamingo smiled at his subordinate.

Things didn’t go according to plan, but better. The poison is gone, and his henchman returned to his intended position. While the woman was a burden on the ship, there was no way for her to actually cause trouble. Doflamingo can get rid of her at any time. It would be so easy. How would his brother react if that was Law living as a lemon. Would he cry on Dofi’s shoulder like Pink did when Russian first smiled?

This new Pink was different. He dressed like the plague Dofi hated. It just took a couple calls to get rid of the poison, and all the witnesses were dead. Nothing can be traced back to him. Till the day Senior Pink dies, he will be none the wiser.

When he watched the man in a bonnet, Doflamingo saw his shadow. Yes, the two looked nothing alike. He imagined the taller blond man wearing a spotted hat instead of a bonnet. That makeup he suggested to turn his brother’s frown upside down is replaced with white patches. The matching coat his brother bought in a set is replaced with something drab like the little plague. Maybe the clumsy fool will even try wielding a dagger like Law. Oh, he hated the image and everything about it. The anticipation for it to become reality excited Dofi more than anything.

This will only be for a time though. Immortality is too good for a loathsome shadow like his brother. One day, the man will come to realize that. He will come crying back to him and plead for forgiveness. In that time, Doflamingo will do something wonderful, he will forgive his hateful younger brother for betraying him. On that day the world will be right again with his shadow at his feet. After all, a shadow belongs at every man’s heel.

Just like pink, all will be better with the child gone. Children are a plague, and so is the love of them. What good did it do for his father? What good did it do Pink? He lived to burn down the law and the world. After all, in the end all that thrives is chaos, hate, and suffering.

…

Never before had Rosinante felt such peace in his soul. Years of being a good Marine at times made him feel like he was leaving good in the world. Now he just wanted to be selfish. Law saved his life, and showed him a world worth living. For once he felt valued, and reminded that there were people, kids, who wanted him alive. He could see in his son’s eyes, every time the kid grabs the time sword. He knew how different the boy’s world would be if he died that day. In a way, everything he was did die that day. The spy, the Marine, the brother of Doflamingo are all gone. All that’s left is a dad. Now he knew that he didn’t need to give everything away, he didn’t need to atone for the crimes of his kind. As selfish as it is, he just needs his family- his real family.

Who knows? Maybe one day these kids he helped will change the world.

When it comes to Law, Rosinante didn’t care. The kid could save the world, fight it, or just live his life in isolation. All he wants is for the boy to be happy and free.

Maybe that is the love his father felt when his last words to Dofi were an apology for not being better. In truth he would never know. What he did know is that it’s nice to have people to live for. Every breath, every day was a blessing he didn’t deserve. Maybe it’s time to forget the sword, and what could have been. Is there a chance that his family can just live freely?

The green haired kid was sleeping below deck. It was just him and Law with the wind in their hair. Law sat at the front of the ship to make sure he didn’t fall in. Luckily, his fruit works to pull people out of the water… it was embarrassing that it needed to be tested.

“Why are you smiling like that?” Law’s tone was so suspicious.

“This reminds me of old times, but so much better.” He told the kid. “You said this was your dream after getting healed; traveling the world together.”

A soft smile overcame Law’s face. “Yeah… It still is my dream. I just worry about having to look over our shoulders.”

Rosinante laughed. “Garp has it handled, Sengoku too. I know you don’t like Marines, but we can trust those two. Then we will be free as a bird.”

…

Chapter Text

Something was wrong. Zoro had been missing for way too long at this point. Yeah, he would decide to run with weights to train and come back a week later from time to time. The stupid boy has no sense of the world around him, and too much pride to ask for help or even admit his fault. Yeah, that happens all the time, but the idiot doesn’t ever disappear for an entire month!

Kuina first just told herself she was mad the boy missed sparring practice. After a week she started looking for him after practice. The second week in she started asking around for her directionally challenged cousin. Now, she would willingly admit she was terrified for the boy. Where could he be?

She punched a tree in her anger. Why did he need to disappear now of all times? An opportunity had opened for her to possibly become the best. She wanted to take it, but leaving without saying goodbye to the one who inspired her felt wrong.

After a bit of pacing, the girl sat on a rock by a stream. From here she could see where the little fool always lifted weights with his mouth. The idiot was always so set on proving to her that holding a sword in his mouth was anything more than stupid. A katana is a two handed blade! It’s silly enough to wield two. What makes the stupid boy think three is a good idea? For that matter, why are all boys so stupid? Out of those stupid boys, Zoro deserves a medal for being exceedingly dumb.

The girl smiled and looked down at her reflection. She wanted to be the best swordswoman in the world. Now she has a chance in a way. Her father works for the Revolutionary Army. A lot of the boys were being trained in hopes they would join. In a way, she waned to join, and she would have if a different opportunity didn’t open up. Right now, she had a choice before her on which way she would go.

Zoro was the only one on the island who still pushed her to be more. He was like a little brother to her, but he will overtake her soon if she doesn’t leave the island. Her options are simple, leave with Dragon-san to join the revs, or go undercover and join SWORD. In both, her first loyalty will be to her father, her family, and making the world a better pace. In the Revs, she will be able to make a name for herself. As a SWORD agent, she will need to leave her name behind. In SWORD, she can become the greatest 'swordsman,' but the best is the most conniving spy. Maybe, just maybe she can be the SWORD agent that outdoes all SWORD agents and reveal herself as the greatest when she returns to the Revs...but that’s not likely. The greatest spy is one who goes forgotten and never revealed. She will need to know how to hide her strength, know when to show her strength, and know when to throw a fight. After all, she is a woman, who wouldn’t assume her to be weak?

Tear drops made ripples in the water below her. Does she really need to chose without saying goodbye to Zoro? If she chooses SWORD, she will never be able to acknowledge that she even knows him if they meet again. What was she going to choose?

After a short cry, and a deep breath she decided to go for a walk by the docks to clear her head. Funny, there is a relatively small boat coming in. The only time she had ever seen a human that tall was when Dragon-san dropped by with the Revs last month… That was the last day she saw Zoro.

When the boat docked, Kuina silently stepped close in the cover of the shrubs to watch. The oversized man was wearing a simple button up and dress pants. He doesn’t seem like a threat, well he didn’t till she spotted Zoro on the ship. Her cousin was being dragged by his shirt collar. Her idiot little brother was being manhandled by a stupid looking brat with a spotted hat. The kid’s wardrobe practically matches the oversized adult.

For once, she didn’t think. Kuina tightened her grip on Wado Ichimonji. She took a deep breath, and she acted. Zoro may be an idiot, but he is her idiot.

…

The idiot couldn’t recognize his own home island. Law just wanted to get rid of this one, and go back home. He hadn’t been able to check what happened in that other reality since they left the sword wrapped and buried under Bell's house. Cora-san decided to name the blade Cronus. It was a fitting name, and made it easier to talk about in conversation.

Just one more, he just needed to get rid of Zoro. Then he will have Cora-san all to himself for the few days sailing back to Cocoyashi Village. Then he can get a hug from Bepo and feel safe with his old crew. From there, who knows what comes next? That is, if he can get this idiot home safely. His dad was too kind to leave without making sure the kid was safe.

He felt it in his haki with hardly a second to spare. Law dodged as a white blade would have cut his arm clean off. The spike in his haki was something Law had never felt before. Yeah he trained, but this girl was looking to maim or kill him. Her intent was ringing in his head. She stood between him and Zoro, and then shifted her weight in a clean swipe intent to cut him in half. Law nearly failed to pull out his new short sword that Cora-san got him in time to block. Surprisingly, she froze just before their blades clashed.

“Kuina!” Zoro yelled. “You are my rival, why are you fighting Law?”

The girl to stopped her assault entirely. Law also realized there was a shadow over him. He looked up to see Cora-san standing above him. Law couldn’t see his face, only the fact that he was completely surrounded from the back and sides. Silly old man, why did his hand look like it was about to grab him?

The girl didn’t look back at Zoro. Instead she stood in her defensive stance on their boat as she looked up at Cora-san. Why does she suddenly look so pale? All that violent intent is gone. Strange.

“Zoro, where have you been?” She said, “You missed training for a month!”

The green haired burden stood up. “I never skip training! The dojo just moved.”

Law face palmed. He couldn’t do this anymore. He is going to mentally snap if he doesn’t get a break soon. Maybe he can convince Cora-san to take them somewhere on vacation for the weekend before going back to the others. A private and quiet vacation on an island with a library sounds wonderful.

The girl shook her head, and chanced a half glance back at the boy behind her. Her stance and guard never lowered. Then she looked forward as her eyes trained on Law. The boy felt a need to speak. “Idiot stowed away on our ship.”

Something hard settled over her face. “It took you a month to bring him home?”

He was tired. He was exceedingly tired, and Law was not responsible for this idiot. The only idiot here he was responsible for was Cora-san. “That’s it!” He took a step forward and pointed at the girl’s face. “You should be happy we didn’t just leave that no good idiot on the last island. That, or you should have kept better track of him if you are so worried!”

“He isn’t my responsibility! Zoro is my cousin!” She stepped forward with something dark in her eyes. “He is a weak idiot, but he is my weak idiot. I will cut you in two if you harm him.”

Interesting. While Law could relate to protecting the weak idiot behind him, who does his girl think she is to threaten him? He couldn’t resist the smile that spread across his cheeks. “Who did you say you are going to cut in half?” Law raised his blade.

The girl did not appear amused. She shifted into an attack stance and ignored Zoro’s complaints behind her. Just as the two were about to step forward and clash blades, Law was swept off his feet. “Nope.” Cora-san said as Law felt himself pulled tight against the man’s chest. Law was stuck with his feet dangling reminding him how small he was.

Oh… what was he thinking? Yeah, he could use the Opi-Opi No-Mi, but that would cause a scene. That, and Cora-san wouldn’t like him hurting this girl. Pity, fighting her seemed like it would be fun. Then again, healing her would be like getting stuck on Dawn Island all over again.

“So sorry about my son.” Cora-san’s voice emphasized the word ‘son.’ Yep, the man is worried. “We just wanted to get Zoro home safe. Glad to know this is the right island. I would really appreciate it if you make sure he doesn’t get lost on the way home.”

The girl gave a stiff nod. “Come on, Zoro.” She spoke as she sheathed her sword. Her eyes never left Law and Cora-san. She is aware, and nervous. Clever girl. What would she think if Law teleported behind her with his room?

Both of them proceeded to jump out of the boat. The girl started walking one way, and Zoro the other. After three steps the girl turned around and grabbed Zoro’s shoulder to start dragging him.

Perfect, not that that problem is solved, they can get back to their lives.

…

By the end of the month, Sabo had gotten what he assumed was most of his memories back. It was strange, trying to remember himself. Having Ace and Luffy by his side helped a lot. Luffy was always ready to make him smile. Ace was a good support, a constant pillar he could rely on. He asked questions, and wasn’t disappointed when Sabo didn’t know the answer. Before he knew it, they were finishing each other’s sentences like real twins!

Strangely, Ace’s self hate in those fractured memories was a lot greater then what Sabo was witnessing now. When he told his brother about the growing memories from the Outlooks, Ace originally joked that they needed to trade parents. Then, his brother told him they need to just be twins from that day on. Rosi-san even forged paperwork saying Ace and Sabo were twins.

In a way, Sabo did die in that explosion. Well, Outlook Sabo died. Portgas D Sabo was alive and well. Law even joked that if he had more time, he would try a DNA project he wanted to test on them. As creepy as it was, Sabo would do anything to be Ace’s real brother, down to the blood. Then Ace can’t complain about his blood anymore, and he will be completely free of who he was. If only there was more time, and Rosi-san and Law weren’t on the run.

Surprisingly, it was Ace who proposed sneaking on the ship the night before Rosinante and Law left. His brother seemed happy, and dead set that this was the best thing. Sabo wanted to learn more about haki and the world government anyway. The problem was, Luffy can’t keep a secret. That is why they waited for their little brother to fall asleep before sneaking off with the sleeping child.

Rosi-san trained them in hiding their haki signatures. Sabo was the best at it. Ace was okay, but his haki signature was strong, especially for an untrained kid. Luffy couldn’t hide his for the life of him! Good thing the youngest sleeps like a rock.

All three boys slipped into a barrel together. They would need to stay quiet for at least a day. Rosinante-san won’t hesitate to bring them home if they are found too quickly. The plan is to wait and stay hidden till too much time has passed for it to be safe to run straight home. That means they need to hide until... probably however long it takes to get Zoro home. Shouldn’t be too hard as long as long as they can keep Luffy in line.

Half way through the next day, Sabo realized something was very wrong. “Why isn’t Luffy awake yet?”

Ace was checking Luffy’s vital signs for the second time that hour. “He is okay, that sleeping drug I fed him last night really works.”

Something felt very wrong in Sabo’s mind. “You hardly know how to read.”

“Hey!” Ace kicked Sabo. “You are the one who taught me! That’s an insult to yourself!”

The need to run out of the barrel in the storage cubby and yell for help filled Sabo’s gut. “What did you do?”

“Chill out.” Ace told him. “I got the recipe from Law. He has been teaching me since you were out for a month. What else were we supposed to do while you were sleeping?”

Sabo glared at Ace. His brother was hiding something. “You gave him a stronger dose than Law advised.”

His brother crossed his arms and looked away. “I could only test it on the mountain animals. I assumed with Luffy being a D, he would need at least a tiger’s dose.”

The blond buried his face in his hands. “If anything seems even slightly off with him, we are calling for help. I don’t care if Rosinante takes us home.”

Ace nodded. “Deal.”

…

Law closed his eyes as Cora-san held the sails and they made their way from the island. Everything was finally right with the world. Nothing could be better.

A crash came from below deck. Both Law and his dad shared a look of shock and horror. The voice screaming how well he slept was recognizable. He wanted to doubt it, but stretching out his senses made the Haki signature obvious.

Simultaneously, the two moved and started running down the stairs. The worst possible outcome was found. The three terrors of D were all there. Oh no. Please no. Law wanted to believe he was hallucinating, but the rubber python suffocating him in an embrace the moment he got down the stairs was evidence enough of the stowaways.

“Room and Shambles!” Law teleported Luffy off of him. “Cora-san.”

The adult nodded and made a bubble of silence. Both rooms were perfectly overlapping each other. “What do we do?” Law asked.

The adult shook his head. “I don’t know. It’s reckless to return to Dawn Island so quickly… but I doubt anyone saw us.”

Law looked up at the adult. Cora-san was taking deliberate slow breaths. The boy nodded and looked at the trio of terror. Their mouths were moving. It looked like Luffy was yelling. “How did you not sense them sooner?”

The man flung his arms out in exasperation. “I was focusing my observation haki on looking for boats and threats, not stowaways!”

“This is what you get for teaching idiots how to hide their haki signatures.” Law muttered.

“You missed the idiots too. How did they keep Luffy hidden?” Cora-san asked.

Law just shrugged. Whatever they did to keep the terror in a strawhat calm, Law wanted to know.

Then, Cora-san made the foolish decision to get rid of the sound barrier, and Law’s ears were filled with the trio arguing. He was so close to peace. Law could feel that calming private vacation slipping away in the distance.

His dad cleared his throat so the trio would know the sound barrier was down. In an instant, the three boys lined up shoulder to shoulder. “What are you doing here?” He asked in that stern and concerned dad tone.

“I don’t know!” Luffy screamed before laughing.

“It was my idea.” Ace started.

“Being close to the Goa Kingdom is dangerous for me until the legal papers you gave us are filed.” Sabo added.

“That, and we didn’t want to say goodbye.” Ace looked away as he spoke. “You are a big help and a good teacher.”

“We might even let you join our family!” Luffy said. “We may have different crews, but-“

Ace cut him off. “You have been more of a dad to us than any of our dads.”

Sabo nodded in agreement. He had his arms crossed with a serious look. “Also, I don’t have all my memories back yet. That means you are slacking as a doctor if you leave me behind. What happened to the other tests you wanted to try?”

Law shook his head and took a deep breath. Why did these idiots make sense? Cora-san made another bubble of silence with a snap. “It might be a good idea to keep them for a few days. Let them spar with Shachi, Penguin, and Bepo, then we can send them home.”

All Law could do is sigh and nod. “Okay.”

A few moments later, the silence dropped. “Two weeks to three months max; that’s all you are getting with us.” Rosinante stated. "We are on the run and need to play it safe and quiet."

“And we are not family.” Law said with crossed arms and a death glare. “If I’m not sharing my dad with my crew, I’m not sharing him with you.”

Luffy just laughed. “Your family’s your treasure like my brothers are mine. I get it, pirates don’t share!”

“But we also take-” “-what we want.” Ace and Sabo argued in that creepy way. The boy was so worried about his brother forgetting him, and here they are finishing each other’s sentences.

“My foster father, and your grandpa are practically brothers.” Cora-san revealed. “I can be your honorary uncle while we travel together. That begs less questions then three brats chasing someone down to force adoption. Also, I don’t want to risk any more of your grandfather’s ire than I’ve already gotten for this.”

Law could see by the look in Ace and Sabo’s eyes that screamed they weren’t going to let this go. Shit.

…

Chapter Text

Garp slammed down the door without knocking in his usual manner. Wonderfull! Only three days had passed since the brats disappeared. She knew where they were, or at least trusted who they were with. Sadly, she hoped this little break from the boys would be completely hidden from Garp.

“Where are my grandsons?” The man asked with a smile and a laugh.

The woman blinked up at him. She had the newspaper in her hand. The delivery from the North Blue News Coo was still coming in. Doflamingo was on the third page, and not behind bars. He attacked a hospital and kidnapped someone in a catatonic state. “What are you doing here?”

Garp came over and gave her way too strong of a pat on the shoulder. Dadan could see her men shrinking back to the other side of the hut’s main room. “I came to train my grandsons! Where are the boys hiding?”

Dadan crossed her arms. “The boys are out.” Just because she was guilty of losing the boys, doesn’t mean he wasn’t at fault too. “Why are you here if Rosi-sempai’s brother hasn’t been captured yet?”

Dadan could see the smiles from her men. She bit her lip and looked down at her bowl of rice making sure Garp couldn’t see her warm cheeks. Dogra was covering a laugh. Stupid men.

“What did you just say?” Garp’s tone was shocked and confused.

She threw the paper over her shoulder at the old Marine. Yeah, he is going to be mad once he finds out about his grandsons, but this is a good delay. Play it calm and cool, she focused on Rosi’s tips on how to talk to Marines if people come looking for Sabo. “Rosinante’s brother is on the third page, and free as a bird.”

The woman finally looked up to see Garp blinking down at her. “How do you know how to pronounce that name?” He seemed shocked. “I thought you said… Did Sabo teach you?”

“What do you think I am? An idiot?” She jumped to her feet.

“Well?” The old man didn’t look at her.

Dadan shook her head. This is the kind of men she is stuck with on the day to day. She mouthed the F bomb and turned away.

Garp was silent for a moment. “Did you just mouth out cussing without saying it out loud? Also, what happened to your cigar? Actually, nobody is smoking…”

She turned to face him. “I’m not as young as I once was! So what if I want to make some healthy life choices?” These men are the reason she needed cigars to relax in the first place! Garp and his deadbeat son just keep handing all their responsibilities over to her because she likes living off the grid! The jerk came by and never said hi to her or Luffy! What a disappointing friend he is!

The man looked back and forth. “Is Rosi here?”

Dadan crossed her arms and glared up at Garp. “Not anymore. He only came to save YOUR GRANDSONS! Where were you when a celestial dragon was visiting? Where were you when Gray Terminal burned? Where were you when Sabo almost died?”

Garp’s eyes were covered in shadow. “Where are my grandsons?”

The woman pulled the goodbye letter out of her shirt. She found another one along with Rosinante’s instructions for Garp on how to file Sabo’s legal paperwork.

The old Marine read the letter silently. Then he turned around and came to knock her on the back of the head. “How dare you lose my grandsons!”

Now that she roughly knew how to spot haki, that hit just made her mad. It also finally dawned on her that Luffy complained about Garp’s hits hurting when he was rubber. “Will you file the paperwork already so they can come back? Right now I don’t even know why they would want to!”

“Do you have any idea how dangerous it is out there for them?” Garp asked. He was yelling in her face, but the woman wouldn’t back down. “You don’t care. You just want to be free of them!”

Oh, that made her pissed. “Those brats are more mine than yours!” She stepped closer to the old Marine. “Did you know Rosi actually managed to talk sense into Ace! The boy isn’t borderline suicidal anymore! Ace is starting to act like a responsible big brother! You wouldn’t believe the change, and it’s all from a talk you should have had with him! Those boys need a stable father figure that I can’t provide, and you refuse to be! No wonder Luffy looks up to Shanks more than you!”

The old Marine was shaking. “Someone above Senny took me off the Doflamingo case. Rosi is tied up in something more dangerous than you or I know. His brother put underworld bounties on both their heads. These are New World level bounties, not just Grand Line prices. Do you really think the boys are safe with him?”

This news left the woman shaking. She was mad. This isn’t fair. Why did such a kind man like Rosi need to be tied up in this kind of mess? You can’t choose your blood family. He really does have the worst of both Ace and Sabo’s stories. “File the paperwork so the boys are legally mine, and they might be safe here. Why didn’t you properly file this years ago?”

“You think I know how to forge documents?” Garp asked. “Unlike Rosi, I didn’t spend my childhood days working in the records room. I spent my time running around in the forest like young boys should! That man is not a fighter.”

A smile crossed her face. Of course he spent his days with books and paperwork. It suited him. “No, he is not a fighter.” She looked up at Garp. “He is a father, and one who will not let his kid be harmed. You would be amazed at what a good parent can do when their child is in danger.” She thought back on fighting Blue Jam. He was always out of her league, but something changed with Ace beside her. “Now are you going to train me to better protect your grandsons or not?”

As the man’s outrage changed to a delighted smile, Dadan realized she made a terrible mistake. There was a reason she refused training from Garp all these years. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to be a little stronger. Training with Rosi-sempai made her forget what kind of a nightmare Monkey D Garp was.

…

As the group grew closer to the Conimi Islands, Rosinante saw the orange flag above the town. “We’re clear to follow the plan.”

His kid had an evil smile cover his face. Nobody had informed Garp’s grandkids about their plain to return home. “This may be overkill. You three should stay on the ship.”

The trio shared a look. Luffy just looked confused. The other two were suspicious. “What’s overkill?” Sabo asked. Ace caught on to Law’s smile.

“We are training the island’s defense.” Law answered as he pulled his blade out of his belt. “Which means they are on the lookout to stop us from pretending to raid the island. We didn’t tell anyone when we were coming home.”

Ace quickly moved to the front. “And why can’t we fight! We joined you to train!”

The father son duo shared a look. The alternations between shrugging and facial expressions was similar to how the ‘twins’ communicated. Well, that or they locked themselves in a silence bubble again. It was getting annoying.

Finally, Rosinante was the one to speak. “We aren’t trying to harm anyone too much. That, and… them not expecting you could be more like a real attack. You never know what is coming. We just need to modify the plan.”

Ace and Sabo shared a look. Then they looked at Luffy. After that, the focus returned to the father son duo. A word didn’t need to be said. Law turned and buried his face into the side of his dad's long jacket before he started mumbling to himself. After a moment, Ace spoke. “I don’t like sneaking around. Frontal assault is the only thing that makes sense.”

…

Shachi was the one sitting with the telescope when he saw Cora’s ship coming to town. A huge grin came over his face. With the others gone almost two months, there was some worry that Dofi had people in the East Blue. Those bounties were no joke. He, Penguin, and Bepo all had their bags packed and ready to go if the need arrived. They were in it for the long hall with Law and Cora-san. Their little found family felt right. Now they just needed to show off their training.

Just before he was going to rush off to alert the strike force, he took a second look in the boat… Was the old man serious about that problem with collecting kids? It was starting to look like an addiction. Could that even be a possible addiction? Would Law know? Are addictions even part of Law's field of medicine?

As quickly as he could, the boy ran down to Bell-mere’s house. He found Bepo taking a nap, as the rest of the group was helping in the field.

“They are back, three variables… may be Garp’s grandkids.” He said.

Everyone was at attention in a moment. “Okay, you three brats, focus on the new kids.” Bell-mere started as she grabbed her gun off the front porch. “Rosi and Law are still to be considered the top threats. Keep your distance from Law, avoid his rooms and rely on distance attacks. Hachi, try to flip the boat when they reach land. That would be the best way to get them off guard, and we don't want to really hurt them. I will aim to hurt Rosi, he is not completely human, and he can take a hit. Really, water is our only chance against him and Law. Actually, those who want to leave with Rosi should focus on the variables. The town trained for this.”

Everyone shared a quick nod. Nami and Nojoko headed out to the scouting tower. There was a den den mushi there prepared for the alerts. Once they got there Nojiko ran to the transponder snail. “This is a return alert drill. Let’s give our friends a welcome they can be proud of!”

Genzo, and other members of the town had trained for this. While those fruits were rare in the East Blue, a system was being made to direct water, and defend the town from crazy threats. Arlong was a wake up call. Nobody wanted to be left in danger again. The Marines couldn’t be trusted, especially after everyone learned what the Marines were really like. Nojiko asked her mom what a buster call was after she learned that was where her and Nami were found. The fact that Bell-mere faked her death to save them was a shock. She wanted the town to be safe. At this point, the only Marines she trusted were Rosi-san and Bell-mere-san; both retired in fear of the corruption. The fact these kids had a chance of being related to a Marine worried her. Despite that, she needed to be strong for Nami. Her little sister had changed since Arlong. She was still a little brat who swiped things, but it was less selfish. The girl changed after seeing Bell-mere go through all that for them. Rosinante’s silent skills led her to always trying to get away with pickpocketing him and Law, she seemed sad when they left.

…

Penguin looked back and forth between Shachi and Bepo. They were ready to fight. In some ways these boys weren’t nearly as terrifying as Law… at the same time, he suppressed the fear of being replaced. Bepo’s shaking was relatable. There was no telling what was in the little bear’s head as they hid in one of the trenches by the shore. The town was placing the main defenses without them. This was more than just fighting which Bepo hated, but these kids were unnerving. If they were the grandkids, the old man said they was strong- terrifyingly strong… It was time to prove that they were strong too. The three had a hunch that Law and Cora were going to set out again soon. It was time to prove they were strong enough to join them. Not that this town wasn’t wonderful, but they wanted to stay with the goofy looking adult and his bratty kid.

…

Bell-mere looked at the town as she raised the gun in her arm. “I am telling you now; don’t hold back. Shoot fast and hard. Trust your friends and family to watch your back. We need to win this one.”

Genzo stepped up beside her. “I know this is a big test, but we don’t want to hurt them. I’m sure they won’t hurt us. The island is safe now.”

The woman with the crazy haircut shook her head. “You all remember those bounty hunters that came by right? Well, Arlong wasn’t the only one they were hunting. They had underworld bounties for Rosi and Law. Those bounties were high for Grand Line pirates! Right now, the best thing we can do for our friends is prove to them that they don’t need to worry about us when they go.”

Everyone’s wide eyed look proved they didn’t know. Nobody in the town ever really thought about the threat of the brother Rosinante was always talking about. Bell-mere didn’t even want to tell them the actual number of the price on the father and son’s heads.

Genzo hid his eyes under the bill of his hat. For a moment, Bell-mere thought the man was crying. Then he raised his gun with a shout. “You heard the woman! Don’t hold back. Let’s prove we are a village that can handle any threat!”

Beyond the cheering, Bell-mere shared a look with Hatchi. He had a decision to make. This decision was entirely his. She didn’t know where the fishman was going, but she would protect her family. There was a time she loved fighting, and then she gave it all up. She gave it up because the Marines weren’t protecting people. She gave it up because she loved her kids. Now she could fight to protect those she loved.

Never would Bell-mere deny the fact that she would die for her girls, but Law pulled her aside and said that maybe her girls needed her to live for them. As crazy as that brat was, he was right for once. As dangerous as the boy is, Rosi seems to have taught him well when it comes to love.

…

Sengoku was working on paperwork when Garp slammed the door open. Of course that meant he wasn’t going to get anything else done till the menace decides to find a new target to torment. The man wondered if his rice cracker stash would endure this. Since Garp was on vacation, he didn’t even bother to hide his stash.

“Senny!” The man yelled as he slammed the door behind him.

He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. “Yes, Garp?”

The man slammed his hands on Sengoku’s desk. “How dare your son steal my grandkids!”

Sengoku blinked up at his friends a couple times. Then his gaze shifted to the photo of Rosi and Law smiling back on his desk. Oh, that’s it. He is dreaming. Funny, didn’t he drink coffee just an hour ago? Did someone trade the caffeinated pot with the decaf again?

The man rubbed his face and went back to his work. It was a solid minute later when he noticed the crumbs falling on his desk. There go his rice crackers. Garp is really here. He released a heavy sigh. “Garp, why are you here?”

His friend decided to take a seat on his desk of all places. “Well, apparently a celestial dragon dropped by when I was working. The jerk almost killed Sabo, Rosi saved my grandson, and now all three are begging him to adopt them. They ran away from home by stowing away on your kid’s ship.”

“What?”

“Now even Dadan thinks she can give me a lecture on my parenting skills!”

Sengoku took a sip of the cold coffee on the corner of his desk. “Let’s go back to the beginning. How did you not know a celestial dragon was going to the East Blue? We posted his route half a year ago! Why weren’t you there? Your grandsons are Ds!”

“Apparently yours is too.” The Vice Admiral said between bites of rice cracker.

“What did you say?”

Garp shrugged and spoke while chewing. “Law’s a D.”

Sengoku shook his head and sat down. He already knew that, but Garp's family can't keep a secret. The boy probably has no protection for being a half blood, but a half D, half celestial dragon is the biggest middle finger to the world government. What was Rosi thinking? He still couldn't find evidence on if the boy was adopted or not! Why did the Gorosei demand they burn all the paperwork after an island is deleted'?

“So,” He took a deep breath. “you are mad that my kid protected your grandsons from a known threat you ignored.”

Garp had the gall to let out an undignified snort. “Nobody understands my pain.”

Sengoku shook his head. Then he leaned back in his chair. The man closed his eyes as if that would make his next words false. “We lost a Shichibukai.”

“I’m complaining about my family here.” Garp complained. “Stop thinking about work for once!”

He didn’t open his eyes as he spoke. “The higher ups ordered me to give DonQuixote Doflamingo the empty Shichibukai position. He is about to becoome a Warlord, Garp.”

Garp blinked and completely stopped eating for a moment. “What?”

Sengoku opened his eyes to make sure his friend was paying attention. “Maybe you should go get your grandkids home, start spending your free time with them, and not crash my work hours! Rosi has enough on his plate, he doesn’t need to pick up your slack too.”

…

Vice Admiral Garp walked out of his friend’s office with a heavy weight on his shoulders. He came here to place the legal paperwork copies for his grandsons that Rosi left him. Crashing in Senny’s office was just normal for him.

Yeah, he knew Doflamingo had to have dirt on somebody when he was running into road blocks left and right hunting the man. Because he was the hero of the navy, Garp could punch through some of them. He assumed that was why Rosi contacted him. This… this was more than he expected.

Days like this made him think Dragon had a point. Then Garp remembered his son was just a punk kid playing hero. He needs to stay in line. Maybe he should spend more time keeping an eye on Dawn Island in the future though. Dofi may go after Ace, Luffy, and the blond if he finds out Rosinante cares about them.

…

Chapter Text

When they got close to land, Law made a room to teleport himself and Cora-san to the shore. Since they knew that Hatchi was part of the defense party, getting off the water was priority number one. The two started making their way around the city like scouts. It is safe to assume that the town is already prepared to fight.

…

Ace felt uncomfortable with the silence when he reached land. It wasn’t like the constant chirping of the forest, or the bustle of the city. The town knew he was coming, and they were prepared.

As the dock creaked beneath his feet, he held his pipe in both hands at the ready. Yeah, he was supposed to play the bad guy here, but the most important thing was his brothers behind him. Sabo was helping Luffy out of the boat. Those two are his responsibility. Luffy is a little idiot who can’t aim, and Sabo already lost his memories once. He wasn’t… he wasn’t strong enough. That is why he needs to learn haki fast.

When they stepped off the dock, Ace heard a splash behind him as a fish man emerged from the water to land on their boat. Every one of his six hands had a sword. Luffy tried to swing his hands back to attack, but he stopped his brother’s rubbery wrist. “You are the last one of us who should be fighting a fishman, Lu.”

Sabo stepped around Luffy, so the baby brother was in the center of them. Ace faced the town, Sabo the sea. “Agreed. With your powers, you should fight the people that don’t use sea water, or swords.”

The youngest brother’s complaints were cut off by a yell from the bushes. “Hatchi-sensi! Let us have these three, please.”

Ace turned to see a redhead, a slightly shorter kid with black hair and a penguin hat, and a polar bear. “We can handle the three Ds.” The redhead said as he punched his palm.

“We need to prove we are strong enough not to get left behind again!… sorry.” The polar bear is… is that the one Law called cute? Ace’s first thought was that Luffy is cuter.

The rubber one grabbed both his brother’s shoulders and screamed. “It’s Traffy’s crew! I want the bear on my crew!” Then he jumped up and down before running over to the bear who jumped behind his friend. “Join my crew! We will have way more fun than Traffy!”

“No!… Sorry.”

“Are you here to fight us, or not?” The kid with the red hair asked as he stepped forward.

“Okay.” Luffy said with a smile before winding up for a punch.

Ace noticed the redhead tilt his head the same way that Law and Rosi-san do when practicing tag team attacks. As his little brother moved forward to attack the redhead, Ace saw the one with the penguin hat grab Luffy’s hand that he flung back with his rubber abilities and start running with it.

“He is heavier than Luffy!” Sabo yelled as the older brothers started to charge.

Just as the blond predicted, Luffy was catapulted back. The youngest brother was thrown to the docks, and the kid with the stupid penguin hat charged after him. After a nod, Sabo made his way for their younger brother, as Ace went to charge the tallest, and probably oldest of Law’s crew. Maybe this is a way to prove their worth and get adopted by Rosi-san, or ‘Cora-san’ as Law calls him when nobody is around.

He didn’t let himself think too much. Ace had a feeling his brute strength was his advantage here. These kids may have observation haki, but they have probably never been in a street fight. Ace, he had been fighting with people bigger and stronger than since he could walk. The redhead dodged the first three blows before Ace got a solid hit and sent him back into a tree. He wasn’t going to hold back as he swung his metal pipe back, only for it not to swing forward.

What?

“Sorry.”

His eyes widened before the boy was thrown back. Ace was shocked to realize that he was thrown into a tree and disarmed by none other than the bear who was avoiding a fight mere moments ago and hiding from Luffy. Law called the bear, Bepo, harmless… right?

“Shachi, go help Penguin.” The bear said as he stood tall.

Ace blinked a couple times before clenching his fist. Why was he trusting Law? Law calls Rosinante-san harmless! In the future, Ace would need to take the threat levels of Law’s friends with doubt from the creepy kid’s descriptions. It seems that the closer a friend he is, the less of a threat the person in is Law’s book.

A bear, he can handle this, it’s just like back home… Only the bear has haki and apologizes every time he lands a hit.

Wonderful.

…

“Do you think they are okay?” Cora-san asked with a worried tone.

Law rolled his eyes as they walked around to the back of town. Sure enough, every fighting man and woman was here. “We should focus on our fight.”

Cora-san nodded. “Stay covered. We need this practice as much as them.”

The boy nodded. He knew Cora-san was right. While in another world, he was completely safe hiding away on a random island, this world was different. Cora-san was alive. He had a dad, and an almost family. In this world Doflamingo has no reason not to put a proper bounty on their heads. The boy was actually surprised that they had gone almost a full year without any great incident from the madman thanks to Cronus.

When he got to the main place for cover, the boy felt as a soothing calm and silence overtook him. Then he flicked his wrist. “Room.” His voice echoed into the silence. In another world he figured it out on his own. Here, Cora-san sat down with him one day and offered to give him tips. Surprisingly, most of them worked. Law could make a room he wasn’t standing dead center in, and focus his energy to make it bigger. Despite that, it was smarter to have a smaller, and well placed room. Only people with observation haki would be able to see it.

“Shambles.”

With a flick of his wrist, his dad was standing in the clearing right behind Bell-mere. She dodged at the last possible moment from his punch. Law had a feeling that if Cora-san was going for the kill, she would have been shot or blown up by now. With their main fighter stuck in close combat, nobody could fire their weapons at Cora-san without risking her.

Law kept his eyes on the fight, then he saw it just in time. She was dodging back till Bell-mere was standing right under some kind of trap door. Oh, it is a water trap. The canopy is large and dodging will be hard.

“Shambles.”

Cora-san appeared on the next roof over where he could see the situation from above. Without looking at Law, the man gave a short nod and flashed a hand signal. It was well understood.

“Shambles.”

As much as he hated staying out of the fight, it was nice to see how strong Cora-san really was. The foolish mime always called himself weak. Yeah, he was weak compared to Dofi, Garp, and many others; but he was strong too. Law was starting to doubt he knew anyone smarter, or more humble than his dad. A man who can survive the New World alone with a sick kid as he jumps from hospital to hospital could conquer the East Blue with his eyes closed.

“He is not going to die again.” Law told himself as he watched the adults train. “The man is stupid, and has a hero complex, but I’m not going to lose him.”

…

Water and haki.

The fact that the penguin hat guy seemed to be half fishman made this an extremely unfair fight. The younger kid hadn’t even learned how to aim with his powers yet, and here was a teen who had been training in haki for months!

Sabo had calculated this, but he was both pleased and disappointed to know he was equally matched with the redhead. Yeah, Sabo’s current memories contained fighting a lot, but he wanted to be stronger than this. He was about even with Ace before the concussion from what everyone told him. Yes, his instincts were on point, but Ace seemed to learn something during his time out of commission. Well, that or maybe Sabo was missing something. He could probably get the upper hand, but the fact that both his brothers were losing was the problem.

Bear, cute, soft, harmless, don’t eat: These are the things he heard from Law about Bepo. That, and the fact the bear didn’t like to fight. Then Sabo realized something. “Ace! Is that lightning coming from Bepo’s paws?”

His brother tried to respond while getting electrocuted. Ace did not look pleased with the prospect of talking in this fight. Sabo understood. He turned and ran toward his youngest brother. “Luffy, hand!”

The youngest blinked before reaching his hand out from where he was. Sabo found himself in a tug of war with the member of Law’s gang holding the kid down. That didn’t matter, he was betting on the fact that he was stronger. The blond started running in the direction of the bear with his brother’s arm over his shoulder. It took a moment to work, but his youngest brother launched straight at the electric bear.

“Sabo!” Ace looked flabbergasted from his position on the ground. “Luffy is-”

“Made of rubber.” The blond responded.

The oldest stood to his feet and clenched his fists as he walked closer to Sabo. “So?”

He saw it coming. Sabo didn’t need haki. He could see that one of the two were about to attack him from behind from his brother's expression. Ace raised his fist like he was about to attack Sabo, and the blond dodged the last second and rolled to the side before swinging his pipe at his attackers. They attacked in sync the way only brothers can. “Rubber insulates against electricity, idiot.”

“I knew that.” Ace said between pants.

Sabo knew he was lying. That was okay though.

Both of them smiled identical smiles. The only real threat was the bear. Luffy’s screech at how fluffy the bear was calmed both older brothers down. They could see the horror of defeat in their opponents eyes.

…

Law didn’t know if he was disappointed or not. Before much damage could be done to either side, Bell-mere called it. The fight just ended after ten minutes of Cora-san looking cooler than he should. All the adults sat down and started talking about weak points in the fortification that could be improved.

When Law walked out of his hiding spot, he signed a question with his hands. ‘What’s wrong.’

His dad replied by silently responding in sign. ‘Wait. Go get the other kids.’

Right then, Law knew something was wrong. No threats were present, but it was strange. The damage they planned to cause would only take a few days to fix. Why put out the flag saying it was safe if it wasn’t? Also, why isn’t Cora-san telling him outright?

It wasn’t a quiet walk to the dock. Law could hear the crashing of the waves. He could hear the buzzing of a bee, and saw the leaves blowing in the wind. Everything was perfect, the flag was up like everything was perfectly normal. A ringing went off in his head. Something is wrong. They have to run, but it is a complex situation.

As the clanging of battle grew louder, Law realized that he needed to stop this before the trio of terror causes too much damage. His crew has to know what is happening! They aren’t stupid like the other trio.

When he got close, Law realized that his crew was losing. That wasn’t too big of a surprise. Luffy clinging on to a confused and distraught Bepo wasn’t exactly what he expected. At the same time, not even months of training in haki could defeat these monsters of the will of D. Law wasn’t sure how it was possible that Sabo wasn’t one of them already by blood.

“Fight’s over.” Law stated flatly. The other kids finally looked over at him.

“No!” Shachi yelled.

Penguin added, “We can still win!”

“Law-san!” Bepo ran over to him, and somehow knocked Luffy off in the process. The mink tackled Law in a hug and started rubbing his cheek against Law’s in that over affectionate way. “Garchu!”

He couldn’t resist the smirk. No, Law didn’t hug the bear back, but he did give the bear a subtle pat on the arm. “What did I miss? The flag says everything is fine, but how short that fight was cut tells a different story.”

“No fair!” Luffy yelled. “Why does the bear get to hug Law?”

…

Rosinante found himself alone with Bell in the city hall. He snapped his fingers and made a room of silence. “Okay, what’s going on.”

The woman with crazy hair, blinked at him. She was always so bold, never hesitant or nervous. Right now, she looked like she didn’t know how to say something.

He took a seat and let out a sigh. “It’s my brother, isn’t it.”

Bell-mere sat down across from him at the table. “You don’t want to know how large the bounties he put on you are.”

The man closed his eyes and leaned his head down in his hands. “Let me guess, Law’s is at least 45 million, given his fruit. During my cover, I got my bounty up to 75 million, so it is probably close to 100 million. Given the highest bounty in the East Blue is around 15 to 20 million, our only chance is that people may not even be looking for us here. The biggest threat is strong enemies coming to the East Blue. This island is the only one somewhat fortified, but not ready for a Grand Line level threat.”

“You really thought this out.” Her voice was gentle.

Rosi shook his head. “I need to worry about all my actions. I should be dead.”

“And so should I.” Bell-mere reminded him. “You can’t carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. Just focus on your kids and get out of town. The fortifications aren’t broken, and we are strong enough to hold off almost any attack. Stop seeing yourself as a plague. Every life you save is a brighter tomorrow.” She smiled. “At least, that is how I am choosing to live my life. Every day is a blessing.”

“Okay.” He nodded. “Focus on Law, and get somewhere safe. He wanted to travel the world anyway. I think it is time we left the East Blue. All I need to do is get the brothers back home.”

She nodded. “Speaking of the boys, I thought you were joking when you said they were multiplying.”

Rosinante chuckled. Then he took a deep breath and spoke. “It’s just a phase. They will get over it soon enough. I’d rather get out of the way sooner than later.”

“Rosi.” Her tone was flat; accusatory.

“What?” He looked up at her, not knowing what he did wrong.

“Your boys adore you!” She threw her hand out to the side. “My girls adore you! Did you ever think these kids actually just want a decent father figure in their lives!”

He mimicked her movement. “They have Garp!”

Bell blinked at him a few times. “Oh, you poor thing. Do you actually think Garp is a good father figure?”

The man was very confused. “Dragon-san turned out okay. The only point against him I can find is being a deadbeat dad. I’m extremely disappointed about that, but it makes sense. Also, Garp’s position will protect them till they grow up. Any connection to me will probably get the boys an underground bounty.”

“Why do you need to have logical reasons for all your self hate and self destructive actions?” She asked. “You claim not to be smart, but you are only stupid in the way you see the best in people. You see the best in life, or you did until this mission with your brother.”

“It’s been a long day.” He told her. “Can we crash here for one night?”

A smile came across the pink haired woman’s face as she stood to leave. “Yeah.” She took a step away. “You are always welcome here, Rosi.”

“You never confirmed what the bounty Dofi left is.” He hadn’t moved from the place where he was sitting. “You aren’t one to dodge important topics like this.”

When she looked him in the eye, Rosinante knew the bounty was a lot higher than he expected. Oh no, what did Dofi do? The woman still didn't speak a word.

“Given that the jacket I bought him is 30 mil, it’s got to be higher than that. As his brother I’m happy to be worth more than a coat added to my bounty. What did he peg me for? More then 100 mil?” He started talking as he watched his old friend’s expression. Wow, that’s already higher than the bounty some of the Shichibukai had before joining the government. "Okay, 130? Higher? 150?”

She nodded.

Rosinante stood up and started to pace the room. “Okay, this is slightly worse than I was expecting. It’s still an underworld bounty. A lot of bounty hunters refuse to take those. Given my somewhat active Marine status, it can be too dangerous to take. How much is Law’s?”

Her expression was solemn. “200,000,000.”

The man felt that his world just ended.

“Your brother wants you alive. Law’s is dead or alive.”

”Shit.” He shook his head and leaned against the wall. Slowly he slid down till he was sitting on the floor in the corner of the room. When he finally spoke the first thing he said was, “Don’t tell Law I said shit, or it will become his new favorite word.”

“Your silencing of swear words has grown excessive.” She deadpanned.

A small smile crossed his face. “Well, I’m a dad now. You should have heard Law’s potty mouth when I first got him.”

…

Chapter Text

The night was strange for Ace. His brothers and him almost always slept outside, but Rosi-san wouldn’t let them. For some reason he thought it was more important to make sure all the kids had a bed to sleep on. Even though he knew that Law was the man’s kid, and by far his favorite, Ace felt safe and protected. He felt cherished in a way he only ever felt from his brothers. Since when did the adult give the only bed to the kid? Yeah, Dadan gave them a bed, but she had one too. Rosi-san slept on the floor for them. Ace and his brothers got one bed, and Law’s crew found a way to share the other. Only Law was allowed to stick with Rosi-san. Last Ace saw, the duo in charge had something hidden in a box. The two disappeared with the silence bubble.

The girls were strange. The Bell woman reminded Ace a little of Dadan, just more… flirty. Her girls were strange. Nojiko was bossy, and challenged him. She was always watching Nami and taking charge. She was a little Bell-mere. Nami, she was a nightmare. The girl asked for special treatment and kept teasing everyone. Even Law, who confidently said she was like an annoying little sister as he denied her request to join his crew one day.

It wasn’t till the morning when they were about to set out that Ace learned he was the only one who wasn’t planning for the future. Somehow, Luffy recruited the bratty redhead girl as his future navigator. She may forget, but Ace knew his brother would hold the girl to this. Between Luffy, the lost swordsman, and this brat; Ace’s little brother’s ship will be chaos one day.

For some reason, the funny fish guy decided to join them for a bit. Why did there need to be so many people on the ship? Yeah, Dadan had a large group of bandits following her, but Ace only knew two names- and the dog’s name of course! This ship though, it was tiny! There was far from enough food for more than a few hours' travel, and he already lost count how many times Luffy fell in the ocean! Being a pirate will be harder than he thought.

…

Someone was following him. Rosinante could feel it in the air. Nobody else could, but he knew. Instead of taking the boys home the man set sail for Logue Town. He had spent some time fixing a paperwork problem there years ago. There was at least one young recruit on the island he could trust. This should help to throw whoever was following him off his tail.

Ace, Sabo, and Luffy kept nagging him for combat advice. It wasn’t the time or place to train them. At their age, the boys needed to learn to lay low. At least Sabo took to learning sailing. Ace did too, but he also kept nagging Law about easy medical advice.

After sailing through the night, Rosinante woke the boys up. Law stood beside him at ready. Shachi, Penguin, and Bepo all took their seats. Luffy was still sleeping. Ace and Sabo stood at attention side by side. Garp probably taught them that.

“We will arrive at Logue Town this evening. It is the last island before the Grand Line.” He informed the kids. Immediately awareness shot in to his lot’s eyes. The twins seemed just as, if not more excided as his boys. ”There is a boat following us. This is a large and dangerous port. We can expect a lot of bounty hunter and pirate influence. I know one Marine we can trust, but he is by the book. If he even suspects that I went rogue, and this isn’t part of an undercover mission he will try to arrest us. This Marine is stronger than all of you, I know because I trained him.”

Ace looked down and a shadow formed over his eyes. “Logue Town is where…”

“Yes.” Rosinante answered. “Logue Town is where the king of the pirates was executed. While there is Marine presence, pirates rule the town. Since Law and I have underworld bounties, we need to keep our heads down. Also, I am going to go buy a spare Logue Pose. That will make everyone assume we are going straight to the Grand Line, and not back to Dawn Island. It should throw everyone off our trail.”

Sabo raised his hand. “What is a Logue Pose?”

The taller blond nodded. “A Logue Pose is the only way to navigate the Grand Line. Compasses don’t work there.”

Ace raised his hand again. “The Marine you trained, how strong is he?”

Rosinante sighed. “Smoker ate the Plume-Plume No Mi by accident when I was there on a base check and fixing a lot of paperwork issues. I was the only Marine in the East Blue with a devil fruit at the time, and the poor kid literally couldn’t keep himself together. He is made of smoke- actual smoke. I doubt the boy knows haki, I just helped him learn how to keep himself together.”

“Is that when you started smoking?” Law asked. “To train him?”

The man glared at his son. “And what if it is?”

Shachi shook his head before bringing up the obvious concern. “You want us to blend in, but look at our crew. You are ten feet tall, Bepo is a mink, Hatchi is a fishman, your bounties can buy an island, and this is the East Blue!”

Sabo looked around. “Where is Hatchi?”

“Sleeping.” Law answered. “He stayed up all night with Cora-san and went out this morning to get a better look at the bounty hunters chasing us. It’s the same boat that landed on The Conomi Islands. My dad needs to rest too, so we need to get through this and let him sleep before we dock.”

Rosinante rolled his eyes. He couldn’t help but think what a cute little captain Law was. “The answer is obvious: we will split up into groups. All of you will stick together. Law, leave your hat with me for a few hours, your hair grew out so you look like you could be Ace and Luffy’s brother. People will be looking for you with me. Hatchi will stake out a boat we can steal, and I will play decoy.” He hated leaving the kids alone. Law’s glare screamed that the boy hated it just as much. Fact is, this is their best chance right now. “Law is in charge till I wake up.”

The boy nodded. It was obvious he was thinking up ways to convince Rosinante to improve the plan. It was sweet that the kid stopped arguing with him in front of others though. He will wait for the dramatic challenge to his stupidity later.

“Of course!” Shachi said.

Penguin almost spoke at the same time. “I’ll check the water every hour, you can trust us to watch Law’s back!”

“Get some sleep! Not that I’m telling you what to do...” Bepo didn’t look up from the table. “Sorry.”

“Thanks.” The man said as he stood. He made sure to give the bear a reassuring pat on the head when he walked by.

Rosinante chose to ignore the glare that passed between the twins and his kid. “Play nice, Law has been on the sea for over four years now. He knows what he is doing.”

“Yes, Rosi-san.” Ace said with a bow.

“Sure thing.” Sabo didn’t look at him. Instead he crossed his arms and looked away.

This, this is a problem for after he gets at least an hour of sleep. That, or till they find a boat that is a coffee shop. That would be nice, ‘Caffeine on the Sea.’ Someone should do that. When he walked into the bedroom that was way too small for two adults and seven kids, his first thought was that he needed a bigger boat. Hatchi took up the entire far bed, and it looked like Luffy was chewing on one of his arms in his sleep.

Nope! Rosinante shook his head and decided that was a problem for another day. The other bed was hardly half his height, so it looked like the floor was his only option. Not like he can put the two beds together right now. Really, how is he supposed to keep up with all these kids? A week of ASL exhausted him more than almost a year with the other boys. How does Dadan do it?

…

Law was not happy with the way things were going. If the trio of terror wasn’t there, they could just start traveling through the calm belt already. Instead, now he was stuck running back and forth to hide these kids. On top of that, these boys have no idea how to follow orders. Ace was looking to get closer to Cora, Sabo was looking to outsmart him, and Luffy was two seconds from drowning or blowing up the boat. On top of that, the boys ate more in a couple weeks than he and Cora-san ate in almost a year. He could see how tired the man was. The boy could also see the last of their pocket change running low.

With a heavy sigh, the boy looked back and forth at those he could trust, and the two terrors. “When we get to the next island, I want to modify Cora-san’s plan.”

Ace blinked in confusion. Sabo looked confused. His crew sat down and immediately started paying close attention. “Thanks to three extra mouths we are short on beri. C… Dad doesn’t like letting me worry about it. If he really wants us splitting up, I think we can try to get some extra treasure while he is doing the spy stuff. I bet he wants to check up with the reports on Dofi.”

“We can hunt.” Ace said.

Law shook his head. “Most islands don’t have giant animals like yours. That, and meat doesn’t last. We need beri.”

Sabo smiled. “Ace, Luffy, and I have some experience robbing pirates and rich jerks. If we are leaving the island quickly, I’m sure we can pay Rosi-san back.”

Law took a deep breath and shook his head. “I don’t care what you do, as long as you keep that little terror in check. Don’t get captured or killed, got it?” The twin terrors looked way too happy with that assignment. That wasn’t his problem for the moment.

He then looked at his crew that stuck with him in two timelines. It was nice to know they seemed happier here then in the world he saw with that sword. Yeah, they are suspicions that something is being hidden from them, but his Cora-san had a way of scaring away depression. “Penguin, do you think you can help Hatchi pick our new boat? He isn’t sticking around with us past Fishman Island. You know what we need. Make it something fast, and try to find one big enough for Cora-san to walk around without hitting his head.”

His crew member nodded without uncrossing his arms. The smirk on his face was proud and confident. Law could see a glance pass between his friend and the terrors.

Then he turned his attention to the other two. “Bepo, you need to make sure not to be alone at any time. Minks are rare, and this is a pirate island. Stick close to Shachi. Understood?”

The bear nodded. Then the redhead bumped the bear on the arm with a smile. Shachi then spoke. “I’m guessing we will stick with you and get some gold?”

The little captain smiled. “That, and if possible, I’d like to get my hands on those wanted posters.”

His crew started laughing out loud. Yeah, this is looking good.

…

Garp left, and a monster appeared. Dadan didn’t know what she expected. Yeah, she heard about Rosi-senpai and Law’s bounties, but she never really thought too much about it. The woman was always surrounded by dangerous men. From Garp and dragon to even Ace and Luffy, everyone around her was a wanted threat.

When she stepped outside her hut to find a mountain of a man asking if she had seen a ten foot tall blond, fear and dread filled her. She tried to fight, but her loss was inevitable.

In her defeat she heard a soft voice say how nice it was that Rosi-chen made loyal friends.

…

Chapter Text

Logue Town, it was just as corrupt last time he visited. Rosinante knew it was dangerous to leave the kids alone. As he sat at the coffee shop, the man looked down at the fluffy spotted hat in his hands. The only recognizable thing on that wanted sketch that would really separate his kid from any other kid out there was this adorable hat Law loved. When they docked, Law made him promise to return it to him. The unspoken words came across clearly; ‘don’t die.’

For the plan to work, he needed to make sure their tail was following him. The man had already shopped enough to fill his bags with dry non-perishable food. Yeah, fresh food was healthier, but he can’t do everything perfectly if he wants to afford to keep nine mouths fed. If only Law would actually compete with the trio of brothers when it comes to eating. Yeah, food is expensive, but Law is a D too. Garp, Dragon, Saul, Ace, Luffy, all Ds need a lot of food. Why does Law eat like a mouse? Could it be a side effect of the White Lead? Fruits like the Opi-Opi No-Mi that run off a person’s stamina should make him more hungry too. He shook his head and hid the hat back in his jacket. This is a concern for later.

He stood up with a heavy slouch. Yeah, his height pulled eyes, but when he hunched down with this jacket it made him look more like an ominous shadow. The pose was something he used often in his cover. He used it at first to appear ashamed and shy. Then he noticed how his brother did that stupid walk to get through doors. The egotist hates having someone taller. Yeah, Dofi is a foot taller than him, but if his brother was walking his stupid waddle, he needed to bend down too.

Rosinante shook his head. He really needs to stop thinking so much about his brother. Garp has that handled. It was just the longest cover he ever had. Sengoku wouldn’t let him go undercover around Dofi till he proved himself taking down another gang. That first crew was so much easier to hate. He took that gang down in the same amount of months that he spent years in Dofi’s crew. Family does make things harder.

When he opened the door to the map and Log Pose shop, he saw a young man by the register. The teenaged Marine Cadet was arguing with the manager about their sail reports. Apparently, the shop is selling Log Poses without doing background checks. Of course that is what they are doing! Almost all of the crews that go to the Grand Line are pirates.

With his haki, Rosi could sense the men in the back of the store with the intent of violence seeping into the air. He chose to stay silent. There was one assailant hiding in the main room behind a wall. The oversized man slipped behind him and put the future attacker in a choke hold to put him to sleep. This was the perfect spot to watch the fight that was about to unfold. This way, if Smokey needs help he can step in.

He stayed silent as the fight began. The first shot went right through Smoker’s chest. The shock in the boy’s eyes was apparent. That didn’t stop him from reacting quickly. The teen shot his hand out in a trail of smoke to grab the pistol. Fear was apparent on the teen’s attacker’s faces. It looked like the teen was now completely comfortable in his skin. This is a major improvement from when he was falling apart a few years ago. It looks like Smoker completely claimed his fruit and is well on his way to mastering it. All the assailants were down in under five minutes.

Rosinante stepped out from behind the wall covering him. Then he dropped the potential attacker he took care of earlier. He made his presence known by releasing the silence and clapping.

Smoker didn’t drop his guard despite the noise that made him flinch. The man was standing on one of his attackers and slowly turned his eyes. Rosinante could see the recognition slowly dawn on the boy’s face. He couldn’t blame him for it, the giant feather coat is nothing like his more subtle trench coat he wore over his Marine Whites last time he tried to check the base secretly. This teen was the only one to notice him last time.

In a flash the cadet shot up into a salute. He didn’t even move off the crook, he just straightened up to his full height. “Commander DonQuixote, sir!”

“At ease.” He waved his hand. When was the last time Rosinante had to deal with Marine formality? His words caused the teen to smile. Why is Smoker still a low level cadet? At any less corrupt base he would be on the fast track for promotion.

“I thought you were still in hiding after your last undercover mission, sir?” His expression was strange. “Are you here for another base check, or did something go wrong?”

The man couldn’t help but smile at the hopeful youngster. It is hard to find truly honest people in the Marines. This kid is one of those hidden gems. He really needs a raise and someone that will properly mentor him. “Sorry, I’m still in hiding.” He said as his smile dimmed. “My kid and I aren’t able to stay in one place for a long time. Mind if I bypass that paperwork and just buy a Log Pose?”

The teen’s face grew confused.

Rosinante signaled with his hand in front of him toward the broken window behind him. He taught Smoker some hand signals back when he mentored him for a few weeks. The teen was as quick as ever.

“I’ll give you mine, sir!” He replied. “Some news came back from the officers visiting HQ last month. All anyone can apparently talk about are the family photos in your dad’s office. Apparently, as distressed as he is for your identities getting out, Fleet Admiral Sengoku is very pleased to show off his foster son and grandson. I am sure you never would have been forced to jump through so many hoops here last time if they knew who you were.”

Rosinante blinked. The way he worded that was strange. Is Smokey trying to scare off his tail? “How am I supposed to do a base inspection for corruption if everyone is kissing up to me?”

“Good point.” The teen conceded as he pulled cuffs off his belt. Then he tossed a pair to Rosinante without hesitating. It was strange to feel like a normal lawman again.

The silence as they rounded up the crooks only lasted a few moments before Smokey decided to speak again. “How is your son doing? That bounty can be scary.”

Rosinante smiled at the question about Law. “Believe it or not, he was just bragging to his friends about the bounty. The kid is having way too much fun living on the run.”

Smoker blinked before something dawned across his face. “Of course he likes it!” The teen looked down with a sad smile. “I know you didn’t abandon your family for something silly like a con-man, pirate, or a deadbeat. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t still miss you when you are away. Waterlaw probably sees this as a long take your kid to work day." He finished tying up the last bandit and wiped his hands.

Rosinante looked at Smoker with wide eyes. “You just called him Waterlaw.”

Smoker started looking through his pockets full of cigars for something. Soon he found a small snail. “Does the kid hate his full name or something?”

Rosi shrugged. “I honestly don’t know what his reaction would be if I called him Waterlaw instead of just Law.”

The teen laughed. “He will probably think he is in trouble. Whenever my mom uses my full name I know I’m in for it.”

As Smoker called in for back up to pick up the crooks, the Marine on the other line complained about all the extra work he was giving everyone. Yep, that is why he is still a cadet. This base is messed up. The person on the other line threatened to suspend Smoker and penalize the kid for not taking his vacation days. How old is this boy? Shouldn’t he be 17? He is singlehandedly keeping this base together!

The call rang on and the cadet’s words on a father son day rang in his mind. Was it wrong that he was thinking of Law more and more as his real kid. Did Law get a bunch of days off school with his real father? Were his actions wrong in some way? He was doing his best, but what if all his actions make history worse somehow? Saving Bell-mere was just luck. Saving Sabo was his way of preventing his survival from causing more death. What is he doing here now? What if his survival just puts Law in more danger? All of this travel could reveal he is a D. This bounty didn’t exist in that other time. The man shook his head when Smoker ended the call. This isn’t the time to dwell on his mistakes. He just needs to focus on fixing them, and maybe get some more coffee.

A stupid question made Rosinante smile. “What is your full name?” He asked as he handed over an envelope that he knew Smoker would recognize. It was a request for beri for undercover operatives. Might as well get all the beri he can before retiring.

The teen stilled at the question before taking the note. “Doesn’t matter.” He shook his head than changed the topic. “What about your brother? What kind of a psycho puts that kind of bounty on his nephew? We can get you on a supply ship returning to Marine Headquarters. Who would really chose a low level pirate over the Fleet Admiral? It’s a stupid choice if you want a long life.”

Rosinante rolled his eyes. Smoker was laying it on really thick. He could tell that the stalker was still out the window. Whoever is out there seems rather shook. Who wouldn’t be? Smoker is just as bold and up front as ever, if not more.

Suddenly an explosion rang out in the distance.

Rosinante saw the man hiding outside the window run. Smoker shifted into a fighting stance and ran to the door. The tall blond felt an instinctive dread run down his spine. He squeezed Law’s fluffy hat in his pocket. Where is Law?

Before Smokey could open the door, it flew open. In came two familiar heads. That initial dread seeped deeper into Rosinante’s bones. He immediately dropped to his knee and spread his arms to comfort the frantic children that crashed into his embrace. Both Bepo and Shachi were hyperventilating.

“It’s not our fault!” Shachi yelled.

“I’m so sorry!” Bepo cried.

“It’s okay.” In truth, Rosinante didn’t think it was. That just seemed like the best thing to say. “Just tell me what happened.”

“It’s all Garp’s stowaway demon decedent's fault!” Shachi defended. Rosinante could see the recognition in Smoker’s gaze from the corner of his eyes.

“Sorry.” Bepo added.

Rosinante took a deep breath and pushed the boys a step back so he could look into their eyes. He didn't take his hands off the kid’s shoulders. Shachi looked shook, and Rosinante could see the teddy bear black eyes that always broke Law’s resolve on Bepo’s face. “Start from the beginning.” He directed gently.

“Luffy punched a green haired gangster with a mohawk. Ace carved his name on Rodger’s execution stand. Sabo pickpocketed and punched some wealthy travelers… but somehow didn’t get caught.” Bepo paused when he looked up from his paws to see Rosinante’s worried face. “Sorry.”

“Where is Law?” The question spilled from his lips before he could stop it. His boy should be the one reporting this to him. Why wouldn’t Law be here himself? Dread seeped deeper into his bones.

“He…” Bepo trailed off and looked at his hind paws on the ground.

Shachi took a deep breath and finished for him. “He got kidnapped.”

Time seemed to stop. His blood ran cold. He wasn’t sure if he heard Bepo apologizing or not. He should comfort the kids. He should go after Law. Where is Law? How could this happen? What did he do wrong? Why did he let the boy out of his sight? The man covered himself in silence and screamed into the void before taking a deep breath and speaking calmly. “How?”

The two boys shared a glance. Shachi took over. “Luffy and Ace were fighting on the rafters of Rodger’s execution platform.” Of course they were. “Law tried to get them to stop making a scene. Some people recognized Law’s name in the loud argument that ensued. His wanted poster was in every shady bar. The attackers went mostly for Law and Luffy. Ace got hurt taking a blow for his youngest brother. Law teleported in to save them. Ace and Luffy were dropped off behind the stage. We were… preoccupied. Anyway, some creepy old guy with scars on his face tossed a chain at Law. The captain passed out immediately!” The kid was starting to hyperventilate. “That is when Sabo got back from whatever stint he started. The twins stood guard in front of their little brother, and we ran to follow Law… but we couldn’t properly trace the man’s haki… Then we recognized your haki signature.”

“Haki?” He absently heard Smoker mutter. “You never taught me haki.”

Rosinante chose to ignore the cadet. “Shachi, Bepo, you take Smoker here to protect Garp’s grandkids. I’m going after Law.”

“Are you talking about Vice Admiral Garp’s grandkids?” Smoker’s face was the epitome of concern. Is that fear because he has met Garp, or just the man’s reputation? The man is known as the hero and terror of the Marines depending on who you ask.

“Yes.” Rosinante stood tall before hunching down to get through the door that was way too short for him. Life was like climbing through a children’s toy house some days.

“Why do I have the feeling that I should have taken that over acquired vacation time this week?” The teen asked.

Rosinante stepped out the door and stretched out his senses. He should check the docks first. Find the boat Bell described, or any leaving. That is a good starting point. He would have Smokey lock down the island if this base wasn’t so corrupt. It was a good place for a spy, but not kids. Why didn’t he go to Shells Town? He should have just thought of Smoker’s intimidation tactic from the start.

“What about the…” Smoker started looking for the gang he restrained. They disappeared while he was taking care of the kids. Rosinante shook his head and started running for the docks. Bell was wrong. All he is causing is destruction.

…

It was all his fault. Ace grit his teeth and ripped his shirt. Then he began to wrap it around the cut in his arm like Law taught him. He went through all of this to make a better life for him and his brothers. He wanted a good dad so badly that now Rosi-san’s real son is in danger. For a moment he thought that those with cursed blood shouldn’t stick so close together. Then he remembered that Rosi-san and Law aren’t the problem.

Luffy wanted to stop him from vandalizing what he considered the pirate king’s throne. Yeah, Ace hated Gol D Rodger, but Luffy wanted to be just like him. He knew better than to fight with Luffy here. Ace knew that Luffy would want to climb to the top, but instead he kept dragging his brother down thanks to the ego he couldn’t get rid of. None of this would have happened if he had gone with Sabo to get gold. It would be fine if they wouldn’t have made a scene. He even would have been fine if he had just listened to Law instead of intentionally challenging the other kid with every move he made. He thought the kid was paranoid, Ace never realized that Law was scared because he knew how dangerous the sea was.

Once his arm was properly wrapped, Ace stood up with a fire in his eyes. “I’m going after Law.” He told Sabo. “Protect Luffy.”

Ace started to run.

A minute later he looked back to see Sabo running behind him with Luffy on his back. “We stick together.” The blond told him.

The boy wanted to cry. He didn’t deserve his brother’s love, and he will never be able to repay it. All he can do is accept it.

Soon the three brothers climbed to the roof tops like they did when navigating high town. Ace was the oldest brother, and as such the leader. That means he needs to not worry about his self hate and fight. His dream is to live with no regrets. He doesn’t want to think back on his failure with Law like Rosi-san thinks back on Kuma.

He shared a look with his brothers. Ace met Sabo’s gaze. After a quick nod, he felt relieved and confident. “The docks.” Worst case they can tell Hatchi to check every boat leaving the shore.

…

Law was pissed.

The boy hadn’t felt like this since the last months of his white lead disease filled his body. He thought he was going to hurl. The world was spinning, and he was in pain. His body betrayed him, and he had no power to make it do what he wanted it to do. It hurt, and he was alone.

He wasn’t going to give up. Last time he was alone was when he touched the sword. He isn’t going back to that, he can’t. Law had a chance for a family, and he didn’t want to let it go. He needed to keep reminding himself that he wasn’t locked in a chest on Swallow Island.

A crash echoed from the other side of the wall. “You need to let the kid go!”

“What?” Is that old scar face?

“This kid is the grandson of the Fleet Admiral!” The voice said. “Why did you leave the dock? I had to steal a fishing boat to get back!”

“Idiot!” The man yelled. “This kid is worth more than the demon child of Ohara! Did you really think there weren’t strings attached!”

“His dad being adopted by the Fleet Admiral isn’t just some little string!” The man yelled. “His father is a Marine that is known for undercover missions and just so happens the blood brother of Doflamingo who put out the bounties! There is nowhere we can hide!”

“Are you done?” The old man said.

Law heard the click. He knew what was coming. When he heard the bang, his haki told him that life didn’t leave the man immediately. “Why can’t I use my room?” Law wished he could get to this coward so he could heal him. That man may just be his free ticket out of here.

…

The den den mushi started to ring. The man reached out to answer. On the table in front of him, he could see an overdue letter from the Marines finally arrived. “Yes?”

“What is the bonus pay for your nephew given your brother will follow him anywhere? Getting to the North Blue isn’t cheap. Someone burned down the only Logue Pose store before my man could get one.” A voice asked through the snail.

Doflmamingo tightened his grip on the snail’s receiver when he heard the word nephew.

…

Chapter Text

He knew everyone escaped the shop. He was more aware of that as he detonated it then when he was leaving the bomb. Leaving an explosive was just instinctive at this point. When it comes to protecting Law, the man’s first instinct was arson. He blew up hospitals that tried to kill a sick kid, and now he blew up a log pose store. Guess they won’t be able to give Smokey that paperwork after all. Well, at least this solves the base’s problem of pirates escaping to the Grand Line. Hopefully the hunter following him was supposed to grab the Logue Pose.

When he got to the waterfront, Rosinante yelled for Hatchi. Before the Fishman could even speak, Rosinante tossed his snail over. “Wait by the entrance to the Grand Line! Law has been kidnapped. I will call you in a few hours, I want to know every ship that gets by there!”

The fish man floundered a moment before disappearing in the water. A moment later, Penguin swam up to the dock. “What happened to finding a new boat?”

He leaned down and reached out his hand for the kid. “No time now, we can worry about it after we save Law.” Why didn’t he leave the kids with Bell-mere? He should have paid more attention to Ace, Sabo, and Luffy. Should he leave the trio with Smoker? No, people may go after the kids here if they find out who they are related to.

Penguin was looking at him expectantly. “Can you get back to the ship and prepare it? I will get the others, and a new snail.”

The kid nodded before running down the boardwalk. Did he make the wrong move? Maybe he should follow Penguin back to the ship. No, the kid can jump in the water and swim away if he gets attacked. The first two hours are the most important in a kidnapping. If a kid isn’t found in twelve hours, doubt over any hope fills the officers. After twenty four hours, the case is considered nearly impossible.

Why didn’t he make a vivra card for Law when they were in the New World? He shook his head knowing the answer. It was because he imagined if anyone was caught it would be him. Having Law’s vivra card would be handing the kid over to his brother. Law would also want one for him and follow him into doom. Still, he should have just got one and hid the card.

The man ran for the marine base. He didn’t bother pulling out his credentials, they wouldn’t check him here anyway. Instead he just ran past the guards and into the communications room. He just needs a snail.

He ignored how badly the base needed to be cleaned up. Rosinante ran to the first available snail and typed out a number he knew by heart. “Answer, please.”

“Sengoku here.” The man’s voice sounded tired, depressed.

“Dad!” This was his first time hearing the man’s voice since he got that info on the Opi-Opi No-Mi. Has it already been over a year?

“Rosi?” Some life was returning to his voice. “Are you okay? I need to warn you about something!”

“They got Law!” He could hardly breathe. “Some bounty hunters got Law while I was checking for information at the base.” He squeezed the soft hat in his pocket.

“Where are you?” Sengoku’s voice was serious.

He took a deep breath and loosened his grip on the hat. What would Law say if he damaged it? “I’m at Logue Town. A friend is watching the entrance to the Grand Line. I managed to… the Loge Pose store burnt down by some miracle before the bounty hunter could enter though.”

“I am… happy for that accident.” The man said. “I’ll assign a platoon of troops from the base to help you find the kid.”

He chuckled. “It’s Logue Town, Dad. There is only one decent officer, and after three years the teen is still a cadet.” He rubbed his head. “I was hoping to help you find someone to mentor him. He doesn’t want a transfer, but I bet he will take it if we promise to send him back when he reaches captain.”

“Take him.”

Rosinante blinked. “What?” He shook his head. “I’m barely a legal officer after four years undercover. I need a psych eval before returning to active duty- far more to take a mentee.” He didn’t want to mention that he was planning to retire.

“Are you sane?” His dad asked. “Will you betray us, or protect the Law?”

He didn’t have time for this. “My only priority right now is Law!”

“Congratulations, you just passed your psych evaluation. I’m signing the paperwork. Both you and your son are being placed under a witness protection program. You know how to contact me when you find a safe place to lay low.”

The blond sagged back in his chair. Why was he going on this tangent? That was when something hit him. “Why aren’t you calling us back to HQ? Wouldn’t that be safer now that you have Vergo? How is the internal sweep going?”

“You can’t come back, Rosi.” The man’s voice was a tone of warning. He is scared.

“What?” Dread filled his gut. He already knew what was coming, but that was impossible. “What about the evidence I sent in?”

“I did everything that I could. By strange luck, the invitation even got sent to the wrong address by accident... twice.” His dad told him.

Rosinante dropped his head on the table. “Why?” Why did he ever put faith in this system? He did everything right, but it is like the world is working against him. “Why would they back a monster like him?” He was going to throw up. “Why do the warlords even exist?”

His dad gave a heavy sigh. “You know the answer just as well as me.”

“I will send Smoker to to you so he can train under someone you trust once we get somewhere safe. Don’t let… don’t reveal my record, or anyone I care about. It can’t be anywhere a warlord can access. Virgo should know how to find everything Dofi needs.” He said with a heavy heart.

“Everything is still in deep storage for your undercover mission. You were the one who hid it.” There was a light and teasing tone in it. "I just have a small overview file in my desk and family photos."

Rosinante smiled despite his situation. “I miss you, Dad.”

“I love you, kid.”

“Love you too, dad.”

…

Smoker was not entirely sure what happened.

One minute he was running to the city square to find Vice Admiral Garp’s grandsons. Then suddenly he noticed the two kids were confused. Apparently Garp’s grandsons have a very huge haki signature that is nearly impossible to hide. Why do all these kids know haki? They shouldn’t even know what haki is!

When they ran back the way they came, Smoker saw smoke coming out of the Logue Pose store! Did those jerks sabotage the evidence? Those crooks! He stopped as he ran by the store. The marine wanted to keep following his old case, but the kids kept running. Shit, he needs to take care of the brats first.

Why does this feel like a goose chase? They ran back and forth on the docks three times before the kids just ran onto a fishing boat. Of course Smoker followed the unsupervised children. He was hoping to find three more- maybe even four counting Law.

“Any sight of the trio of terror?” The redhead asked.

A kid popped up with a penguin hat. “Not yet, but Hatchi is on his way to the Grand Line entrance with a snail, and Co-” He looked at Smoker. “Rosi-san is getting a new snail to keep in contact if the bounty hunters pass Hatchi’s location.”

The other two nodded. They were quick to start untying the boat from the dock. Smoker felt out of place. “Shouldn’t you wait for everyone to get ready to sail?” These kids were working faster than any cadets he had ever seen.

“Who is the new guy?” Penguin hat said. As the group walked below deck.

“He is a marine Rosi-san trusts.” The bear answered. When Smoker met those dark eyes, the bear said, “Sorry.”

Smoker shook his head and sat down. “I thought we were supposed to find Vice Admiral Garp’s grandkids.”

“We should just leave them, and send a call to their grandfather.” Shachi said.

“Agreed.” Penguin hat spoke up.

“Yeah… sorry.” Bepo finished.

Suddenly Smoker got the feeling that these brats who somehow knew haki would try to ditch him with these three they called terrors. Why did that sound like a legitimate threat? He felt the sudden need to get some air.

When he got above deck, something small and strong went flying right through his chest. A second later he saw a pipe right in front of his eyes, and another swing right between his legs. What kind of brats move straight for a low blow like that? If he wasn’t made of smoke, that would have hurt like hell.

The blond kid he managed to grab by the collar spit in his face. Smoker grit his teeth. Please, don’t let these terrors be Garp’s grandsons.

In the end, he needed to use his staff to restrain the little one that was made of rubber. Smoker hardly got the kids restrained when he heard a voice he knew.

“Stop playing around.” He looked up to see Commander Rosinante untying the last rope keeping the boat docked.

“Yes sir!” He saluted. The three boys lined up beside him. The two older ones were standing tall while the youngest was picking his nose. The cadet had to resist the smear that wanted to cross his face from the disrespectful kids.

The man dumped a bag on the boat as he stepped on board and handed a stack of papers over to Smoker. “Here are the copies of your paid vacation days being spent this week. After your vacation, you will be reporting to Fleet Admiral Sengoku at Navy HQ. I won’t be able to return, so you will be delivering my report for me and taking orders from there.”

Smoker squinted at the papers. Then he looked up at his commander; one of the few officers he knew and respected. “You forged my signature.”

Rosinante was already raising the sail, and they were ten feet from the shore. “We don’t have time to fight with your superiors, or let those corrupt officers know we are here.”

Smoker bit his cheek. He took a deep breath and lit up a second cigar before speaking. “Yes, but how are we better than them if we break the rules?”

“Ace, help me with the sail, Sabo, go help Bepo with navigation. Luffy, get a telescope and start looking for any ships departing the island.”

“One it!” The twins echoed.

“Telescope!” The little one darted below deck.

Finally Rosinante looked him in the eyes. “Right now, we have a kid to save. Waiting for permission when it means lives will be lost is against my code, especially when it’s my kid. This will all fall on me, but I would rather ask for forgiveness than permission in these circumstances.”

Smoker took a deep breath. “What can I do?”

“Where do bounty hunters hide around here?”

While he was trying to think up an answer, Rosinante gave orders to the two kids that came up from below deck. Everyone on this ship knew how to work together, and even what to do with the child embodiments of chaos. He needed to think of something to be of use here. The man wasn’t used to competence.

“I have an idea.”

…

Smoker was right. They caught up to the ship in a single night. The only problem is that the other ship realized they were being followed. They changed course, and drifted into some fog. Instead of letting Smoker try to clear it, Rosinante closed his eyes and took the helm. “I’ll track them with Haki.”

Law is alive. He can feel it. He knows it in his soul. That is all that matters. He can worry about the rest later.

…

Even with his weakened state, Law stretched out his haki. It was like an instinct to him. He was tired, hungry, and weak; but none of that ached like the loneliness. He wasn’t surrounded by peace and quiet, but clashing waves without the melody of his friends laughing. He couldn’t sleep to Cora-san’s silence, the sound of his dad’s heartbeat, or even Bepo’s snoring.

When his haki sensed a calming presence, Law felt a peace and power that stretched beyond the chains that bound him. His dad was close. He could feel it, Cora-san was coming for him.

Law couldn’t help but smile. Cora-san will save him. The man may be a clumsy fool, but he was his clumsy fool. He loved him, and it is Law’s turn to try to protect Cora-san. He has to do something. He wasn’t stupid like the terrors.

The boy managed to lockpick the door, but he couldn’t get out of the chains. From there, he managed to get to the half dead bounty hunter that was scared of Cora-san.

One bullet wound to the side. It can’t have hit any vital points if this man is still alive. Now, how does he heal this guy enough to get help stealing the key to his cuffs? It’s not like he can carry the man back to his cell with the cuffs draining his energy. What can he do?

Law found a glass and broke it against the wall. Then he decided that if a glass scalpel works, then why not use lock picks for tweezers? What? he is trying to save the man, not perform a perfect surgery.

…

Chapter Text

He was supposed to be resting.

Once Rosinante gave the command, everyone hunkered down for the night. Law's crew nodded and started getting ready for the night quickly. They are used to the chain of command. Smoker nodded and situated himself by the door. The tall blond just placed silence over the room and left.

Luffy passed out after running around the ship and falling in the water five times. His snores were blaring till Rosinante decided to silence the youngest. That got a thank you from the kids who always traveled with him. Ace fell asleep fitfully wrapped around their youngest brother. He was holding Sabo's wrist so tight that the boy's hand went numb. Only after his brother fell asleep did Sabo slip away.

He originally went along with this for Ace… Well, Sabo also wanted to get away from the Outlooks. The Outlooks don't look so scary in comparison anymore. Suddenly he could see how lucky he was. Sabo would do anything for his brother, and right now that means apologizing to Rosi-san for Ace. His brother isn't going to stop beating himself up over Law getting caught.

When he walked to the door, Smoker's eyes cracked open.

"We don't know when we will get the chance to rest again, kid." The Marine told him. Despite being given a change of clothes, the man was still in uniform. Well, he unbuttoned the jacket. "Get some rest. The Commander will wake us if anything goes wrong."

Sabo looked back at his brothers. He bit his lip before looking back at the Marine. "I have a question I want to ask… Commander Rosinante. I won't be able to sleep till I see him."

The Marine sighed and leaned his head against the wall. "Knock twice when you come back."

He smiled and slipped out the door. This Marine isn't a complete waist. Well, hopefully he won't be. Sabo had a hunch that he might be assigned to take them home to Grandpa Garp soon.

After slipping out the door, he was still surrounded by silence. Another step and he could hear the waves crashing against the boat. For some reason it made him smile. Sabo stepped back into the silence and tested to see where the barrier was. This is pretty cool. He couldn't help but think how disappointed Luffy would be if he got this fruit!

When he was done playing around, the boy took a deep breath and hid his haki. He didn't know what to say. 'Hey, my brother is obsessed with you and has major guilt issues. Can you please tell him you don't hate him?' That sounds stupid. Why not slip up there and see what comes to him?

Sabo reached the top of the ladder before he realized that Rosinante was talking. Well, he should probably use a respectful title like Rosi-san when asking for a favor. What is he rambling about?

"Please be okay. Law… it's my fault. You would have been better off, safe, and hidden without me. I'm so sorry, Law. Why did I leave him alone? Now I am chasing dangerous bounty hunters with a ship full of children!… I'm a monster." The man laughed. "I really am a monster. I'm a celestial dragon, just like Dofi. No matter what, everything we touch is destroyed. I couldn't protect you, now what will happen to everyone here?"

The blond boy blinked away tears. This… he sounds like Ace. This man sounds just like his big brother. Yeah, he knew… He knew Ace liked the man because he could relate, but he never realized… Is the man actually depressed? Sabo always saw Rosinante smiling, or exuding that calming presence. How could such a stable and reliable man be depressed?

Ace told him that "Rosi-san said surviving is victory in itself every day. We aren't plagues to the earth, but fighters." He remembered his brother's smile when he said that.

His brother was different. He said that he wouldn't live with regrets. Yeah, Ace never wanted to live with regrets, but now he was kinder. Ace took up a caring role and even learned to be gentle and patch up wounds. His brother was taking responsibility thanks to the father figure he needed.

"I'm a monster, Law." His voice was broken. "No matter what I do, I can never make up for the sins of my past. I can never forsake what I was. Why do you want to be part of my family? They are- No, I am my own worst nightmare."

When he started to hear outright sobbing, Sabo slipped back into the silence. He already heard too much. It wasn't the time for their talk… or was it?

Inside the sound barrier, Sabo tried to project his haki. Then he stepped out of the silence again. This time, he didn't hear crying. He was just met with a hiccup before all he could hear was the waves.

The boy went up the ladder, and just caught the man drying his last tear. If he didn't know better, Sabo would assume Rosi-san was just tired with those red eyes. He does so well at hiding it. Sabo learned Ace's tells when he is battling with depression long ago- Luffy too. Was Law the only one who knew Rosi-san's? He couldn't imagine the idea that Law didn't know.

"What do you need, kid?" The man smiled down at him.

The boy pulled his hat off and played with it. "I shouldn't be telling you this."

Rosinante didn't step away from the helm, but his eyes sharpened.

"Ace… Can you please tell him 'it's okay' later? He blames himself for Law getting caught." Sabo waved his hands in front of him self. "I'm not saying he didn't have a part in what happened. We all made mistakes… but Ace…" Sabo looked down at his hat. His brother would punch him in the face if he learned Sabo revealed this. "He really respects you. Before meeting you, my brother was borderline suicidal and kinda harsh. Now, he smiles. Ace said you told him living is winning. Thanks to you, Ace wants to live. He wants to be a good big brother, and grow up to be just like you."

He was met with silence. Sabo hugged his hat and looked towards the waves. Then, words spilled out of his mouth before he could stop them. "You give me hope too." He bit back a laugh. "You know, the Outlooks adopted another kid- a replacement. Stelly is technically my brother... He is every bit the snobby noble my family wanted."

The boy took a deep breath and looked over at Rosinante. He could see the features of a noble hiding behind those frown lines. The man has blond hair and blood read eyes like nothing Sabo had ever seen before. His parents would grovel at this man's feet if they knew what he was. "You are the first nobleman I've met who… who succeeded in leaving it behind. I thought I was trapped- chained to my fate and status. You left an even greater status behind."

The silence held for a moment before the man blinked away unshed tears. "Sabo, I… I can't take the credit. My parents left it behind, not me."

Sabo tilted his head. "Then aren't you just more proof that they succeeded? Their rebellion has lasting effects in you and now Law. That's what Ace thinks."

Rosinante smiled. "It's not easy. This life is one where every day is a fight."

"Then my brothers and I will grow strong." Sabo promised. "Thank you, for saving my life. You gave me a real family."

When he turned to walk below deck, Sabo realized that Ace was right. His twin in spirit wasn't the only one who wanted this man to adopt him. Oddly enough, it wasn't Rosi-san's strength that appealed to him, but his weakness. Rosinante is nothing like those heartless nobles.

Oh, Corazon. Sabo finally got it. Cora-san. The name fits his future father much more than Rosinante. It's less noble, and tells everything. No wonder Law calls him that or dad. Sabo decided that he is going to hijack both those titles for the man sooner or later.

…

Law couldn’t believe it, but his patient was stable. He got the bullet out, patched the wound, and stitched the man shut with a needle his patent had waiting in his pocket. That was just a stroke of luck. After using his powers so often, the little doctor forgot that you need to stitch someone back up for a wound this small! Yeah, he knew about stitches, but he could just make body parts connect with his will power! Why would he need to worry about stitches?

As he let himself pass out leaning against the wall beside to his patient, Law started focusing on his powers. He needed to worry about Cora-san reopening his wounds after getting shot on Swallow Island. Really, his powers had all the risks of stitches. What was the main difference? Is it simply that he creates invisible stitches that don’t scar? Sabo still scarred, but that was mostly due to the burn mark.

The boy shook his head and looked down at his bloody hands. The stain had gotten on his pants, legs, shirt, everything. This is unsanitary. Actually, it is disgusting. As much as he hates hospitals, some hospital supplies would be a major win. Disposable gloves would be better than getting elbow deep in sticky warm blood that will dry all crusty. This man better appreciate his efforts and help him escape!

Before falling asleep, Law considered sneaking back into the room he was left in. He really did consider it, but instead he stayed where he was. What was the point when the evidence was all over his hands and clothes? Instead he closed his eyes and found himself in the nightmare of Flevance. He hid under the bodies to avoid detection, bodies were still warm just like the man he operated on. The only difference is this time he didn’t look up into the cold dead eyes of his classmates.

Bepo’s soft fir was matted with blood. Shachi and Penguin went down fighting side by side. Bell-mere’s cold dead eyes looked back at him. He turned away from the small bodies in her arms. Everyone, even the trio of terror was there. Law closed his eyes and tried to wake up. He tried to will the stench of blood and smoke out of his nose. He wanted to end the nightmare before it could get worse. That was when he turned around to see Cora-san’s body. He had white patches on his skin instead of his normal face or that stupid clown makeup. Law thought he was going to hurl. He fell back and tried to run. He ran like the coward he was. He ran from his inevitable fate of being alone. He ran until he was stopped by the razorlike string of Dof’s birdcage.

Doflamingo was walking closer to him, and Law couldn’t move. He was weak. He was sick. He was caught in a spider’s web. The man smiled as he reached down and picked Law up by his collar, and the boy saw as the monster held his hand back to strike. He closed his eyes when the impact hit his face.

When he opened his eyes again, Law was on the bounty hunter’s ship. The smoke was gone, and the only blood was the crusted blood on his hands. The man casting the shadow over him wasn’t Doflamingo, but the old bounty hunter that caught him. His cheek was numb from this man’s strike.

He relaxed his muscles and sagged against the wall in relief. Law found himself reaching out his haki to make sure Cora-san was still there. His boat is closer then it was before. He is alive. Law isn’t alone, he still has a family.

Being smacked in the face and dragged out of the room didn’t do more than make the boy tired. What was he supposed to do? Right now he needs to lay low. He was dragged down the hall without a fight. It wasn’t till Law looked up at the pink snail that he started feeling sick.

“Talk brat.” The bounty hunter said.

The boy spit in the man’s face. Yeah, he knew the punch was coming.

“Hahahahaha, is that you, Law?” That was definitely Dofi’s voice.

Law glared at the bounty hunter. Wasn’t there another one or two? Where are they?

“The brat won’t talk, he is just giving me a creepy glare.” The hunter said.

“Law, if you are there, say something now.” Doflmaningo said. “I’ll forgive you and take you back if you tell me what happened.”

He grit his teeth. Law remembered what would have happened if things went a little different. Doflamingo wouldn’t forgive him, unless he sells out Cora-san. Even then, the boy would rather die then be on the same island as the flamboyant demon.

“I have a Logue Pose, but I don’t think I can get through the Grand Line with your brother chasing me. We will need to stop on some islands for weeks for it to reset." Law recognized the Log Pose on the table next to the snail.

“I’ll enter the Grand Line now that my, Shichibukai; also known as Warlord status has finally been granted.” Doflamingo said. "We can meet there."

“Bullshit.” The word escaped Law’s lips.

Dofi started laughing. “Law? I thought you went mute!”

“What happened to that Garp idiot going after you?” He approached the snail.

He saw the smile drop. “How do you know about that?”

“You’re bluffing.” Law claimed. His hands were still cuffed, so he grabbed the table. So close.

“You are the one bluffing.” Doflamingo said. “I know you aren’t my nephew.”

Law smiled at that. “Can you prove it?” The man behind him was looking forward with interest.

“My brother and I can’t have kids.” Doflamingo argued.

Law smiled. “Then why would he risk everything for me?”

"He threw you out a window."

"You were in the room." Law rebutted him.

"You stabbed him."

Law glared at the snail. Of course Buffalo didn't keep it a secret. "He was a Marine, and the Marines leveled White Town while he was away for work. Of course I was mad! That, and dad said I couldn't stay because you might figure out who I am." He smiled at the snail. "It worked to fool you."

“...”

Law saw a shift behind him and decided this was his chance. He started to reach forward, but felt the grip on his shirt collar. Law wasn’t going to quit now. He grabbed the side of the table and pulled himself forward. He knew he wouldn't get the chance to grab for it again. Any moment now this man would realize Law could still somewhat fight with the cuffs. The boy thought of the pain of white lead and pulled himself forward. Without letting himself think beyond his fruit healing him later, Law slammed his head down on the Logue Pose.

The shattering glass rang out.

“What happened?” The snail looked confused.

When he got flung away, Law smiled. He could feel the warm liquid running down from his forehead. It was getting caught in his eyebrow, and dripping to his eye. The boy tilted his head so the blood trail wouldn’t blind him. Then he flicked the man off with both hands. Did Cora-san already train him not to cuss instinctively? Flicking people off felt more natural. If only the snail would flick Dofi off.

“Brat just broke the Logue Pose.” The hunter said.

“You let him near it?” Dofi said in frustration. “I will send you a new one.”

A crash sounded off the stern of the ship. The bounty hunter dropped him and ran to the porthole. “The freak is shooting at us!”

The boy took his chance and tried to run. He took two steps before he heard Dofi’s voice. “If you take your eyes off Law, you will lose him.”

“F…” Law shook his head. The man was looking and his chance to escape out the door was gone. “One day, I am going to cut out all your origins and kill you in the most painful way possible.” Law promised as he glared at the den-den. 

“Is that any way to talk to your uncle?” Dofi laughed. “You do take after me. I knew I liked you.”

There was a time when those words would have filled Law with pride he couldn’t describe. Now, he was completely repulsed. “You aren’t my uncle, just the man who shot grandpa in the head as a ten year old.” He took a deep breath. “I’m not like you, I won’t betray my dad.”

"You stabbed him."

"He forgave me." The words seared into his soul. Why did Cora-san forgive him so easily? Law was nobody. At one point he thought he might be the only D left. Now looking at the terrors, it's not like he is the only one left. The crazy old man knew a list of Ds. No, Cora-san chose to love him. The boy didn't deserve it, and he knew he never would.

The silence rang in the room.

“If my brother gets too close, throw the brat overboard. I’ll pay you the bonus if you can confirm my brother watched him die painfully.”

Law thought he was going to hurl as the line went dead.

…

Chapter Text

It was well into the heat of the next day. Everyone was demanding he rest. While he knew they were right, Rosinante didn't want to rest. Not only could he feel Law's tired haki, but he felt it reaching out to him. He only agreed to rest when the kid had been asleep for hours. That is, he agreed to rest till he felt something change. Law was having a nightmare, and there was nothing he could do about it.

Smoker took the helm, and the boys were dragging him below deck. One glance at Sabo reminded the man that he needed to talk to Ace. The problem was, how could he make it convincing when he can't think clearly?

When the door slammed shut, Shachi threw him a pillow and demanded he silence the world. He would, but then Law wouldn't be able to sense him with haki. Honestly, the man doubted he would be able to sleep without at least the boy's haki signature. What a strange thing to latch on to for rest. That boy has completely taken his heart.

He closed his eyes as he sensed Law grow calm. The boy has a plan. It only took a minute for him to remember Law is a D. Every time a D has a plan it is scary, deadly, and given the circumstances; probably dangerous.

His feet hit the ground as he ran out of the room. The man crashed into the wall before turning and climbing up to the deck. He ignored all the yells as he loaded the cannon for just in case.

Danger. A cold chill filled him. Law is in pain, physical pain. He didn't hesitate to fire a warning shot.

…

When the line went dead, Law looked at the old bounty hunter. He stretched out his haki and realized Penguin was in the water right below him. All he needs to do is get off the ship. If he is lucky, these guys will make him walk the plank.

Instead, Law was dragged by the hair back to the lowest room below deck. One of the bounty hunters came down stairs stating; "I think it was just a warning shot. I doubt they will really fire on us as long as we have the kid."

Law smiled. "If I die, you are dead." He couldn't do much with the cuffs weighing him down anyway. "You realize you are just pawns in Dofi's game, right?"

The younger bounty hunter looked scared. Word of what happened to the coward must have spread. Still, maybe he can cause a mutiny if things work out.

It was just a bluff. Law really didn't have this much faith in any marine. He just hoped Cora-san's dad would do something. "If Dofi really got the warlord position, then Grandpa will drag him back to HQ for a warlord meeting and try to keep him there for as long as possible. All warlords are required to attend their first meeting. Check the paper tomorrow."

The younger hunter was stalk still as the old man started dragging Law back to his cell. He threw Law in the room he already escaped once before slamming the door and walking away.

For some reason, Law was surprised that the old creep didn't resort to beating him. Maybe his words rattled the veteran too? No. Law shook his head. That didn't seem right. It was more like the man decided it wasn't worth attacking him after the little Logue Pose incident. Well, where is the fun in hitting a sociopath that doesn't react to pain?

Law closed his eyes and reached out for his dad's frazzled presence. It's going to be okay. He didn't know if he was saying this for himself or the old man.

In an after thought, Law realized his patent was still alive somehow.

…

Smoker looked down at his commanding officer.

Forty-eight hours ago he was drinking his coffee. It was a normal day. He stopped by his mom's shop, and arrested a handful of pirates before breakfast. After arguing about paperwork and that yes, there is room in the empty cells! He enjoyed breakfast, a new book, and moved on to his relevant case.

Now, he is on a ship full of children with a half crazed commander. Missing child cases were luckily not common in Logue Town. The cadet had dealt with a few. He saw those depressed eyes in the parents of his first missing child case. He wasn't supposed to take the case, but the parents came banging down the door of the base. When he objected to sending the couple away, he was given their case.

It was six months of hell. Smoker spent all his spare time searching. He didn't take breaks unless he was going to assure the parents he was still looking. They worked for a trade company. The kid was only supposed to be on the island a few nights. He was permanently scared by the mother's tears. Smoker would never forget her father's glazed over look as he thanked the teen for trying before they left the island. He still kept a photo of the girl in his pocket. She was a reminder to him of what happens if he fails. Every kid after her, Smoker jumped in once the report came in. Michell is still the only child he hasn't saved.

Right now, his commanding officer has that crazed look. In most situations, the man would be taken off the case. This is not most situations, and he was the odd man out. Who usually takes over when Commander DonQuixote is emotionally compromised or exhausted? This man needs a second in command. More importantly, he needs sleep.

Smoker tried to extend his arm close enough to catch the hunter's ship. When his hand got close, the commander jumped for him to stop. The crooks realized that they knew when the boy was injured somehow. Every time they get too close to the enemy ship, Law is harmed.

What kind of messed up game is this? The craziest thing is how everyone else seemed to think this was expected. Yeah, Logue Town is rough, but what is wrong with these kids? Why would children and teens think… oh.

As the kids ran down for dinner, the cadet signaled to his commander. Rosinante walked beside him at the helm and made a small silence bubble. Smokey noticed that Commander DonQuixote deliberately only stepped half into the silence bubble.

"What can't you say in front of the kids?" Rosinante asked.

Smoker took a deep breath. "I don't mean to speculate, sir, but these kids seem oddly accustomed to violence- especially towards children."

"Are you asking if I…" His face somehow grew more pale.

Smoker gave a short shake of his head as he looked ahead. He was shaking. "The kids are too attached to you for that."

The blond man looked ahead at their target. "You nailed it for Shachi and Penguin. Bepo fell off Zou, and it looks like he was hunted. People in the North Blue treated him poorly. Law… Did you hear what happened in White Town?"

He creased his brow in thought. "Wasn't there some plague? The surrounding countries attacked, and eventually the marines had to move in. It was practically a buster call at the end."

"It was a buster call." The man said softly. "Law doesn't like marines. That is why I didn't run back to HQ."

The cadet ran his hand through his hair. "Shit."

"Say that around the kids and I'll put you on mute too." He said before chuckling. "You are practically a kid yourself."

"And here I was going to ask if Vice Admiral Garp is abusive."

The man beside him stilled. "Why would you think that?"

Smoker suddenly realized what he said may very well be slander of a superior officer. "It's just… the terrors are attached to you. They see this, yet don't want to go home."

"You are the second person who told me to worry about Garp's parenting this week." The man's tone seemed flat. "Their mom loves them though. I know that. She got herself beaten to near death protecting them from pirates. I could see her even punching Garp if he went too far." His tone lightened as he spoke about the woman.

Smoker smiled. "That's good." He nodded. "It explains why they want your training. That, and the deadbeat dad comments."

Rosinante put his hand on Smoker's shoulder. "Hold on to that."

"What?"

"You care." The commander looked him right in the eyes. Smoker felt pinned. "Few marines care. Hold on to that."

"Some haki would help." The teen smirked.

The man yawned before speaking. "All you kids are rushing to train too fast. I'll train you after we get Law back. You will probably need the haki if he forces you to quit smoking as long as you travel with us."

"What?"

The marine was left without an answer.

…

Law slept in the corner as he focused on the presence of his family. He didn't have nightmares this time. After resting, he could finally think straight.

Slipping out of his room was easier the second time. Law considered slipping out quickly and stabbing anyone in his way, but Cora-san's haki was ringing in the back of his mind. The boy found himself caught with a moral conscience. It was insufferable.

The reason Law snuck out was because of his patient. Well, that and food. Cora-san would be happy Law was actually looking for food. His dad would be mad that this isn't because of some D's appetite, but because he hasn't eaten since before getting captured. The water in the corner of his cell was disgusting, but drinkable.

When he got the door open, Law wet down a cloth and brought it over to the half dead bounty hunter. He checked the man's head for a fever. Then Law squeezed out a little bit of the water above the man's lips. He doesn't want to drown the man, but he needs water. It's been a full day since Law patched him up. Then he left the damp rag on the man's head to help cool the fever.

The man blinked awake. Law just glared at him.

A presence was coming down the stairs. It is one of the young punks, not the boss. The boy reached for the glass he hid in his patient's pocket for a weapon. Yes, he knew it was stupid and dangerous to leave the glass there. That is why nobody found it.

"Jace, you are alive!" The man at the door his face pale.

Jace blinked. "I'm starting to wish I wasn't." He shifted to push himself up.

"Tear your stitches, and I'm not fixing them again." Law stated flatly. He saved the man on a whim. The only stupid people he is going to keep healing are his crew. So far, Cora-san is the only one with a habit of getting injured. Frustratingly, the man is the only one who hides his injuries.

"Who is that?" The patient asked.

The new guy walked in and closed the door behind him. "It's the kid, bro."

"Shit." The wounded man said. "Why did you save me?"

Law walked over and started to unwrap the binding to check the man's stitches. He ignored the question. It's not like he had a proper answer. "Why did you bring the newspaper?"

The second hunter's face was almost as white as his dying brother. "You were right. Your grandpa scheduled Dofi's first meeting at Navy HQ before the end of the week. With Doflamingo on the other side of the red line, he needs to start rushing to keep his position. It may be rigged against him."

The boy reached out for the paper. He scanned over it quickly before going back to check the wound. Yep, infected. He saw that coming. "This just buys us time. Dofi will make it to the meeting. He will probably try to come here after."

Law ran back to his room to ring out the cloth and get fresh water for the wound. When he got back, he saw both men really did look like brothers. Before he could clean the wound, Law paused and looked at the door. The old hunter is sleeping.

"How bad is it?" His patient asked.

"You look like shit." His brother said in a teasing tone.

Law didn't see the need to sugarcoat it. "Without medication, or the aid of a devil fruit, you will be dead by the end of the week."

"What!"

The boy shrugged. Then he pressed the cloth against the pussy stitches. His patient jumped back. "Then what is this!"

"An emergency patch job." Law snarked. "If I didn't have these cuffs, you would be almost 100% by now."

"What?" The brother behind him was soft spoken.

Law kept the smirk off his face. "I'm a doctor." He stated flatly.

"How will the cuffs fix things?"

"James!" The bloody patient reprimanded.

Law let himself smirk. "My devil fruit helps me heal myself and others. Didn't you hear Dofi complaining that I shouldn't be alive- shouldn’t have been born."

The man behind him was shaking. Well, both brothers were shaking. One was in pain, the other fear. "If I get you free of those cuffs, will you save my brother?"

"Depends." Law answered as he started drying the wound. "If it takes too long, it may be too late. That, and I can't heal him with old scarface looking over my shoulder."

"What about your dad?" The injured one said. "Will you promise he won't kill us?"

Law laughed. "He would probably buy you dinner, and maybe give you free training. Shit, we have enough mouths to feed already."

Then he stilled and looked at the door again. "I need clean rags, clean water, and food. Also, your boss woke up."

…

Rosinante stretched and placed his empty bowl of rice in the wash bucket. He got a few minutes of rest. That was good, but the man was realizing that he still had way too much to process in his mind. In some ways the soft hat in his pocket was the only thing keeping him grounded.

The newspaper that morning had everyone on the boat tense. It was hard to get his hands on it. Even Smokey tried to keep it from him. The man held the paper overboard by a few feet with his smoke. All the kids climbing on him as a jungle gym wasn't really the most enjoyable morning. He just ignored the kids and grabbed Smoker's arm with haki to pull the cadet forward into the boat.

All the kids started climbing up his arms to steal the paper. "Oh, so they finally announced Dofi's warlord position." The crew was almost disappointed in his neutral gaze at the paper.

Smoker pushed himself off his knees to a sitting position. "You knew, sir?"

The man nodded. "Yeah, Dad told me when I called. That's why he approved of you coming with us. Warlords have free reign to attack marines, and we have no right to defend ourselves. Your vacation days will be refunded, and records may change this to an undercover mission. Just make sure Dofi doesn't find the paperwork."

Luffy managed to slingshot by and steal the paper. After looking at it, the kid decided it was boring and dropped the paper. Then he grabbed a telescope and ran back up to the ship's figurehead. The man walked back to pick up the paper. "This is actually good. Dofi probably doesn't have time to come here before the meeting. It gives us a time frame to escape."

Then he turned and looked at the distraught crew. "Bepo, can you show me the map?"

"Yes!" The bear jumped up before running down the stairs. He smiled at the simple fact that the kid didn't apologize. Was… was that the first time?

Shachi was at the helm, and Penguin was swimming back and forth under the enemy ship once an hour. Smoker was doing… he was mostly helping to wrangle the terrors and trying to be of use. Rosinante chose not to question when he started thinking of the brothers as terrors. Right now, he needed to focus on forming a plan.

When Bepo rolled out the map, the little bear pointed out their location, and where the boats were heading with the currents. The man nodded along. "They will want to get to the Grand Line to meet Dofi or his crew."

Smoker was standing right behind him. "We have been herding them deeper into the East. The Grand Line is a few days away. They won't be able to get away that way."

Rosi nodded. "That doesn't mean they won't try." He pointed at the next island chain they were about to pass by.

Bepo looked from the island on the paper to Rosinante's eyes. "That is the Geko Islands. We should be able to see the island chain tomorrow night if the winds last. We can reach land the day after that." Then his eyes shifted to Smoker. "Sorry."

The man smiled. "Thanks Bepo." Then Rosinante looked up to make sure most of the crew was listening. Ace was occupying Luffy, so only Sabo was listening out of the trio. That is fine, telling one is telling the other. "They will use the island chain to lose us, or turn towards the Grand Line. We will use it to strike."

"What about the kid?" Smoker was still talking like he wasn't a kid himself.

He took a deep breath before speaking. "Law is a fighter. Also, when the ship goes down, the hunters will realize Law is their only bargaining chip."

…

Chapter Text

The patient wasn't the only one at risk without proper medical care. Law's head hurt. He was trying to fish the glass out of his skull, but without his fruit, getting it all was impossible. He didn’t even have a mirror to see what he was doing. To make it worse, the old man realized that Cora-san knew when he was hurt.

The power of observation haki was crazy. Yeah, Law heard about it traveling with Dofi. He was even learning how to use it. Now, just the idea of an enemy being able to gauge how wounded he was terrified him. Despite that, he wouldn't give up the calming presence reminding him that other world was just a dream.

Constantly having dried blood on his face and in his hair was becoming normal. His new recruits didn't really help that much. The younger brother brought him food, and the older brother was too injured to do anything. The idea of running for the water didn't work for someone as injured as his patient. To make it worse, the old man never told his crew where the key was hiding.

Law wanted to give up hope at times. It was Cora-san's presence that kept him going. If the man could find an impossible fruit and cure an incurable disease, then Law can survive this.

When the old creep came by again, Law suspected that it was because Cora-san moved a little farther away. It was a strange move after days of having the ship so close. The hunter may be trying to press their lead.

“Hey boss, great employee benefits here.” Jace snarked.

The boy suspected that he was going to be grabbed by the hair again. What he didn’t expect was for the man to pull a snail out of his pocket. The critter was pink, with eyes in the shape of sunglasses. He wanted to crush the slug.

“Have you changed your mind about waiting for my worthless brother, Law?” The snail asked him.

The boy spit knowing Dofi’s snail would at least attempt to do the same.

“Really, has my brother not taught you better manners?”

“I’d say fuck you, but after that girl back in Kuen Village I’m worried you’d think its an invitation.” He snarked. It was strange having the ability to cuss without being silenced. The look on the snail’s face was priceless. His dad was right about thinking up better insults.

Law resisted a smile. He did smirk though. The injured fool beside him laughed outright.

Slowly the snail shifted to a wicked grin. “Don’t tempt me.”

“This is why your family hates you.” Law deadpanned. An eerie chill started to inch up his spine.

Jace looked horrified. “He is your nephew and a child!” With the way he jumped, Law worried about the man’s stitches. “There is a line, even for criminals.”

Dofi laughed. “Well, looks like little Law made a friend. Didn’t he tell you? Things like lines are beneath me.”

“You give kids apple cider instead of wine.” Law felt the need to point out something actually redeemable about Dofi.

“That was beer.” The snail answered. “You brats would be useless without some licker tolerance.

Law blinked. Cora-san was searching for Dofi’s apple juice. Law mentioned he liked it once, and his dad was disappointed he couldn’t find it. The boy had no words.

“How petty are you?” The wounded crook asked.

Dofi laughed. “Who is the friend?”

“He worked for me.” The bounty hunter said. “When the brat found out I was leaving retirement, he wanted training and adventure. Had to put a bullet in him after he snooped on your brother and got intimidated. Your target patched him up.”

A vein popped in the snail’s face. “What happened to keeping the brat cuffed with sea prism stone?”

“He is.” The hunter looked insulted.

Law knew it was silly to hope he would remove the cuffs to check them.

“You worked with a guy who was scared of my mute, idiotic, clumsy, and self destructive brother.” The snail looked insulted. “Trim the fat off your crew before it weighs you down.”

Law saw Jace mouthing the word mute silently. He tensioned his muscles to act. He saw the pistol in the old man’s hand. His haki started screaming a warning. Law didn’t know if he should fear the fool’s big mouth, or the pistol...

The hull exploded.

The crash threw Law on top of his wounded patient. The bounty hunter was blown into a wall. He knew the man was already getting up. What happened to the snail was anybody’s guess.

…

"Smoker, please tell me you can give us some cover?" That question started it all for the cadet.

Ever since Rosinante trained him to hold himself together, Smoker channeled his powers to suit his needs. He was an up front man. As such, he quickly learned to use his powers in a head first fighting style. He wanted to be the strong arm of the law.

Oddly enough, right now he needs to play the silent killer. Laying down smoke cover was genius, and extremely difficult. The morning fog helped, and the cadet went through too many cigars. Rosinante coached him through it the whole time. The man described his room, and how haki correlated. Apparently only some fruit users and those with observation haki could even see the man's rooms. That boosted his confidence. Maybe he wasn't that far behind these brats when it comes to training.

His only job was providing cloud cover. That was annoying in a different way. Smoker had to watch as his commanding officer got on his knees and described a dangerous plan to children. These kids were so eager to fight.

With all the boys who could swim in the water, Smoker was left with the rubber band of energy screaming in his ear, and his commander. At least Rosinante put Luffy on mute. It was terrifying, but when using sniper rifles, the man couldn't be distracted. That means Smoker needs to watch the fog and the child. Did he really leave his post to babysit?

"They will be okay." Rosinante told him. "Ace, Sabo, Penguin, Shachi, and Bepo; all of them need to see how strong they actually are."

"They are just children." Smoker argued.

Rosinante sighed. He didn't look at Smoker. "Sadly, the world doesn't always care who gets thrown in the mud. I can't always protect them."

The marine felt like he just lost his stomach. He is talking to a marine who almost lost his kid to a buster call. All of these kids had already seen something traumatic that they needed rescued from.

…

They were a safe distance from the explosion in the side of the boat. Ace saw Penguin rush ahead in the lead. He wasn't a great swimmer, but he was still doing well. That is, till he reached the side of the boat and started to climb. A paw landed on his shoulder. Ace looked back to see Sabo with his eyes glazed over resting on Bepo's back.

"What happened?" Ace felt dead.

"He is hyperventilating." Bepo told him. "I think it's a panic attack… sorry."

Ace looked from his brother to the bear. "We are faster swimmers, and Law is pretty light." Shachi said. "Get your brother to safety."

The boy nodded and quickly grabbed Sabo. He only swam a short distance with his brother when the bear appeared in the water next to him.

"Let's get him back together… sorry!" The bear wouldn't look Ace in the eye.

Ace smiled at the shy bear. "Thanks, I was having trouble. How do you swim so well?"

"It's important to survive in some parts of the North Blue… that and surviving getting there… sorry."

…

When Law saw Penguin jump in the hole in the ship, he grabbed his patent. "Grab this idiot! His brother is looking for the key to my cuffs for me!"

"You didn't just lock pick it?" His friend ran right to his side.

"Sea Prism Stone can't be lockpicked!" Law looked over at the rubble where the old hunter was buried. "Get him back first, I'm running to the deck."

Penguin nodded. "You better be back, or your dad will be a wreck."

Law nodded and started running. The boy ignored the rest of the conversation. Since that man is an adult, both his friends will need to carry him. It's okay, Law can get a ride from Bepo, the twins, or his new recruit.

Once his head reached the top deck, Law dodged a bullet flying by his ear. Okay, his haki isn't working properly. That was the second time he couldn't place the danger. At this point his survival is pure luck.

The boy turned to see James tackling the other bounty hunter. "What are you doing?" The stranger yelled as he threw James to the deck.

Law sensed the old man coming up the stairs. Then he watched the man holding the gun fall to the deck. Blood was spilling from his head.

"What was that?" James didn't get up from the deck. He was just laying down in shock.

"My dad." Law said as he ran to the man. "Your brother is being brought to safety. Now where are the keys?"

He heard the crack of the floor boards. Law's haki rang out. He turned to see the old man with scars holding out a small key. "So this is why you stayed behind." He spoke with a smile.

Law grit his teeth.

The bounty hunter looked at the dead body on the deck, then he dropped to the floor. It was just in time before the bullet rang out just where his head was.

Law dashed forward for the key, only for the jerk to stick it in his mouth and swallow it. What the… did he really do that? "I will cut you open." Law promised.

"Not before I get paid." The man grabbed Law's hand and pulled the kid forward.

Law kicked the man in the gut many times. He even aimed for the low blow between the legs. When James shifted to move in, the old creep pointed his pistol at Law's head. Law felt it, he was close to death. The man's haki screamed fear and murder. He wouldn't go down alone.

"We are leaving." The man said as he dragged Law to the emergency raft. "Land is close. We can hide until Dofi gets here."

Law looked out to where he knew Cora-san was. He wondered if the man could see him. Law hoped the apology came across in his gaze. "The bounty might be dead or alive, but if you kill me, my dad will make sure you don't survive to get paid."

"I know." The man's gruff voice rang in his ear.

…

Everything went wrong.

Ace looked at his brother shaking in fear. Why didn't he think about Sabo? His brother almost died thanks to a celestial dragon blowing up his ship. The flames, being in the water… When was the last time he saw Sabo swim? What was he thinking?

Bepo proved to be a great support when it came to panic attacks. The bear coached both of them through it. When Sabo was bundled up in a blanket, Smoker called out as he grabbed the next group. The marine was helping to pull everyone out of the water.

Law wasn't there. Instead he sent back a half dead bounty hunter.

Rosi-san was silent.

Smokey didn't know what to do. He looked confused. "Do we have a medic?"

"Law." Everyone but Rosi-san answered. Well, Sabo was silent too.

Smoker nodded. "First mate?"

"Law." Was echoed in answer again.

Ace walked up to the man. He looked at the stitches. It was a similar pattern to what Law taught him. When Ace asked for advice, Law harped on about the danger of infections. Saving this man shouldn't be harder than making that drug for Luffy. Right?

"Law taught me a bit." Ace stated. "If he sent this guy back, that means he got the bullet out already. We need disinfectant, and probably a blood transfusion sooner than later. Law keeps the peroxide under the kitchen sick. Third bottle from the left."

…

Sabo didn't know what happened to him. He lost his mind. He was running from his family again. His life was being stolen. His memory and self was lost.

When he started to come to, his brothers were there again. Luffy was curled up by his side. Ace was focusing on him. The darkness faded away in the brightness of his brothers. Even Bepo was at his other side giving him support.

Soon, Sabo found himself watching his brother take charge. The boy couldn't be more proud. Sabo felt loved. He knew how much Ace wanted to save Law. Despite that, his brother chose him. Ace loved him.

The blond smiled as he let himself fall asleep.

…

"We lost." Smoker said as they approached the burning ship.

Rosinante looked at all the depressed kids and the unconscious patient. "What are you talking about?"

He checked their positions. Only one enemy was left, and he knew anything happening to Law would lead to his death. Somehow, his boy recruited two hunters with his terrible manners. On top of that, Ace seemed to take charge despite his depression.

"Stay here." He ordered. "I need to go see our new friend." The man said as he climbed up to see the hunter that got injured protecting Law.

…

Chapter Text

Everyone was standing on the deck of Rosinante's fishing boat. It was really too small. "Good job everyone." The blond said as he looked in the eyes of everyone at the table. The two injured bounty hunters were sitting in the corner. Smoker stood guard by them. He asked them to wait a few minutes with the anchor down before following Law to land.

Sabo pushed himself to his feet by the table. "It's my fault. I… I'm sorry." He started playing with the brim of his hat sitting on the table in front of him.

The older blond shook his head. "I decided to do this by an island knowing we needed a plan B. Always have a plan B. Now Law is on land, where I can go after him freely. We saved two people, and Law knows how to handle himself." Then he walked over and placed a hand on Sabo's head. "It's okay to have trauma. I'm sorry that I never considered that it may affect you in the first place."

"I didn't think I… I thought I was okay." His voice was more broken than Ace's.

Rosinante dropped to his knee so Sabo would look at him. "Then it's a good thing you know about it now. You have your brothers, and I know you are strong enough to get through this."

The young blond nodded.

Rosinante turned to look at Ace beside Sabo. "Great job. You took charge, and trusted yourself. We win by surviving, not rushing in blindly and risking those around us. I'm proud of you."

"But… Law." The boy looked broken.

Rosi got up and scuffed Ace's hair. "Don't underestimate my kid."

"I don't know why I couldn't help." Luffy complained. His arms were crossed. He was leaning on Sabo's other side.

Rosi poked Luffy's pouting cheek. "You can't swim. Thanks for helping Smoker get everyone on the boat."

Then the man gave Bepo a scratch behind the ear. "Thanks for helping Sabo."

"I wasn't fast enough to go back for Law." The bear was looking down at his paws. "Sorry."

"I'm proud of you." Rosinante told the bear. "You are a wonderful swimmer. Just think how bad it would have been if Ace couldn't focus on the wounded! You helped calm down Sabo, and helped your friends."

Shachi was staring at the table with his arms crossed. "I'm the one who should have gone after Law."

Rosinante went behind Shachi and Penguin. He pulled both of them into a hug. "We all know how stubborn Law is." Rosinante squeezed them a little tighter and glared out into the distance where he could sense Law's haki. "You aren't the ones I need to have a word with." He loosened his grip. "Neither of you could have carried Jace back alone. He was also bleeding out dangerously once he hit the water. Just… Waterlaw's word isn't always law."

Smoker's eyes widened when he heard him say Waterlaw. Rosinante didn't see that all the kids gave him a funny look when he called Law Waterlaw. The marine smirked before speaking. "What do you want me to do?"

Rosinante stood up. He released a sigh and pushed his hair out of his face. "I need you to keep your head down. Smoke cover can be nice, but your powers are too recognizable."

The teen took a step forward. "Everyone else here is children! I can help you!"

Rosinante walked over and put his hands on Smoker's shoulders. "You are a kid." He stated flatly.

The teen bit his lip. "You are acting recklessly. I know your son is missing. In most cases you would be taken off the case. Right now you are sending children into battle. I'm a marine. I agreed to the risks."

The commander laughed. "The bounty hunter isn't the risk, only Dofi." Then he looked the cadet dead in the eyes. "As a warlord, my brother has free reign to kill marines. If you ever want to go back to the marines, he can never suspect you of ever helping me. Your job is to stay in the shadows, cause smoke cover, train, and bring reports to the marines for me."

"I hate this!" Smoker looked down at his feet as smoke like steam started seeping off his body.

"I know." Rosinante said as he stepped back. "We never would have made it this far without the cover you gave us. Team work is difficult. If you want to help, keep an eye on the bounty hunters and Luffy."

Somehow, the cadet's face grew even more pale. His eyes shifted to the little terror. "I think I'd rather be hunted by a warlord."

Rosinante laughed.

The blond stepped away from Smoker and took a seat on the floor in front of the two bounty hunters. His smile dropped into a frown. His gaze shifted between the two of them. Rosinante crossed his arms and tapped his finger against his bicep. Even if the two were standing, he would tower over the hunters while sitting. "Why did Law stay behind?"

"Handcuffs." The hunter on the right said. "My brother wanted out. Then the boss shot him, and Law saved him. Your kid told me that he would get us out alive if I could get the key to his cuffs."

The man released a breath of air. "I taught him how to lockpick handcuffs."

"The cuffs are made of sea prism stone." The injured brother said.

Smoker's eyes widened. "That means they can't be lockpicked!" He looked at Rosinante in horror. Then the cadet grabbed the uninjured hunter's shirt. "Where is the key?"

"Boss ate it." The unwounded one said.

"Did it taste good?" Luffy yelled from his spot by the table. Smoker's eye twitched as he looked at the boy.

Silently, Rosinante got up and walked to the corner of the room. Then he pulled out a dagger and slipped it between the floor boards. It only took a minute to pry up the wood. To everyone else, it must be strange not hearing any wood cracking.

Hiding in the floor was some Beri, some gold, some leather cases, spare pistols, Law's short katana, and a beautiful short sword. Sabo slipped beside him and reached for the blade. Rosinante grabbed the kid's hand and gently pushed him away. Then the man grabbed the swords and hid them in his jacket's feathers. After that, he grabbed one of the small leather cases. This one was white. "Is there anything I need to worry about other than the cuffs?" He asked calmly.

"Those cuffs are a problem." Smoker objected. "It could take years to get a new key forged!" He shook his head. "That is after we save Waterlaw…"

The man turned and waved like that wasn't a problem. "Impossible is just a word to discourage people from trying. I've known how to lockpick those since I was ten."

Smoker's face dropped. "Why… how?"

Rosinante shrugged as he attached the white pouch to his belt. "I wanted to learn how to lock pick slave collars." He said casually. "It's only difficult because you need sea prism stone lock picks. The cuffs are way easier since you don't need to worry about them exploding."

When the man looked up, he saw everyone's gaze of a gasp horror and pity. Well, Ace and Sabo seemed to understand. The other kids seemed to suspect this kind of thing was coming. They probably at the least suspected that he was a noble once. They may even know the celestial dragon drama from Law. Smoker… the cadet was at the verge of losing his form. The hunters were shocked too.

The first one to shift was the wounded hunter. "I shouldn't be surprised after hearing your brother talk to Law."

The blond felt his eye twitch. "What did Dofi say?"

The hunter flinched back. "He said you were mute."

Rosinante gave him the most suspicions glare he could. Yeah, this is not something he can leave be. Anything with his brother involved needs to be treated with the upmost care. The boy will share any information they can work with, but there is no chance the boy will share anything sick and traumatic Dofi let spill from his mouth.

After a moment of silence, Rosinante looked off into the distance where he knew Law was. "Time to head for shore."

…

The boys were given simple orders. Check the town, make sure nobody suspects anything is about to go wrong.

Smoker was wearing an aviator's coat instead of his marine jacket. He felt naked. On top of that, he needed to keep the boys in line. Well, Commander DonQuixote's crew was helpful enough. Yeah, the brats were lacking manners, but they made up for it in skill. It was the terror in the strawhat that concerned him. Thankfully, Rosinante took the other two terrors with him- but that was a concern in itself.

The cadet felt uncomfortable leaving the bounty hunters, but what was he going to do? The commander took all his valuables off the ship already. They were planning on ditching the boat soon. It irked the cadet that marines were being forced to live like criminals. At least he was learning the crook's games.

Rosi's boys stayed beside him, and described what they could see with haki. It wasn't easy, but he was starting to understand the theory of observation haki. Things seemed okay till he heard a scream.

"Pirates are coming! The pirates are coming! Everybody run!" A boy's voice was screaming.

Smoker and the boys started running. He charged for the kid hoping that even if he wasn't on active duty, he could save some lives. When Smoker saw the kid running, he stopped. Shachi and Penguin kept running right past him and tackled the boy before shushing him.

The cadet blinked. Oh… They just fought off the bounty hunters in a civilian ship. This kid probably thinks Smoker is the pirate. Bepo stayed and held onto his pant leg, and Luffy slingshot himself toward the other kids. How does he keep this from causing a scene?

An old shopkeeper stepped out and looked at the commotion. Smoker was trying to think of what kind of excuse the commander would use to dispel this. Should he just admit he is an undercover marine?

"Don't mind him. That kid has been crying wolf every morning since his mom got sick." The shop keeper said.

"What?"

The older man shook his head. "Usopp's father set out as a pirate when he was a newborn. The boy is convinced his dad will come back and his mother will get better."

Smoker looked back at the boy staring at Luffy with wide eyes. The sunshine terror was laughing. The other boys looked shocked. Beside him, Bepo was giving the boy a soft look of pity. The marine had to resist his urge to start cussing out all pirates. Instead he just nodded. "Thank you."

…

Ace and Sabo stuck close to Rosinante. The man had a snail in his hand, and he was asking Hatchi to leave his post. The fish man was asked to please go somewhere safer. Rosinante was warning him that they were about to disappear, and wanted to know if Hatchi really wanted to stick with them. "We aren't going through the Grand Line anymore. I don't know where we are going. Fishman Island is too close to Mary Joy and Marine HQ for us to visit right now." He told Hatchi.

"I might stick around the East Blue for a few more months." The Hatchi replied.

Rosi-san blinked. "What?"

"Yeah." The fishman smiled. "I'll protect the East Blue with Bell-san. You can go protect your family."

Ace watched as the man tripped. Rosi-san even blinked back a tear. "Thank you. Thank you so much."

"Go protect your kids. I'm okay." Hatchi said. "I owe these people that much."

"Calick." Rosi-san stowed the snail and rubbed his eyes. "Okay, stay close." He looked back at the boys. "You know how to navigate forests. Right now, we are just staking the place out. The hunter is cornered, and that means he is scared."

"Cornered animals are always the most dangerous." Sabo said.

Rosinante nodded. Then he kept walking. Even without the observation haki, Ace would be able to track them. There was a path of broken branches and blood.

"Why us?" Sabo asked.

Rosinante didn't look back, or even acknowledge his brother's question. Ace wanted to ask the same question.

"We- I messed up the last mission." Sabo said.

The man paused. He turned to face them and sat down. "I can't take you with me."

Ace clenched his fists and looked at his feet. "I know."

The man reached forward and put a hand on each of the boy's shoulders. "You are wonderful kids, and I trust you. I trust you to take care of your family, and I trust you to save Law. Keep fighting, you only messed this up if you give up. Let's fight, save Law, and get you home safe. The East Blue will be a lot more dangerous after word of my presence gets out. You heard what Hatchi said."

Ace looked up into the man's red eyes. He squeezed his fists and tried to hold back the tears. "One day I'll be strong enough to protect you and Law, too! I'll train every day. It's hard to train on that little ship. I'll grow strong with my brothers and Grandpa. Then… Then I'll find you and you can adopt me!"

Rosi-san laughed. He scuffed Ace's hair. "We'll see if you still want that when you grow up."

"It's a test to see if we give up." Sabo crossed his arms. His words caused both his brother and Rosi to look at him. "Let's see which one of us you adopt first." The blond was smiling. "We will help kick your crazy brother's teeth in!"

The man laughed as he stood up. "Let's go and save Law."

…

"What's the plan?" Sabo asked. Law and the bounty hunter were in a broken down house in the middle of the woods. The man rounded them up a good distance away in one of his sound barriers.

"Sabo, you keep watch from a distance." He held out his sea-stone lock pick set. "I only have one of these. Give it to Law, or try to get the cuffs off him yourself."

The man shifted his gaze to Ace. "When I give the signal, grab Law and get out of there. Drag him back here no matter how hard he resists." He put a hand on the boy's shoulder. "I'm trusting you."

Ace gripped his pipe. "You aren't giving us fighting positions. I… I wanted to train."

The tall blond let out a heavy sigh. "You want combat training, fine." He pulled a grenade out of his pocket. "When in doubt, arson."

…

Chapter Text

Sengoku was tired. These days made it feel like the weight of the world rested on his shoulders. Maybe that weight would be easier to manage if he actually had some authority. The man really didn't want his last conversation with his son to be Rosi freaking out about losing his kid.

He put out orders for the marines to keep track of Doflamingo. The madman's stupid pink flamingo ship entered the grand line four days ago. The old marine wasn't surprised when the next report was of Doflamingo being seen in Jia making a mess. He knew about the man being able to fly with his string. This leaves the crew at the start of the grand line to grab Law. Now, he knows that the flamboyant nightmare is just one island over drinking a cocktail.

Sengoku tried to massage the stress lines out of his brow.

He got a warning with his haki. Garp opened his door. The man actually opened his door calmly. That was disturbing. On top of that, the man looked stiff, solemn.

"What's wrong?" Sengoku asked.

"He is demanding to see you." The man's fist was shaking at his side. "I just had the displeasure of meeting our newest warlord. I don't think you want to be in a room alone with him."

Sengoku leaned back in his chair. He thought demanding the man would be there in a week was crazy. Right now, the crook is just mocking him. The Fleet Admiral was not happy. It was bad enough being stuck in a puppet position. He did not want Doflamingo rubbing it in his face. "Send him in."

Garp nodded and stepped out the door. In his moment of silence before the storm, the man prayed for his kid. He couldn't think of a more pitiful position to be in. At least he could tell Doflamingo to his face that he hated him. This was nothing like spending years undercover next to the psycho.

When the door opened again, the flamboyant freak walked in with a wide waddle. Knowing the respect the man demanded, Sengoku chose not to grant the man more than a passing glance. Instead he just kept reading a paper that needed to be signed. "You are early." He said as Garp stepped in and closed the door.

"I'm here for Vergo." The man's shadow was over Sengoku's desk. He decided to sign the paper he already knew he had no choice but to approve.

Sengoku reached for the next paper. "He won't be here till Friday. It's not safe to keep a crooked marine on base. People might get mad and take justice into their own hands."

The jerk sat on his desk. Sengoku looked up with a tired frown. How petty is this man?

"Nice photo." The blond pointed at the framed image on his desk. It was a picture of Rosi and Law. Beside it was one with him and Rosi. "That brat is so hard to handle."

In truth, Sengoku wouldn't know. He never met Law. He had a feeling after what happened in Flevance that the boy wouldn't like him immediately. How Rosi managed to adopt that kid, he would never know. Yeah, there was talk that Law was his biological kid, but Rosi would have told him about it. Right?

Keeping his thoughts to himself. Sengoku crossed his arms. "If you want to talk about family, catch me after work hours. I have paperwork and a navy to run."

"When is the last time you heard you grandson's voice? Would he even know your voice if I called him?" Doflamingo taunted.

Sengoku refused to give an inch. He could see Garp poorly hiding his anger at the door. Maybe he can play this to help Rosi.

Doflamingo pulled out a snail. "Why don't I call him?"

Sengoku didn't stop glaring at Doflamingo. This could actually be a good thing if the boy knows how to send a coded message. If only he knew a way to contact Rosi. Maybe he can find a way to track that cadet, Smoker.

"Do you have backup?" A gruff voice answered. The Fleet Admiral assumed this was the bounty hunter that grabbed Law.

Doflamingo smiled. "Put the kid on the line. There is someone here who wants to talk to him." Then he set the snail on the desk.

Sengoku looked down at the snail. He had a couple options. He could stay silent, say who he was, or just act like he actually knew the brat. Wasn't Law with Rosi those nine vacation months and during the Opi-Opi No Mi drama? "Are you okay, Law."

The snail blinked a couple times. Sengoku held his breath. Then he heard a voice he had never heard before. "Grandpa?" He suddenly heard two taps, just like Rosi gave him to signal it was him and safe to talk during his time undercover. "Still have those crackers on your desk?"

Sengoku smiled. Smart kid here. He knew the code, which means he was listening the entire time. The man knew he would need to talk to his son about security later. "No, they are hiding now. Garp keeps stealing all my snacks."

Law chuckled. His voice was dry and cracked. "He sounds just as annoying as his grandsons."

He could see Garp's glare in the back of the room. The man was two seconds from screaming his way into the conversation. "I couldn't imagine putting up with three of him."

"Hey!"

The snail smirked at him. Then its expression grew hard. "Why can Dofi get away with pulling celestial dragon shit when dad and I can't?"

Well, Law didn't bother waiting to ask the question. Even if he is adopted, that is probably why he is pushing the story of being Rosi's kid. If they can figure out what Dofi knows… that would make him more than a puppet to the world government. Sengoku would give his position over to his son in a heartbeat if it meant the boy would actually be able to make real change. "I wish I knew." He answered the kid honestly.

Doflamingo laughed. "Like anyone would take orders from a half breed wrench!"

Sengoku couldn't keep his eye from twitching. That's a low blow. He is acting like this is just a matter of his blood. Yeah, Rosi could get away with bending some rules, but that was as much the boy knowing the law as his blood. There were warnings the boy got from CP-0. Rosi refused to say anything about his talks with the masked men. Doflamingo didn't seem to have any of those warnings tying him down.

"Hey, Grandpa!" The snail got his attention. "Can you get this bounty hunter in the witness protection program if he lets me go? Right now it's his only chance of getting out alive."

That made the man smirk. The kid is definitely not an idiot. The cracking smack he heard directly after made him flinch though.

"Doflamingo, I'm starting to wonder if this bounty is worth my life." The man said. "I got a reputation on never failing a job."

"He got to say goodbye to his grandpa." Doflamingo stood up. "Kill the kid."

A scream rang through the snail causing Sengoku to close his eyes. Then he heard coughing. That wasn't a pistol firing. What was that? It sounded like static.

A quiet and deep voice Sengoku would know anywhere rang through the snail. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Doflamingo looked like he was going to pop with the veins in his head and neck bulging. "Who's that?"

"Shut up, Dofi." Sengoku wanted to laugh. After all that on him not being able to recognize his grandson's voice, Doflamingo didn't know his own brother's.

"Who dares to…!"

"I said, SILENCE!"

The snail didn't hang up. Instead it started silently mouthing explosions and words in a messed up jumble.

Sengoku managed to keep his joy down to a smirk. Garp on the other hand filled the room with rambunctious laughter. The man was clutching his stomach and crying.

Doflaminog turned to look at him. "Who was that?"

The Fleet Admiral smiled and shrugged. For some reason, this made him feel better about giving Vergo back to the man.

The warlord turned to walk out the door.

"Make sure you get back before the warlord meeting." He told the eleven foot tall menace. Garp was still laughing long after Doflamingo left.

After Dofi was long gone, Garp spoke between his chuckling. The man's face was red. "Remember when Rosi went through that angsty teen faze?" He wheezed and slapped his knee. "The kid put everyone around him on mute for a month!!! Hahaha, Silence!"

Sengoku smiled. He did remember. It was eerie having his entire house on mute. He kept shutting off the silence with haki. That didn't improve Rosi's mood. It just made the kid lock himself in his room. The eerie fact that the silent month started with CP-0 meeting Rosi had rang in his mind. Despite his fear, the man chuckled. "Yeah, I missed my alarm for over a week straight."

His old friend renewed his laughing fit.

…

The silent explosion threw Law out of the man's reach. Ace took the moment to charge in and grab the other kid. He got Law and threw his cuffed wrists over his head for a piggy back ride. He could do this. Ace wasn't going to fail.

He danced around the flames and caught a glance of Rosi-san out of the corner of his eye. The man had flames covering his jacket. As he snapped the room into silence, the fire reflected in the man's red eyes. He looked like a true bat out of hell.

A smile spread across the boy's cheeks as he carried the struggling kid out of the building. He ran out of the smoke into the sunlight where he could see his brother safely out of the blast zone. Sabo had a snail to call for help in one hand, and the lock pick case in his other hand. He could see the relief in his brother's eyes.

A very loud screaming rant of; "Cora-san! You idiot! You set yourself on fire again! Stupid! Idiot! What the hell are you thinking! Take me back, I need to cut that man open for my key!"

Law was actively kicking to get free. Ace realized as the boy ranted on that this was the most he had ever heard the quiet kid talk. Ace had to hold the brat down as Sabo tried to lockpick the cuffs. Law was actively trying to kick the brothers off so he could run towards the flames. The boy wouldn't shut up or listen to reason.

"He is too distressed to think clearly." Sabo said. "I think he is having an anxiety attack like I had earlier." His blond brother smirked at that. Hopefully this makes Sabo feel less broken.

"Get off me you idiots!" Law was actively kicking them.

"It's okay." Ace tried to reason with him. "Your dad is too cool to be hurt by that guy!"

"That fool is capable of tripping over his own feet and breaking his leg!"

The twins tried to calm their friend. Nothing worked. After kicking and screaming, Law started hyperventilating. Sabo gave up and put the lockpicks back in their case. The two had no idea how to help the boy. He screamed out names Ace and Sabo had never heard before. He cried for his mom, dad, and Lami a few times more than the other names. How traumatized is this boy? His anxiety attack was nothing like Sabo's.

After what felt like an eternity, Law's cries were silenced.

A shadow overcame them. Both Ace and Sabo inched back from their crying charge. Rosi-san had blood staining his white pants, hands, and sleeves. Scorch marks and tar from the flames stained both his clothes and skin. There was blood on his face, but unlike Law, this man didn't appear to have any wounds.

Without hesitating, the man dropped to his knees and pulled Law into a hug. The boy clutched onto his dad's shirt and screamed out into the silence. The two held each other close and cried.

Ace tilted his head. He wouldn't let anyone see him cry when he thought Sabo died. He always wanted to be strong. How can you rely on someone who is a crybaby? The boy hated crybabies… Yet, here is his role model, crying out and holding his kid. Law is even more tuff and emotionless then him. Does that mean it is okay to cry sometimes?

He shared a look with Sabo. Even though they couldn't hear a word that was being spoken, it felt like they were intruding on a private moment. Sabo handed Ace his pipe, and the two brothers turned to face away. Ace kept his eyes on the rubble, and Sabo watched the opposite direction. The boy didn't know what he was looking for. He knew the bounty hunter was dead. Even though he didn't have haki, he knew.

Ace glanced back at Rosi-san. Following him will be dangerous, but also traumatic. He needs to learn a lot more to protect his brothers. He needs a lot more strength to be able to rip apart anyone who hurts his family.

The boy looked back at the flames. Maybe he can get grandpa to bring him some explosives next time. Sabo knew some tricks. All their future booby traps must have fire.

…

"I love you. It's okay."

Rosinante had never seen Law cry so hard. Granted, he was also wiping the tear stains from his own eyes. Law was always the stoic one. Even on the Den-den a few minutes ago, the boy was so strong. The man almost laughed at the way the kid's nails were digging holes into his shirt.

Only after his legs were asleep did Rosinante look around properly. Law's shirt was stained by the warm blood on his hands. In a way, he knew that Dofi's blood ran through his veins. Rosinante hated that he felt no regret in the way he tore that man apart. He hated that he was happy to be holding his little heart like this. Law should be repulsed by the monster holding him.

Rosinante reached into one of his top pockets to grab a handkerchief. He cleaned as much blood off his hands as he could. Once his hand was somewhat decent, he reached into his pocket holding that fluffy white hat.

Law was so still leaching to his chest. If he couldn't feel the boy's racing heartbeat, Rosinante would think the kid was a doll, or dead. Only after he placed the hat back were it belonged on Law's head did the boy move. Well, Law didn't move off his lap. The kid's heels dug into his thighs as he stood tall. The boy grabbed the front of his hat, and leaned into Rosinante's chest like it was the only safe place he could be.

Cold metal touched his skin from the holes in his shirt. Rosinante wouldn't have noticed if it weren't for the fact it was seastone.

The man dropped the sound barrier. Law's hiccups were so quiet, it's not like they would be noticed. "Sabo, can I have my lockpicks back?"

"It's seastone. I'm stuck like this." Law's voice cracked.

Sabo handed over the lockpick before quickly turning away again. Rosinante smiled at the boy's manners… or just emotional constipation. He can let Dadan work through that.

With a snap of his fingers, father and son had their privacy again. "Haven't I proven to you that nothing is impossible yet?" The man asked as he grabbed Law's wrist to stabilize his shaking hands. It took less than a minute to get the cuffs off. They were rather simple.

"How?" Law's voice was raspy.

He decided to lighten the mood. "Nothing is impossible with love!"

"Cora-san!" The whine was music to his ears. "Thank you."

The man blinked down at his kid. Then he gently grabbed the boy's cheek so Law would look up at him. He didn't realize how wounded the kid was. Law's dark eyebags were black and blue. There were bruises all over his arms. That doesn't take into account any potential internal bleeding. "Is that glass in your forehead?"

The boy laughed. "We are alive."

The words caused Rosinate to smile. Law was right. They lived to survive another day. That is enough of a win for him.

…

Chapter Text

The walk back was awkward to say the least. Cora-san didn't let Law go. That was a win. He felt safe in the man's bloody arms. Still, that didn't nigate the awkwardness from the twin terrors. Why did Cora-san choose those two to save him? Yeah, they are the strongest, but Shachi, Penguin or Bepo could have pulled him out. Bepo has calmed his anxiety attacks in two timelines!

As Law could finally think, he started to consider everything they needed to do. First comes cleaning his wounds out and ditching the terrors. After that they need to ditch their boat and move to a different blue. He knows the North Blue. That is always an option now that Dofi is in the Grand Line. If they can get a submarine, maybe he can live his dream of traveling the world with Cora-san. Maybe a life on the run won't be that bad.

When they got back to the boat, Cora-san set Law down and pulled out a bucket to start washing the blood off him. Law sat in the corner and starred at the door. Why did he sense the bounty hunting brothers?

James opened the door. He looked back and forth at everyone. "Smoker and the other kids are staying with a family in town. I'm sure washing up in a proper bathroom would be better." He said to the adult. Then his gaze focused on Law. "Thank you. We can wait till you get yourself all healed up. Bepo made a map to the house."

Cora-san nodded in thanks. The man grabbed fresh clothes for both himself and Law. It surprised the boy that he didn't take the feather jacket off. Is it because he didn't want to leave the weapons in it with these hunters? Probably.

Absently, Law realized he was finally the same height as the twins. Maybe he grew up a little during his time alone. That doesn't mean he wants to be separated from Cora-san again.

…

Smoker watched as Garp's youngest grandson chatted with Usopp. Why do these brats look up to pirates? While the marine couldn't blame the boy for looking up to the man who saved him, or the other for loving his father, he could blame the parents. Where was Garp when Luffy almost died and Shanks saved him? Where has Yassop been this kid's whole life? Despite the fact that it has been proven that some women abuse child support and keep a loving father from his child, this man is not that loving father. Smoker wanted to arrest him and force him to pay child support. The smiling woman in bed was too kind to bad mouth her deadbeat of a husband.

The man stayed by the fire place and made sure his cigar smoke went up the chimney. He trusted Commander DonQuixote's boys to keep their observation haki up. His job was to monitor the kids. Really, he could be out saving lives! Thanks to that stupid warlord the marine is trapped on babysitting duty! It is humiliating.

When Bepo, Shachi, and Penguin shot to their feet, the man knew something was happening. The smiles on their faces assured Smoker that it was a good thing. When the door opened up, Smoker saw the commander and three kids. He couldn't make out much more then Law's hat with the way Bepo tackled the kid in a hug.

Luffy shot over to his brothers. After talking to his brothers, the boy tried to join the group hug smothering Law. Smoker widened his eyes when Luffy appeared on the other side of the room laughing. It looked like he switched places with some fire wood. The little terror laughed it off then he dragged Usopp over to his brothers.

Commander Rosinante walked… practically crawled with how low the roof was, over to the bed and sat down on the floor. He was covered in dry blood. "Thank you so much for letting us stay here."

The lady smiled at the man and waved her hand. "Anything for Usopp to spend time with friends."

The commander looked at the boy playing with the terrors. Smoker finally got a look at Law as he walked over to stand next to his dad. The boy was short. "You are sick." He stated.

The woman gave the kid a sad smile. "You don't need to worry about me, boy."

"Room." Smoker widened his eyes at how similar Law's powers were to his father’s. "Scan." He wasn't sure what he was seeing as a green light went over the woman. "Your gallbladder is decompressed and just not working right. You must have had trouble eating for the last year or longer, not to mention pain. Bile is backed up in your liver, kidneys, and stomach. It could even rupture. Without treatment you will probably die." The boy stated. "The operation is simple. Are there no half decent surgeons on this island?"

Smoker had to keep his jaw from dropping. Does this boy have no tact? Despite that, he is brilliant if he can save her just like that… That is on top of the bullet wound he patched up when cuffed and wounded. The man already wanted the kid on his medical team.

The woman looked like she was about to cry. Her smile grew more sad, but never left her face. "Those operations are expensive."

"What about his dad?" The commander asked. He tilted his head towards Usopp.

She smiled and looked out the window. "He is following his dreams on the waves. I married such a brave man. He won't be coming back to get tied down on this old island."

"What?" The blond man blinked.

"Yassop is a pirate!" Luffy yelled. "He is part of Shank's crew"

The commander tried to stand and hit his head on the ceiling. Then he bent down and muttered, "Calm." Smoker could see the man's mouth going a mile a minute. Finally, the man sat down properly again. "Do pirates not believe in child support?" He asked. "I know that law has been used to extort people, but a pirate can't be that broke! Shanks is practically a Yonko! He may actually be one by now!”

The woman frowned and looked at her son. "I don't want to worry Usopp. All he has of his father is stories of a man he can up look to."

"Well that's stu-" Law started.

The boy's dad reached over and grabbed Law's arm. "Calm."

The boy kept making hand signals the cadet knew as advanced sign language. The commander tried to ignore him. "Is there anywhere my son and I can wash up?"

The lady pointed to the door in the corner of the small house. "Thank you." The man said with a smile as he dragged his kid to the wash room. When the door slammed shut, the marine stopped standing at attention. Instead he relaxed and looked out the window. Yeah, he couldn't do more then babysit, but they got the kid back. He will have a lot to do escaping the East Blue.

He expected them to take a while to return from the washroom. Taking a bath with a devil fruit is killer. That, and washing blood off is always a nightmare. It takes a lot of risk to get wet with the fruit. The fact that they are washing up is a testament of trust. Smoker kept one eye trained on the window. The hut was a good distance out of town. He can at least guard the celebrating kids for a moment.

…

Law did not want a bath directly after being freed from those stupid Sea Prism Stone cuffs! Yeah, blood is unsanitary! He knew that! The boy wanted the blood off of him! That doesn't mean he was ready to be bathed like a baby! To make it worse, he didn't have the energy to fight it. At least Cora-san didn't leave him alone.

The teen found himself in his boxers sitting in the tub. Cora-san sat outside and helped scrub the grime off him. In truth, the boy knew he didn't have the energy to clean himself. His dad's size really did make him feel like a baby though. It was nice to have the help. Cora-san was gentle with his wounds. The man found all the injuries quickly. Law didn't think he would be able to wash his hair alone without getting shampoo in the wound on his forehead.

When Law's bath was done, his dad closed the shower curtain to clean himself off. Law finally got a look in the mirror. He assumed it was bad, but now that his skin was all scrubbed clean and pink, the black and blue stood out even more.

"Room." He muttered as he finally got a close look at his forehead. The boy didn't hesitate to poke at it. Yep, that is going to scar. He needs a scalpel.

Noticing the feather coat, Law crawled over to it. He was bundled up in his towel and almost tripped on the oversized cloth. This was really a towel sized for Cora-san. Once he reached the coat, Law started sorting through the pockets. First he found family photos. The next one had matches. It always amazed him how many grenades he found in this coat. Feeling in a different pocket brought him depression.

Law blinked. Why wasn't Cronos waiting in it's hidden compartment below the ship? The boy glanced at the shower curtain before pulling out the blade. Yep, Cora-san is still struggling to wash in a shower half his height. From his silhouette it appeared the man resorted to sitting down so he won’t fall.

With a deep breath, Law properly grabbed the blade. In another world, nothing much had changed. He still couldn't properly open up to his friends. Instead he focused on his hate. The other Law made a list. First was that submarine they were helping the mad scientist with. His next plan was taking down Doflamingo. Somehow, despite training every day, that Law was weaker than him. It is amazing how much haki and a few tips from Cora-san helped him.

Law blinked away tears and noticed his dad bundled up in a towel next to him. The man's hair still had shampoo in it. "Are you okay?" He looked so worried.

The boy didn't look up. "I was looking for a scalpel to get the glass out of my head."

He felt the blade being pulled out of his hands. He watched Cora-san secure the blade before pulling out his short katana from a random pocket. His katana wasn't cursed or anything. It was just a decently made child's training katana. Cora-san got it for him. It was sharpened enough to work for a scalpel. "Thanks."

After patting him on the shoulder, the man returned to the shower. Law took a deep breath and walked over to the sink. He willed away the shaking in his hands. It wasn't his first time operating on himself after all.

…

The boy had his hat down low to cover the scar on his forehead. Maybe he will grow his bangs out like Cora-san to cover it in time. Other than that, the clean clothes were a really nice change. Law felt renewed.

When he emerged back into the crowded room, Law had already decided to save the woman. It would be easier to keep her from talking that way. Best to have these people owe them, and not be left in the debt of strangers.

Something in the room was bothering him. All his concerns were directed at a white haired man sitting by the fire place. Law walked over to the man. "Why are you smoking in the same room as a sick woman? Why are you here? Will you pay for her surgery?"

The white haired man's face flushed as he opened his mouth and almost lost his cigar. Law realized that the man looked a lot younger then the first thought with the white hair. He could see when the man bit his tongue before yelling at him.

"My name is Marine Cadet Smoker. I was assigned to help your father, Commander DonQuixote by Fleet Admiral Sengoku." He said in a restrained tone. "I am here to help protect you."

"Room." Law glared at the man. "And scan." He ignored Smoker's obvious distress. Instead, the boy turned and looked at his crew. He pointed over his shoulder at the marine. "Why did dad agree to traveling with a walking cancer contagion."

Said marine opened and closed his mouth a few times. He had smoke coming off his shoulders. "What did you call me?"

"Room." The kid said. "And shambles."

The marine switched places with a rock outside.

Law then looked at Shachi and nodded. His friend stepped outside. Then he glared at Luffy and his new friend. "If I am going to save your friend's mom, I need you outside."

"Okay!" Luffy laughed as he grabbed Usopp's hand and ran out the door.

Cora-san stepped out of the bathroom with the wet towels. "I'm going to go check the ship if that's okay with you." His dad stated. "I'm not sure if our clothes are salvageable, but we can't leave them here."

Law nodded. Honestly, he didn't want the man to leave again. Despite that, he knew they would need to leave soon. That was precisely why he was deciding to heal the woman now and not rest after digging glass out of his head.

Soon, everyone cleared out except the twin terrors. Penguin and Bepo decided to go with Cora-san. Law could sense something off with the terrors. He didn't have the social energy to give them more than a questioning glare.

"You need a nurse." Ace said.

Sabo looked to the side. "If you have the energy, I'd also like it if you try that other procedure you mentioned."

Law blinked at them. "We don't know anything about side effects of messing with your DNA." He stated. "It's a selfish hobby, and I would need ginny pigs."

Neither brother would look at each other. "We are going home after this." Ace stated. "It's my last chance to learn from you."

"It's also my last chance to try this." Sabo added. "I'm not scared of the risks. Outlook Sabo is dead. I'd rather be Portcas D Sabo."

A smile crossed Law's lips. "I haven't used my powers properly for days. Ace, help me make this surgery as quick and clean as possible, then I'll try what I can with you two."

…

Rosinante found Smoker outside looking flustered. Shachi was practically guarding the door. The man laughed. "Did Law kick you out?"

"I'm not comfortable with this, sir." The teen stated.

He let off a soft chuckle and gave the man a pat on the arm. "I'll talk to him. Don't worry, the boy will warm up to you… You may have to quit smoking for a bit." He added on.

"I thought you were joking!" The cadet looked horrified.

Rosinante started to walk down with the bloody rags under his arm. He tilted his head back. "Think of it as the start of your haki training! You won't be able to use your powers as a crutch!"

He didn't look back to see the teen's reaction. Rosinante knew he would need to teach the young man armament haki as an apology. He hadn't taught the kids that one yet. It should help to appease everyone.

The walk to their ship was peaceful. It was the first time the man could truly enjoy anything since Law got kidnapped. He didn't know how much longer the feather jacket over his shoulders would last. The man hoped that soon he would find a place to retire with his kids and lay low for a few years.

When he got back to the ship, Rosinante dumped his and Law's stained clothes in a bucket with bleach. Yeah, it would take the color out. What matters is the blood stains. He can try to wash it better later.

Oddly enough, the bounty hunters just stayed in their corner. They didn't make a sound, or try in the least to be intrusive. Yeah, his coat could be intimidating to some, but he wasn't going to leave it laying around till he knew they were safe. As far as his height went, the man wished he could change that.

As a peace offering, Rosinante put together a quick meal for the hunters. He wasn't allowed near the stove. Shachi was a better cook anyway. At least he could whip together some simple ramen. As long as he doesn't set himself on fire, everything is fine. Law hates being interrupted when he is in surgery anyway.

The hunters blinked at the food. Their twin looks of confusion and shock had him feeling concerned. "Do you not like ramen?"

James laughed.

His wounded brother answered. "Law said you would probably buy us dinner when we asked if you would kill us."

The man blinked before a soft smile crossed his face. "I guess my kid knows me better than I know myself." He looked between the two. "Thank you for protecting my little heart when I could not."

"In all honestly, sir, I think your son was the one who protected us." James said after sharing a look with his brother.

Jace smiled after taking a bite of his ramen. "You've got a good kid there. He is feisty, but good."

The man busied himself with ship maintenance till the two were done eating. Shachi was standing guard on the house. Penguin was checking the wreckage, and Bepo decided to join Luffy and Usopp after asking for permission. This was probably his best chance.

Once the two hunters were finished eating, he kindly took their bowls and chopsticks. When James offered to help, Rosinante waved him away. Then, he took a seat on the floor in front of the two brothers. The man snapped, enveloping them in silence. "Now, I want to know every single word my psychotic brother traumatized my son with."

…

Law couldn't believe he did it! Not only did he save the woman who was now sleeping with the help Ace's modified sleeping medication; but it worked! He scanned the twins again and again. Every scan read them as related. There was something in Ace's blood he couldn't transfer over. Even with his powers, Law couldn't figure out what the anomaly was. The strangest thing was that Law found it in his blood too. He assumed he would find it in Luffy and Garp if he looked.

"Well, you are as close to fraternal twins as you are going to get." Law said with a tired sigh. "I couldn't transfer what I assume is the D. Other than that, congratulations. The Outlooks have no claim on you… well, maybe the claim of cousins. Welcome to one of the world's most hated bloodlines. A DNA test may not trace perfectly… I think it will stick as your DNA multiplies."

Sabo pulled his brother into the biggest hug. If Law didn't know better, he would think the boy was crying. Ace, he looked emotionally constipated. Law had a feeling he would be grounded if he pulled this on Cora-san. If it could make a D have the free reign of the celestial dragons, it would be worth it.

Someone was banging on the door. Law was tired. He just sat back and let the terrors open it. On the other side of the door was Penguin. He was still wet like he just finished swimming. The boy was dragging Ussop behind him.

"I hope you are done because we need to go!" His friend told them.

Usopp peeked in the doorway. "Is my mom okay?"

Law nodded. "She will need to take it easy for a month. Think you can take care of her?"

The boy nodded.

"Good." Law started walking out the door. "Don't let her lift anything over five pounds for a week. She can't lift over ten pounds the second week, or twenty for a month. Dad left beri under the bathroom sink that should take care of you for some time. If anyone asks, we weren't here. I don’t care where you say the beri came from."

The boy ran in the house as Law and the terror twins followed him out. Once they were a good distance away from the house, Law turned to face his friend. "What's wrong."

"There was someone big and strong looking at the wreckage. He knows how to hide his haki signature! This man is a monster, I don't think he is from the East Blue."

Law started running. "Where is Dad?"

Everyone started running with him. Penguin was out of breath, but Law wasn't going to run any slower. "He is hiding at the tree line with his sniper rifle. Smoker helped him carry the bounty hunters out of the ship. We gave James a pistol to help."

Law nodded.

The four ran till they could see the shore. Before reaching the trees, Law saw the small boat pulling up next to theirs. There was only one man on the boat. He was easily at least twice Cora-san's height. Penguin wasn't joking about calling him a monster. The man had a spotted hat that almost reminded Law of a summer version of his. He also had matching spotted pants and a black shirt.

Even without sensing the man's haki, Law was scared. He just finished 2.5 surgeries. The boy didn't have the energy to fight this man. He didn't have much left to give at all.

When they reached the spot where Cora-san and the others were hiding, the man had already tied his boat to theirs. The monster of a giant stepped off their boat and sat with his legs crossed on the floor in front of both boats.

"What do we do?" Law asked. His dad looked deathly pale.

"He looks like…" The blond man shook his head. "He looks like a friend of mine."

Smoker spoke up. "Does that mean he can help us?"

"Kuma." Rosinante shook his head. "It can't be."

Ace perked up beside Law. "The Kuma you told me about?" The boy almost jumped out of the bush cover to get a better look. Law grabbed the boy by his shirt a little too ruffly. That was definitely just because the kid was a super strong D, not because he knew something about Cora-san that Law did not.

Rosinante set his gun down. "I am going to talk to him. Law, you know what to do if I signal you."

The boy grabbed the man's pant leg when he walked by him. "Be safe."

Cora-san gave him a pat on his hat. "I'm not going to lose you again so quickly. Trust me, Law."

…

Chapter Text

A few weeks ago…

When he got the call from Dragon that Ginny was found, Kuma didn't hesitate. He ran outside and sent himself flying in one fluid motion. The love of his life was alive.

He was the king of the Sorbert Kingdom; a powerful man. Despite that, Kuma never wanted the title. All the man ever wanted was a simple life. If it wasn't for what he was, he would have married the love of his life years ago. Instead, he turned her away every time. His blood was cursed. Kuma couldn't risk Ginny being dragged back into slavery because of him. He didn't want any kids. They would be targeted because of his blood. All he had to offer was a life of risk and potential suffering.

Despite everything he had done to protect her, Ginny got dragged back into slavery anyway. The man didn't even want to think of what she went through. Would this have happened if he had just married her? Maybe he could have indulged in a happy life with her.

When he laid his eyes on her, Kuma still found Ginny to be the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. The doctor was begging to give her a shot that would buy her time. Ginny was refusing because she didn't want to die in a coma. She wanted to see him, and die on her own terms.

Kuma didn't hesitate to pull her into his arms. He finally told the woman how much he loved her. He promised to marry her. Then, Ginny revealed to him the only thing on the face of the earth that could rival her beauty. She had a daughter. Her daughter was untainted by his buccaneer blood. The second he saw her, Kuma loved Bonny as his own.

"Please." The doctor pleaded. "If you take this shot, you have time! The Opi-Opi No Mi can save you!"

"I'm not going to die in a coma hoping for the impossible when I can enjoy a few more moments with my family." Her cold hand pressed against Kuma's cheek. Then he felt her kiss his other cheek. The man couldn't resist the tears fighting to fall.

"It's not hopeless." Dragon's voice chimed in. "I know who has the Opi-Opi No Mi."

"Please." Kuma held her close. "Please Ginny, give me a chance to save you. We can get married and raise our daughter as a family." He kissed her head.

"I always wanted a bunch of kids." Her voice was so weak.

He couldn't believe the words that escaped his mouth. Kuma never wanted to imagine this dream since what happened to his mother. Yet, the words still escaped him. "We can have more kids, as many as you want. I promise, when you wake up you will be in my arms. Bonny will be right there with us. We can get married and start a huge family."

"Okay."

With that one word, the doctor jumped. He got the medication in her vein. Kuma kissed the woman of his dreams as she closed her eyes. He didn't let her go. She had their child in her lap. The buccaneer held both his girls close.

He shared a look with his old friend Dragon. "Where can I find the Opi-Opi No Mi's holder?"

Dragon gave the medic a glare. The man quickly packed up his supplies and ran back to Dragon's ship. After the door slammed shut, the tattooed man looked back and forth. "Last I checked, he was in the East Blue."

Kuma nodded. That wasn't a lot to go by, but it was better than nothing. He may need to leave the girls back in the Sorbert Kingdom till he finds the fruit. They were so beautiful. Kuma could only fathom parting with them to protect them. "Who am I looking for?"

The man wouldn't look Kuma in the eye. "The wielder is a kid who used it to survive white lead disease. His father got the fruit for him. Law may be able to figure out how to save her if you find him soon."

A kid named Law, that's not much to go off of. Kuma tilted his head. Dragon was hiding something. "Who is his father?"

"He is an old friend of mine." Dragon said. "I promise he is not a monster. This man would rather die than become a monster. The only resistance I've ever seen from him is when he was protecting his son."

Kuma blinked. He was never one to judge a book off its cover. Why was Dragon so worried? "Who is this man?" He found himself pulling his girls closer. Could he trust them with this stranger?

Dragon let out a heavy sigh. "DonQuixote Rosinante. His family left Mary Joy when he was a child. The man lives his life to help people. If he doesn't want to help you, mention my deal with him."

A memory of a shy kid whose bangs covered his eyes flashed in Kuma's mind. He hadn't thought of the boy in years. Secretly, Kuma hoped that maybe the boy grew up to help slaves sneak off Mary Joy. A smile crossed the buccaneer's lips. "Rosi-chen?"

Dragon's eyes widened. "Pardon?"

"I had a friend on Mary Joy." Kuma said. "He protected me till his crazy brother started taking his wrath out on me. When he couldn't protect me anymore, he sent me away."

“A celestial dragon who let you use ‘chen’ honorifics?” Dragon laughed. "That sounds like Rosi. His brother is a real piece of work. He put underworld bounties on both Rosi and his son's heads."

The leader of the revolution pulled out some papers. Kuma had to change his grip on Ginny and Bonny. Once he got his hand free, he took the wanted poster. There, staring back at him was the man who visited Dragon with his kid after the Goa Kingdom incident. "Should I check the Gray Terminal?"

Dragon shook his head. "My best lead is an old shack in the forest. You will find a cranky bandit woman there named Dadan. She is a friend of mine. The kid Rosi came to pick up was hers."

Kuma nodded. He couldn't believe how things had changed. As children, he was the slave marred with scars and frown lines. Rosi was a royal above reproach. Now, Kuma is a king, and this man is living on the run. Despite all that, he still needs his old friend's help.

…

Leaving Ginny and Bonny at the church was like tearing off his own arm. Everyone volunteered to take care of his girls. The entire island loved Ginny, Bonny was no different. He knew he needed to leave them. He was running low on time. No matter how brilliant Rosi's kid is, the boy will need to study this strange disease. With how long it took for her to agree, Ginny only has two months minus the three days it took to get here.

With a final kiss to both his girl's foreheads, Kuma walked away. He knew that if he didn't leave now, he never would. Every step away was for his girls.

…

The forest of the Goa Kingdom.

Dadan was quick to react. Kuma knew she wouldn't beat him. She knew it too. Still, she fought him. It took all day for him to talk her down and convince her that he was Rosinante's friend. At first, he was just going to wait for Rosi to come back with the woman's kids. It was a risk he didn't like though.

Instead, Kuma left a note for Rosinante, and a snail with Dadan. It was the least he could do after damaging her hut in the fight. The man only stayed long enough to repair her home. In that time, he asked for parenting advice. Dadan told him that he just needs to try keeping his sanity. That, and to ask Rosi because he apparently has it mastered.

When she let slip ‘Rosi-sempi,’ Kuma promised to have his friend call her to check in eventually. After all, he didn't want his friend to be alone like he was for so long. This woman really cares for his old friend despite knowing what he is, and the dangers that involves.

After a week, he felt Garp's haki approaching. Kuma disappeared in his boat with the Revolutionary Army's snail that picks up navy transmissions. Ginny usually monitored it. His only lead from Dadan was Orange Town.

Before he could dock, Kuma picked up the report of an explosion in Logue Town. After reading his file from Dragon, he learned about Rosi's… affinity for explosives. Soon after he heard a call between his old friend and the fleet admiral. Really, Logue Town does nothing to keep their calls from being tracked. They should do better.

What Kuma focused on was that he was wasting time. Law was kidnapped. He needs to find his friend, and protect his friend’s son. His kingdom is all the way in the South Blue. Maybe just offering housing and keeping it a secret will be enough for them to save Ginny. While Kuma knew his old friend would jump at the chance, it has been a lifetime. If only he knew about the man's plight and could offer protection sooner without asking for something in return.

Kuma kept his haki low. He knew his friend was scared, and would probably run at any strong and unfamiliar haki signatures. Even as a kid, Rosi-chen would curl up and complain about the voices at times. It took years for him to learn that was observation haki. Kuma didn't want to know what kind of a hell the boy heard every day on Merry Joy. His friend often complained about the endless screams.

The buccaneer didn't spend long checking someone’s ship’s rubble. He then saw a kid swimming. He had to be part fishman to swim that well and hold his breath for so long. Dadan mentioned that one of the boys Rosi adopted wasn't human. This was his best lead so far.

He sailed to shore after the kid. It looked like the kid was spooked by him. The buccaneer felt the boy watching. Just for a test, he leaked his haki for a moment. At once the boy fled at double the speed he was swimming before. How would he know haki if Rosi wasn't training him? This was as good a lead as the man thought he could find.

When he reached shore, Kuma couldn't sense any life in the forest. He tied his boat to the fishing boat that was already docked. Funny, most fishing boats don't have a cannon on deck. After a quick check, Kuma was certain this wasn't a normal boat. The room he couldn't fit into smelled like medical supplies. The buccaneer also saw some child's outfits on the floor in the corner. Beside the kids' clothes were some that definitely belonged to an adult.

Trying not to appear threatening, the man stepped off the boat and sat on the sand. There wasn't much else he could do but wait. If he is lucky, his old friend will recognize him.

After a few minutes, a tall blond man stepped out of the tree line. Rosinante was wearing a black feather jacket over his shoulders like a cape. That thing was way too warm for the East Blue. Kuma assumed there were weapons in it, or something of the sort. Despite the jacket, the man had his hands up in surrender.

Kuma didn't say a word. He didn't know what to say. The years showed on his friend. The man looked tired. His red eyes were still hopeful, but his stiff movements were ready for a fight. The man moved till he was five feet in front of Kuma, then sat down mirroring him.

"Is that you, Kuma?" Rosinante asked. "Because last I checked, my friend was dead."

He laughed. "Who told you that?"

Rosi-chen quarked his brow. "I was told my friend was sent to god valley. Nobody survives an event like that."

Kuma lifted his hand and pointed to it. "I made a friend there who had a crazy idea. We decided to steal the prize. I ate the Paw-Paw fruit. With this, I can send someone almost anywhere in the world… anywhere I have been. Pirates attacked, and hundreds of slaves escaped."

His old friend let off a sigh of relief. He leaned back on his palms. "Thank God."

When the man relaxed, small heads started poking out of the bushes. One kid that Kuma assumed was Law just appeared beside Rosi-chen. The man poked his kid. "I didn't tell you to come out of hiding."

"You relaxed." Law stated. "That's enough for me. The plague and hunters are staying in the forest. Now is a good time to talk about why your 'old friend' is here."

Kuma saw Dadan's boys. He recognized them from her photo. He even noticed the kid from earlier in the water. The only kids he didn't know about were the redhead and mink. This is a strange crew for his friend to be traveling with. "I'd rather speak in private."

Rosinante snapped his fingers. Kuma saw the purple sphere cover them. He also noticed that he no longer heard the waves behind him. "I ate the Calm-Calm Fruit. Nobody can hear us." His friend stated.

A smile crossed his lips. He looked back and forth at the sound barrier. "I bet that helps with the voices. Leaving Mary Joy probably helped more than anything else though."

The blond nodded. "You have me convinced on who you are." His kid was giving Kuma a suspicious glare. "Now, how did you find me?"

Kuma took a deep breath before speaking. “My… the love of my life and our daughter are dying.” he looked down. “I am sorry to come here only to ask for help again. If I had known you weren’t on Mary Joy, I would have reached out as a friend years ago. I came here because Dragon-san said this was the best place to find the holder of the Opi-Opi No-Mi.”

“It’s the deadbeat again!” Ace yelled.

Sabo shook his head. “He did save my life.”

Luffy just laughed out loud. “So you know my dad?”

Kuma looked down at the kid with the straw hat and blinked. “Your dad?”

The little kid nodded. “That’s what they say! Never met him. Ace calls him a deadbeat though. My brothers are trying to force Rosi-san to adopt us!”

The buccaneer shook his head. “While I disapprove of Dragon apparently never visiting his children, Rosinante is probably a great father.”

“We have dibs first!” The polar bear mink, and two other boys screamed. Then the bear added, “Sorry.”

Kuma just shook his head with a smile. Then his focus fell on Rosinante. “Dragon must really trust you to leave his kids with you.”

"He didn’t.” Ace announced. “He left us with the shitty geezer. Gramps drops by at random times and chases us through the woods. Dadan never wanted kids, but the geezer threatened that he would arrest her. Rosi-san came to dump info on his brother’s gang to the marines that the freak wouldn’t be able to intercept, and saved my brother, Sabo’s life.”

Kuma looked at the blond boy, then Rosinante. “That was you and Law on the ship that day.” He confirmed what he already knew.

Rosinante nodded. “Ace refuses to give Dragon credit.”

The bear man laughed at that. Despite that, he was shaking and holding his knee where he sat. The man was just trying to appear calm. “Is the underworld broker that same brother that… the one I remember?”

“Yeah, things got worse after you escaped. My parents had had enough and thought giving up our status was the only way to save us. They thought getting away from the other dragons would prevent Dofi from getting worse.” Rosinante said as he closed his eyes. "I think they also did it for me."

“How bad is your brother? I have been mostly working with the Revs to free slaves, and help backwater nations. The North Blue has started getting worse and demanding more attention though.”

Law glared up and answered. “Dofi is crazy. He shot grandpa in the head when he was ten. The mad man almost killed Dad. My old man worked for the marines to take him down, then the jerks in the marines decided to place a buster call on my home when he was out of contact. Then they…” The kid shook his head. “Dad gave everything up to give me the Opi-Opi No Mi.”

Rosinante smiled at his old friend. “You are going to need to talk to Law. It’s his power, and he is free to make his own decisions. As you can see, we have been through a lot. Dofi put bounties on our heads. You don't want to put your family at risk for us."

“Dad.” Law whisked the title. “When you put it like that, I can’t deny him!”

“Law, it’s your choice.” He gave his most caring look.

The kid groaned. “But he is your friend, and you just made me feel guilty! I was going to demand help getting a decent ship to travel in exchange.”

Kuma smiled at the kid. “What are friends for? What kind of ship are you looking for?”

Law smirked at Kuma. The buccaneer had a feeling this might just work out for him. Maybe Bonny can see Law as a cousin of sorts. There aren't enough kids back home for her to play with.

…

Watching the fishing boat go up in flames was strange for Law. He never thought much of it. It was a means of escape after ditching Dofi's old life boat. When they got the boat, Law was more worried about getting his crew out alive. He was caught between two worlds, hardly believing Cora-san was really alive.

In the coming days, the boat was a means of survival. Every night he woke up in the silence of that unnamed boat, Law was reminded Cora-san was alive. You only name a boat if you want it to be traced. You don't name an escape raft. You name a home. Despite that, the small boat did become a home to him.

Law looked around at everyone paying respects to the ship. Kuma is an unknown, and casts a large shadow. That said, he provides them with a hope for a new day. The man really showed up when they needed him most.

The trio of terroir wasn't as bad as they were… Well, the little one never improved. At least the other two grew up a little. Maybe one day they can help fight Doflamingo. That doesn't mean Law has any intent to make it easy for them.

The bounty hunters… he would be stuck with them for now. It looks like Smoker is planning to take at least one of them back to Marine HQ with him. When he thought they couldn't get worse, the idiots are now joining the marines.

Out of everyone, Smoker was the one Law trusted the least. Only the assurance that he wouldn't be a permanent fixture in the family kept the boy from objecting. He didn't need a babysitter. If he needed one, he didn't want the nicotine addict.

Shachi stood beside his cousin with tears in his eyes. He really was a go-getter. The boy would never be as good as his younger cousin at fishman karate, because he was completely human. Despite that, he trained. In both timelines the boy did things he didn't love with a smile to encourage those around him. Did the other Law ever find this friend's passion? Did the boy ever find anything for himself, or just help everyone else? In that other world, did he even have the heart to be a good captain?

Penguin was crying on his cousin's shoulder. The teen was so much stronger here. Yeah, he wasn't as strong as the terrors, but those boys are monsters. Even Hatchi, a fishman talked about his friend's speed. Law smiled knowing that Penguin would be happy in the South Blue. They were all missing the colder waters of the north. His friend was part arctic fishman after all.

The one who would probably love the cold of the south the most is Bepo. Law could already see the bear blinking up at the buccaneer. Bepo already asked Law if Kuma was another bear. His best friend is too good for this world. Law decided that he would reunite him with his brother sooner this time. In that other world, Law feared Bepo would leave him for Zepo and the minks. The fear didn't leave, but he won't be alone if that happens. He needed to stop being so selfish.

Surprisingly, Cora-san only shed a couple tears for the ship. Law saw a soft smile in his dad's eyes as the man mouthed a silent "Thank you." Would he ever have considered calling the man dad in another world? No. That would just be admitting he lost another father.

Cora-san's influence had truly changed Law. In that other world, he wouldn't have healed Usopp's mom for nothing in return. He definitely wouldn't have let anyone leave gold for them. More than that, Law would have probably tried to kill the bounty hunters and escaped alone. Maybe he would have helped the one who defended him… in truth, he didn't know. The boy had seen the change in all his friends. Only now did he properly look back to see it in himself too. Cronos doesn't show him himself anymore, but a completely different person.

The boy pulled the brim of his spotted hat down to cover his eyes. Instead of crying like his friends, he laughed. Law laughed as a tear fell from his eyes. He laughed as he felt himself get enveloped into a bubble of silence. Law laughed because he was alive. He yelled out a thank you to his first real home since Flevance.

The unnamed ship deserved the viking funeral it was given. Law watched as it burned during sunset. Soon, all that remains would be hidden under the water where Dofi can't find it. Cora-san knew how to burn things right. The sentimental fool kept a piece of the ship, the wheel. This ship did bring the best turn to their life.

Before turning away to face the next step, Law made a silent promise. Yes, he would spend some time in the Sherbert Kingdom, but that would never be his home. This old fishing boat taught him that his home would always be at sea. Maybe his parents saw this coming. They named him Water Law after all.

…

Chapter Text

Dadan was sitting on her front porch with a beer. Waiting on the table was a box of cigars, and a box with holes in the top. Garp’s training made her crave her old addiction. The other box made her hesitate. Hiding in the box was a transponder snail with a spotted hat. The woman didn’t know why she trusted Kuma. Maybe it was his tragic love story. Maybe it was the way he described young Rosi-sempi. Maybe it was the fact his voice was somehow softer than her angel’s. Maybe it was his stupid spotted hat. It may even have been that while she was called a bear of a woman, this man had actual bear ears! She was probably just vulnerable because he promised he would have Rosi-sempi call her.

What irked her was that as much as the cigar tempted her, Law and by default his dad would be disappointed. Smoking was bad for her. It was bad for her boys. She wanted to be the mother her angel thought she was.

That is when she saw something flying through the sky. It crashed the same place Kuma defeated her. Then, in his victory the man got on his knees and begged. He took his hat off, and bowed his head to the ground. Even in her exhausted state, she could have harmed him. That wasn’t the stance of an enemy. Then the bear offered to help fix her house. Over the course of the week, he told her about everything, from slavery, to Dragon, to his bride. Despite understanding he definitely knew her old friend Dragon, she didn’t tell him about Luffy. She wouldn’t risk any of her children again.

Every day she saw the man grow more desperate. She knew he was a good and strong man. Right now, Rosi-sempi could use a friend like that. Every day she would see the man growing more desperate for his wife’s safety. Dadan broke and told him what she knew.

A second silent but large and strange bird flew through the air.

Dadan blinked. That looked like when Kuma left. She decided to use her observation haki. A third was flying in a giant paw…

“Shit!” The woman jumped to her feet and started running to the clearing. There she found Luffy laughing. He was pointing at Sabo who landed in the mud. The boy was trying to clean dirt off his stupid neck handkerchief thing. Ace stood tall with his pipe by his side.

The woman blinked at her boys. She didn’t know whether to yell at them or embrace them. Well… she wasn’t much of a hugger. Instead she walked up and offered Sabo a hand up from the mud.

“I’ll prepare a bath for you.” She told her brat.

Sabo blinked up at her. “Did you hit your head now too?”

Dadan stepped back and crossed her arms. “I was making sure you are okay first, brat!”

Ace’s brow crunched. “I think she is trying to be loving like Rosi-san was getting Law back.”

Sabo rubbed his eyes. Then he blinked up at her. His jaw dropped open.

Dadan turned her head up and to the side to hide her embarrassed flush. Was this really that out of character for her? “What is this about getting Law back?”

She felt a hand pull at her pant leg. Dadan looked down to see Ace. The boy surprisingly spread out his arms for a hug. “I thought you hated that mushy stuff.” She stated.

The boy looked down. “Quickly before I change my mind. It can’t be that stupid if Rosi-san does it.”

Dadan dropped to her knees in the dirt and hugged her first and oldest kid. Was the last time she held him like this when he was a baby? She was so ill equipped to take in a newborn. Maybe she didn’t completely mess Ace up.

A few moments later, Dadan felt Luffy catapult into her. “You finally learned to aim, brat.” He almost knocked her over.

Dadan glanced over her shoulder to see the smiling face of her youngest and second child. The brat was laughing as his arms continued to wrap around her like a anaconda. The laughing child always loved hugs. Dadan was never affectionate enough for him. She didn’t have the energy to keep up with the boy.

Then beside Ace another set of arms wrapped around her. Dadan almost screamed and shrieked back at the feeling of cold wet and muddy arms. “You brat!”

Dadan loosened her grip. The blond was giving her the same mischievous grin from when they first met and he farted at her. Yeah, he is older. The boy is taller, his hair is longer, a burn scar covers half his face, and a different tooth is missing. This muddy brat is her boy. Rosi-sempi may have returned her last son that day, but that was just a broken shell of the spitfire he once was. Now, her angel somehow made her boys whole.

Dadan looked down at the mud covering her. Then she rolled her eyes and pulled her brats into a proper hug. With Sabo in the middle, now all the brats need a bath.

“Okay, you little rascals! That's enough mushy stuff.” She started marching towards the river. The gang finished a damn Rosi-sempi designed to get fresh wash water without gators randomly trying to eat them. “Fresh bath, ha! I’m not letting you muddy animals in my newly remodeled hut! Looks like we are all going for a swim!”

As predicted, Luffy started trying to wrangle his way out of her arms first. When the little rubber brat started to cheat with his powers, Dadan used her weak knowledge of armament haki.

Sabo’s eyes widened. “Is that haki?”

“What?” Ace asked.

The blond smiled. “While you were kissing up to our future dad and Law, I got Shachi and Penguin to teach me some tricks!”

Dadan rolled her eyes. There was no reason for the woman to be jealous. She could see the water now. She was about to toss the two older ones in when Ace yelled; “Wait! Rosi-san’s letter!”

The bandit froze. She blinked at Ace. “What?”

Ace struggled to find his way out of her arms. Dadan let him go. The boy dramatically flipped out of her arms. After landing on his feet, Ace pulled a yellow folder out of his shirt. Sabo slipped out of her arm after. The only one she was really worried about skipping out on a bath was Luffy.

Ace pulled the yellow pamphlet out of his shirt. Sabo got a second one from his jacket. The blond stepped forward first. “This letter is an apology from Rosi-san. He wanted to deliver us home himself, but Kuma’s wife doesn’t have much time left. He promised to call in the next week or so. Written here are code words, as he needs to be careful on even an encrypted line like this one.”

With Luffy still held in her left arm, Dadan reached out with her right hand. Sabo pulled the paper back last second. “What about my papers?”

The woman huffed out air in frustration. She put her hand on her hip. “Garp filled it. Rosi didn’t make you twins as Portcas D Ace and Sabo, but Curly Ace and Sabo. Legally, I’m your mom. He said it’s best to hide the D till you're older, even if you get mad about it.”

To her surprise, Ace nodded in agreement. “I’ll be strong enough to share my real name when I’m strong enough to protect Rosi-san and Law. Then he can adopt me!” The boy handed over a letter addressed to Garp.

Sabo rolled his eyes. “It would be easier for us if the old hag was better at seducing him.”

The woman felt her face flush. “What did you say!!!”

Sabo set his letter on top of Ace’s.

“If you could just win him over, then we would all win.” He crossed his arms and closed his eyes. His silly pipe was resting under his arm. “We would have the dad we want, and you would have a man way out of your league!”

The woman grit her teeth. Without thinking she dropped Luffy and grabbed Sabo by the collar. Without hesitating she threw the muddy child into the water.

A moment later she felt a weight slam into her back, knocking the woman in the water. She was unprepared for the cold water. Kicking up, she broke the surface and got air in her lungs.

Twin smiles were a few feet away laughing at her. Dadan smiled and dunked them both at once. The splashing game that ensued was ridiculous.

It was… fun.

During their entire dunking and splashing game, Luffy laughed on the shore line. After he inevitably fell in, Ace rushed right over. Dadan heard Rosi-sempi mention that baths were difficult with a fruit’s powers. She didn’t expect Ace’s sudden gentle care washing his younger brother’s hair.

When asked, Dadan ran to the hut. She quickly changed into dry clothes then she grabbed fresh clothes and towels for all the boys. By the time she returned, they already hung their clothes out to dry. It seemed impossible. Part of her was sure these polite actions wouldn’t last. Even if it’s just for today, Dadan would enjoy it.

After getting dressed, the trio rushed out on her to catch dinner.

Everything was back to normal- but it wasn’t. In the past she only checked on the boys if they disappeared too long. Now she can just check with observation haki. When was the last time she acted like a kid and splashed around in the water? Maybe she was actually starting to do something right by those boys.

When she reached the porch, Dadan saw the box with the snail, and her box of cigars. The woman grabbed both boxes. She took the snail in the kitchen and gave it some food. As for the cigars, she threw them on a pile to be bartered off at gray terminal.

Dadan slipped the letters written in perfect swirly cursive in her nightstand. She got her boys back today. It’s time to celebrate. These letters can be uplifting in the morning when life goes on. Anything for the marines is probably too dangerous for her eyes anyway. The woman knew to stay in her place.

…

Ace looked out on the horizon as his brothers ran ahead. This is the very spot he vowed to set off at seventeen when he thought Sabo was dead. So much has changed since then. He felt like a completely different person then the boy who vowed to himself that he would never cry again.

“Ace?” Sabo and Luffy came up behind him.

The oldest twirled his pipe and jammed it into the dirt. “Since I left the island and broke the last one, I’m going to make a new pledge today!”

“What?” Sabo looked confused.

Luffy laughed. “When you were dead we promised to set out as pirates at seventeen!”

Sabo blinked. “Really?”

“I’m still setting off on my seventeenth birthday.” Ace stated. “I’ll live a life of no regrets! I’ll set the world ablaze! Nobody will remember me as Gol D Rodger’s son because Rosi-san will adopt me! I’ll spit in the face of everyone who says people like me shouldn’t exist. People should be judged by their actions, not their blood. I’ll be strong enough to protect everyone I love. Before then, I’ll get Gramps to teach me haki.”

Sabo walked up and stuck his pipe in the dirt next to Ace’s. “I’m hijacking your birthday because we are twins now.” He stated. “On that day I’ll sail out and write a book about all my travels. Nojico already agreed to join my crew. I want a book to inspire hopeless young nobles that isn‘t depressing like Noland the Liar. Every story will be mapped and true. My first book will end with me beating up Doflamingo and getting adopted by Rosi-san before my brother!”

“Hey!” Ace got in his brother’s face. “What was that last part?”

Luffy ran between his two brothers and stuck his pipe in the dirt at the edge of the cliff. “I’m going to be THE KING OF THE PIRATES!!!”

The twins smiled.

The brothers left their pipes there. They could always find new pipes in Gray Terminal. They knew the value in keeping their heads down now. It was all new faces there anyway after the fire. Still, the trio played it safe. At least, the older two knew how to play it safe now.

The brothers weren’t ready to face the world yet. Ace had manners to learn. Sabo had trauma to face. Perhaps Luffy had the most growing up to do. One thing was for sure though: when the time comes, the world won’t be ready for them.

Ace also had a new motto if things went wrong: when in doubt- arson!
This made Sabo face his trauma very quickly.

…

East Blue Arc: END
Next Chapter: South Blue, part I
Two years till the Dressrosa incident.

Chapter Text

Law’s first thought when he crashed was that he liked the weather. It was like home. It was cold. Bepo wouldn’t need to worry about heat stroke. Penguin was… well part artic fishman. Shachi grew up in this weather like him. The only one rubbing his arms was Cora-san. The man wanted to hide his signature feather jacket if they planned to stay for a long time.

Out of the tagalongs, the marine cancer cell seemed the most chill with the weather. They couldn’t just leave the hunters after the men knew where they were going. As such, the traveling party was large. The first thing Law needed to check was how much damage his stupid patient took. It appeared Ace did a good job cleaning his wounds.

Law felt well rested after his three day flight. He would probably be able to completely heal the bounty hunter without exhausting himself, but he had a priority order. First he needed to go to the luggage pile and grab his dad’s green sweatshirt. After that would check on the queen. He really needs to know how bad off she is before worrying about Jace.

Law dug through his and Cora-san’s bag. When did he get so much clothes? With how much smaller his outfits were, why did his stiff take up half the bag? He grew out of half these outfits! And... hadn’t ever seen some of them.

When he found the obnoxiously bright sweater, Law didn’t hesitate to grab it. While everyone else was getting their bearings on the land, Law was focused on his people. The boy kept his crew in the corner of his eye. Anywhere a threat could appear in the blink of an eye.

Cora-san was looking around with wide eyes. Law had to pull on his pant leg for the man to notice him. Strange. Something must be off. Why is the man so distracted? Is he sick?

Only after the man put on his sweater did Law look around. Oh… they were in front of a church. Last time Law was going to a church was Flevance. He was promised protection by the sister. Instead he found dead bodies to hide under. Maybe she did protect him in a sad and morbid way.

When Kuma’s shadow covered both father and son, Law wondered how such a large man could be so quiet. “Don’t worry, Rosi-chen.” Kuma said. “We don’t worship celestial dragons here.”

Law bit his lip. Any other religion was modified or banned by the world government. While he wanted to learn more, he was scared. Would Kuma be enough to protect Cora-san if people learn what he is?

Law shook his head and stood up. He needs to make sure he can protect those he loves. “Where is my patent?”

Kuma’s face grew solemn, but grateful. After a quick nod, the group split up. Law and his dad went with Kuma. Everyone else went to a house the king had prepared for them. Apparently, nobody expected so many people. That wasn’t a surprise.

The two followed Kuma into the church. An old woman gave the bear man a small baby. His face lit up with pure joy. Law felt something off in his gut when he first saw the child. He wanted to scan her. Apparently, nobody else noticed something wrong. The doctor chose to face one problem at a time.

Law let Cora-san carry him when they reached the steps to the basement. Strange. On what kind of island did the king live in a rundown church?

In a dark room with only the faintest candlelight lay a woman on a bead. She had the nicest flowers surrounding her. The bed was the only royal looking thing in the whole church. Law blinked as he took in the strangest thing about her. She was almost completely encased in blue diamonds of some sort. Her pink hair was the only thing about her that didn't look frozen in death.

The boy jumped down from Cora-san's shoulder and ran over to the woman. She was breathing, and her hand that wasn't encased in diamond had a pulse. It was impossible. "What happened?" Law didn't bother looking back as he kept checking over his patent. "Don't leave anything out."

"Um…" Law glanced back to see Kuma having a silent conversation with his dad. The man seems to be the type to protect kids from hard truths. Right now, that is really stupid. It also means the man will probably get queasy about Law cutting the woman up. He doesn't have time to let whatever this is spread if he wants to save her.

Only after Law reached for his blade did he hear the man speak. "I'll tell you everything."

…

Jimbe was wondering why most warlords chose to skip majority of warlord meetings. As he wanted to improve fishman and human relations, being present was vital to his cause. Now was more important than ever after getting Arlong released. Has it already been a full year?

The pirate drummed his webbed fingers against the table. He couldn't get Arlong off his mind. The other was like a brother to him, but he knew the man's morals. He feared that he had sentenced many to death by freeing Arlong. That was going to be Jiembay's last gift to his old crewmate. It didn't mean the unknown didn't tear him up inside. Things on fishman island were worse than before. The last thing he needed was Arlong showing up to spew more rhetoric against Queen Otohemi.

Five minutes till the meeting. Jiembay glanced around the table again. Moria was there, but he was threatening to leave if he wouldn't be given the last warlord's body. The only sanity at the table seemed to be the silent Dracule Mehawk. What was the point of these meetings if nobody attended? Shouldn't at least the Queen of Amazon Lilly be worried about diplomatic relations?

Sengoku stepped in and smiled.

"What is the meaning for you calling us here?" Mehawk sounded bored.

The Fleet Admiral feigned ignorance. Jimbe saw that smirk the man rarely had on his lips. He knew something was going on as the marine shrugged.

"It's rather usual to host a meeting for a new warlord so quickly." The swordsman said as he poured himself some wine. "I've also never heard of someone currently outside the Grand Line getting summoned before returning. I hope the reason is amusing." He sipped his wine after speaking.

Jimbe raised his brow. Mehawk just spelled out everything unusual about this situation. Jimbe knew the new warlord's name was familiar, but he didn't have time to research it. Who was he again?

Sengoku shrugged. "It doesn't matter if he misses his first meeting." The man proceeded to pull out the largest file Jimbe had ever seen. Were they going to have a real meeting?

"Oh, wouldn't you love that." A posh and arrogant voice spoke from the window behind Jimbe. The fishman watched as the Fleet Admiral's smile disappeared into a frown.

Sengoku quickly regained his normal composure. Jimbe couldn't get much from that flat expression. "Doflamingo, you are late."

"Check your clock." A man in a flamboyant pink coat walked in the room. Jimbe looked at the clock at the wall to see the minute and hand shaking just before the hour, like it was being held back. As a matter of fact, the second hand wasn't moving either. "Providence wanted me to be here."

The fishman took a deep breath. Okay, the fleet admiral doesn't like this man. That makes sense with all the hoops he made him jump through. If Sengoku isn't going to make a peaceful start for this meeting, then he is probably the only option. Jimbe stood up and turned to face the new warlord. He found himself looking up at a tall blond with an overpriced suit under his feathery jacket. Something was eerie about the way he hid his eyes. The Captain pushed down all the uncanny feelings to stand tall and face his new somewhat coworker. They were equals under the law after all.

The new warlord walked right by him like he didn't exist. "Who ordered the shark fin soup?"

Jimbe felt his lungs go dry. He didn't know what to say. Never had he heard someone say anything like that. Yeah, there were looks and quiet comments about what he was. Being called the dinner special was something entirely different.

Jimbe took a deep breath and dropped his hand. He clutched his palm into a fist as it started to shake. When the pirate looked over his shoulder at the Fleet Admiral, he felt a sudden kinship. A line was forming down the center of the room. The fisherman couldn't believe he was on the fleet admiral's side.

The pompous new addition was encroaching on Mehawk's space. "I do like your eyes." He told the silent warlord.

Suddenly, Mehawk pulled the small dagger out of his necklace and cut something above his head. There was a glint in the swordsman's eyes that almost flashed red from his calm golden gaze. "I am nobody's puppet."

Jimbe went back to his seat beside Mehawk. He felt safe between the swordsman and Fleet Admiral. With the political state of Fishman Island, he had to be very careful with his actions right now.

Doflamingo sat back in the farthest chair from Sengoku. He lounged back like he owned the place. Jimbe had to resist biting his tongue. It looked like the Marine was already biting his tongue. "Let's get this show on the road." Doflamingo said. "Do you actually have anything in that folder for me?"

Jimbe blinked up to see the usual loud mouth, Moria, taking a seat silently. It was apparent to even the most rambunctious pirate there, this wasn't their meeting. Everyone else was just spectating. At least Mehawk seemed amused.

Sengoku pulled out reading glasses the warlord had never seen before. "Once a year, I am supposed to read all the legal parameters to the warlords." The man patted his hand against the huge folder. "Including every amendment."

Moria's eye flinched. "That isn't this meeting!"

Doflamingo leaned forward. "Are you the one who needs to read this."

A smirk crossed Sengoku's face. "A good leader takes the chance to enjoy the good old paperwork sometimes. I thought you deserved the full treatment and respect as a new warlord. Wouldn't you prefer me reading this to you over being stuck reading your own copy?"

Jimbe resisted his flinch. He fell asleep on the tenth page. That book was completely forgotten beside his bed after many tries to read through. He didn't even recognize Sengoku's much larger copy.

A vein popped in Doflamingo's brow. "Did you get this trick from Law?" He was digging his nails into the table.

Law? Why was that said like a name? Jimbe knew he was just missing something.

Sengoku leaned forward with his hands against the table. "Stop giving my grandson all the credit for his tricks. He probably learned most of his tricks from Rosi, who learned from me." Then he smiled wider. "Now, let's see if these books put you to sleep too."

He saw Mehawk bite back a chuckle from the corner of his eye. The man quickly covered his smile with his wine. Moria was already sleeping on the table. It may be the most chaotic warlord meeting Jimbe had ever seen. The fishman warlord poured himself a drink. To his surprise, Mihawk held out his glass for a silent cheers.

The next one to fall asleep was Mihawk. The man was eight glasses of wine in. It took him a solid three hours. It wasn't the monotonous drawl from Sengoku's mouth keeping them awake. No, there was a silent war of tells running back and forth. Jimbe had more and more questions as the hours rang on. At some point, he must have fallen asleep too.

The fishman woke up to the ringing of a snail. He saw Mihawk jump too. Moria kept snoring. From what he could tell, Sengoku and Doflamingo hadn't flinched. It had been six hours since the meeting began.

The new warlord smiled as he pulled the snail from his pocket. "Don't stop on my account." He said as he answered the snail.

"Boss…" The snail looked worried.

"Yes?" Doflamingo's inhuman smile seemed to grow.

"We… We can't find anything." The snail answered.

Another vein popped in the man's head. Jimbe started wondering if the man would just pop like a balloon. He didn't seem quite human.

"Nothing?" His tone sent a chill down the warlord's spine. Mehawk seemed to tense too.

"The only hint we've seen on the island we can't follow without your permission. Nobody saw or heard anything from when the bounty hunter's ship was leveled. All we got is some reports of fireworks, and the kid of a Yonko's crewmember. Do… Do you want me to interrogate the kid?" The snail asked.

Doflamingo leaned forward. "Which Yonko?"

"Shank's snipper." The snail answered. "We've got evidence, and it looks like he sends part of his treasure home regularly. Brat called it child support."

Mihawk's hand was inching forward for another drink.

Doflamingo's grip cracked the snail's receiver. "You mean to tell me that all you could find is a ticking time bomb? You are hunting my special needs idiot brother, not a professional!"

Jimbe felt sick. Yep, this man could get worse. Mihawk was right in reaching for another glass. Actually, maybe he should start skipping most of these meetings. He can stick around and ask Sengoku which ones are important after this. The man suddenly seems rather approachable.

A chuckle broke Jimbe's concentration. He looked over to see Sengoku hiding his smile with a rice cracker. Something about that seemed to make the new warlord even more furious.

"Young master?" The snail seemed worried.

Doflamingo let out a deep breath. "Let him go for now. I'll catch him myself. My brother is a professional marine who specializes in undercover work after all. I doubt the man cut corners. Vergo and I will stop in the filing room after the meeting. He's actually already in there waiting for me. I'm sure we'll have everything soon."

Jimbe squinted. How could this man be a warlord if the marines are obviously still investigating him? Did he kidnap Sengoku's grandson to gain the position? That's… terrifying.

"Please don't move anything without properly checking it out. Don't bother trying to return anything to the shelf yourself." Sengoku said calmly as he pat the book. "You know, your status can be revoked for messing up that room. It took Rosi three years to sort it for the system we have right now. It's really brilliant! He didn't get the chance to introduce it to any other bases before his undercover missions started. Vergo will probably need your help. I’m sure a mind like yours will understand our system easily.”

Doflamingo hung up his snail. He stood up and walked across the table till he was looking down at the Fleet Admiral. "You are just a puppet on a string! Don't get too high and mighty."

Jimbe blinked. Did he just call the Fleet Admiral a puppet? This man is the marine's highest authority! Right?

"You may be right." Sengoku agreed without flinching back. He calmly looked up at Doflamingo. Then he added; "But, even as a puppet, I can pull the loose strings. One of these days, that might be enough to help knock you off your web. I chose my side over twenty years ago."

"Thief." Doflamingo said as he turned around and walked back to his seat.

Sengoku smiled. "I forgot my place. Guess I need to start back at the beginning." He opened dreaded legal book.

"Doflamingo!" Moria yelled.

Jimbe didn't know if he should bother trying to stay awake as long this time. By the time the first page was flipped, Mihawk was already dosing with his arms crossed. Jimbe had a feeling he would be stuck here for a week if Sengoku could make that happen.

…

It was a miracle.

Rosinante left Law with a promise that he would be back to give the kid a snail within three hours. He knew better than to keep the boy waiting. He didn't want to think of what the boy would do if he felt abandoned and alone after everything.

His old friend Kuma helped the man carry all Law's heavy medical books down to the boy. He knew that the man could just send the books over with his power, but his friend chose to go back and forth slowly. He seemed extra cautious since Law gave the short order to keep Bonny out of the sun too.

Since he knew the boy was distracted, the man set the snail right in front of the boy's face, and snapped his fingers till Law acknowledged it. Once he realized that everything was flying around in Law's domain as he tried to identify what the ailment was, the man stepped out.

Rosinante walked over to Kuma by the stairs. He gave his friend a pat on the arm. "Let's go check on the others."

"Are you sure you want to leave him?" Kuma asked.

The blond laughed. "He won't even notice if we are here or gone while he is working. I'll just need to come back at dinner time to force him to eat. If Law has it his way, nobody will see him till he solves the problem."

"Is that okay?" Kuma raised his brow. "I don't want him overworking himself."

Rosinante just started walking up the stairs. "I did the same thing when I was his age. I'm just lucky he hasn't decided to force me out of his room yet. I know I put my dad on mute all the time."

“You will need to tell me about that sometime.” Kuma spoke with a soft smile.

The blond man smiled before he missed a step and tripped. Rosinante crashed face first into an old and decrepit filing cabinet. He felt so ridiculous! Wasn’t he getting better with the clumsiness? Now there were old yellow faded papers all over the floor. It looked like he knocked at least one broken book down.

Both men kneeled down to pick up the papers. “I’m so sorry Kuma I…” The man stilled. He was staring at the paper in his hands. Rosinante felt like he just lost his stomach. The room was spinning, and he was going to be sick.

“Can you read it?” Kuma asked. “It’s an ancient text. We keep it, but only a small part about Joyboy has been translated.”

Rosi's hand started shaking. “You…” He shook his head and snapped his fingers. Silence protected them from anyone who may be listening, though the two were alone. “If anyone knew this was here, you would meet the same fate as Ohara. I can’t read all of it… but I could. We had some older texts at Marine HQ in this language. It’s not as ancient as the Ponyglyphs. I can read some names easily but… If...”

The buccaneer nodded. “My race was wiped out. I understand the danger.”

“Do you mind if I study it?” The blond couldn’t believe the words spilling from his lips. “Some of these… I’m already privy to one of these secrets. I know you will want to send this to the Revs since you are friends with Dragon.”

“Is it that bad?”

The man’s pale smile was enough of an answer. He was shaking. “Can we please go over the contents of this in private before…”

“My priorities right now are Ginny and Bonny. I don’t want them to meet the same fate my mother had. I could care less about the revolution right now. If it is that dangerous, then we should just seal it away again.” Kuma told him. “I don’t want to know… but, can you get away with studying this?”

Rosinante shrugged. “I’m already a dead man. This may help me protect the will of D.”

“D?” Kuma shook his head. “Like Dragon?”

The man nodded. “And Law.”

…

Chapter Text

Smoker wasn’t sure what to think anymore. The island was just wrong. He couldn’t put his finger on it. Everyone on the island was happy, happier than he had ever seen. What disturbed him was the lack of young people and industry. For a recognized kingdom, there were really only enough people here for a small town. How was this a full kingdom?

The marine was given the chance to stop on the way the island with Kuma. He wanted to file some overdue paperwork for himself. Some of the paperwork was personal for him, some was written by the commander. The man wanted marine insurance that nobody who helped them would be harmed when the enemy would soon come after them. He also had a plan to help someone himself. It’s not like he really needed his funds. Work provided food. The man wanted to stay with the marines for years. It was his goal in life, not a job to him.

Being in the nearby town as a baseline for the south with a marine base just amplified everything Smoker knew was wrong with the Sherbert kingdom. Kuma was the only fighter, and the man’s island had no real defense system. The kingdom didn’t have proper industry, but there weren’t youth on the island to work either. The cadet wasn’t sure how he could ask what kind of tragedy fell on the kingdom that was housing him. He really wanted to ask a marine he could trust.

When he got back, Smoker went to his room. It was too nice, and too large. The castle just felt strange to him. Everyone got their own room, but the kids chose to crash in the commander’s room. That is when he found out that the king didn’t even live in the castle, but in the rundown church! Also, it appears Law spent the night there.

The commander asked if it would be a bother to stay somewhere other than the castle. At that request he was offered any abandoned house he wanted. Yeah, something terrible definitely happened here. There don’t seem to be future plans beyond those left here enjoying what is left of their lives.

People were quick to offer suggestions on where to live. The commander seemed off, tired, and flustered from the people here. When he blinked at the people in silence, his boys were quick to ask if they could choose the place. A look of pure look of relief fell fell on the blond’s face.

“Of course!" The man smiled.

That was an easy way to get out of sleeping in the castle. Why is he so uncomfortable with this place? Smoker found everything strange.

In the end, the kids ignored all the beautiful places suggested, and chose a small hut by the ocean. It wasn’t large enough for Smoker to join them, and there weren’t any places nearby. The group got a nice and secluded place to hide. They left the cadet alone in the company of strangers on an island with a lack of marine presence. Really, this was becoming a trend. Why doesn’t the Navy do more to help with impoverished towns like this one, and the last one they visited? The cadet knew he couldn’t change the world alone, but he felt the need to do his part.

During his morning run the next day, Smoker observed the island. He checked for defenses, and the layout of the land. He had a sneaking suspicion they would be staying here for a long time. That means he needs to train, and prepare for the worst. If he can’t get the marines to protect the place, there are other defenses he can help the kingdom with.

When he got back to the castle, the commander was waiting for him. The man was wearing a thinner coat than usual, and appeared to be waiting with a towel and two water bottles. “What time do you usually finish your run?”

The cadet blinked at the man. “It depends how many incidents I would pass in Logue Town. I like changing up the rout and distance every day.”

“Smart.” The commander told him as he stood up. “That is the best way to get a feel of an island and avoid getting attacked. Follow me, we can figure out a schedule later.”

“Schedule?” The teen felt nervous hope fill his lungs.

“You wanted me to train you, right?”

…

Banchina looked over the letters that came in again. She never got mail before those strangers visited. The package had some weight to it. She had instructions in the letter, but she couldn’t bring herself to go through with them yet. It was too much. When she thought she was going to die, the woman paid of her house, and tried to set up a garden so Usopp would be okay without her.

“Mom!” The boy ran into the house to see her. “Pirates came to the island today!”

Banchina reminded herself to breathe. “Pirates?”

“Yeah!” Usopp told her. “But dad and I scared them off!”

“Your father?” This was different from most of his stories. When he came in with the people from out of town, the woman never would have guessed they would be a group of undercover marines. Maybe she should start checking to see if some of those stories are true.

“Yeah!” Usopp crossed his arms and nodded. “I used dad’s name to scare them off! Luffy was right, people really respect my old man!”

A chill ran up her spine. “What exactly happened Usopp?”

“Well, you see these creepy people came by with bad drawings of Traffy and Rosi. They didn’t even know their names! These stupid pirates called them Corazon and Law!” The young boy nodded his head proudly. “I assumed these are the bad guys our friends were running from. Then I remembered what Rosi and Smokey said about dad paying child support and checking up on us! Traffy said that if anyone asks the money didn’t come from them. Then I also remembered Ace say Rosi is like a good dad to everyone, so I told the pirates my shopping beri child support from dad! Guess what! Even the guys that are hunting Rosi and Traffy fear dad’s crew! He is so cool!”

Banchina didn’t hesitate to jump to her feet. Her guts still felt sore after the surgery, but there was no time to waste. She pulled a dusty old chest out from under her bed. In the chest, she pulled out her old wedding photo with Yassop. “Usopp, put this on the mantle for me.”

“Is this dad!” The boy was smiling so wide.

Banchina pinched his cheek. “It is, my sweet baby boy.”

Then she pulled out his old pistol and loaded it. This was his wedding gift to her, and had her name engraved in the side. The woman smiled back at the good old times. Then she ran to the desk to go through the mail. Only that one letter proved the true source of the now weekly cash flow and the old stash.

The woman tossed the letter she was keeping in the fire. It was a message from the young marine cadet that guarded the house. He told her that she reminded him of his mother, and a little extra cash would help if any more health issues arise. That marine is a good one. His paycheck seems to be split between his mother, a few people he has helped on cases, and now the little funding he kept was going to her. If she feels bad, he told her not to. Not only would she get a weekly receipt, but the marine is planning to get paid back by Yassop after finding him. When that happens, Smoker wants her to contact him if Yassop is ever late for a payment. In a way, the boy was telling the truth about child support.

Banchina watched as the letter disappeared into ash. Then, there was a knock at the door. She disabled the safety on the gun. “Usopp baby, stay back.”

She took one last deep breath before opening the door.

…

He could smell it three days in. Something was wrong. Bepo could see it, but nobody else could. He tried to talk to Shachi and Penguin, but they didn't listen to him.

It wasn't like they were in danger. The island was almost too perfect. The people were all too kind. What threw Bepo was how in the morning he could smell their pain, and at night he could smell that pain on Kuma. He worried for the other bear. Law would say that they need to heal the injuries, not treat the pain. The man was good, but Bepo feared it wasn't sustainable.

His bigger concern was his crew. Law was physically and emotionally checked out from the moment they arrived. They just got his friend back, and everyone needed him. Bepo understood the woman's life was at risk, but all of them needed him.

Shachi and Penguin seemed okay with everything. The cousins were happy to be free to wander a winter island. The two had explored the entire island within the first day. Yeah, they plotted out an escape plan, but it was weak. The three were quick to map out the island and plan like they were still on the run. Bepo prepared his map like he was going to show off to Nami.

Every morning, the crew woke up to train like clockwork. First Rosi and Smoker would wake up. The boys would watch and laugh as Smoker got thrown around. Rosi-san made it very clear that armament haki was useless if they didn't have base strength. At the same time, the man made very clear how easy it is for logia users to be vain in their fruit and as such vulnerable. Bepo knew Law would love watching the marine cadet get tossed around like a ragdoll.

Later, the trio would train, and James usually tried to join in. He once wanted to be mentored by the old bounty hunter. Cora-san is a much better teacher after all. Things seemed perfect. They just needed to wait for Law to finish healing the queen.

The bear was worried about his friend. The second night, Bepo couldn't sleep. He curled up in the silence. If it wasn't for his night vision, he wouldn't have seen the large shadow sneak out of their hut.

Rosi-san usually tells them when he is doing spy stuff. He also often told them how important sleep was. The bear thought maybe he could help the man check on Law. He didn't mean to spy when he followed the man outside. He definitely didn't expect to track the man to the beach where he began training.

The little bear found himself watching. This training was just punching a rock wall, running, pushups: almost all endurance. Law and Rosi always focused on how you need to keep your rest, food, and endurance training balanced. Bepo watched until it started raining. The next morning, The blond man only returned when it was time to train Smoker.

Bepo peeked out of his covers. He watched as the man washed his face. Then he added some makeup to hide the tired bags under his eyes that matched Law's. Did he not go to sleep?

This trend went every night. Cora-san forced Law to eat. Bepo had no idea if his friend was resting. What he did know was that his friend's dad wasn't sleeping. The man spent his afternoons going through the church's old texts. The man sorted them, and copied other texts.

A few days later, he pointed out Rosi being a little rougher and less balanced when training with Smoker. He even let James join in Smoker's training for a 2 v 1. The man's subtle tactics were being left behind for more bruit strength. Shachi said that Rosi-san was just trying to mimic Smoker's fighting style. He just apologized, but Bepo knew better.

Over a week in, and he knew they couldn't go on like this. Rosi-san was hiding tired eye bags- even bigger than Law's! When the man finally fell asleep, he woke up from a silent nightmare less than an hour later. Bepo watched as the man disappeared out the door to go train again.

Law and his dad are equally self destructive. It is eerie how they are almost codependent. Neither cares about his own health, but both force the other to be healthy. Before this island, the man hovered too close to Law to decline like this.

Bepo soon confirmed Law was eating and sleeping. Rosi-san still made sure of that. He also knew that his friend was too distracted to look around. The hospital under the church was silenced from the world. Whatever is eating at the man, he is hiding it from Law.

It was the second week in that the bear finally noticed it. A sweet old lady was delivering lunch to Cora-san instead of him or one of their traveling buddies. The bear could smell his emotions roll. He saw the pain in those bright eyes that almost looked dimmed. The bear wasn’t sure how a human’s eyes were supposed to look. He would need to ask Law. Bepo's guesses regarding colors weren't always right. He just knew the man's eyes were off.

The bear looked between Kuma and Rosi-san. They seemed to be the only adults working on the whole island. This… this is wrong. They can't take this much longer. Bepo was starting to think he shouldn't just wait for Law.

Finally, near the end of the second week, Rosi-san fell asleep without putting himself on mute. Bepo quickly woke Shachi and Penguin up. He made sure to hold his friend's mouths shut. Any sound from them, and he feared the man would wake.

Bepo saw as the other boys' faces went pale. Their jaws dropped. Rosi-san was flailing around like Law when he was having a night terror. That is a lot more terrifying to see in a ten foot tall man. On top of that, this man is stable and strong for them every day. Bepo bit his lip to keep himself from crying. He was about to start inching to the door when he first heard the man scream.

The people outside wouldn't hear. Rosi-san always gave their house privacy. Right now, that was a good thing. It terrified them though. Law could hurt himself and others in this state, but the only ones on the island with a chance of holding Rosi down are Law and Kuma. The boys knew they should move, but those cries chilled them down to their bones.

It wasn't a surprise when the man cried out; "Dofi, NO!" That was expected. What terrified the kids was when he screamed about the people in the white masks. "They are coming! They are always right behind me! Dofi!" Their guardian started to cry. "I'm a monster. Law, run. I'm…" The mumbled screams went on for what felt like forever. It wasn't till they heard the name "Imu!" That the boys ran out shaking in fear.

When they got out, all three of them slammed the door shut. It wasn't silent, but freeing. Now the boys could hear the waves crashing. Shachi was the first to speak. His voice was shaking as much as him. "What was that?"

"I think he was leaking haki." Penguin added. "Part of me wanted to go back to sleep. Can his calm fruit do that?"

Bepo stepped away from the door. He played with his paws and glanced at his friends. "It's been getting worse since we got here. At first he just didn't sleep and trained. I don't like this island."

"What?" Shachi's eyes were wide.

The bear turned to face them, but he didn't look up from his feet. What was he supposed to say? Now he doesn't need to find the words to convince them.

"I think we all would have been knocked out if he had conqueror's haki." Penguin stated.

Shachi shook his head and stepped away from the door. "Shouldn't he be better now that Law is safe!" He swung his hand at the door. "I'm tired of this! They practically kidnapped us, and now they are hiding things from us again!"

Penguin sat down and pulled his knees up to his chest. "We are weak." He stated. "They wouldn't even let the terrors stick around because they are too weak. I… I'm just happy they haven't abandoned us yet."

"Didn't Rosi-san say knowledge is power! I'd like to know if I'm safe here! Who are these white mask people? I thought our only threat was a warlord!" The redhead started pacing back and forth again.

"Should I grab Kuma?" Bepo asked. "Maybe I should tell Law."

Shachi shook his head. "What's the point? If we do that, they will just kick us out of the solution. We are useless here!"

Penguin stood up. "Have you seen that weird sword? That's part of it. If knowledge is power, why don't we get some?"

"What?" Bepo wasn't sure he liked where this was going.

Shachi smiled brightly in the moonlight. "I see!"

The cousins looked at the bear. "It's your idea after all." Penguin told him. "You were the one who noticed the problems first. You should lead the investigation!"

The mink stepped back. "What?"

"Yeah!" Shachi agreed. "We need to find the sword, who the white mask people are, and what's wrong with this island!"

"What about Cor... I mean Rosi-san?" Bepo asked.

Penguin looked down at his feet. Shachi glanced at the door before his smile dropped into a frown. "If he wanted help, he would have told someone. If we don't find something by the end of the week, we'll pull Law in."

"We should look for the sword while Rosi-san is sorting through paperwork tomorrow. As long as we have Smoker or Kuma deliver his lunch, he won't notice anything wrong. That… or we should give him his lunch." Bepo said.

"He keeps the world on mute when studying." Penguin added with a smile.

"I like how you think." Shachi finally finished.

…

Jimbe was very pleased when he was given the chance to leave the Warlord meeting early. He got a call from Fishman Island that he was permitted to take outside. The fishman saw an out when it was handed to him. He still had no idea what the war between Sengoku and Doflamingo really was. The the thirty cups of coffee on the table and three days straight of Sengoku reading legal jargon was enough reason to run.

After confirming the Queen's safe return from Mary Joy, Jimbe recognized the name on her invitation. "DonQuixote is a celestial dragon family name?" He said as he looked at the happy queen.

"You see!" Otoheme said with a smile. "He was just a man who never knew what human kindness is! It was beaten out of him as a child so he wouldn't become like his kind uncle or older cousins."

Jimbe looked at the woman like she was speaking a different language. "Kind dragons?"

She smiled softly. The woman looked at her letter. "He asked me to keep my eye out for his family. Twenty years ago, his Uncle, Aunt, and their two sons left Mary Joy. They wanted nothing to do with slavery or the ways of the celestial dragons anymore. Mosgard thought he may be able to reach out to his cousins. The younger cousin appears to have been adopted by the Fleet Admiral!" The woman jumped for joy.

Boss Jimbe sunk down into the nearest seat. His queen was speaking on, but he couldn't focus on her words. Everything was starting to fit into place. The way that new warlord spoke to him wasn't just racism. That man wasn't some human celestial dragon. That man was an actual demon.

Jimbe tried, he really tried to reserve judgment for Doflamingo's brother. Suddenly Sengoku's human side ran in his mind. Doflamingo had the man's grandson kidnapped. The monster had his nephew kidnapped. The 'human' one was on the run to protect his son from a warlord. Even the Fleet Admiral couldn't keep the other one from gaining warlord title. It didn't make sense.

"Jimbe!"

He looked up to see both the queen and king's worried gazes.

"Is something the matter?" King Neptune asked.

The knight of the sea blinked away the fog in his eyes. "I'm sorry. Where were we?"

"The human celestial dragons!" Otohemi said. "His cousin was a supposedly warlord candidate."

Jimbe stood to his feet before bowing. "Your highness, I request you advise this man to have no contact with his cousin Doflamingo!"

"What?" Otohime seemed shocked. "It shouldn't be that hard! He needs family he can trust!"

The knight didn't lift his face from the ground. "I can't in good conscious let that man anywhere near any of you. I can… I can ask Sengoku about his younger brother, and the man's young son."

The queen's expression changed so quickly to a smile. "A young son!" She shook her head. "No, but what about…"

Jimbe still didn't stand. "There is a family feud going on between the brothers. From the sounds of it, Doflamingo killed his own father. It appears he is hunting his brother and nephew. Sengoku is fighting to take away the man's status, but there are powers that be who even he can't fight. I'd advise your friend to be careful. I fear there is more of a danger for the 'human dragons' then what he knows."

Otohemi started crying. "I just realized! He didn't give me a way to contact him before the revelry!"

…

Chapter Text

The heart trio was making their way to the church after training. Shachi wasn't as sure he was making the right move anymore. Yeah, he wanted to know what was happening. Answers scared him, but ignorance was just as scary. He just wanted to trust Rosi-san. He wanted to be able to trust an adult. At fourteen, he was the oldest kid there.

"We'll ask about the white masks next after stealing the sword." Penguin said.

"White masks?" An old man spoke. His face went pale and the man started shaking. "No… Not again. I'm old. I can't go back again."

Shachi stepped forward and looked up at the man. "What's wrong with a white mask?"

The man grabbed the teen's arms violently. "You need to run!" He was half crazed. "You have a life ahead of you! Don't let them drag you back to slavery."

The boy felt his breath hitch. That wasn't what he was expecting. "What?"

Tears came to the old man's eyes as he looked to the clouds. "They may show mercy and just kill us. That's better than letting the celestial dragons have us again."

The redhead looked over his shoulder at his friends. Penguin was just as lost as him. Bepo looked scared. The bear knew something. He would need to get some info on that later. "It's not like these white masks would come for just one escaped slave… right?"

"We are all the same. They'll come for all of us one day. This island has been our safe haven. I… I'd rather this place be my grave."

"Where are all the young men?" He finally asked. "Where are the young women and children?"

The old man laughed. "My son joined the revolutionary army. Most… we are just waiting for the hammer to drop. Save Kuma, we are too old to be a threat. You should run. Those demons act on whims! What if…"

Shachi knew Rosi-san had trauma. Slavery was not on the top of his list of things he suspected. It made sense though. The man wanted to learn how to lock pick slave collars as a child. His brother grew up to run slave markets. Why aren't the marines doing something? Did… did some of the other people they met run away from slavery too? Is that why the terrors are hiding in the woods?

It took too long to calm the man down and resume their original plan. When they reached the church, Smoker was sitting in quiet conversation with Cora-san. Bepo couldn’t look anyone in the eye. The man kept telling them that Minks were rare. The teen knew that. He got it. Part of him just didn’t take the slavery threat seriously. No… he knew the Dofi freak owned slave houses. Shachi never stopped to think more people would be in the business.

After getting their food, Cora-san came to check on them. He gave Bepo a pat on the head like always. There was no change in the way he reassuringly pat Shachi and Penguin’s shoulders. It was assuring in a strange way. Shachi reminded himself that there was still an adult he could trust. So what if Rosi-san was an escaped slave? No wonder he is traumatized! That just makes him stronger than the teen thought!

“You boys woke up before me this morning.” The man’s voice was gentle. That strong baritone had a firmness to it. Shachi felt he could always trust it

“We… we couldn’t sleep.” The bear admitted. “Sorry.”

Shit. Of course Bepo can’t lie! “We’ve been worried about Law.” Shachi quickly covered.

“He hasn’t come out in over a week!” Penguin was quick to help him.

Corazon took a seat on the floor next to their table. The man was always so careful to come down to their level. With his height, Shachi would brag and tower over everyone. Instead, this man tried to make himself look small. His deep, strong voice was always gentle. “Law… he will be fine. I know he is eating enough and getting some sleep. You can try to talk to him. He kicked Kuma, and everyone else out.”

“Are you missing a finger?" Bepo’s question drew all attention to the man’s left hand. His pinky finger was notably absent. Seriously Law, why?

Cora-san waved it off. “Don’t worry about it. My… my DNA is… peculiar." The man was looking at his hand with so much hate. “This may be what Law was missing to make a breakthrough.”

“That is so messed up.” The teen was shaking his head. Shouldn’t Law know better? The man is obviously suffering!

“Why didn’t he just use his blood?” Penguin asked.

That made Shachi’s eyes widen. It was so strange when Law told them he was only ten and that Cora-san was his dad. Yeah, Law acted older at times, but he had never told them his age before! On the clumsy fool being his dad, Shachi never doubted that. Yeah, they looked different. So what? Shachi looked nothing like his mom. Penguin was the spitting image of his dad. Law acquired all Rosi-san’s expressions and bad habits! Was… was Law adopted?

Shachi blinked. “If he doesn’t give it back tomorrow, I’m stealing it back for you. Law needs to stop ghosting us.”

Cora-san laughed and messed up his red hair. “Thanks!” His smile was so free. If Law was adopted, what is the connection between these two? This man is the embodiment of sunshine and optimism! Law is… Law.

Silence filled the world as they finished eating. When did the quiet stop being awkward? In under a year, this man made the teen associate the void of noise with peace. Rock music was his peace not long ago! Now it was the man’s calming presence that scared away the screams. Rosi wasn’t supposed to scream or yell. The teen wanted to start breaking white masks. That should solve it!

When they finished eating, the man stood up. “Promise you will call me if you need anything?”

“Will do.” The others echoed similar sentiments. Shachi wanted to demand the man do the same.

…

The stupid jacket was surprisingly easy to find. Rosi-san didn’t bury it, or hide it in the floor boards. It was just wedged under his oversized mattress. The thing probably weighed more than a few dead bodies.

“What all does he keep in here?” Penguin asked.

“The better question is: what doesn’t he keep in here?” His cousin replied.

Bepo was keeping quiet and watching out the window’s crack. They couldn’t empty all the pockets, because Rosi-san would know. There was no way to remember what was in each and every pocket! Instead, the boys emptied one pocket at a time. Books, family photos, lock picks, cuffs, pistols, too many explosives, Law’s missing dagger, sewing supplies, beri, sunglasses, dry food packets, pens, pencils, candy, a minny medkit, more explosives, brass knuckles, ammunition, supplies to make ammunition, and did he mention explosives?

“This is a pocket guide to making explosives. Looks like Rosi-san modified and optimized every single recipe. There are more notes than the original text.”

That sounded like Law’s favorite medical books. At this point, they just needed to write their own books.

“I thought there was a special pocket inside the sleeve." Bepo spoke from the corner.

“That’s stupid.” Penguin said. “How would you wear it?”

Shachi flipped the coat to get back to the inner lining. He felt around the soft black feathers. “There is some loose stitching here like the 5 other secret pockets.” Really, all 138 pockets found so far should be considered secret.

Bepo came close to look over his shoulder. Shachi looked back at the younger boys. He knew this was it. “Step back. I’ll go first.”

Penguin rolled his eyes. Bepo actually listened. Hopefully this was it.

The sword he pulled out was wrapped in a white sheet like a ghost. His hands were slightly shaky as he unwrapped it.

The boy bit his lip as he grabbed the blade. Some sort of emotion he couldn’t name washed over him. It was like before Law saved them.

“Notice anything?” His cousin asked.

Shachi shook his head. Then he freed the blade.

He never left Swallow island. Law saved him, but the teen was depressed. He was so strong, but had nightmares every night as he screamed for Cora-san. There were other names too. Law was sick, but healing himself.

Shachi blinked at the sword. Then he looked at his cousin and friend. Odd, in this other world, he told Law things. In reality, the other boy just knew things. In the other world, Law claimed to be his same age, in this world he explained he was younger.

“Are you okay?” Penguin asked.

Bepo looked scared. He can smell strong emotion after all.

“Grab this, then we need to exchange notes.”

…

Penguin felt like he was going to throw up. “It’s an alternate reality.” He stated. “Law used it to save his dad. Then he kidnapped us.”

His cousin crossed his arms. “It explains how he assumed we knew things. It also makes me want to kick Doflamingo’s ass.”

The half fishman smiled. “It also explains why he hasn’t left us behind. We may be weak, but we are family in two worlds. I… I’m glad Rosi-san is alive. Now I’ve trained in real fishman karate, and warmer waters. Law… he makes more sense now.”

“No, he doesn’t.” The redhead argued. Then the oldest grabbed his hair. “In that world, he never called Cora-san his dad! Law also lied about his age here… or there?”

Bepo’s soft voice finally spoke up. “He is my best friend… I get it now. We… we need to talk to Law.”

Penguin nodded. “Yeah… you are right. This, the slavery, the… everything! It needs to stop! In that other world, I never asked about his family.” He shook his head. “I hate Dofi, but it's hard to imagine growing up in slavery. Rosi-san is so strong.”

“I don’t think Cora-san was a slave.” Bepo spoke softly. “He… he smells like a predator. Law does too, but also doesn’t. They smell just as much like natural enemies as family.”

Penguin felt his jaw drop.

“You can smell family ties?” His cousin asked.

“No. Sorry.” Bepo looked away.

“But.”

“But I can smell that they aren’t completely human. Law is probably more human than Rosi-san.” He wouldn’t look at them. “My instincts feel safer around Law.”

“That stupid finger. He had a reason to take it!” Shachi was pulling his hair out.

Penguin shook his head. "Is it like Shachi and I? Do… Do I smell like a predator too?"

The bear wouldn't look at them. "No… I can't describe it. You smell closer to a mink. All of us smell like family from how much time we spend together." When Penguin opened his mouth, Shachi waved to keep the kid silent. Soon, it paid off. "Law opened up to me more in that world. He… he was never good at explaining things."

Penguin grabbed the sword and shoved it under his mattress. Then he ran back and reached for the jacket. "Help me hide this."

"You… you think we should hide it?" Bepo's voice was so soft.

Shachi answered for him. "Let's keep this down till we have a game plan. I… I want to talk to Law. Rosi-san wasn't in that other reality."

Penguin shook his head. He took a deep breath. "I want to… I really want to trust them."

He looked up to see his cousin give him a sad look. This… this didn't change anything. They weren't leaving unless they had to. Right?

…

Smoker was not ready. In all this time he had done nothing of use, and the commander was suddenly sending him away. He… how could he report they were safe before the queen was healed?

This entire island rubbed him wrong. Well, it was a refugee island. He was asked to suggest the fleet admiral make Kuma the next warlord. That would protect them from both Dofi and anyone else. The king and commander were setting up plans to make it a permanent refugee state. Commander Donquixote had even written up a report making his endorsement clear.

Something about the endorsement was strange. Some of the pages were written like the commander had authority. It was as if he was an admiral or higher. Smoker felt like he was missing something.

Going home right now felt wrong. The teen wanted to at least train long enough to get armament haki down. The commander was pushing for him to improve his observation and smoke screen. He had never even thought of the tactic, but it was more useful than he could imagine. He was learning more than he ever imagined he could learn by himself.

Smoker looked at the island’s castle. Rosi-san was such a good leader, but you needed to literally push him into the position. He kept telling the teen about people who would be better mentors. Why did the man so adamantly refuse his good leadership qualities, then go and write a letter with so much authority?

The young marine walked on the sands of the sea shore. He didn’t know what to think anymore. Was he here to train? Was he here to get stronger? Was he just a kidnapping victim? The questions rang in his mind. His world had just expanded in a way he never imagined.

Glancing down, Smoker noticed that there were more tracks on the sand here. Funny, this is the middle of nowhere. The only place around here is Commander Rosinante’s hut.

“Hm…” Smoker lit up a cigar and went closer. He was a good half mile from the hut. Just ahead was a rock cliff. He thought he saw something.

When he reached the rock ledge, Smoker found fist marks imprinted in the stone. The marks were too small to be Kuma. They were also too high above his head to be anyone shorter than Commander DonQuixote. Is the man training here?

The cadet started stretching out his smoke across the sand and stone like he was checking a crime scene. He was tired of being left in the background. If is going to be forced back to HQ, then he will at least learn how the commander trains himself first!

…

She couldn’t believe that worked!

Usopp stayed by her side as the woman had a little talk with the pirates. These men were definitely hunting for the marines that stopped by. The men also seemed terrified of her husband.

It felt like a line in the sand was being drawn. Banchina cared about keeping her child safe first and foremost. All else was secondary.

The woman glanced at the evidence Smoker left for her with the new installment of cash. The pirate was murmuring about Yassop being a cheap skate with the funds he sends. It would be true, what she had received was less than a tenth of his bounty! For a young marine cadet it was probably a fortune.

The woman took a deep breath. “Get out of my house. You have seen all you need.” She pulled back the hammer on her pistol. “I sent out a message before you arrived at my house. If anything happens to us, you will have a Yonko on your tail.” She smoothly lied through her teeth.

The pirate grit his teeth before walking out of the small hut. Only after she was alone in the hut with her son did Banchina let herself breathe. That is when she noticed the pistol start shaking in her hand.

“Is dad really coming home?” Her baby’s voice was so hopeful.

Banchina knew lying was a terrible thing to teach a child. Despite that, it was a trait she was addicted to. Even on death’s door when she was delusional, the woman still lied to her son about his dad returning. The woman was a coward to her core. Even now, she was making up a story to protect them.

The woman climbed on the floor and sat on her knees. She looked her precious baby boy in the eyes and held his shoulders. “I am weak. I’m not strong like your father. That is why we need to be smart. Tell the story that will get us where we want to be.”

Usopp nodded. “I think I understand.”

Banchina smiled. “That’s my brave warrior of the sea.” She bopped his nose.

Her sweet little baby smiled at her. Banchina really hoped she would be able to protect him. She also hoped he understood the meaning behind her words. She wanted him happy, hopeful, and safe. She just couldn’t bring herself to mention the danger they were in.

She looked at her old wedding photo. Banchina was playing a dangerous game. She was choosing to trust the marines despite her ties to a famous pirate. Those strangers saved her life. Now she is dancing the line between the law and a criminal. What if they call in her debt and make her betray Yassop one day?

Maybe she should invest in ammo and practice with her old pistol, just in case bluffing doesn’t always work.

Chapter Text

That night was the same as every night for the last week. Rosi-san put them all to bed. Then he walked over to his oversized mattress and laid down. He stayed there for around twenty minutes. At that point the man stood up and walked out the door. Would Law really be able to fix this?

Bepo pored over all his memories with Law. His friend was… bad with emotions. He was very bad with emotions. What were they going to do?

Silently, the polar bear slipped out the door. He followed the man till he found him training at the beach. Then, he went back and grabbed the other two. Shachi was hugging the sword when he got back.

The walk to the church was eerie under the moonlight. The boys found themselves holding their breaths. He thought he saw a shadow with a white mask, but didn't mention it. Bepo didn't want to be seen as a coward. He was the youngest, and emotionally he was fragile. That didn't mean Bepo didn't care. He could help. Law remembers, he must remember falling asleep leaning against his best friend's side calling out for Cora-san in his nightmares.

Kuma was sitting on the church steps holding Bonny under the moonlight when they arrived. Look at all the people Law and Cora-san have saved in this world! He knew the bear had some of the answers they wanted. Bepo feared that instead of going to his friends, he should have grabbed Kuma. After dealing with Law, he still might. The older bear was always in pain.

"Is everything okay?" The bear man's voice was always so soft.

"We…" Bepo started playing with his paws.

Shachi stepped forward. "We want to see Law. He… He needs a break." The boy shook his head and squeezed his sword. "I know he needs to save your wife… but."

"I agree." Kuma's voice was soft. "Your friend has done more than enough to deserve a break. Sometimes, that is what we need for a breakthrough." Bonny's laugh interrupted him.

Penguin took his chance to run in the church. "Thank you!" His actions had the other two fallow. Bepo stopped to bow before entering. As creepy as the island was, he liked Kuma. The bear hoped he would be able to hold Bonny before they leave.

Creeping deeper underground to Law's workroom was a little creepy. When they passed into the basement, Rosi-san's sound barrier made itself known. Inside the room they could see Law's well… room.

Bepo was still at the top few steps when he saw Shachi run up to Law. The redhead boy promptly found himself in the corner of the room without even talking to Law. Penguin tried to walk in after. The boy was yelling for Law to cut it out… Law didn't even look back. Bepo was surprised neither of his friends lost a limb. Law used to steal their limbs when he was in a bad mood in that other world. He tried that once here. The boy was promptly grounded by Rosi-san.

The bear made his way into Law's room slowly. He made sure not to move anything. Then, he sat down five feet away from his distracted friend. Part of the woman appeared to be in one freezer, and the other half in another. Law had her hand in front of him. It was concealed in some sort of blue rock. The boy was looking through blood tests the bear couldn't read. The entire floor was scattered with notes. A blanket, pillow, and empty plates were in the corner of the room.

"What's the problem?" Bepo asked softly.

"I can cut it out, but this plague will just grow back. It made its way into her DNA… Kuma… he is wrong on how she got it. I… this… this has to be a lab engineered plague." Law's voice was shaky.

"What difference does it make if the plague was made in a lab?" Bepo ignored his friend's frustrated looks across the room. When Law is like this, he needs a really gentle touch.

"Everything!" Law shot to his feet. Papers started flying around like a storm. The other two boys stepped out of their friend's domain. "It changes everything!" Law started pacing. "It changes… nothing."

Bepo held his position.

His friend was in just as bad of a state as Rosi-san. Well… maybe he wasn't. Law wasn't as bad as he got in that other world. The boy looked like he had been eating, and his dark eye bags weren't too much worse than normal. He was stressed, but not borderline suicidal.

Law started pacing quicker in his storm. Different papers came to his hands. "I… It doesn’t make sense! I don’t get it."

"Well, neither do we!" Shachi yelled from outside the dome.

Law finally looked up at his other two friends. "When did you get here?" He looked dazed. "Why… why do you have Cronos?" Everything in the room froze mid air.

"Finally!" Penguin stepped into Law's room. "Can you just talk to us?"

Law sat down, and his room disappeared. "I… I didn't want you to see that."

"You don't trust us." Shachi's voice was accusatory.

Bepo walked over to his friend as Law shook his head. He placed a comforting paw on the boy's shoulder. It took the boy a moment to find his words. "At first, we were paranoid about anyone finding it. We… we broke time. I just… I couldn't let Cora-san die." The boy was staring at a tile on the floor. No, he was staring beyond it. "As time passed, I didn't want you to see that reality. I… I didn't want you to see that me." He looked up at his friends. "You are happier with him alive too, right?"

Penguin shrugged and nodded.

Shachi shook his head. "You are crap at sharing… anything. How can you… Is Rosi- no is Cora-san really your dad?" Bepo looked at the stairs expecting the man to appear with his friend's use of the word 'crap.'

Law curled up and hugged his knees. "It's a long story."

"I have time." The teen shook his head. "Seriously, Law, I don't even know how old you are!"

"You know about the white lead, right?" Law asked. "You know I'm from Flevance."

When the boy looked up, he saw his friends getting comfortable for a long story. Bepo decided to sit down next to Law so his friend could lean on him if he got tired. It took a lot longer for Law to heal last time. Law used to get tired so often. This time, he chose to rest on Rosi-san more than the bear. Bepo liked being a support to lean on. He felt needed.

Law took a deep breath. Then, he started to explain everything to the best of his abilities. That meant the three needed to ask him to clarify a lot. The boy told a story of a home being destroyed in a cover up. The boy told a story of hate and vengeance. Then, the boy told them about how he stabbed the very man all of them knew Law respected more than everyone else in the world. They listened as Law spoke about chasing to please the man they only heard of Law hating in two worlds. It was raw, honest, and more vulnerable than any of them ever imagined from the boy. Despite all of his honesty, there were things that Law seemed to avoid.

"Who are the white masks?" Penguin asked.

Shachi shook his head. "What is Rosi-san? Why would his DNA matter?”

“What is a D?” Bepo asked.

The boy looked confused. “I’ve never heard anyone talk about white masks.” He seemed to shrug it off. Then he looked at his other friend. “I… Cora-san isn’t human.”

“No shit.” Shachi said.

Penguin slapped his cousin’s arm and looked up at the stairs.

“It shouldn’t matter what we are.” Law said with a grim look in his eyes.

Bepo looked at the parts of the sleeping woman. “I think it does. It also ties into this island. Whatever this place is, Rosi-san has had nightmares every night. That is, when he actually goes to sleep. He covers bags under his eyes with makeup. Last night he forgot… he forgot to put himself on mute. Rosi-san screamed that the men in white masks were coming. He… he called himself a monster. It was scarry.” Bepo felt his friend still under his arm. “Your eyes have also been changing color. They aren’t as pale. In that other world, we just thought it was a side effect of the white lead wearing off. I remember because the conversation helped me understand colors.” The bear looked up to see everyone staring at him. “Sorry.”

Law pulled out a mirror. “Silver to gold. I don’t understand that myself. Eye colors are weird for a lot of people.” He shook his head. “Cora-san, he comes in every day…” The boy shook his head and leaned back. A laugh escaped him. “Why didn’t I notice… that still doesn’t explain…”

Shachi stood up and stepped next to Law’s head where he was laying. “You are the one not explaining things! What is Rosi or Cora, or whatever his name is!? Why don’t you trust us? We get it, he was a slave! Kuma-san was one too! It’s okay.”

Law sat up and shook his head. He buried his face in his hands. “Cora-san was never a slave.”

“Are you sure?” The redheaded teen argued. “Because apparently this island is filled with runaway slaves, and they all fear the men in white masks dragging them back. Apparently the white masks are wardens for the celestial dragons.”

Law became extremely stiff. “The whole island?”

“Yeah.” The teen affirmed. “I asked around. Everyone else left.”

Law laughed. “I need to talk to Cora-san. He… he loves freeing slaves… Kuma was his friend.”

“This island is a ticking time bomb!” Shachi screamed. “They will come back for their slaves! The paranoia makes me fear they are already here. Even your dad has nightmares that the white masks will come back for him!”

The little surgeon shook his head. “They won’t come for us.”

“We get it, it’s okay. He is an escaped slave.”

“Cora-san was never a slave.” Law repeated.

“Okay, then what is he so afraid of?” Shachi was getting in Law’s face.

The grim little doctor looked over his friend’s shoulder. “They say if a celestial dragon has a kid with a woman who isn’t a… isn’t a celestial dragon, both the woman and kid will die. Ginny here was taken as a slave. She was thrown out for the sickness that we are led to believe is a STD from celestial dragons. We are supposed to believe they aren’t human. Yeah, there is something strange in Bonny’s blood, and I’m not talking about the stone virus eating away at Ginny.” Law finally looked his friend in the eye. Bepo inched back as reality started to dawn on him. “Curing that kind of disease is different from a lab grown virus. If I treat it like a lab grown virus when it was an STD, it could kill her at this stage. If I treat it like an STD and it’s a lab grown virus…” He shook his head. “I know how to cut out sickness. Healing myself was easier because after eating the fruit my body wanted to heal me… and I could cheat with Cronos. This is so much more complex. Even now that I know it is a lab grown virus-”

Shachi waved his hands. “What does that have to do with you? Treat it like what Kuma thinks it is! Then if she dies it isn’t on you! The old you wouldn’t have cared!”

Law shot up to his feet and started reacting. “But celestial dragons are just as human as those with the will of D!” He got into Shachi’s face.

“Bepo told us!” Shachi responded equally. “They are demons and slavers! There is nothing good in those monster’s blood!”

“What does that make Bonny?” Law shot back. “Kuma loves her like his own daughter!”

“I don’t get it? You don’t get it!” Shachi argued. “Why does it matter? It’s not like we are ever going to meet a real celestial dragon!”

Penguin grabbed his cousin’s shoulder. That caused the boy to calm down. He blinked at his half fishman family member and blinked.

Bepo wasn’t brave enough to approach Law. His friend was shaking. He… he wanted to hug him. Even in that world where he couldn’t call Cora-san to help, Law wouldn’t let Bepo hold him in this state. After a minute, Law choked out a few words. “He isn’t a monster.”

“What?” Shachi looked pale.

“The will of D, we are the natural predator to celestial dragons.” Law hiccupped before he let out a dry laugh. “Wouldn’t it be the biggest ‘up yours’ to them if there was a half celestial dragon, half will of D kid? Even better, what about a D who tricks them into thinking he is a dragon like a cuckoo bird!” Law shook his head. “Cora-san never wanted kids.” He looked over at the woman. “He said it was a death sentence to her and the child. He claims to never want kids, but he adopted me when I stabbed him. He chose me for no reason. I’m his enemy.”

Bepo didn’t know who to comfort. Shachi was shaking. Penguin was pale. Law, he just looked dead inside.

“You… you mean the first adult I’ve ever trusted is a… he’s a…” Shachi shook his head.

Penguin spoke softly. “Did he… when did he leave Mary Joy?”

Law smirked. “His family left when he was a child. Cora-san was seven. That’s close to age I was when… when Flevance burned. They were tortured, lynched, and more. Cora-san doesn’t like me looking over his wounds. Healing those old injuries was hard. He wouldn't let me touch his blood, and claimed he deserved his wounds. He thinks he is a monster... Stealing his finger to make sure celestial dragon blood can't do this probably didn't make him feel less like a monster. At least I can confirm his blood can't do something like this. Cora-san... he didn't want me touching his DNA. It was a fight to get that figure. Shit, I called him a monster to his face, didn't I?”

Bepo pulled Law into a hug. The boy didn’t fight his friend. He just stood stiff.

Again, the silence rang through the room.

“I think all the time in the dark made you go crazy.” Shachi said. “You need a break, and so do we. Let’s go get some ice cream. I… We need to mentally process everything.”

“But I need to…” Law looked at the woman. “I think it’s lab grown. This makes no sense from Cora-san’s DNA! That means I need to study medication. I’m a surgeon, not a pharmacist! I cut out the problem! I don't heal organs just replace them! Maybe Sabo is the answer…”

“Nope.”

Bepo grabbed Law’s left arm. Shachi grabbed his right. Then Penguin threatened. “Don’t make me drag you outside soaking wet. There is a water bucket, and I know fishman karate.”

The boy dropped his hand and let his room fall. “Fine.”

…

Getting ice cream at 3AM was rather easy. Nobody was out. Law felt a chill go down his spine. The cold weather was nice. It helped cool his growing anxieties. He felt sick. He felt free. Law didn’t know how he felt.

The boy looked at his friends. Did he really forget to share so much with them? He thought he was doing better this time. The boy thought he was being a better friend. How did it come to this? He didn’t deserve these people, just like he didn't deserve Cora-san.

The boy took a deep breath. The chill filled his lungs. He sensed the man’s haki. They were right about Cora-san training. Law blinked. Didn’t… didn’t the man hate training? It was smart, but… why?

This was his first time seeing the house that they were given here. It was nice, small, and on the outskirts of town by the beach. The place was peaceful. Cora-san would need to duck to get through the door. Inside, the boy found one large room with only a bathroom doored off. The large bed in one corner was definitely for Cora-san. Four other bunk beds were on the other side of the room. Law could already see who claimed which bed by white fur and how well the beds were made. The kitchen was small. The place… it felt like their tiny ship. It was nice.

“Rosi-san didn’t want a bigger place. Smoker and the hunters are staying in the castle. We have privacy, and silence guarding the whole house.” Penguin said. “I like being so close to the ocean.

Law nodded. “Me too.”

Shachi was already digging through the small fridge. Ice cream in frigid temperatures- that was something he remembered. It was something that once soothed him. It made him more cold and numb so he didn’t need to face emotions.

“Vanilla for Bepo, strawberry for Penguin, mint for me, and chocolate for Law.” The boy said.

Law walked over to the fridge. “Is that coffee ice cream?”

“Yeah, it’s Cora-san’s.”

Law smiled and used his room to grab his bowl. The boy quickly mixed the coffee and the chocolate. Perfect!

“Didn’t your dad ban you from anything coffee till you are sixteen?” Bepo asked. “Sorry.”

Law shrugged. “Well, maybe if he has to ground me the man will start taking care of himself. Besides, I told you, he is not my dad.”

Shachi softly slapped the back of Law’s head. “Does your blood make him any less of your dad?” The teen asked. “If you don’t want him, I’ll take him.”

Law felt his eye twitch. He turned to face his friend. “He can be your uncle, he can be your family friend, Cora-san is mine.”

The smiles on his friend's faces were victorious.

He shoved a bite of ice cream in his mouth. Law walked away from his friend and faced the counter top. He could set down his ice cream to climb up. Why did they get stupid tall counter tops? Why? Cora-san doesn’t cook! Law pulled a rock out of his pocket and placed it on the counter. “Room.” He had to resist yawning. “Shambles.” There, now he can sit on the kitchen counter comfortably. This was better than climbing up.

“Dude, doesn’t… don’t your powers exhaust you?” Penguin asked.

“Yeah.”

“You need sleep.” Shachi said.

Law leaned his head back and looked at the ceiling. There were holes going to a hidden attic. “First you want me to eat ice cream, now you want me to sleep! What happened to solving dad’s problem?” The word escaped him. Was it getting so natural to call Cora-san dad?

“Well, we thought…” The cousins went silent.

“You can talk to him.” Bepo was playing with his paws. “He… he protects us from problems. We are kids to him. Not that I don’t like being treated like a kid sometimes! Sorry.”

Law took a bite of ice cream as he thought about it. It was delicious. “I’m crap with emotions.”

“We know.” He heard echoed by everyone. Bepo added his usual apology.

“It’s probably… everything.” Law looked down at his hands. “I’ve been trying to get him to abuse his status like Dofi. It can protect us or at least put us on equal footing with the demon. Sadly… This place is full of ghosts. Yeah, he helped Kuma, but he didn’t help anyone else here. If he… he is probably scared of himself.”

“So, don’t get comfortable here, and don’t let him know that he scared me half to death last night. Got it.” Shachi said.

Law looked at the oversized bed. “I was hoping we found a safe island to hide on.” He admitted. “With the snow, I thought it would be like Swallow Island.”

Shachi laughed. “We never met that old guy here, did we?”

“He would fit in.” Penguin said. “Yeah, he is crazy, but if one of his inventions works it could give this island industry. Some revenue could keep it from collapse. I heard your… Cora-san talking to Kuma about it.”

Law looked at his friends. “You want me to ask Kuma to kidnap him? That old coot is never leaving home!”

“Even for a king?”

The boy leaned back. A smile crossed his face. “That dream for a submarine sounds nice. Dofi would never go underwater for us. He likes being above people too much.” Coffee is delicious. Law only grabbed it to spite the rules. Now, he has a new favorite flavor.

“What if the white masks show up?” Bepo’s soft voice asked a question Law was ignoring. “If… If they give him nightmares, then what will they do to Bonny? What will they do to you?”

Law felt his mouth go dry. That was a good question. “I… I need to talk to Cora-san before worrying about that.” He shook his head. “When I pushed for pretending to be his kid, all I saw was reward- no risk. Now, I’m starting to think he was right and pretending he is my dad is a gamble. Cora-san was sure I’d grow out of it. He only went along with it because he knew I was traumatized from his almost death... or witnessing his death.”

“Just remember; no matter what you got us!” Shachi held out his ice cream for cheers.

Penguin joined in. “In two worlds, we stick together! No adult can tell us what to do!”

Bepo held out his ice cream next. “Best friends, crew, nakima!”

Law joined in. “To… to the future Heart Pirates!” A soft smile covered his face.

He heard Shachi laugh. “And here I always thought Bepo was the mascot! It was Rosi-san all along! I am so telling him.”

Law felt his face flush. He finished his ice cream and curled up in the oversized bed. “Let’s see if he notices me.”

A moment later Bepo joined him. Then the other two followed. Time to see if the man even tries to sleep.

…

The coffee ice cream worked. Law couldn’t sleep. He sat up in bed and looked at his sleeping friends. Now is as good a time as ever to seek answers. He was able to grab a small part of the woman before being dragged out by his friends. That and... he needed to make up for stealing Cora-san's figure. He never thought barrowing body parts was that rude in the other world. Strange.

Chapter Text

It didn’t take long to learn sleep wasn’t happening again tonight. At least Law got some sleep today. The boy was sleeping when he brought dinner. Well, at least he was pretending to sleep. Maybe Law saw the time and decided that he didn’t want to give up his finger.

Rosinante looked down at his fist. Missing a finger was… strange. He didn’t feel comfortable with Law fiddling with his DNA. Finding out that the boy joked about messing with Sabo’s and Ace’s was creepy enough. The two got into an argument that Law wouldn’t go through with his stupid father son threat. The man knew well enough that no man should play god. The DNA was just too much. He hated what he was, but he understood why it could help save Ginny and Bonny. Maybe after Law sees what he is the boy will stop playing the father son game.

He looked out at the waves and touched his own arm. “Calm.” A deep breath helped to still the rest of the world. Time to warm up with a few laps. Then he can sprint from one land marker to the other.

This island is probably the safest place in the world for Law and his kids to grow up. Kuma will protect them. The… CP-0 won’t come here, right?

Rosinante shook his head as he started sprinting early. Maybe if he can find out how Dofi abused his power, then he can use that to protect this island. But… would anyone want that? It is the celestial dragons that ruined the lives of the people in the first place.

This wasn’t the first refuge island. Freed slaves were sent to an island in the north once. The families of slaves, the people who were close to them were sent there too… It was like buying them off. All these people looked at their things every day and saw it as the payment for their souls, for their family. Then a couple years later a family of celestial dragons moved there.

Time to stop running and start punching. This… it isn’t clearing his mind. Everyone here has the right to take out their anger on him, just like them. He shouldn’t be here. The people here shouldn't be cursed with his presence.

He didn’t know what time it was anymore. Rosinante closed his eyes and took a deep breath. As long as the boys were in his rooms, he could sense them with haki. Law… is not alone? The other boys were bothering Law. Well, it’s probably a good thing. They have been worried about something and he didn’t have the energy to check on the kids properly.

He felt a breath in the wind. Every time he checked, Rosinante found that people were asleep. Nothing was ever wrong. Then he noticed for the first time that he was being watched.

“You can come out now, Smokey.” He looked off into the trees above his head.

The cadet stepped up to the edge of the cliff and saluted him. Yep, he found out. And here he was worried about an intervention from Law. “What do you want, kid?”

Smoker was staring off into the distance at the moonlight as he answered. “I would like to train with you, sir!”

The blond shook his head. “Overdoing it will do you more harm than good.” He told the kid. “You run before sparring every morning. I know you train yourself in the evenings too.”

“Yes sir!” The cadet answered.

He tried to walk back to the cliff side he was punching. The cadet was still standing there at attention. “At ease.” He waved his hand.

To the man’s frustration, Smoker didn’t leave after relaxing. Instead the cadet jumped down the cliffside to join him on the sand. The teen almost looked happy.

Rosinante punched the wall one time. Then he let his form fail and leaned his head against the stone in front of him. “You aren’t leaving.”

“No, sir.”

“Even if I order you?”

“I will come back, sir.”

“This isn’t sane training.” Rosinante said. “Vice Admiral Garp, he punches ship sterns. His rule is no haki. It builds up strength and breaks you. I never desired that kind of bruit strength. Subtilty has always been more my field.”

He looked over his shoulder at the teen. Smoker was absorbing every word.

“It will destroy your hands. It rattles your bones. It’s training for bruit strength… if you want to ask him for training you can at HQ.” He told the kid.

“Is he like the terrors, sir?”

Rosinante smiled at the wall. “Yeah.”

“I’d rather not train with him, sir.”

The blonde leaned back and chuckled. “I can respect that.”

“Permission to join you, sir?”

He closed his eyes. There is no winning with these kids. “Granted.”

…

He trained with Smoker till the sun was rising. Then, he sent the kid home and told him their morning sparing would be delayed till the afternoon. The kid needs a nap. These long nights aren’t healthy, and the boy isn’t ready for it.

Smoker never asked why he was training at night like that. He never asked why he was using such blunt and hard training. The teen only yawned once before repressing his exhaustion. Not once did he hear a single complaint. It was almost like Smoker wasn’t there. The cadet’s presence was calming. It helped him focus and block out the voices in his head.

Opening the door to his own place unnerved him. Law was here. It was selfish, but he wasn’t taking care of the boy properly. Leaving Law in that little medical room and not forcing the boy to see the sun was on him. He should have been forcing Law to get out at least one hour every day. He should have been bringing Law home to sleep at night. Instead he was selfish. If he let his kid out properly, Law would actually open his eyes to the world around him. If he was forced to look away from his work, Law would notice that Rosinante wasn’t okay. He didn’t want to add his own problem to the boy’s long list of problems.

When the door creaked open, what Rosinante found was empty ice cream cartons in the sink. There were three cartons, and one bowl. The bowl was probably Law’s. The kid acted too much like an adult some times. Actually, the kids seemed to have the right idea.

Rosinante grabbed a spoon and opened the freezer. He reached inside and pulled out his coffee ice cream. Immediately, the man knew it was lighter than it should be. When he opened it, he saw that it was over half way empty. Oh… that is why Law got a bowl.

He stared down into the ice cream carton. He should really tell Law off for eating coffee. That kid already skips sleep enough without it. But… how can he reprimand Law for that right now? Law is sleeping, and has gotten out finally. Meanwhile, here he is, with probably under eight hours of sleep in the last week.

He rolled his eyes and dug his spoon into the ice cream. That bite was something that helped him ignore the thoughts he had been avoiding all night. When he stepped back to properly close the freezer, he felt eyes on him.

The man blinked a couple times before turning to look at his bed. Three of the four boys were sprawled out and sleeping. One was sitting on the edge of the bed with his legs crossed and his chin resting on his hand. The boy’s eyes were wide open and alert. Rosinante felt like a kid sneaking out at night, and he was the adult! Here is Law giving him a stupid death glare for skipping out on sleeping one night!

Rosinante snapped his fingers and made a second silence bubble for just him and Law. The boy’s golden death glare was aimed at him.

Surprisingly, the boy didn’t speak up. He just left the man to start whatever this was. “You stole my ice cream.”

“Bepo was right, your eye bags are worse than mine.” Law said flatly.

Shit. When did Bepo figure it out? The man walked over to the table and took a seat. “I’m an adult. We don’t need sleep.”

Law smiled. “Can you say that with me recording so I can play it for you when I turn eighteen?”

Rosinante rolled his eyes. He leaned his head on his hand. It was heavy, and he was tired. Then he watched as Law got off the bed and walked over to the freezer. The boy pulled out his chocolate ice cream and made his own room. Then he used shambles to grab a spoon and… switch their ice cream cartons.

“Really?”

Law shrugged and dug his spoon into the ice cream. “You need sleep.” The boy took a bite of his coffee ice cream before adding. “Well, you need sleep, or to talk to me.”

“Who is the kid here?” He asked the boy.

Law glared at him again. “Well, then why don’t you talk to Kuma. You could talk to Bell-mere.”

The man buried his face in his hands. “I can’t talk to him about this.”

“Is it a risk to us?” Law asked flatly. “You are training like a war is about to start.”

He looked at the other boys sleeping. “I’m going to need my finger back as soon as possible. That, and it would be best if you don’t pretend you are my kid here. If anyone asks, I adopted you. We only started that game to protect you. It won’t protect you here. It will probably boost everyone’s confidence if you admit you are fourteen, almost fifteen.”

“But… I am eleven.” Law stated quietly. “I lied to Dofi to join his crew. It helped me disassociate. After everything, I didn’t feel that young anymore."

Rosinante stared at the kid with wide eyes. “Oh… that is actually a relief. I was worried that your voice hasn’t dropped and you haven’t reached a growth spurt yet.”

The boy crossed his arms and rolled his eyes. “I thought it was obvious.” Then he put out his hand. “Room, shambles.” The ice cream switched again so Rosinante had the coffee in front of him. He watched the boy take a bite of chocolate ice cream.

“Okay. That’s good. You still… You don’t want to be related to me.” He told the kid.

Law rolled his eyes. “What’s so different here?” He put his spoon down. “What makes you so terrified that you scream at night when you actually sleep?”

Rosinante looked out the window. It was open like the kids were watching for him to come home. “The island we first moved to after Mary Joy was filled with people like this. It was a lot cleaner on the outside, but it was rigged. I learned in marine paperwork when I was a teenager that they started working on it when my father first mentioned leaving Mary Joy. Every last person on the island had their life ruined by the celestial dragons. I only questioned it years later. There are islands in the blues that have never heard of celestial dragons. Why send us to that island in particular? The answer is obvious. It was rigged from the start.”

The boy blinked up at him. “That’s…”

“Yeah.” The man spoke softly. “We were targeted the moment we stepped out of that hell hole at the top of the Red Line. That is why I can’t understand how Dofi is suddenly able to pull strings like this. The rules I’ve had the power to bend are minimal. They even threatened me when I bent them too far.”

“Are those the white masks?” Law’s voice was gentle.

Rosinante took a bite of ice cream. He needed it. After enjoying his ice cream he nodded. “So, I am talking in my sleep. Anything I said… we need to talk to the others about. There are secrets I know that they will kill me for. They would probably kill you all if they even suspect you know.”

Law tilted his head. “Who is Imu?”

The man got up from his chair and walked around the table. He knelt down beside Law and grabbed the boy’s shoulders. “Don’t say that name, please never say that name. Just knowing it is a death sentence.”

The boy got a scheming smile. “That may be how Dofi is doing it.”

The man looked down at the floor. “If it is, then we can’t copy him. I’m not strong enough, and they will send CP-0 to kill us first.”

“Who?” Law still had some excitement in his voice.

“CP-0.” He told the boy. “It’s the highest and most confidential branch of the marines… technically they work for the World Government, not the marines. They are known as the dogs of the celestial dragons. Sometimes they call themselves 'shield'. These agents gave up their identities. They are the world’s greatest assassins, and they always wear white masks.”

“Will they come after Bonny?” Law’s voice was soft. It was a little shaky. “To keep the narrative that you can’t have kids, would they show up at random hospitals?”

Rosinante finally let go of the boy’s shoulders. It was like a part of him feared the boy would disappear if he let go. Instead he reached over and stole Law’s chocolate ice cream. He deserved this after having half of his stolen.

“Why aren’t you answering me?” Law’s voice was hesitant.

“I never considered this, but yes… I’m 98% sure they will come after Bonny and Ginny eventually." He finally told the kid. “Pretending to be my kid is not just a game here. I was scared enough of the residents of the island finding out what I am. You… if anyone here asks, you are adopted. If they react to what I am… please. I can’t see you strung up like that.” He couldn’t look at the kid.

“Is that why you are torturing yourself every night?” Law’s voice was steady. “Is it survivor’s guilt?”

Rosinante couldn’t look at Law. Instead he confirmed the other kids were sleeping and couldn’t hear. “I deserve whatever comes to me. At least I need to be stronger to protect you kids. You would be safe and hidden if it weren’t for me.”

“I’d be depressed or dead if it wasn’t for you.” Law’s voice was soft. “You showed me what love is. You chose me. You could have chosen Baby 5 or Delenger. She just wanted to be of use, and the other kid is young enough to be saved. I stabbed you.”

The man felt a dry laugh escape him. “Yeah, you did that.” Rosinante pulled out the chair next to Law’s and reached across the table to pull his ice cream closer. “You saved me too.”

“Why?” Law’s voice was shaky. “You love me, why?”

Rosinante shrugged. “I just do.” He looked at his spoon. “Or… or maybe it’s guilt.” He took a bite of ice cream. “The hate in your eyes… I’m not a saint and my first kill wasn’t when I was a marine. I killed a slave back on Merry Joy. Dofi and his friends were tormenting him. He was strung up for killing other slaves. He snapped, and said that death was the only release for any of them. I… I knew he wanted to die. It wasn’t hard to get my hands on a pistol. It was a few feet away on the floor. One of Dofi’s friends brought it to shoot out the man’s knee caps.” He shook his head. “I killed that man the same way Dofi killed our father.”

“Was… what did your family say?” Law’s voice was shaky.

A depressed smile crossed Rosinante’s face. “My dad never learned… or he did and moved us out of there. Dofi was pissed. All his friends said I was the coolest one for finishing him. They also called me selfish for ending it too soon. I had to lock myself in the house to keep the other kids away. I was sick enough with myself. Their praise made me sick and just made Dofi…” He shook his head and took a bite of ice cream.

“So, I’m not the only one who became a murderer before turning ten.” Law stated thoughtfully. Rosinante looked over to see Law staring at his spoon. Then the boy stuck it in the ice cream for another bite.

How was he supposed to respond to that? Rosinante just looked down at his ice cream. Law was right. He was too late. This kid wasn’t innocent and free like he wanted him to be.

“I think man would thank you.” Law said softly. “I was depressed and waiting for death when we met, but you saved me. You learned from it, but can you really tell me that as a child you could have saved that man?” The boy pulled something from his pocket. “I became a murderer out of vengeance. I was raised to be a doctor, and became the opposite till I met you. Even in that other world, all I wanted was to find a way to kill enemies with my fruit- which I will have you know is very difficult! Here, because of you I saved my kidnapper.” The boy took a bite of his ice cream and looked into the distance. “I should check in on James before going back to finish healing the queen. I finally figured it out. I need to repair her cells in a way they will repair themselves over time.”

Rosinante found himself entranced by what Law set on the table. He knew it like the back of his hand. It was his figure after all. Only, it wasn’t the same. On the back of his finger was a tattoo. It was small, and obviously Law’s art. The tattoo was a stylized heart with Law’s spotted hat sitting on it. It looked like the Opi-Opi No Me. The way the hat sat crooked was so cute. The side of his finger had Law’s scratchy handwriting running along reading, “I love you dad.”

“Stop crying.” Law’s voice was stable. Without the boy, he wouldn’t have even noticed he was crying. The boy somehow appeared standing on the table beside him to fix his hand. “I should have gotten the rest of your hand to have it written a little closer to your palm.

He pulled the boy into his arms. “Thank you.” The man couldn’t stop the sob that filled his voice. “I love you too Law.”

“We are in this together.” Law promised him.

…

Banchina thought she was done dealing with the pirates. She was lucky that she kept her mouth shut when she opened the door this time. Her pistol was on her hip, and Usopp was off in town somewhere playing with a friend of his. Apparently the princess in all his stories is actually the wealthiest girl on the island. Who knew her boy was so smooth?

When she looked out the window, she thought the marine had come back. Not the teen who was sending her money, but the stupidly tall and lanky one with the funny coat. Once she opened the door, she realized that even in her painful, hazy memory, the dad who was kind and left her some beri was not the man at her door. It was probably some sort of uniform for the pirate crew he infiltrated. At least his black coat was more tasteful and practical than this man’s bright pink eye sore.

The man’s smile was irritating. The way he held himself was strange. “Are you just going to stand there? What do you want?”

“Your door is too short.” He stated.

The woman had to resist rolling her eyes. The other man crawled in and thanked her for her kindness. This man just seems pompous. “My husband is in the New World if you are looking for him.” She stated flatly. “I seriously do not want to move, but the amount of company we are getting is growing irritating.”

“I’d rather not bring Shanks crew into this.” The man smiled down at her. “I’m looking for my little brother. Have you seen him?”

Banchina blinked at the man. That… made a lot of sense. Okay, time to bluff. “What does he look like? We don’t get a lot of people visiting this village. That is why I like it here.”

“Slightly shorter than me.” The man put his hand just below his head to indicate height. “He looks a lot like me, just stupid and mute.” The man nodded. “He is also extremely clumsy. He sets himself on fire all the time.”

“On fire?” She needed his words clarified. Banchina thought she told tall tails!

“Yes.” This pirate looked so pleased with himself.

“The man you just described could be recognized anywhere.” She told him. “Mutes are rare enough to find. You should ask around town. People your height are almost as rare.”

The oversized man nodded. Then he looked her dead in the eye. “Are the rumors true? Is Shanks really a celestial dragon?”

“A what now?” The woman raised her brow at the man looming over her doorway.

Somehow, the man’s glare darkened. She couldn’t even see his eyes behind those glasses! Shit! How can she make it seem like she knows what is actually happening with Yassop? She wasn’t even sure if he was alive till recently! “He doesn’t talk about his captain’s private life.” Banchina clarified.

“I suppose he shouldn’t.” The man looked disappointed. “If you hear anything about my brother, call me.” The monster of a man held out a paper for her. The smile on his face sent chills down her spine.

She took the paper and rested her hand on her pistol. “Get off my property.”

The flamboyant man stepped back and bowed before he jumped in the air and flew away.

She stood in her doorway looking up till the stranger was completely out of sight.

“What was that?” The woman asked the air around her. “Seriously, Yassop! What am I getting roped into here? The plan was for me to live a normal, peaceful, safe, crazy free life!”

Banchina closed her door and walked towards the town to check on her son. She needed to see with her own eyes that he was safe. As mad as the woman was that she kept getting pirates appearing at her door, she couldn’t be mad about the people that saved her life. This was her lot in life. Her kid was happy. She just needs to keep that going.

A smirk crossed the woman’s face. “Mute.” Apparently she wasn’t the only liar on the seas. Even if she was keeping it a secret that she knew the man, Banchina felt a kinship with the man. That is a crazier lie than she could ever make up herself. That man won’t find a thing looking for his brother with his stupid description.

When she found her son, Banchina chose to watch him play with his friends from a distance. His laughter brought a smile to her cheeks. Usopp was telling some younger kids a story about an island made of goldfish poop. It was cute.

Thinking of the stupid pirate’s words made her question how strange Usopp’s story really was. How could Yassop’s captain be a dragon? Weren’t those creatures only in fairytales? Maybe the news said something about one when she was sick. The worse she got, the fuzzier her brain was. Banchina hated to admit it, but there was a lot she couldn’t remember.

Whatever Yassop was getting himself into, Banchina didn’t really care anymore. All she cared was that Usopp was safe, happy, and healthy.

…

In the New World:

Yassop felt a sudden chill down his spine. He sneezed again. “Well, I guess people are telling stories of Yassop the Great again!” He said before leaning back and downing another drink.

“You are sick.” Ben Beckman told him. “Please, see the doctor and take one night off drinking.”

Shanks sneezed.

Everyone looked at their captain.

“I’m not sick.” He told his crew. “I have never been sick, and I never will be. People are just talking about me.” He raised his glass. “To our fame! We are the greatest Yonko crew on the seas!”

“Here Here!” His crew raised their glasses. Beckman reluctantly complied as he rolled his eyes. Then he looked at the doctor and signaled for the man to check on their foolish captain and crewmate later.

Chapter Text

Kuma woke up five times during the night for Bonny. How long does it take for a baby to be able to sleep through the night? His little princess is perfect, and he loves her more than anything. That doesn’t mean he didn’t need sleep too! Kuma was tempted to go to sleep when Bonny did for her afternoon nap. That is, he would have gone to sleep if someone didn’t swing the door open.

When Law walked in, his first instinct was that something went wrong. The boy was extremely antisocial from what his friends said. Learning that the Opi-Opi No Mi was in the hands of a friend was hopeful, but the knowledge that he placed all the pressure to save Ginny on a child was something else entirely. The buccaneer was hopeful, but he had lived long enough to be a realist.

The boy gave him a smirk and crossed his arms.

Kuma’s eyes widened. The door creaked open and another person was standing in the doorway. He knew her silhouette anywhere. She had her hand on her hip. The man was happy that he already set Bonny down. His knees grew weak and started to shake.

“I can’t believe you lied to me!” Ginny said as she walked into the room. “I distinctly remember you promising to be the first thing I see when I wake up!”

The buccaneer fell to his knees. He didn’t have any words. Instead he just looked at her as so many emotions filled him. She was alive! He had a family! He… he promised to give her a bigger family and marry her. That would mean she would live at risk of going right back where she just got freed from.

Oh… Oh no. He knew Ginny. She will never, ever let him go back on his promise here.

“I wasn’t instructed to wait for you to wake her up.” Law broke the moment. The boy yawned before he began to walk towards the door. “Kuma, I’m going to need you to talk to my dad later. He’s not in his right mind, and is hiding things from me even if he is denying it. Apparently it’s adult drama or something stupid like that. If he doesn't go back to normal soon, I’ll get myself grounded to distract him. Any chaos I cause will be on you.”

The boy slammed the door on his way out. Kuma blinked as he looked at the door. How was he supposed to know Rosi-chen was acting strange! They hadn’t talked much since they were kids! People change! The man was awake every time Kuma woke up to check on Bonny… Oh.

Kuma completely forgot that what his friend was studying was dangerous. The man could read those papers that Kuma couldn’t. He was studying something that he knew would get him killed. On top of that, Rosi was training like a war was coming. Despite knowing that Rosi hated being a celestial dragon, the man was trying to get him warlord status with the government. Kuma wasn’t even a pirate! On top of that, he was a former Revolutionary! Warlord status should be impossible! Right?

“What was that about?” Ginny asked. “He really ruined the moment.”

Kuma opened his mouth to respond, but no words came out. That is when he was saved from answering by a soft cry. The man rubbed his eyes. “She has been awake most of the night.”

Ginny ran right past him to Bonny. The woman didn’t hesitate to pull her child out of the crib. “There you are, my princess!” Her voice was so soft. “Did you miss mommy?”

Kuma actually felt his legs go out leaving him sitting on the floor. He keeps being proved wrong. Now he has seen the most beautiful thing in the world. Ginny was holding Bonny close and cradling her safely in her arms. The two girls filled his heart with warmth and love.

“Kuma!” Ginny ran up to him. When she reached up, he bent down so she could reach his cheek. “You look like you haven’t slept since I went to sleep! I’m not even sure how long ago that was yet!”

The buccaneer reached up to hold her hand against his cheek. Tears came to his eyes as he felt his cheeks hurt from how wide he was smiling. “I love you.” The words escaped his lips. “I thought I lost you.”

Ginny smiled up at him. She had some kind of magic to her. Bonny fell asleep so quickly in her mother’s arms. He must be dreaming.

“Give me a kiss, then go to sleep!” Ginny ordered him.

“I don’t want to.” The words escaped him. “I just got you back.”

Ginny rolled her eyes. “I love you too. I promise we will be right there when you wake up. Then you can tell me everything that I have missed! You never invite friends over.”

“Okay.” He closed his eyes. Kuma could still feel the warmth of her hand on his cheek. She was alive. Ginny is alive!

“Okay.” Her voice echoed his.

…

Law woke up the woman only for her attack him. The fact that her first instinct was to lash out made him like her. She didn’t even hold back with him being a child! She just snapped. Only after he promised to bring her to Kuma did Ginny blink and ask Law how old he was.

Bringing them together for a happy reunion was sickening. Yay romance! He didn’t have time for that shit. Cora-san is still not resting properly, and Law knew it was his job to fix that. Who else was going to? Adults can be so stupid sometimes.

The boy shook his head. What is going to happen next? He needs to rest from overusing his powers, but what about after that? Cora-san thinks they may have both government assassins, and Dofi after them soon. He did not sign up for this! He signed up to use the marines, not the other way around.

Law almost crashed into Smoker on his way to the beach hut.

“Are you okay?” The teen looked concerned.

Disgust filled Law’s gut. “I’m fine, ash tray.”

Smoker rolled his eyes. “Still with the childish name calling? I’m sure you can think of something more clever than ‘ash tray.”

He was too tired for this. “How about poison? A person can die from smoke inhalation in two to ten minutes. The brain doesn't get enough oxygen, and the victim will usually pass out before death. That is if you wanted to be lethal with your fruit intentionally. Just walking around with those cigars is also lethal. Second hand smoke causes asthma, and can even cause lung cancer in bad cases.”

The teen shook his head. “I… The marines give out cigarettes to soldiers for a discount, or even for free. A lot of us get addicted.”

The little doctor yawned. “Yeah.” Then after blinking a few times he continued. “It is a scam from the cigarette companies, and from the cheapskates funding you. If you smoke, it makes you less hungry, that means they don’t need to feed the soldiers as much. Instead of paying more to feed fighting men the right food, our lovely government drugs you.”

The cadet started rubbing his eyes. “I didn’t ask for a lecture. Just tell me if the queen is okay. The… your dad wants me to leave for HQ. I don’t feel safe doing that till the queen is safe. This island is making everyone off, and I don’t want to leave all of you here.”

“Kuma is not a threat.” Law laughed. Then he shook his head. “Ginny is safe. It’s C… It’s dad’s PTSD keeping him up at night. He is also scared of…” Law looked up at the cadet and remembered their roles. “Are you reporting directly to grandpa?”

Smoker nodded.

“Can you deliver a message to him for me?” He didn’t want to talk to the fleet admiral, but if he is Cora-san’s foster dad, maybe the man can help. He didn’t seem too stupid when they spoke over snail for a few minutes.

The cadet nodded. “Yeah.” A small smile crossed his lips. “That’s my job.”

“Good.” Law nodded. “Please tell me you aren’t leaving today.” He needed sleep first.

“I stalled my departure a little. Kuma will be sending me out tomorrow at sunrise. I’ll be crashing on an island close to HQ with beri and all my paperwork.”

“Perfect.” Law rubbed his eyes. “Make sure to find me before you go.” He yawned. “Dad is sleeping. I gave him Ace’s magic sleeping medicine after learning he hasn’t slept a full night's sleep since we got here. No training today. I need sleep too.”

“Please don’t pull something like that on me.” His tone was slightly off. “Hasn’t the commander taught you drugging people is wrong?”

“I’m the doctor.” Law argued as he walked past Smoker and yawned again. “I’ll wake him up if he starts screaming in his sleep again.”

…

After a few hours rest, the crew meeting began. His friends were very quick to agree to never say a name from Cora-san’s nightmares that may get them all killed. Law remembered his crew meetings in another world. He… he didn’t want to check the sword again. He didn’t want to see how much worse he would be, but that tool was a weapon to keep them alive.

“Are we going to pull your dad into these meetings?” Penguin asked. “When you stop drugging him into a coma, that is?”

The man in question was sleeping in his bed, dead to the world. Law glanced at his foster dad and shrugged. “If he didn’t catch me drugging his ice cream, I have every right to do it. That's on him.”

Shachi pulled them back to the original question. “He wasn't part of the crew.”

“But we were the Heart Pirates.” Bepo’s voice chimed in. “Remember the smile on the logo Law designed. What about the heart tattoo concepts he was designing?"

The future captain buried his face in his hands as it flushed pink.

“I’m telling Rosi-san about that later.” Shachi said. “I will draw him my best depiction of all your embarrassing tattoos."

All of them were laughing. Even Law couldn’t resist the smile he was hiding behind his hands. He didn't realize how much he was missing this. Here he thought he was being a better friend. That takes being present, which is something he is admittingly bad at. How was he supposed to remember which conversations happened in which world?

“Well, dad has a tattoo now.” He told his friends.

Law ignored all the demands for him to elaborate. This is like old times. This is the friendship he was always supposed to have with them. He was missing it.

“Back to business. What do you think I should say to Cora-san’s dad?” He pulled out some papers and pens they stole from Cora-san. “This intervention was your idea. Also, how much do we tell Kuma?”

…

Kuma woke up to a sight that proved his best dreams all came true. Ginny was there beside him. Well, she wasn’t in the bed next to him. The woman was sitting on the edge of the bed holding Bonny with the most beautiful smile on her face.

The woman smiled at him when she noticed he was awake. “What are you thinking about?”

The buccaneer blinked a few times. Then he sat up and rubbed his head. “I need to talk to my friend.” He realized. “They… Law was right about Rosi-chen. I should have been a better friend and noticed sooner.”

Ginny reached out and placed a hand on her shoulders. “I don’t know what has been happening here, but I know you. I know you like to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders.” She got up and put Bonny in her crib. Then the woman smiled at him with that grin that meant trouble and crossed her arms. “What you can’t forget is your promise. We are a team from here on out! I want a wedding before you get cold feet, but if you want to help your friend first, I’m here to help too.” Her gaze softened. “If you love me, then protect me by sharing your burdens with me.”

Kuma smiled at his future wife. “Getting married will make you a queen. They will know you survived somehow.”

The woman hugged herself. Her confidence seemed to drain as she looked at Bonny. “Yeah, but we have been able to hide here for years. If… if it doesn’t work we can always run with Bonny. She… Something changed in me the moment she was born. I don’t care anymore about the Revolutionary army, or anything else. I just want to keep our family safe. I… I wanted you to be her father because the only man I could ever imagine fathering my children is you.”

Kuma didn’t hesitate to get up and hug Ginny. He wanted to take away all her pain with his powers, but she wouldn’t like that. She was strong, and that was part of what he loved about her. “She is my daughter. I chose her from the moment I saw her. She looks just as beautiful as you.”

Ginny was crying. “Kuma, how do you raise kids on the run? If… she is half celestial dragon. Can that protect her?”

“I think my friend can help with that.” Kuma admitted. “I don’t know his whole story. I think we should talk to him.”

…

Rosinante woke up with a migraine. It was always like this when he slept too hard for too long. He also got these when he skipped out on sleep for too long. He didn’t want to open his eyes. Where was he?

Nobody was dragging him out of bed for morning drills. He couldn't smell his dad’s fancy alarm clock coffee machines the man got so the smell would wake them when the house was on mute. There was no… Dofi would bring him a blanket after nightmares in rare acts of kindness. He would do the same for his brother. He would… Those days made everything harder. He hated when Dofi showed the capacity for good. Those days made him want to take himself off mute and talk to his brother. He was stalling. The mission didn’t need to last so long. Things only changed for him when Law showed up. Dofi said looking at the boy was like looking in a mirror, but that couldn’t be true. Law didn’t demand praise, or even respect. He just wanted someone to tell him he did a good job. The boy wanted someone to remember him, notice him, love him. The boy claimed he desired death, but fought to survive like nobody Rosinante had ever seen. With half the resolve Law had and denied he had, Rosinante could have finished his mission. Then, he could have sat down and talked to his brother with the safety of prison bars between them. He could have asked him: “After all the pain we were put through, how can you inflict it on others with a smile? Why… why did you listen to Vergo and that snot man over us? If you would have waited one more day, Sengoku would have arrived to relocate all three of us. We could have been a family. Wasn’t… were we not enough for you?”

Rosinante shook his head to clear away his sleep addled thoughts. His brother never takes responsibility for anything. He probably hates him. He will kill him. The man doesn’t want anything to do with his brother anymore. The final push to snap his relationship with his brother was named Law.

He hated being called Corazon by Dofi. It made him feel like a monster for betraying his brother. He hated himself. Then he looked in the eyes of his brother’s victims and his resolve returned. Those three years were an emotional hellscape for him.

It was different when Law called him Cora-san.

Law.

Shit. The brat drugged him. Didn’t he?

Rosinante opened his eyes to see Shachi reading a book. The boy was sitting beside his bead like he was on guard duty. He probably was.

The man pushed himself to a sitting position and rubbed his eyes.

“Oh, good. You are alive.” The boy’s tone was flat.

Rosinante got a better look at the book. “Is that a book on transponder snails?”

The boy nodded. “Better yet, encrypting them. Apparently it's Ginny’s. She added notes like you and Law add to your books. Unlike you, the lady was smart enough to write her own revised handbook for the advanced stuff. I’m waiting to ask her if I can borrow it when she stops flirting with Kuma for five minutes.”

“Ginny is awake?” His brain was scrambling to catch up to reality.

“Yeah, yesterday.” The teen told him. “Law cured Bonny this morning.”

“How long was I out?”

“Three days.” Sachi told him. “Law said if you didn’t wake up by tonight he would need to force you to wake up. We have been taking swaps watching you. Smokey used it as an excuse to stick around.”

The man blinked down at the boy sitting next to him. Something was different about the boy. The young teen seemed calmer. “Did I miss anything else?”

“We decided you are our mascot.”

Rosinante blinked at the boy. He was starting to question through the haze of his migraine if he was really awake. “Mascot?” What could that even mean?

“Yes.” Shachi closed his book and looked up at Rosinante with his most serious business man glare. “There was a vote and everything.”

“Okay.” Rosinante nodded. “Is the mascot permitted coffee?” He would need some to make sense of this.

The boy smiled and nodded before running off to give the man his favorite elixir of life.

…

Chapter Text

Three coffees in, and Rosinante still wasn’t completely sure what was happening. He was still uncomfortable, and desperate to get off the island despite knowing it was the safest place for them. The sleep did help though.

Somehow things shifted from him being a mascot to lunch with Kuma and Ginny. All Rosinante knew was for sure was that his mug was starting to look mostly empty. The table was tall enough for him, and at some point the other two arrived. The woman gave her baby over to Bepo who smiled widely at the Bonny and walked out of their small hut. Why were all the kids leaving the room? Where was Law?

“Is everything okay?” The man found his voice.

Kuma and Bonny both nodded and gave their affirmations. Rosinante noticed that both seemed a bit awkward. Ginny kept glancing out the window. He could see how uncomfortable she was behind that smile.

After an awkward moment of silence, Ginny shifted. Then Kuma spoke. “How are you holding up?”

“With coffee.” He lifted the mug. “What… is something wrong? Is it me? Did people find out what I am?”

“No!” Ginny spoke as Kuma opened his mouth.

Rosinante looked back and forth. “Where is Law? What did he do?”

“What?” Kuma’s voice was soft.

The blond tried to massage the migraine out of his skull. “Did he stab someone?”

“No?” Ginny shook her head. “Is that a concern?”

“Who’s limbs did he steal?”

“Nobody.” Kuma spoke softly.

Rosinante squinted. This is obviously an intervention. What did Law do in the time he was knocked unconscious? The boy usually does everything in his power to crash ‘adult conversations’. Law hates being left out. Shachi should have told Law he was awake by now. What could it be? “What did he do then? If he got kidnaped, you wouldn’t be calmly sitting here. Right?”

Both the buccaneer and the petite woman blinked at him. After a moment, she leaned over towards Kuma. “I thought you said he was a good parent.”

“Dadan and the kids all claim he is.” Kuma answered her.

Rosinante raised his brow. “Then what is wrong?” He took another sip of his coffee and waited for a response.

“Law was worried about your mental state.” Kuma spoke softly.

Rosinante set his coffee down and rubbed his face. Then he looked up at the other two. “I’m fine, just needed sleep.” He was not in the mood to talk about twenty year old trauma. He is a twenty eight year old man, and can handle twenty year old nightmares just fine. Thank you very much!

“Your son threatened destruction if we don’t help you with your trauma.” Ginny said. “I’m good with encrypted lines. If you don’t want to talk to us, who can we call.”

“I left a snail with Dadan.” Kuma added.

Rosinante finished his coffee. “I promised to call and make sure her boys got home safe. Can’t believe I forgot about that.”

“Are you really okay?” Ginny’s voice was soft and concerned.

Rosinante laughed. “Do you want me to give you the honest answer, or the answer I’ve been giving the marine psychologists for the past fifteen years?”

The looks of concern the couple gave him was not something he wanted to deal with. Great, the last thing he needs from these people is pity. Why aren’t they treating him like the monster he is?

“Is there anything else I can help you with?” He really hoped there was. Fixing other people’s problems is a nice way to forget his own concerns.

The couple shared a look. Then Kuma spoke first. “Yes, actually.” The buccaneer began. Then Ginny finished for him. “We wanted to know if you have any advice for protecting Bonny. Should we disappear?" When she looked at him, the woman’s eyes were pleading.

“If you want to raise a child in hiding, I’d talk to Dadan.” Rosinante passed his empty coffee cup between his hands. “She also knows a lot more about taking care of a newborn than… really than anyone else I know.” He leaned his elbow on the table and shifted to rest his head on his hand. “I’d start off using your status if I were you. The three best ways to protect your family are to disappear, be too strong to mess with, or to be in a political situation where people will ask questions if you disappear."

Rosinante looked out the window. “Unless you want to join a Yonko pirate crew, then I’d advise not to bet on power. The revolutionary army has done too much picking fights with the government to protect you. It’s probably best to lean towards one of the other two options for protection.”

“That makes sense.” Ginny leaned forward.

Rosinante looked at the two and took a deep breath before continuing. “I’d try to use stats first, but have a plan B to run at any time. You can always jump to running if things go wrong. Once you start living in hiding, you can’t jump into the spot light without a lot of risk.”

The woman nodded. “This reminds me of tactics meetings in the Revs.” Then she chuckled before continuing. “Around this point, someone usually got frustrated with all the dancing around the topic and suggested a direct approach."

The man smiled. “That's a good way to get yourself killed. It’s exhausting, but with espionage and politics the direct approach rarely works. Throw as much of the blame on me as you can. I’ll work with Sengoku to get you protection as a warlord. There is only so much they can ask you to do for them, and you will need to remind them that you can not be pushed around. Adding proper industry to the island will be vital. Make it so the place can’t disappear without repercussions spreading throughout the entire blue. I’ll handle the rest.”

Kuma nodded. “Smoker and the kids have been trying to help me with that.” Then he took a deep breath. “How much of a risk is this to you?”

Rosinante blinked and looked down at his coffee mug. He wanted another cup. “It… Can… I can’t stay here that long. Dofi definitely has someone high up in the government in his pocket. Me staying here is a risk for both my fa… myself and your family. If the boys want to stay here, it would be safer for them.”

Ginny laughed. “I never would have guessed this was where my life was going!” She shifted how she was sitting in her chair so she was practically laying on Kuma beside her. “I wouldn't change a thing though.”

Rosinante yawned and stood up to get himself another cup of coffee. “Is there anything else you need, or should I start hunting down the boys?”

Kuma nodded and looked at Ginny as Rosinante poured his coffee. The blond could tell his old friend was smitten. It was written all over the buccaneer's face. It was rare to see anyone that in love. It was sweet. In another life, if he was someone different, Rosinante would dream of a happy family like them. By some miracle, he seemed to acquire kids. Rosi still didn’t understand why they stuck around so long. The least he can do is help this family too.

He was taking a sip of fresh hot coffee when Kuma spoke. “We would like you to officiate the wedding for us.”

Rosinante choked and snorted part of his coffee back out. He had to hold the countertop to keep himself from falling straight to the floor. Finally, he managed to choke out the word trapped in his throat between coughs. “What?”

“I’m the only priest on the island.” Kuma told him softly.

Ginny shrugged. “Dragon could do it, but that would just be dangerous, right? If we are going to be a king and queen, we need to start being careful about these things.”

“I have some questions for him about the deadbeat thing.” Kuma muttered.

Rosinante finally cleared his throat and filled a cup with water to take a swallow. “Okay… I didn’t expect that. Yeah… That… That makes sense." He shook his head. “I have no idea what I am doing here anymore.”

Ginny stood up. “Perfect! We are getting married in three days! Kuma can help you with everything else!” She pushed her chair back. “I’ll set up a line to call your friend, and go take care of Bonny.” The woman marched out the door with confidence.

Rosinante suddenly thought of Bell-mere before she mellowed out with her daughters. “That woman isn’t going to let you get away with anything.”

Kuma nodded with a wide grin stretched across his face. His eyes were dazed. Rosinante couldn’t help but be happy for them. They are so sweet together. These two are truly living the dream.

“Did I agree to any of this?” The blond asked as he still found himself looking at the door.

“I don’t think that matters, my friend.”

Rosinante laughed. This is fine. He just needs to go outside and find his kids. His last cup of coffee is… salvageable after he cleans the floor and countertop. The boys are going to ban him from the kitchen again. He could pull stats as an adult, but they are right. His destructiveness in the kitchen is a valid concern.

Kuma was kind enough to help him clean up the mess before Rosinante put his jacket on and stepped outside. He really missed his feather coat, but it was just too risky to wear here. He has to play the part of… what part is he even playing anymore?

Almost immediately after getting out the door, a blast of cold powder smacked into the side of his face. Rosinante looked in the direction his attack came from to see Penguin with a look of shock on his face. The boy had a second snowball waiting in his hand. Beside him, his cousin had a stack of snowballs he was guarding. A good distance behind them, Ginny was holding Bonny with a smile on her face.

Rosinante looked over his other shoulder to see Law and Bepo with their stack of snowballs. It appears he stepped right into the center of a war.

A smile came to his face. Snowball fights. Here he was terrified that Law would be causing chaos. Did he forget that Law is eleven? These are children! Snowball fights are normal things kids worry about! His first snowball fight wasn’t till he was thirteen. Dragon started the fight with a bunch of other cadets in the marines. Somehow the crazy captain at that time dragged Rosinante away from his books and into the war. It was… traumatizing.

Another snowball smacked into his side. The man looked over to see Law’s smirk. That one was not an accident. Rosinante smiled at his old friend. “Hey Kuma, I’m going to need a minute. Do you mind if we work on your wedding planning later?”

The buccaneer nodded.

Rosinante didn’t hesitate. He jumped straight into the snow and charged for Law first. The boy’s smirk dropped. Law grabbed Bepo’s paw and ran. The man picked up as much snow as he could. Given how tiny Law is, that means his snowball was about half Law’s size.

“Room!”

“That’s cheating!” Shachi yelled from the other side of his barricade. “No powers!”

Rosinante used his observation haki. He spun around just as Law yelled, “Shambles!”

Law and Bepo appeared behind Shachi and Penguin's barricade. That only bought them a second before Law was buried in snow. The bit of snow that flew on Bepo didn’t seem to bother the polar bear.

The man turned his head when he heard the other two boys laughing. The man reached over and stole the stack of snowballs the two had made before turning to face them. He watched as their smiles dropped. Bepo was helping Law dig himself out of the snow.

“Can we change teams?" Shachi asked.

Law’s voice rang out from behind him. “Kids vs the adult?”

“Hey!” Rosinante put his hand over his heart in mock horror. “You are the one who started this! When did I become the enemy? Have you truly betrayed me?”

Law shrugged. “It’s the life of a pirate.”

“Charge!” Shachi yelled.

Penguin started throwing a mix between snowballs and water at him. That’s dangerous. The only way he could dodge was to fall flat on his back under the attack. That sent the water straight into Law.

…

Ginny watched as the man ran back and forth playing with his kids. The snowball fight was rather brutal. Well, Rosinante held back. The boys were infusing their attacks with haki, and Law stole one of his legs at one point. It was only thanks to the friendly fire from the one throwing icy water on everyone that the man managed to steal back his leg. He wasn’t going easy on the kids, but he definitely was keeping it a fun game and not violent like the one time they roped Dragon into playing with the revs.

“I’ll admit, I was skeptical.” She said when Kuma came to stand beside her.

He just smiled at her with his brow raised in question. “Really?”

“Oh, come on!” She gestured out at the group with her free hand. “He is a celestial dragon that got lynched as a child! Don’t look at me like that. Just because you didn’t read more than the overview of the file Dragon gave you doesn’t mean I can’t read it properly!”

The buccaneer just smiled and rested his hand over her shoulder.

She sighed before speaking. “Those boys literally cornered us this morning when Smoker was on guard duty. It’s obvious they love him and worry about him. I do have my concerns still though. Their plan is to distract him if he won’t open up about his emotions… that’s just delaying the inevitable.”

“It's not our place.” Kuma spoke softly. “I think… right now we both have a lot to deal with. The best we can offer is friendship.”

Bonny looked up at him. “So we are in agreement that if anything happens to Rosi, those boys will find a way to destroy the island.”

“Yes.”

Ginny nodded and watched as three of the boys tackled Rosi. “Bonny will need friends her age. I think we should try for a little brother once the wedding is over.”

“But… Bonny doesn’t even sleep through the night yet.”

“We will figure something out.” She had a smirk on her face.

…

Bell-mere’s new business was booming. With Hatchi’s help, she was opening up a proper island defense business. Three islands were already asking for her help. It seems that a rumor was starting to go around that she was the one who scared Arlong out of the East Blue.

Her first warning was Hatchi running in the door with fear etched into his face. “What went wrong this time?” She asked with a laugh. “It is okay if you drop something from time to time.”

“It’s Doflamingo.” His voice was shaky.

Bell-mere felt a wave of adrenaline and calm wash over her. “Grab the girls, and hide. Better yet, take them back home to Coco Village. I’ll handle this.”

She lit up a cigarette and loosened the top button on her shirt. Then the woman then pulled out her flask and took a swig. She put it away and got back to work on organizing weapons boxes. Her haki was keeping track of the loud presence she could sense once she started looking.

The woman went about her business. She sent out a prayer for her girls, and kept working calmly. She ignored the threat as he flew around the island. Why was he here? According to the news, the man was in the Grand Line less than a week ago! How can he get here so quickly?

Half hour later, a shadow covered her from the sunlight. Bell-mere spun around and jumped. The scream that escaped her was not intentional. Even tracking the man with haki, she didn't see him coming. “Wow handsome, where did you come from?” How expensive is that suit?

“I hear you are running a defense force here.” His smile was eerie. The man looked so much like Rosi, it was uncanny. Well, no. His stance was too confident for the nerd. This man does appear to be just as much of a drama queen.

Bell-mere shrugged. “It kinda just happened.” She put her hands on her hips. “Need some muscle? I’m not cheep, but there is a discount for good looking boys like you.” She winked up at the warlord.

Doflamingo laughed at her. “I’m looking for someone. I may start setting up some of my business here too.”

She smirked up at him. “Is this person as good looking as you?” As much as she wanted the psycho out of her sea, she knew that the only way to win with these monsters is living another day. Worst case she will send Hatchi to run off to Garp’s grandsons. It would be kinda funny if she stole Rosi's undercover job after retirement. “This job seems kinda nice for a girl. Hope you have more eye candy with the beri.”

“Oh, I like you.” The eleven foot tall man hunched down over her, and completely cornered Bell-mere into a wall.

She smiled up at him. “It seems you have good taste on top of everything else.”

The tall man stroked her hair. Bell made sure to keep her posture as flirtatious as possible. Then Doflamigo spoke without loosing his smile. “A clever woman like you must have noticed someone like me wondering around this blue.”

“How much are you willing to pay?” She raised her brow.

“Your life.” The monster of a man inched closer to her. He had her completely cornered in every sense of the word.

“Would you really get rid of a pretty thing like me that easily?” She looked up at him through her lashes. “I’m sure I can make keeping me alive worth your while.”

His grin was a bit of a turn off as the man grabbed her wrists and held them over her head. Bell-mere kept up her flirtatious side. This wasn’t a thing like Arlong. Her girls were safe, and she knew pulling a weapon on this man was suicidal. The more she looked at him, the less Dofi looked like his brother.

“How about a night together, and I promise to make you my go to for everything in the East Blue?” He inched his face closer to hers.

Bell-mere raised her brow mockingly. “You must think that night with you is worth a lot of beri, big shot.”

He bent down and whispered into her ear. The monster of a man’s oversized hand was on her shoulder. His thumb was inching up to her neck. “You are promising a lot too.”

Bell-mere released a sigh. “I don’t know if he is who you are looking for, but a blond man close to your height got into a fight with Arlong. If the fishman wasn’t wounded, I probably wouldn’t have been able to send the pirates away myself.”

Dofi’s breath was hot on her neck. “So you are already riding on my family’s work.”

Bell-mere forced a chuckle. “Can you blame a girl for taking everything she can to get ahead?”

Dofi shifted so his height loomed over her again. “What else do you have for me?”

…

Chapter Text

She was somehow still alive!

When Bell-mere woke up alone she couldn’t help but sigh in relief. This is not what she was expecting. All things considered, it could have gone worse. She was staying on one of the neighboring islands, so she didn’t need to burn her furniture. Well, she probably needs to bury or burn all the photos Rosi took when he was in town. After that she needs to make sure her girls are always ready to hide if they sense his haki. Finally, it’s time to send Hatchi to contact someone in marine HQ.

Maybe she should send the girls somewhere a little safer for now. The three terror’s mom is supposed to be good with kids, right? Hatchi knows where she is hiding.

The pink haired woman lit up a cig as she made her plans.

…

Things were going well. It was almost too well. Law knew that Cora-san was technically sleeping… but Law also knew the man was just pretending half the time. He noticed more of Cora-san’s nightmares in the other reality. Here, he did his best to make sure they never happen in the first place. Was Cora-san just better at hiding it this time? The man always scared away his nightmares with calming silence. Now it was Law’s turn.

Getting rid of nightmares is sadly not as easy as getting rid of a deadly poison.

On top of everything else, now Bepo was telling him that Kuma smelled like he was in pain. That didn’t make sense, Law scanned the buccaneer multiple times. The man was in perfect health. The boy even suspected the bear man was stronger than Cora-san.

One day of spying, and Law learned that yes; Kuma is too nice with a side of self destructiveness too. Wonderful! Both Cora-san and his oldest friend are self-sacrificing idiots!

The boy walked in after witnessing unnecessary stupidity. “Did you just choose to suffer the pain of every single person on this island?”

Kuma looked up at him from the place he was suffering on the floor. “You weren’t supposed to see that.”

“You…” Law started pacing and grabbed his head. “Are you kidding me? Do you not know that pain is a good thing? Pain tells us when something in the body isn’t working right! It’s our natural warning system! This entire island is living in a state of denial! You deny the people their pain, which prevents them from healing! You have the gold, this kingdom has so much gold…” He shook his head. “Why? Why don’t you just hire some doctors? Am I really the only medic on this entire island?”

“Yes.” Kuma was looking down in shame. “I never wanted to be a king, and I am not a very good one.”

“There are two of you.” Law realized. “Please, just don’t tell… don’t tell Cora-san about this. I’ll start doing what I can to heal the people on the island. I’m positive my stupid dad will try to share the stupid burden with you.” Law laughed sardonically. “If he could, he would take my pain too.”

Kuma pushed himself into a sitting position. “Ginny will be happy if I stop doing this too.”

“Well, I guess at least one adult here isn’t stupid.” Law smiled at the ground in front of him.

“Ginny and I were talking about a honeymoon- traveling the world.” The man was looking out the window as he spoke. “We will start in the North Blue. There is an old man we need to meet. From there, we plan to leave him at Water 7 for a time. As we are, it would take years to build a submarine here. From there, we will hire him to start making ships here. In the very least, we know the Revs will buy from us. Maybe we can work with some of the better marines as well. Do you have any suggestions on where I can find some doctors?”

Law leaned forward and rested his chin on his hand in thought. “I technically have been published in some medical journals.” He spoke softly before blinking. “It’s been hard to keep up. I haven’t published anything since before I was kidnapped. Maybe I can use that to find doctors for you. I’d rather keep my identity a secret.”

The buccaneer nodded. “That is for the best. Your family probably shouldn’t stay here very long. I am humble enough to know how much I need your help. That doesn’t mean I am blind to the dangers this island possesses for you. Rosi-chen should do better once you leave.”

Law nodded. “My birthday is coming up soon. That should distract him. Between that, the wedding, protecting the kingdom, and however the… grandpa helps; we should be fine.” Law was betting on it. He also refused to give up the con right now. He wanted to know what the world government would do regarding him. Now he can use Bonny as an excuse. Why focus on harming a princess when there is a mad boy with one of the world’s most valuable devil fruits?

Thinking of that alternate world, things were so much easier there. The only emotions Law had to deal with were his own. He could focus on revenge. Here, he kept having to save people! That childhood dream of being a doctor wasn’t just a side job anymore. At this point, he will be paying for the sub in full by healing the kingdom. What he needs is someone skilled in medicines to help with the island. It is a long road ahead.

“Thank you.” Law muttered in a whisper. “Thank you for being a friend. I don’t know what we would have done without you.” They were out of options in the East Blue. Now they have a chance for a proper ship, a submarine, a home.

“I feel the same.” Kuma’s voice was soft. “That is what friends are for.”

…

Dadan needed sleep.

There were so many things she was grateful for from Rosinante-sempi. In the wake of all the good things he left her with, there is one thing she wishes he never said. “When in doubt, arson.” She knew those were the words Rosinante said. Ace quoted it like it was a motto.

The woman reminded herself to stay calm. Thanks to her angel Sabo was still with her. Thanks to him Ace was doing everything to be a protective big brother. He even cleaned out a wound in her dog’s paw earlier that week! Her sons started giving her hugs and trying to help from time to time. Everything they destroyed, Ace, Sabo, and even Luffy tried to fix. Makino was even teaching the boys manners because Ace asked!

While the biggest change was in Ace, it affected all the boys. To Luffy, Ace was his role model. Sabo was safe with her now too. It was like there was a weight off Ace’s shoulders. The blond was a pain that constantly teased her about her crush, but it was better than when he feared her. Anything would be better than when he didn’t remember her and acquainted her with his emotions from the Outlooks.

All the woman’s fears turned into a problem when Garp came to visit. Ace and Sabo asked for tools to make explosives. Now, a sane adult would not give these boys explosives. If anything, the boys would be given a book on the theory. Maybe Rosi would give them a book without actually giving them explosives. Garp… he gave them no instructions, and military grade explosives. Then, the man disappeared!

Dadan found herself putting out forest fires on an almost daily basis. Thank goodness the boys were doing their parts to put it out. Really, why did he need to say that?

The woman was sitting out on the front porch with a fresh and sealed pack of cigars beside her. She didn’t light up, but she was tempted to. How long had it been since she smoked anyway? Lighting up is probably stupid with all the stupid things her boys are playing with. They almost set her booz on fire the other day.

Sabo stepped out of the door with a box in his hands. Dadan recognized the box. It was the one holding the snail Kuma left. It had been almost three weeks, and no contact. The letter said he would call in one. That means he probably won’t call her.

“You forgot your snail.” The boy told her. “I thought you quit smoking.”

“I did.” She answered. “Where are your brothers.”

“Out.” Sabo said before shrugging. “Manners classes. I don’t need them.”

The woman snorted. “You sure about that.”

The boy crossed his arms and rolled his eyes. Then he snuck out his tongue. “You should thank me! What if you missed Rosi’s call?”

“He isn’t calling.” She told the boy and reached for her cigar pack.

The boy stole the cigars. “What happened to quitting?”

“What happened to you having manners?” She shot back as she reached for her cigars. Maybe she should light one up!

“Bedababda.”

Both looked at each other with wide eyes before scrambling to get the snail out of it’s box. She looked at her boy wondering what she should say. “Hello?”

“Hey Dona, sorry I’m late to call. How are your boys?” Right, he told her that using their names over snail was dangerous. She has a local bounty, and he has an underworld one.

Shit… she didn’t decide on a code name for him. He suggested something similar to his name. “Hey, Angel-s…san.” Sabo face palmed in front of her. Then he gestured with his hand for her to keep going. “How… how are you?”

There was a pause before Rosinante’s deep voice came over the snail. “We are holding up fine here. Is everything okay?”

“Yes.” Dadan looked at Sabo then shook her head. “Actually, no. The boy’s grandpa came by and decided to give the boys explosives.” She was glaring at her son for distracting her.

“Like fireworks?” A woman’s voice came over the snail.

“I am so sorry.” Rosi-sempi’s voice came over the snail. “Those… Those fireworks were supposed to help the boys use a distraction and then run when trouble comes. I…”

Dadan buried her face in her hands. “Yeah, I know Ace. He likes picking fights, and doesn’t believe in running away. That… would be an improvement if some… bandits try to attack us again.” She did not know how to talk like this, and Sabo was distracting her.

“I hope you don’t need to worry about… fireworks that often.” The woman’s voice came over the snail.

“Who are you?” Sabo stole the snail. Of course he had to embarrass her.

“Is that you, Sabo?” Rosi’s voice came over the snail. “Did you and your brothers enjoy the trip home?”

“Yeah, dad. Who is the lady?” The boy’s voice was so suspicious.

Dadan knocked back a swallow of her beer and tried to hide how red her cheeks were. She could hear the woman laughing on the other line.

“Sabo, cut back with the jokes. I get it, your birth dad is terrible, but I can’t adopt you. You have Da… your mom. She loves you, and must feel uncomfortable with this.” Rosi’s deep voice then lost it’s tone of reprimand. “Sorry Dona. You know, kids will be kids. I’m just lucky my boys are still at the age they are disgusted by romance.”

The woman on the other line was laughing out loud. “I can attest to that! You should see their reactions when I just lean on Kuma’s arm! It’s like they boys think they will get cuties!”

Dadan looked up between her fingers. Sabo seemed to look relieved for no good reason. The boy was getting a smirk that made her frustrated and uncomfortable. Dadan found her voice. “Glad to know you are doing better.” The lady sounded nothing like her husband, Kuma.

“Oh, definitely!" The lady’s voice was so cheery. “Anyway, mind if I drop a call from time to time? R… Angel here says you are an expert on taking care of infants. How long did it take yours to sleep through the night? Bonny woke us up three times last night!”

“Oh.” Dadan blinked. Whose delusional idea was it that she could be an expert on child rearing? She is hardly managing! “I… it’s been a long time since I had an infant to take care of.” She looked at Sabo for help. The boy just shook his head and shrugged.

“That’s fine!” The woman said. “I need some more friends with kids. We can talk about all the drama! Thanks for sharing your guardian angel to help save my family.”

Dadan felt dread fill her gut. This woman sounds like the type of person that made her decide to live as a hermit. She is smart, bossy, and maybe like a younger female Garp. Dadan already had enough crazies to deal with. “What do I call you?” Was she using real names?

“Ginny here!” She exclaimed. “Unlike some people, I’m not paranoid.” Her tone was reprimanding all of a sudden. Then she switched to a cheery tone again. “I need to go try on my wedding dress now! I’ll call you back soon!”

A door slamming sound effect came out of the snail. Sabo snorted at that and covered his laugh. Dadan didn’t know what to say.

“Sorry.” Rosi-sempi’s deep voice came over the line. “I… She is a whirlwind. Also, I should have called sooner. The… The move has been crazy.”

The mountain bandit let herself smile. “I believe that.” She looked at Sabo. “The boys must have made it difficult for you.”

He chuckled. “Actually, they’ve done everything they can to help. I really got lucky with my boys.”

She glared at her smirking blond child. “Yeah, ya did.”

“Do you want me to talk to Ace about the fireworks?” He had so much regret in his tone.

Dadan chuckled. “It beats him sneaking out to start fights. Keep yourself safe out there, alright?”

“I will. My boys wouldn’t let me do anything too self destructive.” His voice was light and had a soft chuckle.

“Oh, Ace and Luffy are taking manners classes. Sabo is hopeless.” Ginny gave them privacy. Why wouldn’t Sabo leave?

“Every kid has something they don’t want to learn.” He sounded happy. “You should see L… my little angel’s nightmare penmanship.”

“It’s probably easier to read than Luffy’s.” She stated flatly. “At least yours boy can spell.”

…

Smoker made the choice to leave before the wedding. It was his decision. He could see that the commander was somehow doing better after being forced to sleep for a few days. He had a gut instinct that this wouldn’t last. What he did know, was this was the point with the least amount of danger. He needed to report to Sengoku to prevent things from going wrong again.

The two bounty hunters wanted to join the marines, but got cold feet. They assumed that Smoker would be back. Walking into the fleet admiral’s office after kidnaping the man’s grandson terrified them. They want to join next time… if that ever happens.

His goodbye was short and sweet, the way it should be. Law looked way too happy with him leaving. Smoker was so telling Sengoku how difficult the boy could be!

…

A bachelor party. Rosinante hadn’t been invited to one of these since Dragon got married. It… didn’t end well. When he was a teenage marine, Rosi slipped out the back door half way through. Of course Dragon realized he disappeared, and hunted him down later with a drink. It really just wasn’t his scene.

Alcohol was always available in the marines. He only worried about building up a tolerance after deciding to join Dofi’s crew undercover. The man just didn’t like getting drunk. His first time was traumatic, and he still has no idea what happened at that party. Something about not remembering parts of his life, not knowing what he did- it terrified him. Maybe having CP-0 bang down his door for a meeting while the teen was getting over his first hangover traumatized him permanently.

Dragon wasn’t one to let his focus leave the food for the dancing girls that came to his party. It was actually funny to see the man inhale food and ignore the party his marine friends threw for him. Everything about the place had Rosinante terrified. He was a plague to the room. Yeah, he shrugged the women off like Dragon, but that wasn’t out of loyalty. That was because he got the talk from both Sengoku, and a more terrifying one from CP-0. What would happen if he lost his mind and someone got killed? He was a poison in the room.

That was actually when he first told Dragon what he was. Maybe it was the drinks that loosened his tongue. The older marine was like a mentor to him. He was mostly friends with him because of their dads. Yeah, his dad’s best friend’s son is his friend. That doesn’t mean the book nerd and the popular upstart who is almost a decade older than him had reason to get along. The man was ‘mr perfect.’

Maybe he was part of the reason Dragon became a revolutionary. He told him about how the will of D was the natural enemy of the celestial dragons. At first Dragon laughed, till he looked in his eyes and the man seemed to sober. On the night before his wedding, Rosinante asked Dragon to kill him. Well, not to kill him per-say, but to kill him if he ever snapped. Specifically, he asked his friend to kill him if her ever became like Dofi. Dragon agreed and promised.

While Dragon claimed that he would never need to go through with his promise, he knew the man would do it. If he really went crazy, Dragon would hunt him down and kill him. While he may be a deadbeat, Rosinante knew Luffy’s dad at least checked up on his son from afar. He still trusted his friend as a safety blanket. Rosi’s entire family was prone to insanity.

Now, Rosinante looked at Law and his friends playing. He finally got the explanation that the other boys stole Cronos and found out the truth. He still didn’t know the story behind the mascot thing, but that really didn’t matter.

Kuma didn’t want a bachelor party. Some of the older people on the island decided it needed to happen without his consent. Given it was Kuma’s party, the event was nothing like Dragon’s. This party had hardly any alcohol. It was kid friendly, and the focus on food and games dominated. There were a bunch of tables with food, and tables with board games. Rosinante didn’t know if he had heard this much laughter anywhere before. It was peaceful, happy- free.

Law was his crazy button, and the celestial dragon knew it. He knew exactly what he was, and he knew that his kid wasn't the picture of morality either. Rosinante knew he was crazy. In another world he died for that kid. Law didn’t even understand that stealing people’s limbs when he was in a bad mood was a bad thing! It seemed like that was a habit in the other world. He… How could he keep these kids sane, good, if he was teetering on the edge himself?

Rosinante was sitting in the shadows on the outskirts of the party when Kuma came to sit next to him.

“You wanted to talk, my friend?” Kuma came and sat right next to him.

“Yeah.” Rosinante snapped his fingers and made a small room of silence. “I should have brought this up to you sooner… much sooner.”

Kuma looked at him with his brow raised. “Should I bring Ginny into this?”

Rosinante crossed his arms and looked off at his kids. Law glanced at him. He knew what they were talking about. “That is your choice. You… If you want this burden, she can’t carry this for you.”

Kuma looked away at the people celebrating. “What’s wrong.”

The blond closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “I’m supposed to be dead.” He needed to word this better than how he described it to Bell-mere. “I would be dead if it weren’t for one of Vegapunk’s creations. We used it to break reality.”

Unlike Bell, Kuma didn’t hesitate to believe him. “Why are you telling me this?”

“The sword lets you see the world, the future for six months from the moment you hold it. The catch is, if you change the future, it won’t change what is seen when someone touches the sword. It… It almost shows you an alternate dimension of what would happen if nobody abused the sword’s power.” He tried to explain quickly and concisely.

“What do you see when you touch it?” Kuma asked.

“Nothing.” He smiled and looked at his friend. “My brother killed me a little over a year ago. One year and four months before Law’s birthday. Since then, I got nothing.”

“Ginny died in that world.” Kuma realized. “That’s why this doesn’t apply to her.”

The blond nodded. “The only information the sword lets us learn about is those four kids living off the grid on Swallow Island. The reason they want you to pick up that engineer is because he helped them survive. From what I understand, he was closer to Shachi and Penguin than Law. Bepo gets along with everyone, so I guess he was close with the man too.” He spoke calmly. “We have already completely broken reality, but this could still be of use to a revolutionary and king who would be paying attention to the world stage. The only threat Law kept his eyes on was Dofi.”

“You remember your brother killing you.” Kuma seemed to latch on the least important thing.

Rosinante shrugged. “Do… Don’t you want to focus on world events? If… Talk to Ginny. What you see may be traumatic.”

“What you saw was traumatic.” Kuma stated.

Rosinante laughed. “It was probably worse for Law. He… heard… He was there. I put him on mute and hid him in a chest when Dofi was coming. It kinda made him a little paranoid. He was glued to my side for months.”

Kuma looked down on him with a glare of disbelief.

Rosinante leaned forward and looked down at his feet. “It let me give up on him. I… I couldn’t kill Dofi. I couldn’t even hurt him. I know one shot from my pistol wouldn’t have killed him. Celestial dragons are hard to kill. Even when… I couldn’t pull the trigger. Now I can confidently cut him out of my life. Doflamingo’s brother died the second I touched that sword.”

The buccaneer silently patted him on the shoulder.

“Thanks.” He spoke quietly.

“I’m glad that you survived. I’m glad your kid saved Ginny and Bonny. If it weren’t for you, I would have sold my soul to the devil to have saved just one of my girls.” Kuma’s voice was soft. “I don’t want to see that world, but you are right about it being valuable. I would do anything to protect my family.”

Chapter Text

The wedding was perfect.

Kuma and Ginny both had smiles on their faces the entire time. Kuma was shaking, but just as smitten. Rosinante was sweating just as bad as his friend getting married. Standing up here was not in his expertise.

Shachi was recording the wedding. He had a feeling it was half for the happy couple and half to make fun of him later. Law, Bepo, and Penguin were all smiling. An older lady he didn’t know the name of was holding Bonny.

The wedding was short, and not formal at all. It wasn’t a crazy royal wedding, but a heartfelt one with close friends and family. He didn’t think he belonged there. That didn’t mean the ceremony didn’t warm the man’s heart.

The after party was short and sweet. It really was the perfect wedding. This right here, this is the simple life his parents dreamed their children would be able to experience. Despite knowing destruction was in the boy’s future, Rosinante hoped Law, and the other three would experience a life like this one day.

Something was itching at the corner of Rosinante’s mind. He thought he was going crazy, but a presence wavered in the corner of his haki. Yeah, CP-0 was a nightmare for everyone here, but what if there was some present reality in his bad dreams?

…

Rosinante was not okay.

Kuma and Ginny ditched the island for their honeymoon and decided to leave him in charge of protecting the island. Apparently, the kids proposed the idea. It appears that everyone knew, and Kuma declared him royal advisor when he was unconscious. The man chose to blame this all on Law.

He didn’t want to worry his friends. They were fighters. At least now he can have the island do safety drills. That is an easy way to keep everyone safe when he checks for a threat.

A disappearing presence lurked at the corner of the man’s mind. He wasn’t crazy. Someone on the island was playing hide and seek with haki.

…

Smoker couldn’t help but feel nervous. He had a lot of paperwork to bring, and the marine had been looking forward to this all his life. At the same time, it was his first time stepping onto marine HQ. He made it, but he didn’t feel like he belonged there. He didn’t work his way up. He was here due to who he knew. At the same time, he needed to be here. Who else was going to help the commander?

Smoker took a deep breath and walked into the gate. Then he walked up to the main building. He found himself in a waiting room for marines. Oddly enough, a commotion was going on. There was someone in the room who wasn’t a marine. It was a fishman with six arms.

The cadet walked up to the front desk with his ID. The lady behind the desk took his identification without a word.

“What is the commotion?" He asked.

The lady snorted. “The idiot is demanding to see the Fleet Admiral. That’s never going to happen. We will get someone to kick him out soon. You can take a seat and I’ll call to see where to send you.”

Due process. It always frustrated him. The teen walked towards an empty seat, then paused. He looked at the fishman and walked over. Smoker used his powers to force his way over to the fishman. Funny, instead of appearing large and intimidating, the smoke also works to walk through gaps where he really shouldn’t fit. Someone as tall as the commander would probably enjoy a fruit like his.

The fishman jumped back when Smoker seemed to just appear in front of him. “Can you calm down and tell me what is wrong?”

He felt hands reach out and grab his shoulders, biceps, and forearms. “You need to take me to the Fleet Admiral!” The fish man’s eyes were dilated. That probably means fear or drugs.

This man is probably scared. Taking a deep breath, Smoker resisted the urge to use his powers to escape the grip of the person in front of him. “We can’t just take you to the Fleet Admiral without a reason.” He spoke in an even tone. “He is a busy man.”

The fishman nodded. “Okay.” He loosened his grip. “I… It's a secret. I can’t trust everyone.”

A few months ago, Smoker would have shrugged this off for later- especially at HQ. Now, he understood that the corruption is a lot larger than just Logue Town. “Can you at least give me your name?”

“Hatchi.” The octopus fishman opened his mouth to speak again.

Smoker reached out his hand out and held the fishman’s mouth shut. “Don’t say another word.” He spoke as he looked the commander’s friend in the eyes. “Save it for when we are in the fleet admiral’s office.”

Hatchi’s eyes lit up in joy. “Really.” He ripped Smoker’s hand off his mouth. “Oh, I am so happy to have you here!” The octopus man tried to hug him.

“You can’t just make that promise!” Someone said over Smoker’s shoulder. “Your uniform indicates you are just a cadet.”

The door flew open. Standing in the doorway, Smoker saw another cadet that looked close to Shachi’s age. The boy had red hair, and a unique scar on his chin. For some reason, everyone paused to give the kid attention. His uniform looked like he was the same low rank as Smoker. Then, he spoke. “Cadet Smoker, you can come with me straight to Sengoku’s office.”

Smoker smirked at the marines that were holding Hatchi back a few minutes ago. “Come on, Hatchi.”

“Right!” Hatchi followed him.

The teen didn’t appear to be the least bit surprised about his tagalong. The boy looked Smoker up and down with a critical eye. “Where is the paperwork?”

“I ate a logia fruit.” He answered. Just for good measure, Smoker tapped his side.

“Smart.” The boy reached out his hand to shake. “The name is Drake. I’m your commander’s new foster brother. He saved my life some time back.”

“Your nephew is annoying.” He informed the boy who is probably close to Law’s age. Is the adoption addiction contagious?

…

Jimbe waited three hours to get into Sengoku’s office. He couldn’t believe that he was here. He managed to convince Otohime to agree to stay away from Doflamingo. That didn’t mean she didn’t nag him every day to go talk to Sengoku to contact his foster son.

After waiting hours to see the man, he was getting nothing. Sengoku looked tired. When the door finally opened, Jimbe had a feeling the man didn’t want to talk to him. It was obvious the man wouldn’t trust his kid’s information to a warlord. The most Jimbe expected was a way for Otohime to contact her friend on Mary Joy.

“Keep you nose out of the DonQuixote family drama." Sengoku simply told him. “I know your queen had some connection with Mary Joy. Whatever happened, take it as a win that she got home alive.”

Jimbe rubbed his brow. “That is not my choice. It is DonQuixote Mosgard that she wants to contact. She thinks he needs a friend that is a human dragon. He isn’t doing well socially after recanting slavery and everything else. She promised to bring him in touch with his family.”

Sengoku blinked then looked out the window. Then he pulled out a pen. “I can’t help you with that.” As he spoke, the man tapped the paper and wrote out, ‘If that’s true, all of your lives are in danger.’

“What?” The warlord’s eyes widened.

Sengoku tapped his ear. “I’m sorry, but this is above my paygrade.” He called his goat over and fed him the paper he just wrote on. “The World Government and Marines are completely different departments.”

Jimbe’s eye twitched. “Do you lose a lot of paperwork?”

Sengoku smiled. “I don’t know what you are talking about. Im-sama here would never eat anything important! My son got him for me. Training him was Rosi’s idea.” The man started petting the goat like it was a dog.

Jimbe looked at the photos on his desk “His mannerisms look nothing like his brother.”

“Keep your nose out of this. Fishman island is in a delicate enough place without this family drama.” Sengoku shook his head. “Go home and double the royal guard.”

The fishman took a deep breath. He steepled his hands. “The queen is stubborn. She won’t accept that. Could you maybe come to talk to her?”

“What do you think my job is?” The man looked exasperated.

Jimbay was about to say his job contained talking to diplomats, then he remembered what he recently witnessed. Maybe Sengoku really didn’t have that much power. The knight of the sea looked at the goat who ate the warning Sengoku wrote him. This is nothing like the image the world government has been painting.

“I see.” Jimbe stood to his feet. “Apologies for taking up so much of your time.”

When Jimbe turned to face the door, it flew open. Standing at the door was the teenager who brought him up to Sengoku’s office earlier. Behind him was standing a clean pressed marine with white hair to match his white uniform. The bigger surprise was Hatchi playing with his hands behind the marines.

“Hatchi?” The knight of the sea felt his jaw drop. Hatchi left with Arlong. Why would he be there?

“Jimbe-san?” The fishman pointed at him. “Why are you here?”

“I’m a warlord!” He answered his old friend. “Why are you here?” He looked at the smirking redhead and the saluting teen with white hair. Then he looked back at Sengoku. “Arlong’s crew is outside of my protection now, but Hatchi is not a bad guy. Whatever he did…” Jimbe shook his head.

“Are you Rosi-san’s dad?” Hatchi wasn’t even looking at Jimbe.

Sengoku shot to his feet and grabbed some paperwork. Then he stepped right in front of the saluting teen with white hair. “Smoker I presume?”

“Yes, sir!” He was stiff.

Sengoku looked at Jimbe and squinted for a moment. Then he looked around at everyone in the room. His gaze went back to the cadets. He focused on Smoker. “I know you were ordered to come here quickly, and straight to my office. Sadly, Jimbe has recently brought up a diplomatic matter that requires me to be on Fishman Island.” His gaze shifted to the kid with red hair. “Drake, take Vice Captain Smoker, to the filling room, and grab these files for me.” The old man held out a slip of paper with instructions. “Then meet us by the coated ships being transferred to the New World.”

“Understood.” Drake answered and started walking away. “Let’s go, Vice Captain.”

“Vice… Captain?” The white haired young man was gaping. He almost looked like he was rippling a little out of Jimbe’s vision. Was he some kind of mirage?

“Snap to it.” Sengoku had a soft smile on his face.

“Thank you, sir. I don’t deserve the promotion.” The teen stepped back. He still looked frozen in shock.

Sengoko chuckled. “Your recommendation will have you on the fast track to Vice Admiral, now hurry up if you don’t want to ruin it.”

The teen turned away with a smile on his face. The redhead punched him in the shoulder and started running.

“What just happened?” Jimbe asked.

Sengoku looked between the two fishmen. “We will talk on the ship. I think we have a test submarine. That would be better than a coated ship.” Then he nodded and directed the fishmen out of his office. “Meet me by the docks in fifteen minutes. We can talk on the way.”

The door slammed shut. Jimbe found himself alone in the hallway with Hatchi. “What did Arlong get you roped into?”

“I left Arlong’s crew over a year ago.” Hatchi wouldn’t look him in the eye. “I’ve been working with some humans to help fortify the East Blue.”

Jimbe felt his jaw drop again. “How?”

“I…” Hatchi looked back and forth. Then he put his hand up to whisper in Jimbe’s ear. “Is Rosi-san’s brother really a warlord like you?”

Jimbe didn’t know how to respond. he looked at his friend in confusion. Why were the fishmen so deeply tied into the DonQuixoti family drama? When he feared Arlong appearing and getting involved, this wasn’t what Jimbe expected. This was actually beyond his wildest dreams.

…

Rosinante woke up early with a smile on his face. He quickly got to work on getting all Law’s birthday gifts out of hiding. It wasn’t much, but he had something. The man was able to acquire some new medical books from Kuma, and it appeared the kids were all working on gifts too. He couldn’t properly celebrate all the boys' birthdays last year when he was just trying to survive. Now, he felt neglectful for only giving the other boys some Beri and letters. Law was easy in comparison.

He put all Law’s gifts on the table. Well, he put all the gifts on the table except one. The man had been preparing this gift for his ‘son’ for a long time. He didn’t know if it was necessarily appropriate right now, but he knew Law would love it.

The boy was sleeping in without a fuss that morning. Shachi and Penguin agreed to survey the island for him. Bepo was slipping into the town to grab cookies. Cake would not do with Law’s gluten allergy. They agreed to have someone better at cooking make the food. When he ordered the cake, it was hard to convince everyone in town cake was a bad idea.

“Morning.” Law’s voice broke the room’s silence. “Since it’s my birthday, do I get coffee?”

Rosinante looked down at the boy who just woke up. Law hadn’t even put his fluffy hat on yet. The boy’s hair was a mess, and growing past the point he usually cut it. Those bangs were getting close to covering the scar on his forehead. Is that why he hadn’t cut his hair yet? He looked tired.

“Not at twelve. Maybe when you turn sixteen.” He told the boy. “You know, coffee stunts your growth.”

“That is an old wives tale.” The boy argued.

Rosinante raised his brow. “The others aren’t here. You can confess, did you use shambles to look in all your birthday gifts?” He said as he leaned on the wall across from Law’s bed.

Law squinted up at him with his half asleep glare. “Count coffee as payment for the fact you didn’t get me anything. Kuma and Ginny left a note in the medical books.”

The blond shook his head. “I’m a professional spy. Do you really think I can’t hide something simple as a gift?”

Law sat up in bed and looked at him. “You are messing with me, Cora-san.”

Rosinante pulled a package out from the cabinet beside him. “Maybe next year you will find out where I hid it.”

The boy didn’t bother getting out of bed. He threw his hand out. “Room.” The boy’s room was a little shaky when it formed. Law was definitely tired. Then again, his rooms had over tripled in size over the last year. “Shambles.”

Rosinante rolled his eyes when he found Law’s pillow in his hand where the package was. The boy was growing, but still a child. The smile on his boy’s face was something he would cherish. He actually cheated it with his camera snail. Any photo with Law smiling was a win. His expression now would be priceless.

Law’s jaw dropped as he reached out to feel the soft feathers. “Is this?”

“I didn’t just modify my coat to be shorter because too many feathers burnt off. That was a problem, and I have done that far too many times- but not this time.” The man started talking before taking a sip of his coffee.

The boy pulled the black feathered coat out of the wrapping. It was lined in feathers from his old coat. The jacket was dark blue unlike his, and didn’t have as many pockets. That didn’t mean it didn’t have a good number of hidden compartments. The yellow pattern on the edge really made it pop. “I’m not that good at sewing. I got some help back in the East Blue. It should be a little big on you still. You will notice some coins sewn into pockets that don’t actually open. I think you already have those in your coin collection, but you can use these and your powers to hide things.”

He watched as Law put the coat on. “It’s so soft!” Law hugged himself. “Cora-san!”

“Now you don’t need to complain about me not wearing my jacket all the time anymore.” The man said with a satisfied smirk.

“But now you match me and not Dofi!” Law was looking through the compartments in his new jacket. He looked up with a bright smile on his face.

“You win, but I’m not planning to wander this island in that jacket when everyone is out. It’s too recognizable, and anyone who pegs me from my or Dofi’s wanted poster will recognize the family name.” He shook his head.

Law looked up at him. “What if we want to use it?”

“Law.” He glared down at the boy.

“Our con can protect Bonny.” He echoed his words from the planning meeting the night before. “Wouldn’t I be a higher priority target if they hunt down half celestial dragons?” His tone was so innocent.

“Are you trying to give me a heart attack?” He asked the boy.

Law just smiled up at him with that pure and innocent smile that Rosinante didn’t trust. Yes, this boy was definitely going to be the death of him. For some reason he was okay with that. He knew it was manipulative, but Law is finding ways to help people.

The man set down his coffee.

Rosinante blinked. Then he looked out the window and dropped his silence. He held up a finger for Law to wait a moment. Rosi ran and grabbed his jacket. “Why didn’t we clear up this misunderstanding sooner? We can match today, but this just got…” He shook his head. “Grab your weapons and get ready to fight or hide.”

“I thought we were going to start the hunt after breakfast?” Law’s tone was confused.

“This is something else.” Rosinante realized. When he reached to open the door, Rosinante looked down at Law. “Please don’t say anything that will get you killed.”

…

Checking the perimeter of the island with haki should have been easy. Nothing had gone wrong on the island in years. With Kuma and Ginny leaving with Bonny, they have no reason to expect outside problems for a bit. It was Law’s birthday, and protecting the island was supposed to just be a way to keep Cora-san busy. Outside their little hunt, everything was supposed to go smoothly.

So, why was Shachi looking at the Arlong Pirates ship? Surprisingly there was one human on the ship, only one. The boy stood on the edge of the island where a broken skeleton of what was once a dock rested. He crossed his arms and waited.

The boy didn’t flinch back as the fishmen surrounded him. Why is that human woman on the ship? Shachi wanted to know, but it wasn’t the time. Instead he looked up at Arlong. “Can you please invade tomorrow?” He took a deep breath. “It’s been a long… year.”

“It’s been a long year for you!” Arlong grabbed the boy by his collar. “Who do you think you are, pitiful human?”

Shachi sighed. “Look, my cousin is half fishman. You are far from the scariest thing I have seen in the last month. To top that off, the old man finally stopped acting too paranoid. Do you want to leave now, or get into another fight you will lose?”

“Why do you remind me of…” The fishman shook his head.

A calm and deep voice rang in Shachi’s ears. He already equated that voice with protection. Of course he knew the crew’s mascot. “Arlong? Really?” Cora-san’s voice rang out. “Can you please just invade tomorrow? It’s Law’s birthday and… of course he will want to fight.”

Arlong’s eyes widened in realization.

“Room.”

…

Chapter Text

He knew it for sure once Kuma left. Rosinante really should have been more paranoid. It was the fact that he was so traumatized, he didn’t know what was real or fake anymore. Only when he couldn’t rely on anyone else did he notice that no, he wasn’t completely crazy… yet.

The presence was quiet. Whoever this is, the stranger knows how to hide his haki signature. Rosinante felt like he was being watched, and that was because he was in fact being watched. This nightmare, this island is dangerous for him. He had two options; act, or wait and see.

One member of CP-0. As strong as those assassins are, this enemy was outnumbered. For all Rosinante knew, the man was just ordered to spy on him. This enemy could even just be there to report on Ginny and Bonny. The good thing is the girls were never alone. Whoever this agent is, he is alone in the face of an island who will recognize what he is. This place is a threat to both sides.

With Smoker gone, Rosinante lost his main contact to the marines. Kuma’s family may very well have been the target, but in that case the agent would have sky walked off the island by now. That means that this agent is still here for some reason. Right now, what he needed was to lure the enemy into a false sense of safety.

He really didn’t want to talk to the kids about assassins on the island, but Rosinante knew them well enough. Keeping them away from the danger was impossible. Instead he needed to give them a role that would keep them safe and alive. If the enemy wants to strike, this is the best time.

Law wanted to strike on his birthday. It was dramatic, and concerning that the boy wanted to fight government assassins for his birthday. Why couldn’t he just be a normal kid for once? That is when Rosi remembered that yes, he had been calling Law his son, and never explosively said Law was adopted to anyone important. He really should have ended the kid’s game sooner. Between his call with Sengoku, Dofi, and everyone else, Law was probably just as much a target as Bonny. The assassin may have just stayed because a new target presented himself.

“It will protect Bonny, right?” Law said as the five of them sat around the table.

Rosinante shook his head. “You don’t get it. This island is the perfect place to stage an accident for us. It would just look like a repeat of when I was a kid.”

The little doctor squinted up at him. “What exactly did happen when you were a kid? Those wounds were not normal.” His arms were crossed. It’s obvious the boy is smart enough to figure it out.

Penguin laughed awkwardly. “So…” He shook his head. “Do you remember that unmarked boat I stole so we have a way off the island… It was anchored at sea a couple miles off the coast some time back.”

“You what?” The adult looked at the kid.

“You were having night terrors, and wouldn’t talk to us. We wanted a way out if things went bad. The ship is hidden in a cave we found, and beached.” Shachi told him. “This is what happens when you don’t tell us things. We are pirates and runaways, remember that.”

“Okay.” Rosinante took a deep breath. “That might explain why the agent is still here. He probably came for reconnaissance, then got stuck here.” He laughed. “You robbed a government assassin.” These boys were going to be the death of him.

“They need to be smarter with their stuff.” The teen argued.

Rosinante shook his head. “So we have one government assassin against a group of kids and a half crazed adult.”

“What is the threat? What could he want?” Law asked.

The man crossed his arms and looked up at the holes in the ceiling. His silence was protecting them. He usually just kept the house quiet. Now the man kept his bubble smaller. “On this island the bigger question is what he wouldn’t want.” He looked at the boys. “Leave the assassin to me.”

“But, dad… it’s my birthday tomorrow.” Law got those stupid pleading eyes that always broke him. “Please? This is a good training chance. Right?”

“I don’t even know if I can survive these guys!” Rosinante stood up.

Bepo’s soft voice made its way into the conversation. “Isn’t that why you have been training?” He looked up at Rosinante with those dark eyes. “Sorry.”

“The two bounty hunters didn’t leave with Smoker yet. They can help protect the people on the island in a safety drill.” Shachi pointed out. “We have observation haki.”

“That isn’t enough to go against a master in all haki forms- save conquerors haki.” He told them.

“What’s worse?” Law asked. “This one assassin, or Dofi? I can use shambles to keep us from being used as hostages.”

“Are you trying to give me a heart attack?” He asked his foster kid.

Law smiled. “If we sleep in shifts, then you will be rested enough to fight, right?”

That brat. This is a ploy to force him to sleep, isn’t it?

…

The South Blue was cold. Arlong wanted to go to the warmer waters of the west when the east failed. He thought about it, but passing through fishman island with nothing to show for his time away was embarrassing. He wasn’t going to come back until he proved himself to everyone. Arlong was done arguing with the delusional pacifists on his home island. If the queen wanted a land where their children could bask in the sun, then why not just take it? Why was she playing these pitiful pacifist games? The answer is because she is stupid.

Things were going well at first. It irked him, but the people in the south had more understanding of world events. The humans here didn’t think he was acting like a human, but a celestial dragon. Apparently, there was a second mass breakout of slaves that Fisher Tiger didn’t cause. Word of it had spread through the south as people scattered. Nobody wanted to be confused with slaves. Nobody wanted the fate of living at the feet of the demons above Fishman Island.

Hatchi’s betrayal rang raw. His old friend was too innocent. Hatchi was too soft on humans. Maybe it’s a good thing that his friend didn’t stand beside him and get called a celestial dragon. It would be traumatic for his old friend.

Arlong didn’t want to care. He didn’t want to be the bad guy. It was his kind or the humans. There is no third party. Fishmen and mermaids see each other as the same, why are the humans so opposed to those who look just like them? The same blood runs through all their veins.

He shook his head at the thought of blood. That very blood he could not accept. It is the blood of humans that brought the death of his captain. The cold waters were driving him mad. If Jimbe inherited the captain’s mercy, Arlong got his hate. Sadly, hate thrives in heat, not frozen waters.

The crew notified him of a sinking fishing boat. A lone human woman was in the boat. She was out of food and pitiful. Arlong went over to laugh, to gloat at the human who can’t even survive swimming to the next island. Then she looked up.

It couldn’t be. This lady was not Koala. She was too old. Despite that, her hair was the same brown color. Her eyes were so similar to the child that ruined his life. This woman, she even had that ever familiar mark on her back.

Back then Arlong wanted to throw Koala off the ship. Then after the voyage he wanted to keep her and not send her back to be corrupted by the humans. Now he is looking at a woman who looks just like her.

“Thank you so much.” The woman looked up at him with a desperate smile. “Please tell me this ship is going to the Sherbert Kingdom.”

Arlong knew that name. That is the kingdom ruled and formed by runaway slaves. Anyone who left is so adamant to make sure nobody believes they are slaves. Everyone who wasn’t a slave ran. The fishman had a feeling of dread at the thought of that kingdom. He felt that dread looking into her eyes.

She was shivering from the cold waters. With winter coming, soon a human will freeze to death from a short dip. The fruit eaters will be just like all the other pitiful beings without gills. None of them belong on the sea.

He couldn’t speak. Arlong didn’t know what to say. He couldn't accept it. He couldn’t accept the idea that the humans weren’t that bad. He couldn’t accept Hatchi’s actions. “That kingdom will fall.” He spoke as he looked at her. “Humans are evil and cruel. Do you think that land is a safe haven? It will be just like all the other corrupt kingdoms ruled by humans.” He was sure of it.

The pirate ordered to change coarse from his small but growing empire.

…

The island didn’t have a dock. It looked like the worst parts of the ghetto he grew up in. It wasn’t clean and shiny, but dirty. Nothing about the island’s shore looked pleasing.

Out of the corner of his eye. Arlong saw the human woman looking at the island with hope. She truly believed this place would bring her freedom. Why didn’t he just throw her overboard? Why did he keep this woman on his ship? He was acting just like his captain when Fisher Tiger foolishly walked to his death.

Arlong shook his head. He didn’t want to know this woman’s sob story. He didn’t want to pity a human. They are all the same.

The captain jumped into the sea to lead the charge. He was not going to avoid it anymore. He needed to face it and prove what he knew to be true before doubt began to fill him.

Standing on the shore was a teenager. The human boy didn’t run. He didn’t react to being surrounded. It was wrong. This is not the reaction he should be seeing invading an island. For some reason, he didn’t just kill the kid. Human or not, that felt wrong. He needed a reaction. The boy didn’t look at him with hate, fear, or any real emotion. The boy looked tired, bored even. Even when he grabbed the boy’s collar, the boy didn’t react.

“Can you please invade tomorrow?” The boy took a deep breath. “It’s been a long… year.”

Arlong blinked down at the boy. A long year? What is that supposed to mean? This kid has no idea what kind of suffering his crew had to face after getting kicked out of the East Blue. “It’s been a long year for you!” Arlong shook the boy threateningly. “Who do you think you are, pitiful human?”

The boy sighed and leaned his head back dramatically. It reminded the fishman of a stupid blond human that distracted him over a year ago. Was Vice Admiral Garp really that active in the East Blue? Did he flee for nothing?

Then the kid spoke. “Look, my cousin is half fishman. You are far from the scariest thing I have seen in the last month. To top that off, the old man finally stopped acting paranoid. Do you want to leave, or get into another fight you will lose?”

Arlong didn’t know what to think from those words. The mere idea of a halfbreed made him sick. It was wrong, unethical, and also in part the parent’s fault. What should he do if that half breed is on the island? Should he be treated as a lesser fishman, or a greater human?

Fear filled Arlong’s gut. This boy completely caught him off guard. He is so sure that he isn’t in danger. Arlong got promptly distracted by an unknown threat and ethics. It was so familiar. “Why do you remind me of…” He shook his head.

A deep and strong voice rang in Arlong’s ears. He thought he was hallucinating for a moment. Why would he be here? He left that crazy man, his son, and all the brats that followed him around in the East Blue. “Arlong? Really?”

The boy smirked up at Arlong. Oh shit. The fishman vaguely remembered two boys hiding and avoiding his crew. One had red hair. How was he supposed to remember this human? Almost all of them look the same! “Can you please just invade tomorrow? It’s Law’s birthday and… of course he will want to fight.”

Arlong looked up at the tall man in fear. Oh no. There he is, feather coat and all. Does that mean the creepy heart thief is here?

“Room.” He didn’t know where the voice was coming from.

“Get in the water!” Arlong wanted to keep the boy hostage, but instead he noticed in a flash that he was holding a birthday cake and not a teenager. That fruit is strange, disturbing, and overpowered. He needed to get the kid wet, fast.

Arlong felt a familiar hole in his chest. Then he felt the tightness. He turned around to see that kid, that stupid brat with the creepy glare and the white hat. He had an oversized jacket tossed on his back like a cape.

He tried to take a swing at the kid. Arlong was not going to be a pawn again. He couldn’t do this!

“Shambles.”

Arlong looked up and saw the brat appear beside his dad with their stupid matching bird coats. The redhead boy was literally posing beside him with his arms crossed. Another kid jumped out of the water and ran up beside the redhead. That must be the halfbreed. The mink is probably around here too.

He was a fool. Arlong let that woman lead him into this trap! He didn’t have a chance. This was all on him.

“What are we going to do now?” The half breed asked.

The creepy kid’s dad shook his head. Then he rubbed his hand down his face. “We don’t know what else will go wrong, and Kuma won’t be back for at least a week. If we are going to go after the CP-0 agent, we need to do it before he gets off the island.”

“CP-0?” Arlong mumbled. What are they talking about?

The fishman watched as his heart was handed off to the redhead. It was like they didn’t care about it. That is his life in their hands! Then the stupidly tall human man walked over to him. “I don’t know what you are doing here, and at the moment, I don’t care. Can you please just stay here, and keep your head down for a few hours? I need to go confirm that I am not crazy.”

“You are crazy.” His son muttered beside him.

“Thank you for the assurance, Law.” It looked like the man was trying to massage a migraine out of his skull. “By the way, this doesn’t give you an out for getting grounded after stealing people’s body parts for fun.”

“It’s not for fun!” The boy argued. “It is for science!”

Arlong looked up into the man’s tired eyes. “What is wrong with your family?”

“A lot.” He shook his head. “Can you just wait here for a minute, please?” Then he grabbed his giant sniper rifle he had slung over his shoulder. The man pointed the scope up to the clouds in the sky. “Law.”

“Ready.” The boy spoke.

The man casually pulled the trigger like he was hunting a bird.

The boy started running. Then he yelled out “Shambles!” and teleported farther away. Arlong knew it was a bad move. He was mad, and the creepy kid was actively running away as the giant of a human ignored him. Arlong aimed for the man’s knee, and punched as hard as he could. It took the man down, but the captain fell to his knees clutching his chest at the same time.

The giant dramatic man rolled away and stood up. He walked it off, even when his leg was crooked from the hit that looked like it broke his knee. “Law’s going to be mad.” The man mumbled before he took a step to balance himself and took another shot at something in the distance that Arlong could not see. “Why can’t he just slow down and act like a kid for once?”

The blond man shook his head, then turned to finally acknowledge Arlong. He reached down and popped his knee into place. Can humans do that? Since when? “Can you please just wait in your ship? I don’t want to fight you right now, but at the moment I can’t just let you go.” He shook his head and laughed with a crazed look in his eyes. “First I needed to betray my brother. Then I needed to actively con my dad and the marines with a con that I can’t escape. After all that, I needed to stay on this island. Now I need to be the jerk who fights fishmen again. This is just what I need in my life! Why can’t you just, not make me the bad guy for once?”

Arlong opened his mouth, then he closed it. This human is strange, mental, and intimidating enough without a crazed look in his almost glowing red eyes. As much as he knew his kind was stronger, Arlong was wise enough to know some humans are terrifying. This is one of them.

The captain punched the ground. He hated himself, but he moved anyway. He turned tail and ran. Well, he calmly walked towards the water and swam back to his ship. The pirate sat on the deck with the intent to wait until the crazy man would be ready to negotiate.

Something was different on the ship. “Did the human swim to shore?”

“No.” One of his lower ranking crew spoke. He looked scared. “She ran below deck when Corazon appeared. She said that you are right, and this island is a death trap. She… she is terrified of him. She called him a monster, and begged for our protection.”

Arlong looked towards the door where she must have run. Then he looked back to land. That man… could his prisoner know these psychos?

…

Smoker felt a wide smile spread across his cheeks. He didn’t deserve the promotion. The teen really wanted it though. Yeah, this wasn’t a fair way to move up. At the same time, with the promotion, maybe he can help clean up the corruption. He wouldn’t dance for those above him in Logue Town, and he won’t here. He just needs to start training and do everything he can to move up in the world. As long as he remembers how to protect people, it will be fine.

“Did you… A warlord’s crewmember has been camping out in our filing room. He goes through the paperwork, and returns it slowly. The man may… disturb you.” Drake warned him.

“Are warlords really allowed to do that?” Smoker looked at the other cadet. He had enough to deal with corrupt marines, this is something worse. “I get a warlord, but a crewmember was left with our legal paperwork?”

Drake rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. “Yeah, he found a loophole. We are stuck with the creep. I just wanted to warn you because this man’s appearance may… he was undercover in the marines.”

Smoker bit his lip to hold back a biting remark. A marine? A pirate? He already hated the man. When they walked in, he understood what the warning about his appearance was for. A pirate in a classified room for the marines was one thing. This was somehow worse.

He looked up at a man with a giant white feather coat. It was a perfect inverse of the commander’s. When the man turned, Smoker realized it was almost a direct inverse of his commander’s undercover outfit in the DonQuixote pirates. This man was wearing a white coat with black slacks. He had a silly winter benne on his head with hearts hanging from the side. This was yellow like the commander’s hair. He was even wearing that pink button up shirt with hearts that both the commander and Law hated deeply. The creepiest part was his makeup that looked just like what the commander wore undercover.

Smoker did not want to stare. He really was not trying to stare. The teen wanted to hurl. This was a mockery in every sense of the word. Corazon, the heart of the DonQuixote pirates. This is the commander’s replacement. It’s his opposite.

“Do I have something on my face?” The man asked.

“Yes.” Smoker answered. He grit his teeth. A few months ago he would have just punched the creep. Stupid formality. “You have bread on your cheek.”

“Thank you.” The man took the food off his cheek and ate it.

Smoker thought of Law’s gluten allergy and resisted the urge to laugh. He just walked past the pirate to find Drake and the paperwork. The teen didn’t feel safe in the room. Even though he could hardly sense haki, the teen knew his enemy was strong.

When Drake found the paperwork, Smoker noticed that the pirate was keeping a loose eye on them. He snatched the papers away and shoved them into his side before letting the smoke fade away to his coat.

“What did you boys come down here for?” The pirate spoke. Rank or not, Smoker would not even think of him as Corazon. That is Law’s nickname for the commander.

Drake’s eyes widened. The younger boy looked like he was going to wet himself. Smoker casually turned and dropped a folder into the criminal’s hands. “It’s for a hobby of mine.”

The pirate glanced over the folder before shoving int back into Smoker’s hands as they walked out. He couldn’t help but smile. The teen really wanted a cigar.

Only when they were in the hallway did Drake ask, “What did you give him.”

Smoker handed over the file he legally checked out. “Light reading.” He said as he handed over the paper that read; ‘Child support, criminal charges and beri due.’

Drake started laughing out loud.

…

Chapter Text

When he arrived at the dock, Jimbe didn’t know what to think. Twenty minutes ago Sengoku was doing everything he could to keep him out of the celestial dragon drama. Now, Jimbe was being let in tentatively thanks to Hatchi of all people.

The wait on the docks was uncomfortable to say the least. The marines were never comfortable with warlords around. To make it worse, Hatchi was definitely acting suspicious.

Jimbe’s old friend was not one to get involved in complex schemes. Hatchi has always been simple and kind. Whatever he had gotten into, the knight of the sea did not want to leave his old friend to sort through this alone. He regretted letting Hatchi leave with Arlong. As happy as he was his friend left that crew, Jimbe feared his friend was trapped in something far worse.

When the two teens arrived, the redhead was laughing. Jimbe thought the redhaired kid was Sengoku’s secretary. The other boy looked disturbed. If they are dealing with sensitive information, is this really the best group to trust?

Hatchi tried to ask the one with white hair, Smoker, what was wrong. The boy just shrugged Hatchi off. The way he did it had the octopus fishman looking back and forth in fear.

Usually, Hatchi would never keep his mouth shut. Jimbe knew Hatchi was honest to a fault. What could be keeping his friend quiet?

When Sengoku arrived, he brought his goat with him. The warlord looked at the goat and blinked a couple times. Then, he boarded the coated submarine without a word. Jimbe chose to keep silent. He wasn’t supposed to be part of this group, and he knew it. Sengoku was just taking advantage of the situation to get out of his office.

He followed the crew as they got ushered into a private room. Actually, it was a couple of private rooms. The fishman watched as the redhead scanned the room, and pulled a small snail out of the wall. Sengoku came out of another room, and came back with a few more snails. Then he placed all the snails in a case he brought with him.

Sengoku tapped Smoker and Hatchi on the arm. “You two come with me. Drake, stay with Jimbe.”

The warlord stood up and blocked the door to the other room the fleet admiral cleared of snails. He wouldn't crack as he looked up at Sengoku the buddha. “I’m not leaving Hatchi to face this alone.”

The fleet admiral took a deep breath and rubbed his hands down his face. The man stood tall and shook his head. “Fine, we can sit on the couch and cover the basics.”

He had to resist dropping his jaw open. How did that work? Sengoku didn’t seem too worried. Instead he got comfortable as he sat down and pulled out a box of rice crackers. “Okay, what do you have to play in this?” The man was looking at Hatchi.

That was the question of the hour, wasn’t it? Hatchi blinked a couple times. He started playing with his hands as he spoke. “Doflamingo showed up in the East Blue. He is forcing Bell-san to work with him. She told me to hide her daughters with Garp’s grandsons, and contact you. We are happy Rosi-san got out of the east somehow… Bell-san probably won’t be able to survive if she doesn’t get something to give the warlord.”

Sengoku looked confused. “Bell?”

His old friend smiled. “Bell-mere! She is a retired marine. She wanted to be reinstated as an undercover agent, or at least get help hiding her girls somehow.”

The fleet admiral face palmed. “Of course she isn’t dead.”

“Dead?” Hatchi asked the question before Jimbe could.

“Yeah.” Sengoku kept his face buried in his hands. “She apparently died during a buster call. I didn’t want it to happen. Those… I can’t deny signing off on them. One of Rosi’s friends was not supposed to be part of it, but it kept happening.” He looked up. “His reaction to her death was wrong now that I think about it. I just thought he was mad, and channeled it into his undercover mission.” The man shook his head. “I should have known he faked her death.”

Hatchi blinked.

Smoker shot to his feet. “How many times has he had to fake someone’s death to protect them!?” The teen started pacing. “How corrupt are the marines? Why do the warlords even exist? Why can the commander write letters of recommendation with the authority of an admiral when he hates taking command on anything? What is so important about him?”

The fleet admiral leaned back and closed his eyes. “Of course he didn’t tell you.”

“The man acts like his presence is a poison that will kill anyone he interacts with!” The teen pointed out.

“He is a celestial dragon.” Sengoku shook his head. “No, he is human. His father gave up his status. Rosi should have no authority, and he doesn’t want it. Despite that, he has been having CP-0 checking on him a few times a year since he was a boy. I may have pushed him to abuse his authority from time to time. Oddly enough, a lot of his friends kept getting sent on missions that were… extremely dangerous without my approval. He didn’t like making friends, and it took a big personality to approach him.”

Jimbe stood frozen. The only thing he already knew here was that the man was a celestial dragon. He was a monster… yet the monster was targeted. This didn’t make sense to the public story. It did make sense with the note, the warning that his life was in danger for talking to a human dragon.

“That’s impossible.” Hatchi was pale. “He… he is human…”

Smoker took a seat. “That actually makes… It makes a lot of sense.”

Hatchi looked at the young man with wide eyes.

“He loves freeing slaves, has constant nightmares, and seems to believe that the weight of the world is on his shoulders." The boy shook his head. “He… why can Doflamingo abuse his authority when Commander DonQuixote can not? Or... can he?”

“That is what we are trying to figure out.” The fleet admiral said. “Sadly, I honestly think they hate Rosi more for breaking the mold.”

His words rang in Jimbe’s mind. Everything was just spelled out. If you break their mold, the world government will kill you. Otohime’s plan was lethal.

“He found a way to bend the rules.” Smoker spoke softly. “How?”

Jimbe watched as Sengoku looked at him, then Hatchi. The man wasn’t going to say anything with them here. The old man just stretched his neck, and relaxed on the couch in a more comfortable manner as he shrugged. Then he changed the subject. “How is my grandson doing? Garp is always bragging about his boys.”

Smoker blinked before he stiffened. “He isn’t as bad as the terrors.” The white haired young man crossed his arms.

“Terrors?”

“Law’s nickname for Garp’s boys.” Smoker elaborated.

The fleet admiral laughed before mumbling. “I’ll use that one. Glad Law isn’t that crazy, but that’s a low standard. Any advice for when I see him?”

The teen looked uncomfortable. “If he asks to see your hand, don’t give it to him.” He wouldn’t meet Sengoku’s eyes.

Jimbe leaned forward in confusion.

“What?”

“He won’t give it back. I spent eight hours searching the island for my arm.”

To Jimbe’s shock, Hatchi laughed. “Why didn’t you tell Rosi-san? When Law stole my arm, he gave it back and got grounded. Law did all the house chores for a week!”

“Is this an actual thing?” Jimbe looked at his friend’s present six arms.

“Opi-Opi No Mi?” Sengoku shook his head. “Is that really how he uses it?”

…

Arlong banged on the door to his food storage. “You better not be robbing us in there!”

It only took a moment before the fishman broke the door open. Inside, what he found was the woman hiding in the corner and shaking. Wonderful.

She looked up at him with wide eyes. “Please, don’t leave me here. I’ll do anything.”

Arlong shook his head and took a seat on one of the fruit boxes. “I don’t trust humans.”

“You shouldn’t.” Her voice was shaking. “My father sold me to repay a debt. That monster, the fallen celestial dragon sold me to them. When I got free, my family wouldn’t take me back. I’m not pure anymore.” She spit out the words like it made her sick.

Arlong shook his head. He really hated humans. Hatchi’s words about the man outside freeing slaves rang in his mind. “You really believe that man is like those fat blobs on the red line.”

“He is one of the DonQuixote brothers.” Her eyes were staring at something in the distance.

He blinked a couple times at the woman. This… it can’t be true. It must just be a rumor to promote the slave house, right?

…

Law charged off. Arlong was one thing, but he should be smart enough to sit tight. If a government agent is really on the island then this is his chance. From the will of D, to Flevance, to the celestial dragons, Law wanted to know more about the world’s conspiracy. He was all in. Law was also done with sitting on the side lines.

He wanted to be a better friend and protect Cora-san. Instead, Law ignored everyone. Yeah, Cora-san is an adult, but this assassin is a problem. The man couldn’t sleep for weeks, and there was a real threat on the island. On top of that, he knew Cora-san had anxiety about the first time he fought Arlong. From messing up the timeline to fighting fishmen, Cora-san didn't like it.

Law teleported away to solve things one step at a time. Someone was ahead in white and falling from the sky. Shit.

Part of Law hoped that the CP-0 threat was nothing more than a bad dream. It really was a bad dream. It was Cora-san’s nightmare.

The boy readied for an attack. Whoever this enemy is, he has the white mask and a white suit. What surprised Law was that the threat was around his height. He may be shorter than Law. Well, that makes sense for a silent assassin and spy. All he needs to do is steal this man’s heart like he did with Arlong.

“Room.” He got them both in the room as his enemy came close to crashing to the ground. Law prepared his attack.

In a flash, the assassin was right in front of him. His haki rang out in danger. Law felt the wind fly by his ear. Then a wound appeared on the enemy's shoulder. Law used the opening to cut the enemy's arms and legs off. “Shambles.” He separated the enemy's limbs and spread them across the area.

He found himself breathing heavily. Fighting was harder than medical work. Rushing over here was hard. He was also terrified. Something rang in his mind that if Cora-san didn’t have his back, this enemy would have just killed him. “What do you want with us?” He asked.

“...”

No answer came.

Law shook his head. “Scan.”

Oh.

Oh…

Shit.

This isn’t going to end well. Cora-san will not want to fight this enemy, and the assassin can’t talk to him. His scan revealed that the assassin was not just small, but young. Law’s scan proved this government assassin to be seven to nine years old. To make it worse, this kid can’t talk because his tongue has been cut out, and for good measure; his vocal cords destroyed.

“Are you really a CP-0 agent?” Law mumbled.

The boy nodded.

“I hate the government.”

Of course, Law’s words were met with silence. Law wanted to take the kid’s mask off, but at the moment, he couldn’t be bothered. Cora-san was on his way, and would definitely pity the kid. Yeah, he may still treat him like a threat as he would with the kid in Dofi’s gang. That doesn’t mean that the man won't have nightmares after shooting a kid.

“Shambles.” The boy’s hands appeared next to him. “Do you know sign language?”

The boy shook his head.

A chill ran down Law’s spine. He had seen this before. This boy is playing the part of Cora-san in Dofi’s gang. He asked the question already knowing the answer. “Can you write?”

The boy nodded.

Cora-san was half way there. “Are your orders to kill me? You know who I am, right?”

The boy shook his head.

Law nodded. Then he attached the boy’s right hand that was wounded at the shoulder. “Were you here to spy on someone, or kill someone?”

‘Spy. Ginny.’ The boy wrote in the dirt. 'Confirm death, or kill.'

Cora-san was taking a while to get here. Is he okay? Law shook his head and looked at the new problem on his hands. “Do you have a name?”

The boy nodded. He rubbed his last message out of the dirt and wrote out; ‘Hakugan’

…

Chapter Text

Arlong climbed to the deck. He left orders with Choo for the crew to return to base if he doesn’t return in three hours. He also asked for someone to keep an eye on their prisoner. She may need protection, dumping her here felt wrong. Then he jumped into the water. It felt strange swimming with a hole in his chest. What was stranger was how okay he was swimming like this.

He was faster in the water then on land. Arlong was also much faster than a human with a busted knee. When he arrived at the scene of the battle, or whatever this was, the creepy kid was fixing the man’s knee.

“You fell?” The boy complained. “How can you still be this clumsy? I fixed your old wounds! I thought you never trip when you are using haki?”

“It doesn’t matter right now.” The man shrugged and stood up. “This doesn’t make sense.”

“Why are you standing on an injured leg? Just because I rest your knee doesn’t completely heal it!”

Arlong watched from the sea as the boy started poking the man’s good leg. Corazon, or whatever his name was, ignored his kid. Instead he walked over and knelt down next to the boy in a white mask. When he took off the mask, Arlong saw a mutilated face. If it was that bad from a distance he couldn’t imagine what it looked like up close.

“Do you want the mask back?” He asked in a soft voice.

The kid nodded.

The feathered man returned the mask to its place. “Law, grab his limbs. We need to check his ship for a snail.”

“Isn’t that dangerous?” The boy was holding his katana like he was ready to attack.

The blond man shook his head. “No. Well, at least not as dangerous as it should be. Right now, his orders aren’t to attack us, and this kid shouldn’t be a CP-0 agent.”

“Shouldn’t?” Law appeared to be glaring at the kid.

The man rubbed his face. “Nobody asks to join CP-0, Law. It’s a punishment for people who are too valuable to kill. It’s… it’s the worst punishment anyone can receive. I heard of a thirteen year old with a bloodlust in CP-9, but a child shouldn’t be put in CP-0. It’s considered a fate worse than death.” Then he looked at the limbless form in white. “Why did they recruit you, Hakugan?”

The little agent didn’t look at them.

“Law, where was the ship Penguin stole again? Hakugan and I are going there, you tell Shachi to turn off the things he set up to disrupt call lines.” The man ordered as he picked up the main mass of the boy and his spare limbs.

Arlong ducked under the water when he thought the little agent looked at him. The others may have noticed him already as well. Haki is a pain to deal with. He needed to learn to use it.

It wasn’t hard to follow the potential celestial dragon. Whatever he was walking into here, it was strange. Right now, Arlong just wanted to know what the heck was happening. This crew is small, weak, but keeps beating him.

At high tide, the entrance to this cave is probably flooded. Moving a fishing boat in here was a matter of timing. When he got into the cave, Arlong heard a familiar click. Just because his skin was strong enough to withstand most weapons, that doesn’t mean anything if this man truly is a haki master.

“Why didn’t you stay on the ship?” His voice was calm. Corazon had a pistol leveled at his head. Arlong wasn’t used to looking up at humans on land. The man is a giant.

Arlong was tired of flinching back. He looked the human dead in the eyes. His glare was just as lethal as the brat’s. Most humans eyes are a dark black, only showing color in a time of serious emotion. This man’s gaze was always a shade of red death. “Are you human?”

“No.” The man didn’t flinch.

That may as well be confirmation. The pirate captain didn’t know what to do now. “Why didn’t you tell the kid I broke your leg?”

He shrugged, but the pistol never left Arlong’s head. “It wasn't the time to stress him out. I shouldn’t have let my guard down.”

He blinked at the demon that lived above him. Everything Arlong hated was standing before him. He wanted the man to challenge him. He wanted something to give him the push to fight to the death. Sadly this man had made it very clear that he did not wan to take that step which would lead to violence.

“Who do you plan to call?” Something here can give Arlong a reason to kill the scum of the earth before him.

“You don’t want to know.” The man answered.

“What? I can’t understand because I’m a fishman?” Arlong asked.

“No.” The man was calm. “You don’t want to know because if you can’t handle weaklings like Law and I, you don’t want to deal with the people that have us on the run.” Then, he pointed his gun at the ceiling and walked towards the ship.

Arlong was left dumbfounded.

…

He didn’t have time to deal with Arlong. Rosinante wanted to deal with this call before Law would get back. That would be a challenge on its own. He didn’t know if the Rev’s technology could really be trusted to block calls on this kind of snail. He didn’t even trust Ginny’s technology for a simple call with a friend.

When he got into the ship, Rosinante imminently put the cabin on silence. “Call your handler.”

The kid looked scared even after being fully assembled. Yet, like a good little mindless drone, the boy followed his orders. That means he knew what he was, and was ready to follow his every word for now. That, or the kid was trying to give him a false sense of security.

He sensed Arlong by the door again. The man let out a heavy sigh. Then he got up and opened the door. Rosinante reached out and placed his hand on the fishman’s shoulder. “Calm.”

When Arlong tried to object, Rosinante waved him off. “The only reason I haven’t shot you yet is Hatchi. This isn’t some race guilt, and if you know what I am, you should run. That said, if you try to mess this up, I will kill you. I am playing a delicate game here, with too many lives on the line.”

Arlong gave a stiff nod. Then he walked in and sat down in the corner. He had a feeling this wasn’t going to end well.

He looked at his silent observers. Arlong would definitely kill him for what he was. The kid was a threat to all of them too. Rosinante really wished he didn’t live in a world where child murders weren't something that surprised him anymore. When Law arrives, then he will have a violent bodyguard who wants to abuse his so-called celestial dragon power. Wonderful. This would be stressful enough without Arlong here.

Hakugan held up a paper that read; ‘The snail won’t work.’

“Wait a minute and call again.” He couldn’t resist the small bit of relief that Ginny’s technology may actually work.

After ten minutes, in awkward silence only broken by the kid trying to use the snail every few minuets, Law walked in. “Why is Arlong here?”

“He invited himself. Why aren’t the snails working?” Rosinante countered.

“I asked Shachi to wait ten minutes before enabling the snail lines.” Law answered. “You would have made the call without me.”

Rosinante felt that ever present migraine returning. He sat down and put his injured leg up. He wanted to put the entire, conversation on mute- there were just a couple problems. Actually, he had three problems. He could put them on mute at any point of time. Right now it is best to see where the call goes before showing his distrust.

Hakugan’s attempt at making the call finally worked. When he reached out his hand, the snail was promptly handed over.

“Bedabdabdabdabda, Click.” The snail was answered rather quickly. “Why are you calling me?”

“Are you the one who sent Hakugan here, or just a translator because he can’t talk?”

“Whom am I talking to?”

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. “My name is DonQuixote Rosinante. I think it has been five years since the last time you properly checked up on me. Why did you send this kid to spy on my friend’s wife?”

“Please hold, sir.”

He laughed. “So what, I get respect now?”

“...”

“How often does my brother call? How many agents has he killed?” He saw Hakugan flinch in the corner. That means Dofi has probably made a name for himself.

Law leaned against the wall with a wicked smile spreading across his face. He hadn’t said anything yet. Hakugan looked scared, weak- small. Arlong was sitting in the corner with his arms crossed as he glared at the wall.

“What are you doing in the South Blue?” A voice came over the snail with authority that sent a chill down Rosinante’s spine. Haki was seeping out of the snail leaving an ever present weight in the room.

He blinked and shot up to sitting at alert. “Why would one of the Gorosei bother talking to useless little old me?”

“You stepped out of line.” The voice across the snail warned.

Rosinante looked up at Law, then he looked at the snail. “Why are you threatening me, and not my brother?”

“We have an agreement with him, same as we had with you.” Saturn's voice came over the snail.

He closed his eyes and leaned back. Rosinante was too busy trying to figure out what was best to say. “Explain to me why you recruited a child to CP-0. What crimes has he committed?"

“He failed to finish his mission in the Sherbert Kingdom.”

The boy started shaking.

“Why make that kid one of your dogs? He can hardly manage his haki.” He took a deep breath. “This kid has no reason to be here.”

“Same as you.” Saturn answered. “The sins of his father and mother. It left us with an opportunity. Sadly, I believe the boy will need to go through re-education again.” Rosinante felt a chill go down his spine before the man on the other side of the snail kept talking. “You still need to pay.”

Rosi took a deep breath and looked up at Law trying to get his attention with sign language. “I didn’t call for petty threats, I called to bargain.” The boy smiled up at him with those words. “Tell me why you are coming after me now, and what I need to do to get what I want.”

“When did you grow some ba-”

“Language!” The word came out on instinct.

Law snorted and started laughing. He tried to silence it with his hand.

“Who else is listening to this call? Why didn’t you put us on mute?”

Law opened his mouth, but closed it when Rosinante glared at the boy. Hakugan was standing stalk still. Arlong was cracking the table under his grip. It’s a good thing the fishman was on silence.

“You are going to try to kill me.” Rosinante stated. “You are going to see to it that I don’t leave this island alive. What I want to know is what will happen to those who outlive me?”

“The one listening is your son.” Saturn sounded happy. “We could never kill one of divine blood. Don’t you remember your mother died of natural causes, and your brother took your father’s life. He still doesn’t know how happy that made us, we’ve given him favors for that though. This is a more engaging ending for you and the half breed. The tale will be told for generations."

Rosinante held out his hand to keep Law silent. He was ready to silence the boy with his powers. “Law is adopted. You have no reason to kill him.” This should be able to be proven. He couldn’t let them do a blood test if they really could find the will of D in his blood though.

“Even if I believed you, it no longer matters. You and that boy will be lynched and slain this very day as a warning to everyone on Mary Joy. The fishmen will lead the charge, and to avenge your celestial dragon blood, we will finally have the excuse to wipe out that stain of an island. To make it better, we can ruin the reputation of Fishman Island the queen has been building! They may even discredit her permission letter to attend the revelry! If you want your son to survive, replay history. Have Law shoot you in the head execution style. That will give all the people here quite the stir.”

Rosinante had to dodge. Arlong jumped forward to punch the snail. Luckily, Law channeled his anger to hold the fishman back. He wasn’t sure if Arlong was trying to kill him or the snail. The fishman was just mad. Rosinante didn’t know if it was a good thing the Arlong was there or not. He dropped the snail to pin the fishman when it looked like Law was losing his breath. Too many things were happening at once.

“What if we survive?” Law’s strained voice echoed over the room. “You can’t kill us, and we are stronger than you think. What if we go into hiding?” Of course the boy stole the snail.

“Law, I presume?” The haki weight in the room doubled so that it made his knees shake. “Your life will never know peace, boy.”

The child laughed. “I don’t want peace. What we want is to be given the same respect as Dofi. We want to live.”

“Doflamingo got his position by avoiding death. When we failed, we approved of your father going to arrest or kill him. He failed.” Saturn warned. “You cowards and weaklings wouldn’t survive the world of celestial dragons. Which are you, one of us, or a weak and pitiful human?”

Rosinante stopped holding Arlong down and stole the snail. “Even if we survive, what will happen to this kingdom, and Kuma’s family?”

“You want to bargain again?” The snail scowled. “You have no idea how much I want that woman dead.”

Arlong was lurking over them. Rosinante felt cornered.

“Kill the CP-0 agents on the island, and survive. Do that, and as long as you live, we will not try to kill you tomorrow under the condition that you don’t have any contact with Mjosgard.”

Rosinante took a deep breath. He had never heard that name before in his life. That is a surprisingly easy bargain. “As long as I live, this land will be protected. You will not send anyone to harm Ginny, Bonny, or Kuma. On top of that, grant him warlord status, and don’t boss him around. The paperwork should be at marine HQ by now. Add that I don’t have to kill Hakugan and it’s a deal. You would prefer having the kid spy on me to make sure I stay in line, right? How many agents have failed to stalk me and my brother?”

“What’s the point? If we asked, you would obediently keep us updated to stay out of danger.”

Law opened his mouth to argue, but Rosinante grabbed the boy’s arm to stop him. “You are stalling.”

The stupid snail smiled at him.

Rosinante grit his teeth before speaking. “Do we have an agreement?” He spoke, letting all his anger seep out of him. “Just know if anything happens to my son I will make you suffer.”

“You are finally starting to sound like one of us. Deal.” Saturn hung up.

“We are dead.” Rosinante spoke flatly. He ran his hands through his hair as reality dawned on him. “We are so dead.”

“Why do we need to keep the assassin!" Law yelled. His hand flew out to point at Hakugan. “He will stab us in our sleep!”

Arlong grabbed Rosinante’s shoulder and nearly threw him through the window. Right, they had two potential killers on the ship with them. That wasn’t to say he and Law didn’t have blood on their hands too. This really was a messed up group. He reached into his pocket to grab his pistol when he noticed Arlong pointing at his mouth. Oh. “Release.”

“Finally!” Arlong snapped his fingers to see if there was sound. Then the fishman walked toward the door. “Now tell me, is my crew in danger?”

“What brought you here?”

A look of realization crossed Arlong’s face. Then he ran out. Rosinante heard a splash outside. Then he turned to see the CP-0 agent reaching for a knife. “Nope.” He quickly stole the blade and hid it in his coat. Why did he need to pick up two stab happy children?

…

After lunch, Sengoku disappeared in the second room with Smoker. It was obvious that Drake was guarding the door. The young boy was leaning on the door, and watching when the two fishmen entered the room.

Jimbe knew he wouldn't be privy to any more information. He was tempted to ask to leave this ship. The sub had to follow the currents. He could swim home much faster. Then he can at least give a warning to the royal family, not like that will change anything.

“How did you get involved in all of this?” The knight of the sea asked the red haired boy with a scar on his chin. “It’s hardly appropriate for children.”

Drake laughed. “Appropriate no longer applies to me. I just want to help my new family.”

Jimbe and Hatchi tilted their heads.

“My dad was a pirate. Doflamingo killed him.” He leaned his head back on the door with a relaxed smile. “It was terrifying, but I am grateful. I spent years praying, hoping that someone, anyone would free me from that abusive ship. Hope came in an undercover marine that wanted to save his kid. Rosi-san had to get the fruit, and get out quickly before his brother arrived. Despite that, he stopped and lockpicked my cuffs. The man, my new brother, took the time to free me, and tell me which way to run for the marines to save me. He apologized, but said taking me with him was too dangerous. I was too scared to move till Doflamingo appeared. Bodies dropped like flies, and I ran.”

Jimbe felt sick. “You should be free of this.”

Drake shook his head. “Vergo, Dofi’s spy in the marines tried to get close to me. Sengoku-san protected me. Since he adopted me, not even Doflamingo can come after me. In a year he has been more of a dad to me then my sperm donor ever was. The pirate talked about fighting for family. My real dad gave me an out, but showed me why family sticks together.”

Jimbe nodded.

“Rosi-san isn’t a celestial dragon. He…” Hatchi lost his words.

“I know.” The boy smiled at them. “I can see it in dad, Smoker, you… Hopefully I’ll meet my brother properly soon.”

…

Chapter Text

Law looked up at Cora-san as he grit his teeth. The man gave him the familiar privacy of a silence bubble. “Are you really replacing me on my birthday?”

The man waved his arms dramatically. “That’s what you are worried about?”

Law crossed his arms.

“Do you know what re-education is for CP-0? It’s torture! It’s absolute torture! Adults psychologically break from this! Would you be able to sleep at night sending that child back there?” The man gave Law his most pitiful and heartfelt look. Wonderful, Cora-san still has a heart that overrides logic.

The boy almost bit back that he could care less about this brat. Cora-san would not like that. Yeah, the man knew Law was homicidal, but that doesn’t mean he liked those traits. Great. Now they have to survive some murder games, and take care of a little assassin!

Law pulled a pocket snail out of his new coat. “Shachi, you there?”

“Hear you loud and clear, Law.”

The boy smiled. “Shut off communication outside of the island again. Can you check with Shachi and Bepo? we are looking for more CP-0 agents. Someone reported our arrival on the island. Did you pick up any other calls?”

Shachi’s voice came back over the snail. “Penguin reported something seeming off on Arlong’s ship. I blocked a call from there too.”

The two started walking out of the little stowaway ship when Cora-san froze. “Nobody outside the island can contact us.”

Law stopped and looked up at the man pretending to be his dad. “Shachi, call if anything seems out of place.”

Cora-san dropped the silence and looked back at the little masked assassin. “Hakugan, will you try to kill us today?”

The boy shook his head.

Cora-san muttered something under his breath. Then he looked up at the kid. “Who’s orders are higher on your priority list, mine or the CP-0 agents?”

The mask tilted to the side. Then the boy pulled out a paper and wrote out a chart. First was the five elders, then came the celestial dragons, then Rosinante, and to Law’s surprise he saw himself (half dragon?) at the same rank of the commanding CP-0 agents.

A smile spread across his lips. It worked. He won. The words didn’t properly hit him during the call, but it did now. Even if Cora-san denies it, Law will in part have the authority of the man’s son. He got it. A member of the will of D infiltrated the enemy camp.

Law felt the weight of Cora-san’s disappointed dad glare.

“Let’s go then, Hakugan! Help us spot your coworkers.”

…

Arlong felt his mind reeling.

He needed to get his heart back. He needed to do something about the celestial dragon and government conspiracies. Something is happening on fishman island while he's fooling around here! Nobody sees him as a threat, but a foolish pawn.

The captain instead focused on the brothers he could protect. He focused on his crew, and the snake he let on his ship. It was too perfect, too eerie. Also, human eyes usually illuminate with color when filled with emotion. Women usually have color in their eyes at all times. Koala had color when she let herself cry. Why did that woman have such dead eyes when she spoke of the humans she hated? Not a single flash of red, she didn’t have a spark in her. Why now? Why did she look like Koala and lead them here the day the mad dragon was plotted to be killed?

Now, Arlong had no love for crazies on the island, but he would not be a pawn. Corazon thought he couldn’t handle this. That creep Saturn saw him as a dumb pawn. Arlong refused to be either.

When he got to the deck of his ship, questions immediately rang from his crew. It looked like everyone was up at arms waiting for him to strike the island. The woman was in the corner on the deck with her scar visible for all to see. Since when did anyone with that brand wear it visibly by choice?

“Are we ready to attack the island now?” a voice rang out.

Arlong ignored his crew. Instead he grabbed a bucket of water and marched right up to the woman who chose to look like her. HOW DARE SHE! The captain soaked the woman, then reached out for her brand. His hand came back the burnt color of the makeup she was using. “You didn’t even bother with a tattoo, or anything that would be hard to remove.”

“Wait, so Corazon isn’t a celestial dragon?” Choo asked over his shoulder.

Arlong grit his teeth. He wasn’t ready to deal with that tidepool of drama.

When she moved to shift out of his grip, Arlong reached for her hair. He shouldn’t have been surprised when the reddish brown wig came loose in his hand. What did surprise him was that the woman pointed her index finger and shot her entire arm through the hole in his chest.

In a moment of shock the woman flew back. She looked at him confused. Arlong was shocked too. Never did he ever think he would be happy that his heart got ripped out. He had no plans to thank brat for stealing his organs.

…

When they got to higher ground, Rosinante could already hear voices going out with his haki. All of the voices were going out at sea, probably on Arlong’s ship. With his busted knee, he couldn’t go running around the island quickly. He glanced at the two kids with him and felt disgust for what he was going to do.

“Hakugan, protect Law.” He gave the order. It made him sick to his stomach.

The little assassin pulled out a dagger from what appeared to be thin air. Wonderful! Where did he get that? This is not something he wants to deal with.

“I don’t need a babysitter!” Law yelled.

He chose to ignore the boy. Rosinante kneeled down and attached the scope to his sniper rifle. Through the scope, he could see a woman killing members of Arlong’s crew. The pirate’s saw blade sword was broken, and he just barely managed to try to get a hold on her.

Rosinante pulled the trigger.

…

They were too weak. Arlong watched as his brothers fell left and right. He tried as he might, but it just wasn’t enough. He was never enough. Arlong was a heavy hitter on Fisher Tiger’s crew, but never got a bounty till he set out himself. When he set off alone, Arlong got captured. Jimbe had to bail him out again. Now, the brothers under his command were dying.

Arlong jumped up and grabbed the woman. She was lithe and hard to hold, so he bit down and wouldn’t let go. Then, warm blood from a bullet wound reached his hand.

How… He could hardly restrain her a moment ago, now the woman is stumbling. When he let the woman go, he saw a bullet wound. The pirate looked over his shoulder. Did that madman shoot her through the hole in his chest?

Yes, yes he did.

The woman ran to use one of Arlong’s crewmembers as a human shield.

To his surprise, that stupid half-fishman brat traveling with the celestial dragon was the first to react. The boy jumped out of the water, and punched the damned woman. She caught the punch without flinching, but that was enough for Arlong to move in.

He was stupid. Yes, both the women’s hands were full between his crewmate and the child, but she still had legs. She kicked him square in the jaw, but the bullet hole that appeared in her knee as quick retaliation was evidence enough. Even with his teeth falling out from the blow, Arlong smiled at the woman. His teeth were already growing back stronger. She already lost. Between the wound in her gut and leg, she would not be able to hold out much longer.

The boy disappeared back into the water.

Then, the stupid assassin woman smiled at Arlong. “Did you like my little show?” She asked. “What do you think about the part I added? You know she didn’t get a happy ending? The girl disappeared, probably dead. Her parents were the one to rat her out to us! Your captain died for nothing!”

Arlong made a fist. She is cornered, and trying to make him react. He would not lash out right here. He was not going to take the bait. A smirk came across his face. “Then that child died innocent. Better to be dead then grow up to become like the rest of humanity.”

“How cold!” She mocked him.

“Shambles.”

Suddenly Arlong found himself in the position the woman was in. Behind him, the assassin got shot again. A moment later that creepy bird boy appeared on the deck, and ran over to the woman. “Room.”

The fishman couldn’t believe his eyes. The boy cut the woman’s tongue out! “You won’t be needing this anymore.”

The woman tried to lash out at the boy, but her wrist was grabbed by the little masked assassin brat. The fishman didn’t know what he thought here. He didn’t trust the brat in the creepy mask, but understood why he was wearing it. A moment later, another bullet came down right into the woman’s skull. Eerily enough, the boy in the mask seemed to have no reaction to his coworker’s death.

“Give me back my heart, brat.” Arlong didn’t know why he felt comfortable making demands.

“I really would.” The boy stuck the stolen tongue into his pocket. “Sadly, I don’t have your heart on me at the moment.”

“Bedabdabdabda.” The boy pulled a snail out of his pocket and answered it. “What now?”

“Bepo thinks he may have eyes on another assassin.”

…

Smoker set out the stacks of paperwork for Sengoku.

“These papers smell like an ashtray.” The fleet admiral mentioned as he grabbed the paper on the first stack. The man looked up in confusion. “Is this a new form of code Rosi thought up it’s…”

The teen smirked. “That’s Law’s hand writing.” Then confusion dawned on him. “You don’t recognize it?”

Sengoku tried to think of an excuse for not knowing this handwriting. He has never met the boy, and has no reason to know it. Still, that isn’t information he wants to volunteer just yet. What he answered with was a tired and deadpan tone was: “It’s somehow gotten worse.”

The teen chuckled. He was quick to try to hide it and cover the laugh with a cough. The young man sat up straight with a professional air to him.

Well, the message from Law was a surprise to even exist. Sengoku couldn’t resist his curiosity. The idea that Law would rat Rosi out for skipping out on sleep was not what he expected. Even if the obvious distaste for his job came across in the letter, Sengoku could tell that his son made a family that cared for him. This wasn’t the way he expected it to happen, but it seems his boy was happy. It’s not like his grandson was a pirate or anything... yet.

The man folded up the letter from his grandson. It was hard to read. That penmanship is a form of code in itself. Now he needs to move to cracking real code and mind games.

“Which stack is from Rosi?”

Smoker pointed to a decently large stack of papers. Wonderful, the kid wrote him an entire book. Sengoku flipped past the cover page and glanced at the first paper. After a single glance he called Im-samma over to eat the page.

“What was that?” The teen enquired.

Sengoku had no reason to keep it a secret with just them in the room. “Another resignation letter. Rosi joined a unique team known as SWORD. These agents can get away with a lot because if they get caught, we can just claim the actions were done after the agent resigned. It’s a no lose situation for the system, and a way to actually help people. Rosi joining gave them a lot of legitimacy. Unlike the rest, he doesn’t need to 'resign.”

“Did he really join if he resigned?”

Sengoku smiled as he glanced over the first real paper from his son. It was just a letter, and information on their life on the run. The kid wanted to assure him that he was okay, and how wonderful his kid was. He actually mentioned three other boys along with Law. He wanted all of them to be safe if anything were to happen to him.

“You need to understand, my boy wants to be normal, but he isn’t. Somewhere between his angsty teen faze, to SWORD, he has left me hundreds of resignation letters. Boy even started dusting the paper with treats for Im-samma from time to time.”

“That… makes sense.” Smoker nodded. “It’s like a dangerous prank.” His tone spoke otherwise.

Sengoku laughed. “You will understand if you ever have kids.”

All seemed well. Then Sengoku stumbled upon a recommendation for Kuma to become the next warlord. The fleet admiral looked over everything and thought back to the letter from Law. Dread started to fill him. Would Rosi really take his kids and hide on an island just like his worst nightmare? Of course! He would see it as hiding in plain sight. He just needed to know for sure. “Which island is Rosi on right now?”

…

Chapter Text

He couldn’t believe the words that escaped him. “Choo, keep the crew here underwater. Sink any ship that approaches the island before tomorrow.”

Arlong’s first mate looked at him in confusion.

“We aren’t dumb pawns to be used. We are proud fishmen, and I will not owe a debt to these freaks.” He didn’t want to explain everything yet. Arlong still didn’t know who’s side he was on.

“Thanks, but that is stupid.” The stupid bird brat spoke.

“I didn’t ask you.” Arlong was already walking towards the island with the full intent to leave his ship.

The boy shook his head under that stupid hat. “Yeah, underwater is safe- but what about the wounded? Half your living crew will bleed out.”

The captain froze. Blood. It all came back to blood again. He grit his teeth before responding. “We have medical bays for that!”

“Good point.” The mad dragon’s voice came from the boy’s snail. “Law, stay back and heal the crew. Arlong, you are with me.”

“You aren’t the boss of me!” Arlong yelled at the snail.

“No, but Law is done fighting for today. On top of that, he ate the Opi-Opi No Mi. You won’t find a better doctor.”

“Dad!” The brat actually sounded like a kid for once.

“I can see you shaking from here. Since I know you won’t rest- heal people. Hakugan, don’t let Law out of your sight.”

The boy crossed his arms and started mumbling before walking towards an injured fishman. Half the crew seemed ready to fight the boy.

“Stay alive and let him be for now.” The captain ordered before turning and jumping in the water. He better not regret this. It's obvious the man made the kid stay because he isn’t expendable. Creepy as the brat is, his powers are useful.

…

Bepo was supposed to leave a snail in the castle with Jace and James. The former bounty hunters were staying with the people who thought they were going through a safety drill, and not at war. Even then, Bepo was stopped by an old lady while he was trying to leave. Conney wanted to make sure the cake was well liked. Even if Law couldn’t eat it, she wanted a birthday cake to be appreciated. It was appreciated… to prank a pirate.

Someone started banging on the door.

Bepo knew it wasn’t anyone from his crew. When the door opened, he was surprised to see the delivery man who came once a month or so. Bepo only noticed him because people asked him why he stuck around for longer than usual when they first arrived. Odd, how did he know they would be in this room of the castle?

The man ran into the room shaking. He had a paper in his hand, and Bepo recognized it. It was Rosi-san’s underground wanted poster. The man spoke in a loud and shaky tone. “I just realized that you have a celestial dragon on the island!” He held out the wanted poster for all to see.

“We know, keep it down!” The old woman yelled back.

Bepo felt his jaw drop open.

“What?” The delivery man asked.

“Yeah, Kuma told us when the poor young man was sick.”

The bear started chuckling. All that fear, and the solution was that these are good people! Bepo pushed down his joy. This guy seems confused. All his words seemed to be begging for the people to lash out against Cora-san.

The bear slipped away from everyone else and pulled out his snail.

…

Rosinante ran.

He was a dead man and he knew it. Satern wouldn’t have made a deal like that with him unless he knew victory was certain. This entire situation is strange. Why would one of the five elders be so focused on this particular island? It seems that Hakugan was sent here for the sole purpose of killing Ginny, but odds were he arrived before them. Why didn’t he strike first?

This was all planned out. Stories of his family’s doom were being told at the top of the Red Line like Nolland the Liar is told in the North Blue. He is a puppet to them, a toy. These monsters play games with people’s lives just like Dofi.

Surprisingly, he wasn’t the only one refusing to play this game by their rules. Arlong was running right beside him. The fishman simply repeated that he always pays back his debts.

They were outmatched. Rosi knew that he and Law would be a much better team against an assassin. He also knew they were both injured. Betting on Arlong was stupid.

Well… he was never the smart one.

The man almost reminded the fishman not to hurt any civilians, but bit his tongue. His threat was already clear. Now he needs to just survive till morning. After that, he can worry about Arlong, Dofi, and the fact he only bargained for one day of protection.

…

Bepo watched as Law’s dad and Arlong crashed through the heavy doors together like heroes. Cora-san had his pistols out. Arlong had his fists raised. Everyone paused what they were doing to look up at the two.

The delivery man froze. Then he started shaking and pointed at Rosi-san. “Look! He teamed up with the Arlong Pirates! The monster is going to kill all of us!”

Conney wacked the back of the stranger’s leg with her cain. “Oh, shut up you crybaby. Nobody likes gossip and chaos.” She ignored everyone else and walked right up to Arlong. The woman tilted her head and looked up at him. “Arlong… I know that name.”

The fishman stepped back and tensioned.

“I know!” Clapp ran beside her. “He was part of that nice pirate, Fisher Tiger’s crew!”

“Oh, that’s right!”

“What is happening?” The fishman asked as he was backed into a corner by the excited humans.

“Bepo, what happened?” Cora-san asked calmly.

The little bear made his way to the center of the room. “This man ran in with Dofi’s wanted poster for you and started screaming that you are a celestial dragon.” He pointed at the delivery man. “The CP-0 agents were to try and trick people into killing you, right?”

Cora-san hid one of his pistols in the feathers of his jacket. “Well… that’s the hope. The last agent we found was too easy to kill. They didn’t send top agents, which means something big is going down somewhere else, or everyone knows how week I am.”

“That bitch wasn’t easy to kill!” Arlong pushed past all the people trying to talk to him.

“Language.” Cora-san looked tired. “And top ranking CP-0 agents are admiral level skill. That woman was vice-admiral, and I don’t mean Vice Admiral like Garp. Her skills appear to be in acting and manipulation.”

Arlong pointed up at the taller man. “Fishmen are stronger than humans! We aren’t that much weaker than some political pawn!”

Cora-san just crossed his arms and looked down at the pirate. Then he shifted his gaze to the delivery man. “Where did you get that poster? Oh… Did my brother raise the price on my head?”

“I swear I’m not an assassin." The man spoke as he held out the wanted poster. The man was pale as a ghost and shaking.

Cora-san looked the man up and down. “I’ll confirm that later.” He reached out to grab the bounty, but Arlong stole it first.

“300,000,000 berries?” The pirate looked shocked. “That… Underworld bounties aren’t held to the same standard as government ones… but still. Why do you keep calling yourself weak?”

“Hey, did Dofi raise Law’s bounty too, or is this just me?” Cora-san was looking at the delivery man.

“I swear, I don’t know.” He was shaking. “I just go in a cabin and answer some questions every time I leave the island. They pay well, and never ask for much! Last time I just delivered a letter for a kid! It’s all innocent stuff!”

Cora-san stepped closer so he was looking down on the man. “Did they ask to see you today?”

“Yes… before sunset.” The man sounded terrified.

Cora-san ran his hand through his hair. “I don’t trust you. That meeting will be when they send more agents here if you tell me the truth.”

“Rosi-san… what’s happening?”

…

This day was weird. It was strange and messed up on so many levels. As he and Arlong looked on in confusion, everyone on this island decided to help. The people jumped into action! Everyone ran out to help scout out the shores of the island. The rest started preparing to celebrate after midnight when they survive and the island is safe. Somehow, they roped Arlong’s crew into it too.

“You agree, this island is creepy, right?” The pirate captan asked. “Why is everyone here so…”

“Nice? No- kind?” Rosinante finished for him. He was in the corner of their makeshift medical center close to Kuma’s church. Law was sleeping in a corner with his fishmen patients close by. “I’ll admit, this place is… I’m having trouble believing it’s real.”

Arlong laughed. “You expect me to believe you really thought they were going to lynch you when you bargained to save them all?”

Rosi shrugged. “Wouldn’t be the first time.”

“All of you are like the stupid queen. What do you do when killing them with kindness doesn’t work?” The fishman asked.

He pulled out his pistol. “Led and dynamite.”

The pirate laughed out loud. “You’re not so bad. Psychotic, but still not too bad for a human.”

The pirate walked away without another word. Rosinante couldn’t help but smile. Maybe he can’t save his brother, maybe the world is messed up, but this place just goes to show that maybe there is hope for the world. A little kindness can go a long way.

…

Dadan felt a sense of dread when someone knocked on her door during dinner. Over the last few weeks, some marine lady dumped her girls with her. She hoped this was Nami and Nojiko’s mother, but the woman didn’t have that much faith in her luck. When the door opened she looked up to see Kuma, and a short woman with pink hair and a baby.

Dread filled her gut.

Please no.

“You must be Dadan!” The woman didn’t hesitate to give her a hug. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you in person!”

The woman blinked a couple times, then she found herself with a month old baby in her arms. “Can you watch her for a few days while we celebrate our honeymoon? We will be back within a week! We could have left her back home, but we didn’t want to put more stress on Rosi guarding the island. Then we realized that we are going to be getting some work done and jumping climates. That’s not good for a newborn!”

Dadan looked down at the baby in her arms. “I… I just…”

“Thank you!” Ginny hugged her again.

“I can’t go from three boys to adding three girls just like that!” Is Rosi-sempi really the only one who hasn’t dumped kids on her?

“Two more girls?” Kuma’s voice was soft.

Dadan let out a heavy sigh before speaking. “Yeah, Doflamingo is in the east, and Rosi’s old coworker wanted her daughters safe. We haven’t seen any sign of him yet. Rosi said his psychotic brother projects his haki everywhere he goes.”

Kuma and Ginny shared a look. “We may need you to watch Bonny an extra day.” His voice was soft.

Ginny smiled and laughed. “Any ideas on how we can convince people he is in a different blue? I might be able to find a feather coat.”

“Dad loves explosives!” Ace jumped into the conversation. “I can impersonate Law!”

“No fair!” Sabo yelled. “I’m better with explosives!”

“I’m smaller like Traffy!” Luffy’s voice echoed as he slingshot over.

“Does this mean we can go home?” Nojiko sounded so excited.

Nami felt the need to add her input. “Please! I will never complain about Bell-mere being poor again! These bandits live like animals!”

Dadan looked at the wide eyed couple. “Please help me.”

Chapter Text

After hearing Bepo’s report as the polar bear chuckled, Shachi directed the old man over there. Perfect enough, the fisaman got dragged in too.

The fight with Arlong was delayed indefinitely, and everyone was ready for a war. Penguin was scoping out the pirates to see who was a friend or foe. Bepo was staying close as backup if anyone got hostel. It sounds like the crew may split soon.

Law was finally sleeping. That took effort. Getting the brat to relax when his ‘Cora-san’ was in danger was almost impossible.

The new creep was… somewhere. It should have surprised him more when a government assassin joined their group. It didn’t. Ever since he learned Law literally broke reality to save a mentally unstable ‘saint,’ who is his natural predator: nothing surprised the teen.

It did bug him at times, but not being trusted made sense. The truth, well… it is crazier than fiction. If they would have come forward telling the truth right off the bat, the teen would have run off assuming the two mad.

Now that the boy’s illegal guardian had sense knocked into him- it was time to make real plans.

“Soooooooo.” Shachi leaned back in his command chair. “Let me get this straight. You are training at night for when they properly send assassins after you- but right now everyone cares more about how you get go down, then if you go down.”

“Yes?” The man sounded confused.

“And you want me to keep communications off?” He asked as he waited for the man to catch on.

“Yes!” He sounded so eager. “We can’t risk Hakugan getting orders to kill us! On top of that, opening communications would make them find out an agent is already dead!”

“You can’t handle a single kid you are trying to keep with us?” He would catch on soon. The man wasn’t completely stupid. He was just so accustomed to politics and hundred step plans that sometimes he forgot that sometimes the easiest way is the best way. Smart people can be so stupid!

The snail looked exasperated. “I’m not trying to handle… it’s a kid who will be handed over to the dogs for torture!”

“Dude.” He shook his head. “Chill.”

“What?”

“If everyone starts making calls off island, how can anyone twist the story to our enemy's script?” He couldn’t help but smile at the snail’s expression.

“I’m stupid.”

“You aren’t stupid, I’m just a brilliant genius!” He reached for the snail’s communication board. “Go ask around and find out who all would be ready to make a call. A lot of people here don’t have friends.”

“Thank you, Shachi. I’m proud of you.” The man hung up on him.

Shachi paused and looked at the sleeping snail. He… when was the last time his dad had said those words to him. Had his real dad ever said that to him? Yeah, life was crazy, and this man is clearly Law’s dad- adoption or not. The man would never adopt them and Law would probably never allow it. Shachi didn’t want to get adopted. Parents- even adults were never something he ever felt safe around.

He shook his head and tried to ignore the warm feeling in his cheeks and chest. There was work to do.

…

Sengoku blinked down at the snail on the coffee table. He could tell that Jimbe was uncomfortable and wanted to leave. The warlord was just there for some unknown reason. Hatchi looked nervous and tired. Smoker… their talk had the teen looking uncomfortable . The boy had a lot to decide with his future in his hands. Drake, he was the only one who looked comfortable- but now excited.

“Is that?” The teen had a smile on his face.

Sengoku answered the snail. “Hello?”

“Rice-crackers.”

“Is everything okay?” Why was the boy calling him right now of all times? It’s not like the his kid was very good at calling him unless something was wrong. The last few years proved that.

A laugh came over the line. “I’m fine, just don’t know if or when I’ll be able to call again. Had a wonderful day, and thought I may just check in with my dad. Is that a problem?”

The fleet admiral looked around the room then back at the snail. “A few years ago; no. Now, I am very concerned.”

“Did you know good people exist?” The snail started laughing. “Not just here or there, but whole islands of good and kind people exist!”

“Did someone drug you?” Sengoku shook his head. If Law has the Opi-Opi No Mi, he can fix this. “Where is your kid?”

“Which one?”

Sengoku bit his lip. If it wasn’t for Smoker’s report, he would be having an anxiety attack from that remark. The boy can hardly take care of himself! He doesn’t have time to pick up every stray he finds and still take care of himself. First it was dogs and cats! So many marines were begged to take home a trained stray by the fleet admiral. The kid's favorite never stopped biting people!

Drake hid a laugh behind his hand.

Finally, the old man found his words. “Very funny. Have the kid do a drug test.”

Rosi laughed out loud. “Law! He thinks I was drugged!”

“Your own dad hasn’t realized you are always crazy? I’d expect more from the fleet admiral.”

He hadn’t even spoken to the brat yet, and Sengoku already had a migraine. “Hi, Law. Happy Birthday.” He remembered the day from Rosi's letters. See! He is a good grandfather. Not like he asked for the day to because Garp looked at him blankly when asked about his three's birthdays. Two are twins! How could the man be confused?

“Is that Rosi-san?” Hatchi asked loudly. "Happy Birthday, Law! Last year was fun, did you manage to make a cake you can actually eat?"

The snail’s jovial expression dropped for a second. “Why is Hatchi there? Did something go wrong in the East Blue? Tell me everything!”

Sengoku held the fisman’s mouth shut like he was dealing with Garp. “Nothing is wrong in the east. We just have some political ordeals to handle on Fisman Island. Your friend is helping me here.”

“Hatchi?”

“He is here with the warlord, Jimbe. They are old friends.” Half truth, half lie. Sengoku was not going to stress his kid out now. “What are you dealing with?”

“Oh… everyone found out who, or should I say what, I am.”

Sengoku felt his blood freeze. “What?”

Rosi laughed. “Believe it or not, I had to convince one island of runaway slaves not to invade another for lynching children! These people actually believe the best move is to help people who want to change, and only punish aggressors, not their families. I actually had to remind everyone it’s been twenty years since I got lynched! That, and the older generation mostly got slaughtered when Germa 66 took over the island.”

“You kept track of that?” Sengoku felt his eyebrows rise. Why didn’t he know about this?

“Bad habit.” Rosinante responded. “Let's not dwell on ancient history now, it is Law’s birthday!”

The fleet admiral shook his head. That is one way to avoid the more concerning topic. “What is the kid begging for this year?”

“A high bounty. I would love to brag about that.” The brat’s voice came over the line. Of course the kid was begging for a bounty like a pirate. "That or Doflamingo's head."

“No.”

The warlord raised his hand. “If I may be granted permission to speak, you may be of help on fishman island. Also, happy birthday, child.”

“Did someone just call me child?”

“Fishman island? I heard something was going on there. What is-” The line went dead.

…

Rosinante looked up. Hakugan came out of nowhere and dismantled his snail in the blink of an eye. That is not something he anticipated to happen. “What was that for?”

The boy pulled out a paper and pen. Then he wrote out; ‘DonQuixote Mjosguard.’

“If you had told me, I would have said goodbye. Now everyone will be worried.” The man shook his head.

Law laughed. “Hakugan, we may actually become friends one of these days! How mad do you think the old man will be?"

The blond rolled his eyes. “Law… just…. Please no.”

“I thought you wanted us to get along!”

The man shook his head. These two were going to be a dangerous duo.
…

Calling home and gossip. It was a wild night with a crazy party. Half of Arlong’s crew was excited, half was… not happy. A few crew members to go home.

The fishman pirate captain refused to make a call. He didn’t know what to do. These last months things have felt wrong. He was tired of being called a celestial dragon in the body of a fishman. He hated… he hated everything.

Arlong was no saint, and would not get rid of his hate, but he was tired. Going home in failure and confusion was not an option. He also had multiple islands in the blue under his control. Arlong didn’t want to let it go. He didn’t… he didn’t know what to do with himself.

Everything around him was sickening. He hated it.

Where can he go from here with his crew?

Who is this Hordy Jones kid the fishmen with the snails are asking about?

…

He couldn’t sleep.

Rosinante realized right now that wasn’t a bad thing. He had to figure out what was happening. His family drama may be worse than most country's political problems. He had five kids to take care of now, and this island to protect.

So, chances are, today is just the beginning.

It’s obvious that his death isn’t the biggest desire for them. The idea that his life is a show actually makes sense. Between the CP-0 agents staking him in the marines, and his friends getting sent on deadly missions; it made morbid sense. Everything was fitting into place. He was meant to die in Dofi’s gang. Who knows how much of the story they tell is the truth and what is a lie? If he had died that day, would he be known as a marine who failed his mission, or a man who went mad and fell to crime? Which is worse?

This Mjosguard guy must be causing some real chaos. Really, he doesn’t care what some random dragon may be doing. As long as it buys him some time, he can use it. The problem is when things get worse, because it will get worse.

At one point, Dofi mentioned to him that assassins would come for him if he didn’t stay close. It was a threat, and a promise. His brother was always reminding him how dead he would be without his protection. Dofi said that first they sent agents to manipulate and use him, then it got worse. Agents started coming with the actual intent to kill him. The change was obvious in the skill difference between his enemies. Weak little Rosinante didn’t stand a chance.

Now, this may be a real threat he will need to face. Dofi lies about a lot. He is a narcissist that will do anything to keep people in his web. The dangerous thing is that at times he doesn’t lie about his accomplishments. Sometimes he actually does those things he brags about.

This island isn’t a concern yet… but every move he makes will put him in more danger. That means the kids are in danger. Also, he foolishly bought one day where they won’t attack him. Dofi is completely free of this bargin, and can come knocking any day. Soon, he will be a target, and life on the run will be his only option.

Life on the run… This all started with Law and the Opi-Opi No-Mi. If he was smart, they would have gone to ground immediately. Things were just getting more difficult every day.

Rosinante took one last look at the map. He needs to bargain with Arlong.

He can only hope that for once his dad kept his letter of resignation. Yeah, the marines have protected him for a long time, but that won’t work much longer. He has broken to many laws. Soon, repercussion for his actions will rain down on everyone. They at least need his resignation letter when the celestial dragons decide to burn down his legacy after his death. That day, his name won’t protect anyone- it will make them a target.

…

Dadan looked down at the newborn child in her arms. Yes, she was free of the terrors and that marine lady’s brat’s for a few days. A little sleep is wonderful- but you can’t sleep with a one month old on your hands!

Kids! So many kids! Why do they keep coming to her. She just wanted an escape, she just wanted freedom!

The woman looked at the wanted poster in her nightstand. It wasn’t legal, but it was brand new. Underground bounties are rare, even more so if they stretch across multiple blues. With hope, this will work.

What would happen if she actually took a break from raising children and all the man-children in her gang to actually set out as a pirate? She would probably just pick up more kids by some fate... This is her life now.

At least Kuma and Ginny paid her to babysit. That was a first.

Now, what damage will those boys cause, and what are the chances Garp will find out what she let slide to protect Rosi-sempi?

…

Chapter Text

“What do you want?” The voice came over the snail. Shachi barely managed to get the rest of the crew in his control room in time.

Penguin was sleeping in the corner when the call was made. Sachi woke up when the snail's call started. After the party lasted till sunrise, the teen didn't expect to pick up a call just after dawn. Everyone was sleeping, and this was planned. Old man Rosi wanted to keep it a secret. Lucky for him, tossing his shoes at his cousin worked perfectly!

Now Penguen rounded up the rest of the crew. Bepo looked nervous, and Law sleep deprived. Yep, everything is normal for both timelines!

“Is this someone important?” The old man’s deep voice asked. He didn’t sound tired at all.

“You won.” A creepy voice spoke. “Why are you calling?”

“How do I know you won’t send Dofi after the island? I know you helped fund the raise in my bounty. How often do you need a report from Hakugan? Also, he was on his ship with me at sunrise, not on the island.” Rosinante was playing politics again, and he didn’t want the boys to be part of it.

A laugh came over the line. “You do know how we work? Fine. You don’t want to be treated like a real threat, let the show go on. Don’t stay in one place for too long, and live on the run. Then, I want you to face down your brother sooner or later. This family tragedy will really break people’s hearts, it doesn’t matter which one of you walks away alive.”

“How long is too long?” Rosinante asked.

“How about six months?” The stranger asked. “Just enough to get settled, not enough to be home.”

“Deal.” Rosinante spoke softly. “What about Law?”

Shachi looked over his shoulder at his friend. The boy was wide awake now.

“As long as he keeps his head down, I don’t care. Ginny’s brat is more of a concern to me. Why protect her? Is it because you know as long as she lives the half-bred child of a revolutionary is more of a threat than your son?”

“No.” Rosinante’s voice answered. “Not at all. It’s because these are my friends.”

Law looked pale. “If… If they find out I’m a D conning them…”

“We are all dead. Thanks for that.” Penguin answered. “It’s probably better this way. We need to keep that whole ‘natural enemies’ thing a secret. You conned your way into being his son legally. Congratulations.”

“We can’t stay here too long.” Shachi kept his focus on the snails. “Even the rumor of your bounties being on this island will lead hunters. Thousands of calls were made last night.”

“Great.”

…

When he got off the call, Rosinante looked down at Hakugan. “Can I ask you to make most reports when we are leaving islands?”

The boy nodded.

“Good.” He said while signing his words as he spoke. “Until Law get’s your voice box repaired, I’ll try to teach you sign language. Is that okay?”

The boy nodded.

“Good.” He can work with this. “If you are asked to attack the boys, stab me first. That is the only way you will survive. Do you understand?”

Hakugan pulled out a note and started writing. ‘I am not permitted to shed your blood without higher authority.’

“I just gave you my permission.” Rosinante spoke softly. “You… you are still a kid. I know it doesn’t feel that way. I know… I know what you had to do to survive. When you start waking up to it and feeling your emotions again, it will hurt. If you need to lash out, I can take it.”

The boy’s mask tilted to the side. Rosinante realized he might as well be talking to the wind. This boy didn’t understand a word he was saying.

…

When they finally arrived on Fishman Island, Smoker was terrified. Why did he leave? Yes, someone needed to talk to Sengoku directly. He should have made sure Kuma was home first.

“Do what you can, and trust those you believe in to do what they can.” He spoke his commanders teaching in a whisper. He had to believe they were okay.

SWORD. The idea of turning in his resignation made Smoker sick. He hated that it was necessary. Smoker hated that he almost demanded the paperwork to sign when he heard that snail line go dead.

Fishman island was strange. Well, it was normal to everyone else. Drake said he was always kept by the ship when his deadbeat’s crew traveled through here. It was a chance to be free for the red head.

Smoker looked up at the world above. People were swimming, and the of light above filled him with wonder. The world was so big, so beautiful, and unnerving. For the first time since eating his fruit, the cadet realized he was completely surrounded by water. Yeah, the sub was creepy, but he was distracted and just felt a little seasick. Now, everywhere he looked, Smoker was surrounded by water- danger.

“Waterlaw.” He muttered and shook his head as the group made their way through town. Why does that brat want a submarine?

Smoker was absently wondering why they were wondering the kingdom and not going to the castle. It took too long for it to dawn on the teen that the queen was here; walking the streets and begging for signatures.

“Where is her armed guard?” Sengoku asked.

Jimbe release a heavy sigh. “She doesn’t have one.”

“So, she is hiding her strength with haki, right?” Drake sounded proud of his assumption.

“No.” Hatchi confirmed. “I’m stronger then her.”

“So, she is stupid.” Smoker concluded.

He ignored the glares he received for his words. Nobody was arguing with him, and the commander encouraged him to speak his mind more.

“She is…” Hatchi spoke first, but lost his words.

“It is improper to speak of royalty as such.” Jimbe corrected. “She is kind and selfless. You won’t find anyone more caring despite her weakness.”

“I call a celestial dragon stupid regularly.” The teen spoke. “It's how I earned my position.”

After just a few words, it became very obvious that the queen would not listen to reason. Smoker started to ignore the argument between her and Sengoku about her safety. That was all this was going to be, an argument. There wasn’t anything he could say to her face without risking a political problem. He would keep his mouth shut, for now.

…

They were all ready for their first attack.

Nami and Ginny teamed up to go shopping for everyone. The lady was wearing a full on Corazon disguise, makeup and all. Ace got a Law hat, and outfit like the moody kid usually wears. Nami had a white coat and hat as she impersonated Bepo. Nojiko had Shachi’s old hat he left at their place. It was all in place.

Sabo, well he was going to stay in the background. Sabo was best with explosives, and he knew what subtilty was in a way only he and Nojiko did. To make it better, he also knew Ace. That means he can help fake Law’s powers from a distance. Kuma was staying by his side, holding Luffy, ready to jump in if anything goes wrong.

They were planning to strike two islands in three days. It would need to be quick if they don’t want anyone to recognize that they are the wrong people. Because of that, they were only striking one of Dofi’s bases. That is mostly just going to be blowing it up and Ginny running away with the fancy coat. All Sabo’s focus was on getting the explosives just right for it.

“Hey, Sabo, do you think this attack on some random island is a good idea? I wanted to punch Dad’s brother.” Ace came right next to him.

The blond rolled his eyes. “This is smarter. Nojiko said this island is run by the villains in Law and her favorite comic.” He pulled an issue out of his pocket with Sora fighting Poison Pink. “Also, Ginny really wants to attack that island for some reason. She is positive it will send a message.”

Ace rolled his eyes. “I can’t believe I am trusting a stupid comic book.”

“Hey!” Sabo set down the wires he didn’t want to blow in his face. “Don’t insult Sora! This is all real!”

“Propaganda.” Ace shook his head.

“Who taught you that word?” Sabo asked.

Ace smiled wide in a way that told Sabo the answer before he even asked. “Dad.”

The blond shook his head. He couldn’t help but smile. Yeah, they are going all in on this stupid family dream. Rosinante-san won’t know what hit him. “It’s a fun story.”

“Fine! I’ll read it!”
…

Smoke, fire.

The teen could sense it, and knew it didn’t belong a thousand leagues under the sea.

Smoker went running from the restaurant they were staying at. Then he saw it. The queen was running back into the fire. Her kids were watching! They can get new signatures! What is wrong with this woman!

The marine didn’t hesitate to smother the flames with his powers. Smoker tried to look around with his observation haki. That is when he saw it. The teen charged and tackled the queen.

A moment later he was being dragged away by disgruntled fishmen. Everyone was mad at him for tackling their queen. Luckily, Sengoku arrived with the others a minute later. The marines noticed the bullet wound in his shoulder.

“Why didn’t you let it faze through you?” The fleet admiral asked.

Smoker blinked. He was expecting a question on why he didn’t use armament haki. Then it dawned on him. The question made the fishmen realize that he got shot. Everyone was looking at him and the queen with shocked revelation in their eyes.

“Find the shooter!”

“That human saved our sweet queen!”

“Someone tried to kill the queen.”

“Is… Is mommy okay?”

That last voice made Smoker look up at the young princess. She was in shock. Her brothers were looking at him with wide eyes. Then the queen stood up and smiled. There was blood on her dress. Some was hers from just being knocked over. How is she so weak?

“Tell your mother to get a royal guard.” Smoker said before he got up and started walking.

This would never happen with the commander. Yeah the man had a knack to protect people, but he knew not to be too suicidal. At least he knew to play it safe when his children were in the question.

The teen walked right up to the queen and pointed at her. He knew the anger seeped into his glare. “You are walking a dangerous path. If you don’t care about your protection, at least find somebody to guard your children! Just because there are some good people in the world, doesn’t mean that for every good person, there may be a monster ready to drag everyone back down! That’s why you need the marines! That is why you have an army! Use it!”

Smoker walked away before anyone could call him out for lecturing royalty. He couldn’t take it anymore. If she is going to keep walking down this path to get herself killed, it’s not his fault. Smoker spoke his mind, and now he won’t feel any guilt over what happens here next.

The teen marched his way into the submarine and pulled out the application to join SWORD. If this is the only way to help people, so be it. He already insulted a queen. Best not to take those who trusted him down with him.

…

The first attack went without a hitch. Sabo even caught a picture of Ginny’s silhouette with the feather jacket running from the explosion and Ace running just far enough away to give the illusion of being shorter than he is. Luffy was distracted by food. It all worked out perfectly.

“Wow! You actually stuck to a plan and it worked!” Luffy exclaimed from where he was leaching to Kuma’s back.

“That’s how plans work, Luffy.” Sabo told his brother.

“Nice job on the explosions.” Ginny smiled down at the blond boy. “Ever think of joining the Revs?”

Sabo shrugged. “I may help from time to time, but I’m going to be a pirate like my brothers.”

Ginny rubbed her fingers through his blond hair and laughed. “Tell me if you change your mind.”

…

Just because he knew there was no threat didn’t get rid of all the nightmares. Rosinante woke up feeling stiff. He needed to keep the demons in his head hidden in the back of his mind where they belonged. There was too much on his plate today.

When he sat up in bed, Rosinante was already going over the plans to set up trade. Arlong’s little empire stunt was terrible. The fishman got whacked in the shins by an old lady’s cane enough to get the message. That didn’t mean he was just giving up all the land he conquered. They can use this to make an important empire that the world government can’t get rid of. In time, some fishmen can even move down here. A couple crew members asked if they can transfer their families to this kingdom under the sky. Who knew? Some of the pirates really did see what a dream this island is. Changing a tyrant to a good leader will take time though.

Stepping out of the restroom, Rosinante caught something wrong in the corner of his eye. Shachi’s comic book was too big. He walked over and pulled it out of the teen’s hands.

“Hey!”

“Where did you get this magazine?” Rosinante slammed it shut and pulled the magazine out. “How old are you? This is porn!”

“Fourteen.” Shachi answered.

He glared down at the boy.

“Why are you getting mad at me! Penguin got a mermaid one and he is younger than me!”

“Hey!”

Rosinante didn’t hesitate to turn and rip the book out of the other boys hand. Penguin was trying to get away, but Rosinante managed to get the book. He could at least narrow down where this one came from.

“I’m trying to sleep.” Law’s voice came from his bunk.

Rosinante walked over and stole the boy’s blanket he was hiding from the window light under. “Wake up. You are still grounded, and the snow won’t shovel itself. You have help this morning.”

“Take this off.” Law held up his wrist with the seastone cuff.

“If I do that, you will just use your powers to clear the snow. It’s called being grounded, and training.” He argued with the kid. “Now wake up. This is what you get for staying up all night reading.”

“Coffee.” Law groaned.

“No.”

Rosinante saw the other two sneaking towards the door. He eyed them causing the boys to freeze. “Where is Bepo?”

“He was hiding something too!” Shachi and Penguin pointed at the mink’s bed.

Rosinante felt a heavy dread in his gut. The others he understood, but Bepo wouldn’t hide anything… right? Under his pillow, Rosinante found a book. The cover was a weight off his shoulders. ‘Psychology and the effects of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.’

Thank goodness the bear is a saint!

Rosinante smiled as he walked over to the door. He can handle these three. When he opened the door, Rosi looked down and felt his stomach drop. He was hallucinating, right? The man slammed the door shut. Then he took a deep breath and activated his powers on himself. “Calm.”

“How long do you think he is going to scream into the silent abyss this time?” Shachi asked.

He didn’t confirm or deny the accusation. Instead Rosi got his bearings and opened the door again. When he looked down, the image was still there.

Rosinante looked down at Hakugan’s smiling mask. In one hand he had a bloody knife. In the other hand, the boy was holding a severed human head. The boy’s pants and… everything is covered in blood splatter.

“Who is that?” He asked in the most calm and measured tone he could.

Hakugan dropped the knife and held up a note as he almost did a happy dance. ‘Bounty hunter. He had your poster, Law’s, and Arlong’s on him.’

The man took a deep breath. “Why didn’t you wake me to help?”

The mask tilted to the side. Hakugan set down the head and started writing on the other side of the paper. ‘He was still a mile off the coast. Not a threat.’

“It’s like a pet cat bringing us his kill.” Shachi said behind him.

Rosinante didn’t hesitate to glare over his shoulder. Penguin punched his cousin in the arm for him. While he shouldn’t encourage that, right now Rosinante didn’t have the energy to discipline Shachi and figure out what to do with Hakugan.

“Next time, please tell me before you kill someone.” He rubbed his hand down his tired face.

‘I am not supposed to. I am only to report the threats you face.’

He really needs to find a way to not encourage this. “Do you want to come in for breakfast? Wash up in the bathroom and leave the head outside.”

The kid ran in with a happy skip.

Should he even ask about the rest of the body?

“You were right. He grew on me.” Law’s voice rang through the room.

Chapter Text

Breakfast was the bear minimum, but Cora-san still managed to get everyone sitting down at the table. He even found Bepo while everyone else was getting washed up

It was when the meal was almost finished that Law understood this was a intervention. Cora-san set down his coffee cup and spoke. “I thought we could wait another few years for this talk, but I guess now it's as good a time as ever.”

Law’s jaw dropped. He pointed at Shachi and Penguin. “They are the only aggressors here! I know everything from my parents and medical books! Also, we are eating!”

Cora-san rubbed his hand down his face. “Not that talk… thanks for the reminder.”

He shook his head and sipped his coffee before catching everyone’s gaze with his red eyes. The weight of the glare rang a warning. Law braced himself for some world ending celestial dragon shit.

“I was referring to the murder talk.” His voice was heavy, deep, and serous.

Oh…

Shit.

Law felt the glares of his friends. He and Hakugan were the only aggressors here. Killing is bad. He gets it, and is trying to do better. Isn’t this a talk only the masked assassin needs?

“Now, I’m not jaded enough to believe all of you will never kill anyone again. We will have a carrier talk when you are older. All I require is a couple of ground rules.”

Bepo raised his paw. “Is this like the pirate code of no killing crew or family?”

Cora-san nodded. “That is rule one. We may have some exceptions given abusive relationships like Dofi. That will be discussed as a group.”

Law nodded. It was a simple enough rule for him. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Haku tilt his head. Is this just an intervention so they all know the rules for the new one? It is a way to teach him while treating the assassin like a normal kid. Perfect.

Law’s eyes shifted to Cora-san’s coffee. How can he get it without his powers? He needs the energy boost with this stupid cuff on.

The man set out two papers in front of everyone. “We are going to play a little game. On the first paper I want you to mark the number of lives you have saved. This doesn't count if you have saved a friend or family member’s life multiple times. This should mostly be just for saving strangers.”

Law felt a sick feeling in his gut. He knew where this was going. That made him very meticulous in thinking through every life he saved.

Cora-san, Shachi, Penguin, Ginny, Bonny, Banchina, Sabo… kinda. Does Bell-mere count? What if he only helped? Can he count the five surgeries he helped with before White Town burned? James and Jace definitely count. What about Hakugan? He is fixing him up, and lined up to heal a bunch of people on the island.

Law looked at the papers next to him. All of his friends had at least five saves. That is with the exception of Hakugan with three. Two are probably him and Cora-san. The third… Arlong and them for killing the hunter.

“Good, now I want you to tally up all your kills on the other page.” Cora-san instructed.

Yep, he was right.

Even Shaci was silent as he glanced between Law and Hakugan. The little masked boy was already marking up his page with disturbing glee.

Law reached for his pen. There was the one he killed to escape Flevance, the three he stabbed before joining Dofi, the ten he killed working for Dofi those three years- Cora-san kept stealing all the kids kills back then. It could have been more.

With all the pens down, Law was surprised to see one kill on Bepo’s paper of all people.

“Now we have a little project; this is a rule that I abide by to this day. I want you to follow it too.” Cora-san’s voice was calm and stern. “I make sure I’ve saved more people than I’ve killed. If you have more saves than kills, that is your safety blanket. If not, your job is to save lives till you have saved at least one more person than you have killed. Over time, the kill count can make one go mad. I don't keep it, just make sure my save count stays higher.”

Law sighed in relief. He was in the positive- barely.

“So, every time I kill someone, all I need to do is steal a couple kidneys, then break into hospitals from time to time.” Easy.

“That power is a cheat.” Shachi grumbled as he crossed his arms and leaned back.

Behind him, Hakugan looked utterly defeated.

“Well… it could be worse.” Penguin muttered as he looked over the masked kid’s shoulder.

“You only need to save one small island!” Shachi added. “We’ll figure it out.”

…

Queen Otohime was crying.

Neptune had the sneaking suspicion his wife was drinking again.

The children were frazzled, and the kingdom was one step away from civil war.

Yes, a human did save the queen. The problem is that it Hordy Jones caught the killer who is also a human. Thanks to the marine publicly warning the queen of danger, even her supporters were scared for her safety. Others saw the warring as a reason to stay below the sea where it is safe. Why leave their ancestral home if it is so dangerous out there?

When asked, the seer, Madam Sharley, would not give any foresight. She just demanded to see the man who saved the queen. Sadly, Sengoku wasn't letting his man out to see anyone.

After all the distractions were gone, Neptune finally had to face his beloved bride.

Wonderful.

He could hear her cries down the hall.

Knocking on the door was scary. Otohime ignored him. He knocked again. “Darling, I’m coming in.”

She didn’t answer him.

Yep. She was drunk. It was obvious by the dazed look in her eyes and her hiccup. Neptune was just happy she was alive. That didn’t mean he knew how to talk to her right now. He was a man of war. Her- a woman of peace.

“Honey.” She hiccupped. “I messed up!” She started crying again.

Neptune was at loss for words.

“I… I do this for the children. It's always for the children.”

He nodded in affirmation.

“I would have died for them to see the sun.”

Again he nodded with no other words to say.

“So why did he call me a bad mom?” She began crying again.

Neptune was dumbfounded. “Why don’t you ask him?”

His wife shot to her feet. “You are a genius! I’ll do that right now!”

The queen started marching towards the door.

Neptune followed her. He knew better than to argue that the man wasn’t speaking to anyone. His wife always gets what she wants.

…

Law was knee deep in snow trying to think of a way to get this cuff off. Yeah, Cora-san will find a new way to ground him, but it is all part of the game. At least the cuff will come off during his ‘work’ hours later when he is healing patients.

This was his punishment and training. What were the other three doing here? The plan was to keep Cora-san busy, not keep getting in trouble for no reason!

“Why are you here?” Law looked up at Hakugan sitting on the porch.

The boy pointed at the eyes on his mask with two fingers. Then he twisted his hand to point at Law. Wonderful. He got a tail.

Oh well. He needed to focus on his crew anyway. “Why did you get yourselves grounded this morning? Between the politics and everything else, you were supposed to wait till Cora-san started getting depressed again!”

“Chill, Cap, it was an accident!” Shachi shrugged as he leaned on his shovel.

“Accident? Really porn? That was such a plea to be grounded! The way you were hiding it was so obvious! That wouldn’t fool a blind man, much less a spy!” Law shoveled the heavy snow as he spoke.

“We were going to stash it for later!” Penguin argued. His attempts to use fishman karate to plow snow just made it worse, wet, and frozen.

“What? are you just jealous you didn't get a peek?” Shachi asked.

“Did I go chasing down porn on that other world when I wasn’t trying to be a good kid?” Law asked. This, this is hard. The boy may have gotten a little lazy with his powers.

For a sweet moment, Law had peace and quiet. Then he heard a scathing remark from his friend. “Good point. You are boring.”

“Shachi, he is younger than me. I only took the mermaid one because those fishmen saw us buying yours and complained I needed to get cultured. Half of it is an add for some mermaid cafe!”

“Cultured?” Law looked dumbfounded.

Pinguin shrugged. “Yeah. One dude is planning to bring his little siblings here to get them off the streets of the fishman district. He wants me to embrace my fishman side more. Apparently I don’t know a lot of cultural references.”

“So of all things he could give you, he chose an adult magazine?” The boy blinked.

Shachi shrugged. “He is a pirate. What do you expect?”

…

Everything was ready to go, and Ace had one question: Why did they bring Luffy?

Why?

Sabo’s job for this entire mission was to watch Luffy. Apparently, Kuma did not want to claim that burden again.

No, Ace was not surrendering his fluffy hat and dangerous job to his baby brother! This is dangerous! If Law got caught by hunters, what will protect Luffy? Ace was both the most qualified to be Rosi-san’s kid, and the most expendable at the same time.

Traveling by air was strange. Maybe if he does good, Kuma will take him home for a vacation. Then he can see who has gotten stronger in their time away, him or Law. The other boy still has that watery disadvantage. Ace can win with that. Pirate rules- anything goes.

When landing on the island, a small Germa tower was there on the back of a snaill. Ace recognized it from the comic issue Sabo made him read. This wasn't part of the plan, but Nojiko got an evil smile at the prospect of fighting Germa 66.

The plan was laid out. Kuma was on lookout with Nojiko. Sabo and Nami were in a hotel room with Luffy. (Her Bepo costume was pointless.) That left him and Ginny to attack the small castle, the snail fortress, and blow up the remains of some old building. Ace really didn’t get the old building till he got there.

Ginny was laying the mines as Ace looked up at the graffti. ‘Down with the celestial dragons.’ Was written in large letters. ‘Heavenly demon.’ Was written in pink and crossed out. Why are they here? Dad hates celestial dragons.

Ace walked into the building and dug beneath the rubble when he saw a frame. The family that smiled back at him explained everything.

Ace looked into the kind face of the father. He looked a lot like Rosi-san. The mother looked sweet. Her blind hair reminded Ace of the photo he saw of his mom, Portages D Rouge. In her arms was a little kid tilting his head in confusion. His hair covered his read eyes, but Ace still recognized his chosen father. Standing on the floor holding the dad’s hand was a boy with an angry scowl. Glasses covered his eyes. Ace already didn’t like the boy. He ruined this perfect family photo!

A smile came to Ace’s face when he got a bright idea. He grabbed a knife and cut the canvas out of its frame. Purposefully, he only cut the top part of the canvas out. The image of the older brother can burn with the house. That is fitting.

Ace pocketed the image he stole. His photo of his mother was one of his most prized possessions. Dad will love this!

After a few more minutes scouring the remains of what was once a house, Ace placed his land mines. He was very happy with his looted treasure.

When he slipped out the door, Ace saw Ginny in her ‘Corazon’ costume. “Where were you?”

Ace smiled. “Just making sure nobody is inside.”

Ginny nodded. “We need to go.”

“Yeah.” Ace agreed as he fingered the treasure in his pocket. “There is nothing left here that doesn't deserve to burn.”

…

Rosinante set up a fire pit to burn the kids adult magazines. He just had one person he needed to question first.

“You wanted to see me?” Arlong looked cranky. He should really trade some of that whisky for coffee.

“Someone gave this to my kids.” He held up the magazines. “Care to explain?”

Arlong looked insulted. “You think I bother staring at pitiful humans?”

Rosi shuffled the magazines to put the mermaid one on top. “I have questions for your crew.”

The fishman’s jaw dropped.

“So, you recognize it?”

The captain looked pale as he pointed at the cover. “That's my sister!”

Rosinante felt his jaw grow slack. Oh… Arlong had no idea this even existed, did he? “I was planning to burn it.”

Arlong nodded as he scowled. “Over half my crew ditched. “I’ll have a word with the rest.”

The man nodded as he tossed the magazines in the flames. “Want Shachi to set up a call to Fishman Island later today?”

The pirate nodded. “I need to check on little miss perfect.” Then so shook his head and grumbled. “She said she didn't need help with berri.”

…

Ace saw a shadow from the corner of his eye. Ginny told him not to sneak off, but he couldn’t help but marvel. The place was just like Sabo’s comic. The lab made him feel uncomfortable. That, and all the people felt wrong in his haki. Only one felt somewhat human, but also around his age.

He saw the girl with pink hair and blue eyes for only a moment before she disappeared.

Poison pink?

No.

This is a kid. Those comics can’t be that messed up, right? This is how you get people like Rosi-san targeted! It's wrong.

Yes, Ace knew he was a kid. That is beside the point. He was too distracted by the picture he was holding in his pocket. Rosi-san was young, probably closer to Luffy’s age when he was targeted. He was so young when his life was destroyed!

The smack that hit Ace in the back of his head sent him flying through a wall. It actually hurt a little more than Grandpa’s fist of love. Why wasn’t he using the observation haki his dad taught him? Stupid!

The pink haired girl looked down at him. Stupid! Why didn’t he think she would attack? Armature move! Now, where can Ace find fire? He forgot rule one, he couldn’t forget plan B!

Ace pulled the grenade out of his pocket only to see Pinkie pick up the photo he must have dropped when she punched him.

Ace froze. He needed to get that back. “Can you give back the photo?” Ace needed to remember manners. “It’s a treasure.”

“He looks like my little brother.” Her voice was flat. “The… she almost looks like my mom when she was healthy.”

The boy’s jaw dropped. He knew better than to trust that stupid comic! Propaganda! He knew it! “What is your mom like?”

“Good.” She stated. “She is dying.” The girl’s eyes were dead. “She is going to die to save Sanji.”

Ace sat up straight and looked at the girl. “You aren’t evil.”

Her blue gaze shifted to him. “I am though.” She looked at the photo. “I don’t stop them from beating Sanji. I only help when it won’t hurt me. Even now, I was sent to collect taxes.” She shook her head. “Mom- she knows that father stole my humanity.”

Ace shook his head. “You wouldn’t tell me this if you didn’t want help.”

She smiled a sad smile at him. “I told you because you are already dead.”

Ace blinked. “What?”

“I punched you with poison.” She held up her fist as some pink glow emitted from her. “Neither of us can be saved. You can't save me. Nobody can.”

…

Chapter Text

This trip was not going as planned.

Reiju was sent here as a warning. The kingdom wasn't paying their taxes on time and mounting for revolt. She didn't know much, only that the locals thought the burnt down manner which suddenly blew up was cursed.

All she really had to do was nothing.

Then she noticed that boy following her. Attacking the island was one thing. Messing with the ship under her command was another.

Reiju looked down at the boy. He looked nothing like the child in the photo who he called his father. She could see the familiar color of her poison spreading beneath his skin. This boy was strange. The poison was spreading like he already had some poison tolerance. How could that be possible?

“Dad’s kid ate the Op fruit or something.” The kid seemed alarmingly calm. “I’ll be fine.” He rose to his feet.

Odd. Most adults can’t survive after one punch. He is a fighter. Reiju tilted her head. “Your brother?”

“Ah…” he paused. “Yes!”

What a strange boy. “The Opi-Opi No-Mi is valuable. Father wanted it.”

The boy smiled. “It's powerful. I know a bit about medicine too. What were you saying about your mom? Come with us, we can help!”

“Dad programed me.” She wanted to go. “I can’t disobey him.” Then she looked at the photo. “If I don’t go home, who will protect Sanji?”

The boy nodded. “I’ll grow strong. Then after I find dad and stop his br- my evil uncle, we will save you and your brother! Law can fix you, and dad can adopt you too! I think you need a better dad.”

Reiju smiled. Even if this boy is stupid, maybe he can help Sanji. She knew it was too late for her… but what if? She reached forward and put her hand on his head.

“Hey!”

“I took the poison back.” She bent down to grab the hat. “You will probably be sick for a couple weeks.”

“I never get sick!” He put his hands on his hips and stood tall.

Reiju laughed. Then she took a second look at the funny boy. “Can you fight?”

“I’m the best!” He was so confident.

“Fight me.” She instructed. “I’m bullet proof and have powers, so you won’t be able to hurt me. If we don't make it look good I will be in trouble.” She is so lucky her dad didn't give her detailed orders for this mission.

“Are you sure?” The boy tilted his head. “I’m strong.”

Reiju rolled her eyes. Why is she helping this fool? “Hurry up, before I change my mind.”

“Haki Fist!”

Haki?

Reiju blinked.

Her face was numb and she had somehow flown through a wall. Haki? How does this boy know haki?

Before she could react, Reiju was flying through another wall.

…

The queen and king were now banging down the door of the sub.

Smoker already handed over his resignation in case things got dicey. He requested to be on guard duty for the celestial dragon once that call line went dead on the trip here. There is a lot he still needs to learn before taking command himself, and Smoker knew exactly who he wanted to teach him.

Even if things go wrong here, the commander can probably restore his marine status in a few years thanks to the SWORD paperwork. That, and the East Blue is out of the public eye for him to go home.

Soon, Fleet Admiral Sengoku came to escort him out to see the queen and King. Smoker saw the trident in the king’s had. Despite knowing he was facing a deadly warrior, the teen wasn’t scared. If things go wrong, he can always just run. Observation haki really is the greatest with his smoke fruit.

The queen had a little bit of a sway in her step. Is she okay? “Why did you call me a bad parent?”

Smoker blinked at the woman. Is… is that her concern? “What do you think is more important, your life or some papers?”

“It’s for the children that we need those papers!” She threw her hands out. “Nobody is signing after the attack!”

Smoker took a deep breath. “I had to babysit for a kid who’s dad almost died protecting him from an active threat that was targeting his child. Even a year later, the boy still wakes up screaming for his father in the middle of the night. He is practically leaching to his father! He even has all the bullet wound locations from that night memorized! What do you think matters more to your kids, some ideal future, or being present and alive?”

“What?” She looked shocked.

Smoker grit his teeth. “You have no idea how dangerous this world is. Risk your life all you want, but not when the kids are watching.”

She started crying. “That’s terrible! Is the family okay!?!”

"Mam, are you drunk?" Smoker couldn't believe he was asking this.

"And what if I am?" She threw her hands up. "The signatures are illegible, and people are too scared to fight! What about the children? What about your friend?"

The cadet shook his head. "My friend doesn't care if he is living on the run as long as his family is okay. His kids don't care if they are broke as long as they stay together and love each other. Your kingdom is one of the most beautiful ones I have seen! Why aren't you pushing for small colonies, or places to visit above the sea? If you keep focusing on where you want to be, and don't enjoy what you have, you will miss it. Push for land, shoot your shot, but just know how good you have it right now. The sky is beautiful, but so is the sea. The grass isn't always greener from the other side."

Both the queen and king looked at him with their jaws dropped open.

A few months ago, Smoker never would have said something so crazy. If he wasn't so busy helping organize the Sorbert kingdom he wouldn't have even thought of this.

That is when he saw the giant mermaid princess swimming over with a letter in her hand. Smoker should have known better than to think she would be safe in the castle. "Mommy, Daddy, this just hit me in the back of the head."

Smoker saw in her hand a love letter. Oh, she must have a kid crushing her in her class. He even sent a gift basket. Isn't that… wine?

The king took the note. "Vander Decken, he is a criminal, and almost thirty!"

"What?" Sengoku asked.

The queen just looked pale.

Smoker grabbed the note and read it. Then he glared at the queen. "Please tell me your pacifism code doesn't extend to pedofiles. Even the commander calls them a free kill."

"A free kill?" The king asked.

Smoker nodded as he pulled out a cigar to dull his anger. "Yeah, my commander told me his code when I first started training. Don't keep your kill count, just know the difference between lives saved, and taken. Make sure you save more than you kill. I am 42 saves over kills. Last I checked, he has 38. A few creeps fit into his ‘free kill list." Smoker looked between the royal family and the fleet admiral. "May I take this case?"

The queen's voice wavered. "You want to… to kill him?"

"You have my permission." King Neptune spoke with a heavy voice. "Vander Decken ate a devil fruit, so he is vulnerable to water. Just know, killing him can make the political situation here worse." He handed over some coral. "Take this."

Smoker took the coral. He was briefed on it before reaching the island. "Thank you, your highness." He bowed his head before waking away, deeper into the under sea kingdom. Looks like he isn't going back to the south just yet.

Everyone better be okay when he gets back. The fleet admiral already cleared him to leave before they met the queen and king. Smoker had some letters for the commander, each of his kids, and Law's birthday gift ready to go with him. He just needs to cash in this free kill before he goes.

Ten minutes later Drake caught up to him with a stack of paperwork. "Dad helped me get some criminal records, mind taking some help on this case?"

The marine smirked. "Let's go fishing."

…

The brat finally got done with his punishment chores so he could put the call through for Arlong. The fishman didn’t want his call tracked. He didn’t want to make any calls home till his head cleared. Arlong wasn't sure who he was or wanted to be anymore. This was a first for him. Change would mean facing his past. Staying the same… that would mean war with the crazy dragon and what remains of his crew. They knew where he stood before he did.

“Welcome to the mermaid cafe, are you calling to make a reservation?” The snail quickly took a flirtatious expression.

“Put Sharley on the line.” Arlong wasn’t in the mood to wait.

“I’m sorry, but Madam Sharley is not taking customers right now. You can get your fortune told when her schedule clears up. I can put you on our waiting list.”

“Tell her it’s Arlong!” He yelled at the snail only to see it jump back.

“Her brother?”

“Yes.” Is this girl dense? Probably, if that establishment is doing what he thinks.

“But, you aren’t supposed to call today.”

“What?” His patience was thin. This wasn't the girl who usually answered Sharley’s snail.

“Madam Sharley always tells us before you call.” The girl sounded scared. “She seems off today.”

“Is Shar sick?” Concern overwhelmed Arlong’s anger for a moment.

“I don’t know… I’ll get her.”

The fishman pirate listened to the hold music. He hated being put on hold. This music was stupid. The biggest concern was if his sister was okay. He could ignore her flexing her powers every time he called. The girl had a knack for being an annoying know it all.

“Arlong.” Sharley’s voice finally came over the line.

“Shar, what’s wrong?” She must be in a bad spot to be stuck on one of those magazine covers. If she sounds even remotely distressed, Arlong was ready to swim there and burn down the Mermaid Cafe.

“Everything is wrong. The queen was supposed to die.”

“What?” Arlong wasn’t a fan of the stupid goldfish queen. That said, what does this have to do with Shar?

“The timeline is broken.” Her voice was wavering in fear.

Arlong shook his head. “I saw one of the magazines. Do you need help? If you are in debt I can send you any number of beri you need!”

“What?”

“Talk to me Shar! Whatever you got involved in, I can be there in three- no two days!” He would find a way to swim that fast. Sharks don’t need sleep.

“I run that magazine, Arlong!” Her voice rang over the line. “I’m an adult, not some silly girl you need to save!”

“You what?” Since when? She was the nation’s seer? Why?

“It’s good marketing for the Mermaid Cafe, which I also own.” Her voice came over the line. “I have no need of beri. Even if you were the last loan shark in the sea, I would not touch your blood money.”

He grit his teeth at her words. “Did you ever consider you don't know everything?”

“My visions are always right!”

“Oh, is little miss perfect messing up for once?”

“This is a problem! You can’t guilt me for my choices when you make blood money as you torment a young girl in the East Blue!”

While he was guilty of a lot, Arlong was trying to change. He lost half his crew for Neptune’s sake! His sister’s accusation hurt. “I’m not even in the East Blue!” He yelled into the snail. “I didn’t kill a single human there, much less torment children!” He would have, but that’s not the point!

“But… I’ve always been able to see your fate.” Her voice wavered.

“And I told you to stop being a smart ass!” He yelled back. “I’m a pirate! I laugh in the face of fate!”

“What… what made you leave the East Blue?” Her tone was suspicious. His mind went to a mad celestial dragon and his sociopathic kid.

Arlong shook his head. “If I have no right to question your business venture, you have no right to question mine!”

“Stop thinking about yourself!”

“I should say the same! All my life, you were so perfect. Welcome to fishmanity with the rest of us!” He shook his head. “Call me if you need help. There is no need to lower yourself. I’m in the South Blue if you need me.”

“You… this is wrong.” Her voice cracked. “Even if I lose myself, I will never join your brand of tyranny.”

“Tyranny? Arlong park is the dream of every child on Fishman Island!”

…

Shachi was done. He twisted a couple wires and joined the call. “Excuse me lady, but you are pretty high up on my list of crappy siblings right now, and trust me the competition is high. Your brother is trying to help!”

“What are you doing on this call, pipsqueak?” Arlong asked. “Is the guppy there too?”

“My cousin and I don’t do everything together, and that is genius pipsqueak to you!” Shachi shot back. “Learn to say ‘thank you.’ And lady, your brother changed for the better! Who cares if time broke? Shouldn’t you be happy?”

“Time will fix itself. It has to!” She warned. “I am always right. Fate can not be changed.”

“Fuuuu…” Shachi stopped himself. A tall shadow came over him before he could cuss out fate. “I’m grounded.”

“Who am I speaking to?” Sharley’s voice came over the line.

“That was my human friend’s son.” Arlong’s voice rang across the line in anger. “Thanks for the faith, sis.”

The line went dead and Arlong stepped out of the private room. “Thanks for the privacy.”

“You called me your friend.” The old man sounded way too happy.

Arlong wouldn’t look at them. “It was just to prove a point.”

“He isn't my dad.” Shachi pointed out.

“Also, I’m not human.” The silly celestial dragon almost mocked.

“Shut up.” Arlong marched out. “I would never be friends with a celestial dragon!”

The old man laughed. “From anyone else, I'd be insulted. From you, I think that was actually a compliment!”

A few seconds passed in silence. Shachi realized that he didn’t know the last time he was alone with the old man. His cousin, Bepo, or Law were always there. Ever since he got his memories a question burned in the back of his mind.

“Old man… what do you want me to call you?” He looked up at the blond.

“What?” The man’s red eyes widened.

“Law and Bepo call you Cora-san… in that other world it was the only name we knew. But… that is your brother’s name for you.” He hated the nicknames his abusive parents used for him.

The man chuckled softly. “Dofi would never call me Cora-san.”

“I’m serious.”

The old man’s face darkened before he shrugged. “What do you want to call me?”

“I… don't know.” Shachi deadpanned. “I just asked you.”

“My name is a mouthful. Rosi is feminine, but kinda just stuck after I complained about too many other names. Corazon is Dofi’s choice for a nickname. Got too many row your boat jokes as a cadet with Ro. Just calling me ‘old man’ is fine with me. I’m not that old but… It feels that way ever since we found that sword.”

Shachi nodded. “Thanks, old man.”

He will find out something better to call the man eventually. Maybe he will call the man 'mascot' once the crew properly sets off.

…

Marko the Phoenix looked up at Pops rubbing his side. He had no wounds from recent battles. This action has been growing more and more common in the past year.

“Yoi, Pops, are you okay?” He asked as he flew over to sit on the man’s shoulder.

“Just this feeling in my gut. Don't worry, son.”

He was definitely worried. “Lets get to the medical ward. That alcohol will kill you one day- yoi.”

White Beard shook his head. “No. It's something else. I feel like someone is encroaching on my territory.”

Marco tilted his head. Pops never cared much about politics or land, just family. “We will do a sweep of the sea, make sure all is well. You still need to rest, Pops. Doctor’s orders, yoi.”

…

Chapter Text

Ginny realized that she lost Ace again. Are all children this hard to keep track of? She left the final detonator before she heard the crash.

Oh shoot!

Where is Dadan’s kid?

Ginny ran down the hall to see Ace punch a girl through a wall. Wasn’t the boy bragging about manners classes? “Is chivalry dead?”

“Future sisters don’t count!” Ace said with a smile before charging after the girl.

Ginny caught the boy by the collar of his shirt, and face planted by the force of his run.

“What!”

“We need to go!”

Ace nodded. “Okay, don’t blow up this place? Okay- or Rejiu will get in trouble!”

“What?” Ginny asked, but Ace had already pushed her to her feet, and started dragging the woman down the hall.

“Did you destroy the snail recordings of our time here?” Ace asked as they almost escaped.

Ginny pulled out a small detonator. “Mind if I set off one small explosive?”

An evil grin crossed the boy’s face.

They got out in a bang.

Ginny was running for tree cover when she heard Ace yelling back at the ship. “Remember my promise! I don’t care how long it takes! Dad said men don't break their word!”

“Ace!” She whisper yelled.

“Coming!”

…

Vander dead man Decken kept sending the six year old princess creepy letters. It was growing increasingly more alarming. The fleet admiral had long since left, and took Hatchi with him. The two had a plan to help Bell in the East. Smoker and Drake we're staying at the castle while they solve the case.

“The second we step into the fishman distinct, they all scatter!” He grumbled.

“Yeah.” Drake said with a shrug. “What did you expect?”

…

Law looked up at Cora-san with a pout as he put the cuff back on.

“Now that you're done healing people for the day, do you want to train, or rest?” He asked calmly.

“Train.” The boy answered. In another world, he trained with his powers till he passed out. Here, that would never happen, and the basic fitness was proving valuable. He didn't want to be caught and made useless with sea prism stone again.

His dad nodded.

“Okay, we can head over to the beach. Where is my little shadow?”

The man tilted his head. “Shadow?”

“Hakugan has been watching me every time you leave.”

The man rooted his eyes. “Of course he has! I gave him the key to your cuff. I feel safe here, but I’m not risking you getting kidnapped just because you were grounded!”

Law blinked. “Oh… that's smart.” He needs to convince his new recruit to give him that key. It shouldn't be that hard.

…

A trap.

It was simple enough.

Smoker and Drake composed a fake letter. This letter was a disgusting love letter so Vander Decken would come out of hiding. It worked.

“How do you feel like teeming up?” Drake asked. “I’ll scare him into the hallway, and you can get him there.”

“This is a dangerous criminal.” He reminded the younger teen. “I can use my powers to smoke him out.”

The red haired teen gave Smoker an evil grin that reminded him of Penguin's fangs for some reason. “I never got the chance to tell you about my devil fruit. You called him a free kill, right?”

Smoker had a gut feeling that this kid was more than strong enough to fight. “Don’t play the hero kid.”

He watched as the kid turned into a T-Rex of all things and charge their target.

…

“Wait, you are telling me you actually met poison pink?” Nojiko was jumping out of her seat.

Sabo rolled his eyes. “See?” He smirked at his brother? “Comics and propaganda can help.”

Ace looked at his brother in pure offence. “That comic is pure lies! Lies I say! Reiju will join my crew one day! She is a good person!”

Nojiko relaxed back in her seat. “No need to lie. You are just jealous that unlike your brothers, you haven't acquired any crew mates yet.”

The boy scowled up at her. “You are just in denial that you have been fooled by government lies.”

Noniko’s jaw dropped.

“We don’t believe every panel. We just jake it with a grain of salt.” Sabo defended.

“No! No seasoning will make me eat these lies!” Ace stood tall. “I vow to never read any news or propaganda again, just trust my instincts when I meet people!”

…

Vander Decken was dead.

Drake and Smoker had no desire to deal with the fall out. The boy with the red hair looked across the control room of the sub at Smoker.

“Are you sure you want to leave me at Marine HQ? This sub isn't meant for one person to maneuver alone. Getting it off the ground was a fight for the two of us.” He has a grin on his face. Smoker is smart, but this is too much for one man, even if he can stretch his arms across the control room with smoke.

“I can't go through the Calm Belt with this anyway. We need to leave the sub somewhere the Commander will find it.”

Drake smiled at his quiet acceptance for sticking around longer. Also, it wasn’t easy to find people who weren't disgusted by his monster form. Yeah, dinosaurs are cool, but he took a bite out of that creep!

Smoker, he just didn't care.

“You haven't seen Law cut people up and stitch them back together wrong for fun. Your family is mad. You fit right in.”

…

Bell-mere was ready this time. She didn't even jump when Doflamingo dropped by. She just kept drinking her morning tea on her front porch.

He looked grumpy.

“I found your brother.” She held up the newspaper. Luckily, she was still subscribed to the North Blue Post.

“This is impossible.” For once that fake smile dropped. “We have a silent agreement never to step foot on that island.”

Bell blinked at him. “If it is silent, how do you know he agreed?”

A vein popped in the man’s brow.

She silently pored him some tea.

“I've gotten calls reporting him in every blue since boosting his bounty.” He shook his head. “The only source I trust promised that if I wait, he will come after me.”

Bell resisted the sigh of relief. Instead she lit up a smoke. “Does that mean you are leaving the East Blue?”

“Are you asking to join me?”

Bell laughed. “Why should I leave behind such a lucrative business here? Some marines stopped by yesterday offering to sponsor me. Now that’s job security!”

“I’ll stop by from time to time. I’m positive our partnership will be quite lucrative.” He brushed her hair before walking away.

She chewed on her cigar. Does this mean it is safe to bring her daughters home? She didn't know. What she did know was the North Blue attack was not her old friend’s style. Something was strange here.

…

Dadan was just getting used to having a newborn when she heard the screams and crashes that could only be her brats. As payment for taking the other girls home, she agreed to watch the little princess an extra night.

“Why couldn’t I get three girls?” She grumbled to herself. Then she yelled. “Be quiet, the baby is sleeping!”

“Don't worry!”

Dadan jumped out of her skin. How did Ace get right behind her?

“After I set out at 17, I’ll bring back a sister!” Ace said in glee.

Dadan blinked. “After you turn 17, I’m retiring.”

“Even if dad agrees to adopt more kids?”

“Rosinante-sempi doesn't like you calling him dad.” She shook her head. “Besides, he wouldn't about just anyone!”

…

When the crash echoed in her ears, Bell feared she missed something. She feared Doflamingo found out she was lying to him.

The last thing Bell expected to find was a king and queen escorting her daughters home.

“Mom! We got to help fight Germa 66!” Nojiko yelled.

She blinked. “Did you just call me mom?”

“Please, never send us away again!” Nami threw herself into Bell-mere’s legs. “I’ll never complain about beri again!”

She smiled and hugged her girls before everything she heard settled in. “Please tell me you are talking about a comic issue.”

…

Alone at last.

This was their first night without kids since their wedding. “Ginny, are you really okay?”

The woman laughed off his concern, but he knew the hesitation in her eyes. “What are you talking about?”

“My love, I know what happened. You are so strong, but you don't have to rush into anything you aren't comfortable with.”

Her eyes were lit with unshed tears. “Can't we just play pretend a little longer? I want to pretend this is it, just us… none of that hell ever happened.”

“You know I can take it away for real.” He spoke softly.

Ginny shook her head. “No… or not yet. Bonny was born from that pain. I feel like getting rid of the memories would be betraying her. She was the light that made me push through.”

Kuma nodded. “We are a team, you told me that.”

“I love you.” A smile lit her face.

“I love you too.”

…

Hakugan heard a crash from the kitchen. Priority Alpha was on the floor with frogs bouncing around him. The man had one frog sitting on his head with a satisfied croak. Threat level: unknown.

“Law! Why are there live frogs in the freezer!” The man yelled as he stood.

The sound of laughter came from the window. Threat level: minimal. The spare children are hardly his concern. The prospect of Nakima should be discussed with priority Alpha, or another leader at a later date.

Priority Beta ran into the house. “Why did you open the freezer!” He asked his father.

Hakugan observed as the man grabbed the frogs next to him, leaving the one on his head. “To get ice. You didn't leave a note or anything. Why is there an army of frogs in the freezer?”

Priority Beta took a frog from Alfa. “I promised to teach the others some medical skills. Dissecting frogs is the best place to start.”

Alfa nodded. The frog was still on his head. “How many do you need?”

Beta grinned with a bloodlust. “How many legs do you think I can fit on one frog?”

The celestial dragon ribbed his hands over his face. “Law, please stop tormenting the wildlife.”

Odd. Hakygan has never heard such words by a celestial dragon spoken about non-sentient beings. The echo of Another voice saying such words echoed in the back of his mind. Speaker: unknown.

Priority Beta looked at him. “What to learn medical skills?”

Hakugan tilted his mask. Is this a requirement? A test? He is a killer, but a temporary guard. Why would they need another medic with the Opi-Opi No Mi present? Will this help him kill better? Maybe it is to learn about restraining targets. He should not say no to something offered freely.

The boy nodded his head.

In one month, Hakugan has yet to take a single blow from his new handlers and charges. It was strange. These people spoke in riddles and asked things he could not answer. Oddly enough, nobody ever retaliated or belittled his weakness.

Debt.

That word meant something through the haze of his mind. That word made him cut the line when Priority Alfa was calling Fishman Island. He should have waited for the conversation to veer into restricted conversations and cut the man’s throat. Why didn't he?

Hakugan didn’t understand his current assignment. What does it mean to be a kid? How can his kill list be losing the game? Where is the free kill list? What is the difference between good and bad kills?

All he knew, is that the boy did not want this assignment to end.

…

Ten months later the crew was finally ready to head for the Grand Line!

Approximately one year till the Dressrosa incident.

Approximately three years since time has snapped.

Next chapter:
Bonny’s first birthday and the goodbye party.

Chapter Text

Law was excited, grumpy, and scared.

It was time so leave the island the crew had been hiding on. The Torino Kingdom is off the grid, and may have better medical practices than most hospitals. While Law would prefer just cutting the problem out, he understood that it wasn't an option for everyone. People like Cora-san are an accident waiting to happen. The man at least improved his first aid.

Kuma suggested they lay low here, and it is a nice place to visit. Bepo made bird friends, and some misunderstanding got solved. Law really didn’t know what happened. What he did know is that something scared Hakugan and he had to help Cora-san keep the assassin from going on a murder spree.

The masked boy grew on Law, but he was still an anomaly. Usually Law was the one bad with emotions and overly violent. This traumatized assassin is in a way worse state than Law ever was.

Last night, everyone woke up to screaming. It sounded like a wild animal through Hakugan’s damaged vocal cords. The boy almost bit his tongue off. Law gave him that tongue to start repairing the damage till more parts become available. Now, that very gift almost killed the boy.

When morning came, Haku didn’t remember a thing. Bepo called it trauma. His mind is protecting itself from the memories. Cora-san agreed.

Human souls are annoying. Law can cut open the mind, heart, and lungs, but still not figure out a way to change a person. He can fiddle with DNA but that doesn’t seem to change one unless they were inclined to change. People are just like that, beyond what he can cut open and understand.

In another world, Law was fermenting his revenge plan. The sub’s creation was starting to be under way. Law would grow up to be the captain of the Polar Tang.

Here, Law is a kid. He is a doctor and a son in his own right. Cora-san is alive, and the title ‘heart pirates’ may be a little embarrassing for him. Law has a body guard, and a ship waiting on Water 7 that is not the Polar Tang.

“Dude, chill. You were the one who wanted to travel the world!” Penguin told him. “I can’t even spend much time on Fishman Island due to the old man’s deal. I was looking forward to that island!”

“Yeah, the Arctic Tang is logged with all the marine data codes for the next ten years!” Shachi said. “If the plans are right, I can hack into any call, and project images all around the world! That ship is a beauty. It was a test ship because it was too expensive to remake!”

Law shook his head and peeked out the window. Cora-san is watching Hakugan. “It’s not that. The ship just won’t be the same.”

“Law-san.” Bepo said. “It was never going to be the same in the first place.” The bear spoke softly. “We would have a new crew member, and no reason for the sensory deprivation room... sorry.”

The boy shook his head. “I made sure that giant bed was in the plans for in case…” He shook his head. “The Tang had hallways Cora-san would be able to walk through. We built her by hand! She was home.”

“Dude.” Shachi crossed his arms and shook his head. “Did you delay our departure for almost an entire year because you were cranky over a ship that hasn’t even been completed yet?”

The boy grumbled and packed the last of his medical supplies. “This island is wonderful! That and… the other sub wasn’t stolen. The Arctic Tang is a gift from the FLEET ADMIRAL!”

“He wants to be your grandpa.” Bepo’s voice was soft. “Every time Smokey stops by he says that the old man asks about you.”

“How am I supposed to be an evil pirate if the Fleet Admiral of all people is trying to befriend me!” Law threw himself on his chair dramatically. “He wants us to stop by when we pass Marine HQ!”

Penguin laughed. “And here I thought we were conning the government!”

Law leaned his chair so it was balancing on the back two legs. “Smoker said Cora-san’s foster brother turned into a T-Rex and ate a guy’s arm off! Why are some of these marines sounding cool!”

“Oh no…” Shachi shook his head dramatically. “Our cold hearted captain has been corrupted! That’s it, I’m joining a different pirate crew. Who is evil enough?”

Penguin shrugged. “Arlong is hiring for his theme park. Telling little kids they are too short for roller coasters sounds evil to me.”

“And deal with people complaining that I can’t make a line shorter! Never!!”

…

The theme park wasn’t completely ready to open properly. Only a couple shows, a few slides, and one rollercoaster were ready. Arlong had so much to do, and he wasn’t sure how this all happened so quickly.

One minute he was on his apology trip around the South Blue... A kid with metal powers tried to kill him, then took over one of the islands once Arlong pulled his gang out. Kuma later offered to help the island, but the people wanted nothing to do with them.

Then he came home to find park plans laid out on a table waiting for his approval. Kuma came back, and brought an mad old engineer who was supposed to be making a submarine for the crazy family he could almost consider his friends. The sub plan was a bust thanks to some birthday gift. Since then, the man started traveling between Water 7 and the Sorbert Kingdom. A few teenagers were hired to help with the park. Somehow the king’s devil fruit became more of a travel service than a war weapon.

With the crazy warlord brother thing in the grand line, it was too dangerous to go for the sub. Arlong went to Water 7 one time and saw a man dressed as a baby who is apparently from Doflamingo’s crew. Here he thought the younger brother was crazy! Apparently, Arlong met the sane one.

After a lot of argument, the park wasn't named Arlong Park, but Sun Land. The logo was an homage to the Sun Pirates. Kuma even got some ‘Joyboy’ themed rides- whatever that means.

Arlong was in charge of all park planning and operations. A good ten shipwrights stayed on the island permanently now. Fifteen families from fishman island moved here, most were leaving the worst streets of the Fishman District. Thirty or so former pirates decided to stick with him for the construction. He hadn’t called home since his last talk with his sister. The former pirate didn’t know what to say. He needed to prove this would work first.

The water is cold, but this park isn’t on a dangerous island like Sabiodi. It is a paradise in one of the blues. Between the former pirates and the royal family, there isn’t a safer place in the world. The real question is- what if it fails?

Kuma put so much of his treasury from the last king into this park. What will he do if he is left to owe the man, well… everything?

Arlong felt alone.

What was she supposed to say to Jimbe? You were right? He still thought the queen was a fool. Arlong still hated humans. He just found some crazy ones tolerable.

One week before Bonny’s birthday and the official park opening, a knock came at his door. Arlong knew that it was Kuma by his haki. Funny, if someone had told him a few years ago that a celestial dragon would teach the fisman haki, Arlong would have killed the person and called him mad.

When he opened the door, Arlong found another presence. He couldn't sense it. She was skilled. The former pirate looked down into the girl’s blue eyes under her brown bangs. Most humans may look alike, but he would never forget this one.

Arlong opened his mouth, but no words escaped him.

The girl took a step forward from behind Kuma. She was holding her hands in front of her nervously. Koala is no longer dirty and that fake smile is completely gone. She is nervous, but clean and well kept. That’s good. Someone has been feeding and housing the girl his captain died for.

“I’m sorry.” Her voice cracked.

What was he supposed to say to that?

“It was a trap. After the captain brought me home, they…” Tears came to her eyes. “My parents held me back as they… It’s my fault. You didn’t want me to go back there.”

Arlong fell to his knees and pulled the girl into a hug.

Her arms snapped around his neck and her hands gripped his hair. “I couldn’t stay there… but I…” She sobbed. “I understand if you hate me.”

“I don’t hate you.” The words escaped him before he knew it.

He didn’t hate her. At one time he did. Arlong looked at that pink haired marine’s daughter and saw this girl. He saw the government spy who mocked her. This girl, she is real. This is the very soul his captain gave everything for and loved despite his hate. How could he hate her? In a way, this girl is all he has left of his old captain.

“Where have you been?” He asked when he found his voice. How long had he been holding this child? She must be around the age of Rosi’s older boys.

“I joined the Revolutionary Army.” She said before stepping back from the hug. “I want to fight the celestial dragons and free slaves. I think that is what Fisher-Tiger-san would have wanted.”

“He wanted you to live.” Why did he sound like that stupid blond adoption addict?

She laughed and wiped her tears away. “Thank you.”

“What are those soldiers having children do?” He didn’t know much about the Revs other than the ‘deadbeat dragon’ jokes his friends made.

“I… I’ve been learning fishman karate and information tracking.” She looked down at her feet. “I know a human shouldn’t learn that… but I…”

“Who trained you?”

She looked up in fear. “Why?”

Arlong stood up and started walking to the beach. “Come with me. I need to make sure this Rev fool is teaching you right. Do you know Haki?”

The girl started skipping up beside him. “I’m learning. You are okay with this?”

“I’m not okay with some fool training you wrong, so show me what you know.”

Her grin was blinding.

…

Arriving back on the Sorbert kingdom was nice, peaceful. Getting the kids all packed was a hassle, but it was all worth it. This place is no longer one of fear and past shadows, but a second home. If only they could stay in one place long term.

When they crash landed, Rosinante face planted again. Really, how do you land? This won’t be his last trip like this. He already knows it won’t be the last faceplant either.

Law and Hakugan rushed to the side of his landing paw print. Hakugan sat at the corner of the paw print with his mask tilted to the side.

The man stopped trying to read the boy’s every emotion. Out was too draining. Haku is probably just confused. Or it is just becoming a common mannerism.

“Why are you still so clumsy?” Law asked. “You did a cool power landing when I screamed last month.”

The man glared at his kid. “That wasn't funny.”

Law’s grin was positively conniving before he helped his dad up. Well, he tried. Even with the ten inches Law grew, the kid is still tiny.

When they climbed out of the ditch, Rosi saw that Bepo was already holding Bonny. Her mother looked tired and relieved to have Bepo holding the child for a minute.

“I swear, Kuma, Arlong, Bepo, and I are the only ones she lets hold her most days.” Ginny shook her head as she reached out her hand to greet the newcomers.

“Everyone loves Bepo.” Law stated like it is an universal fact.

Ginny nodded.

Rosi looked around for two missing problems. Shachi and Penguin crashed first. Where are they?

“Arlong is introducing the other two to his kid sister.” Ginny stated.

Rosinante’s mouth went dry. “Sharley? I thought she was older.”

The woman shook her head and laughed. “No, Koala!”

The blond blinked. He knew that name from somewhere, but he didn’t think Arlong had another sister. That lead to the group making their way to what seemed to be a theme park being built too quickly for Rosinante’s imagination. “I always saw Sabiodi as some rusted down nostalgia bait that isn’t as maintained as it should be and overpriced. This place is proving that true.”

“Spoiled brat.” Arlong was leaning against the entrance stand. “Just because you got to visit all you wanted as a child, doesn’t mean you can make fun of my people’s dreams!”

Rosinante rolled his eyes. “Where is this little sister of yours, and why haven't you told me about her yet? I love my boys, but if I had a daughter, Shachi and Penguin are would not be my first choice to leave her with.”

The fishman rolled his eyes and pointed at a very human looking girl talking with Shachi and Penguin. “At least the guppy and her can understand blending our cultures.”

The blond man blinked. Was this always Arlong? He looked at his friend and couldn’t see a trace of the man who invaded Cocoyashi Village.

…

When everyone was getting settled, Rosi and Kuma sat down for a quiet meeting.

“Hakugan?” Kuma asked.

“Law has him occupied.” Rosinante pulled the sword from his coat. “You don’t need to check the future again. Last time you said you retired from the Revs. I’m sure there isn’t anything you truly need to see or know.”

The Buccaneer looked uncomfortable.

Rosi squinted at his old friend. “You are hiding something from me. Out with it! I already have to keep this from the boys at risk of weeks or months of depression!”

“Sabo.”

He thought of Dadan’s boy. “What about him?”

“You were wrong when you said Garp would have protected him if you weren’t there.” Kuma’s voice was soft. “The Revolutionary Army may have lost its greatest asset. Koala and Sabo were already going on low ranking missions together at this point in time.”

His mouth was dry. “But… But his brothers? How old is he?”

Kuma pointed at his brain. “Concussion.”

He buried his face in his hands. “I destroyed the timeline.”

Kuma nodded. “You won’t hear me complaining. I brought Koala here to protect her from a mission that almost killed her and Sabo. Sabo pulled her out. It should be assigned today. Her vacation will end a few days from now.”

“What about Sabo?” He felt sick asking that question.

“Ginny checks in with Dadan regularly. A lot of what they talk about is children keeping them up. That said, Sabo is happy where he is. I do need to ask you to keep that blade away from him. He knows too many secrets.”

“Great, another target for the club.” How was he supposed to deal with this? “Please, tell me if there is anything I can do to help.”

“Leave the Revs to me.” Kuma’s voice was soft. “Ginny and I can keep the world afloat together.” He reached for Cronos. “I’d like to keep an eye on this other world once a year or so.”

“Deal.”

…

“Why does a one year old need a birthday party?” Shachi asked.

“Because!” Kuala punched his arm. “Her parents love her!”

“She won’t remember.” Penguin backed up his cousin.

“Is there anyone here on my side?” She threw her hands in the air.

“Bonny deserves it.” Bepo’s voice was soft. “Sorry.”

“Thank you!” Koala tossed her arm over the bear’s shoulder. Then she looked at the other two. “Care to join in and back us up?”

“No comment.” Law said as he crossed his arms. “She isn’t the one the day is celebrating, as it is everyone else here who kept her alive. At the same time, she is strong to not be dead due to the poison... or maybe she is just lucky.”

Koala’s eye twitched. She looked around trying to understand what the strange boy was talking about. Then she looked at the boy with a mask beside him. He looked eerie, like a bad dream. That said, Anaki-Arlong and Kuma would have nothing to do with CP-0. “What do you think?”

The boy made some hand gestures that looked like sign language. The words she understood, Kuala assumed to be her misunderstanding. She looked around for help, but only saw the other boys hiding laughs.

“Yeah, welcome to the club of part of the reason the girl lives. Haku.” Law threw his arm over the masked boy’s shoulder. “Not killing her is a very good reason for her to be alive.”

Koala’s jaw dropped. Did she understand his sign language right? All she really got was ‘not’ and ‘murder.’ He was signing something again and Koala didn’t get any of it.

“I guess that does count as another point in your favor for the save/kill list.” Shachi said. “Hey, Ping, do you have our score counts?”

The half fishman boy pulled out a note. “We have Smoker in the lead with 59 saves. The old man is in second with 37. Then Shachi and I are tied with 7. Law has 5. Bepo is at 3. Lastly, Hakugan is in last place with -79”

The boy with the mask pumped his fist in the air to cheer.

What in the world? Anaki Arlong warned her this family was a little crazy. She was sure he would be able to explain this later, right?

…

Vice Captain Smoker had his desk all packed up and ready to go. He was based at a small outpost in the South Blue. The base and his desk were a nice place to stop as he did marine work between checking on the Commander and normal work. Soon, he will be stationed in the Grand Line. It is his last day, and he needs to travel over official means to meet the crew on Water 7. He said goodbye to Kuma and his family a few days before.

“We are going to miss you, Vice Captain.” A cadet said behind him.

Smoker smiled and handed over a card with one of his direct snail lines. “If you sniff out any corruption again, call me.”

“Ai ai, sir.”

…

“I knew it.” Arlong said in victory as he and Koala calmly stepped out of their row in the roller coaster.

Rosinante was on his hands and knees. He just lost his lunch and couldn’t walk a straight line.

“All that hate for Sabiodi Park, when you just have a weak stomach! Ha!”

“Never again.” The celestial dragon managed to mumble. “I went on it… It’s done… never again.”

“Party pooper.” Shachi complained.

Law was standing stiff and pale next to the man on his knees. “I can stay off the next one with Dad, you go have fun.”

“Coward!” Penguen realized.

“Dude, you can teleport and call body horror fun!” Shachi sought elaboration.

“Control.” Law said with a shaky breath.

“Can I go again?” Bepo asked in a soft voice. “Sorry.”

Hakugan signed with his hand that he would take Bepo on the ride again as they ran for the entrance.

…

South Blue, end.
Next chapter- Water 7

Chapter Text

…

When they crashed in Water 7, everyone was excited, but scared. Law had been here before, a lifetime ago, traveling with Dofi. Back then he was too sick to enjoy it. The boy didn’t want to enjoy the word then, but to destroy it.

He and Cora-san were supposed to be the only ones who had been here, so where was Hakugan? They just landed.

His dad climbed out of the paw crater where they landed at a dirty scrap yard. “Keep your heads down. This is a hub for pirates, marines, and bounty hunters alike. Even when I was undercover in Dofi’s crew I was paranoid here. Spent all my time at a secret marine base, on the ship, or in the library with Law.”

He blinked up at the tall man. That was actually the first time he noticed there was more to the man. Law studied his medical books as the doofus Corazon sat across from him in silence. The man held the books he ‘read’ upside down half the time. “You do know half those books you pretended to read were upside down.”

The man laughed. “Reading upside down is easy. You think I flipped every note I read on Dofi’s desk? Practicing here just made Dofi’s crew think I was dumber than I am, and pretending to be smart. You all should practice it too. There are always coded messages in the library here. Keep an eye out.”

He blinked up at the man. That is smart. How much did he not know about him, really?

“Cool.” Shachi grinned. “Will you teach me?”

“It's smarter than hiding adult magazines in comics.” The man deadpanned. “What am I going to do with you?”

“Recruit a girl?” Shachi said as he grinned up at the man.

Cora-san laughed as he stuck his hands in his pockets and started walking. “And make her put up with you? I’m not that evil. Plus, I have enough kids to deal with already.”

Law rolled his eyes and ran up to walk next to his dad. The boy did not want to get kidnapped again. Yes, this place is beautiful, and he is much stronger, but water is everywhere! If anyone asks, the boy is just paranoid that his old man will slip on a puddle and drown. That's all.

They were all dressed to lay low, which means that the feather coats were sadly a no go. Cora-san was wearing some black jeans with his normal dress shoes and matching trench coat. He completed the costume wearing a white beanie with dark brown spots. Law didn’t think the man would blend in anywhere. His flintlock was visible hooked to his belt. All the same, his dad is addicted to pockets and this isn’t his worst fashion choice. It's missing the feather coat though.

Law was wearing a yellow short sleeve button up with blue jeans. He got the same spots on his jeans to match his hat. For some reason, Cora-san made him hide his short sword in a bag over his shoulder. The bag was one to hold artwork or a map. He was permitted to keep his dagger visible hanging from his belt.

Oddly enough, weapons were growing more common.

Bepo had some brass knuckles in his pocket. Cora-san gave them to him for the cub’s birthday. Law’s best friend was already way taller than him! But, that should be expected- he is a polar bear. Law let that one go. Other than that, Bepo was wearing some orange pants and a black “Sun Land”’ shirt.

Penguin also followed the theme park brand with his blue hoodie. That hat and glasses will probably never go away. His white pants are fine though. The fact he was also hiding a katana now did not make Law jealous. Apparently Arlong helped Cora-san pick it out. He also has a small saw blade in his suitcase.

Shachi was much more subtle with his theme park hat. At this point people will think half the crew joined the sun pirates. At least the park is already being promoted around here. Cora-san was very clear that they need to be careful with merch that can trace back to the Sorbert Kingdom. Instead of hand to hand weapons, Shachi got a small pistol for his birthday.

The sound gave Law PTSD he didn’t know he had. Has he really not heard a gunshot since that nightmare? Cora-san puts his on mute. Back at Coco village, Law reacted when he saw Arlong’s gun. Now, there was nothing he could do when his friend trained. He just needed to get over it before he becomes a liability.

Since only he and Cora-san had wanted posters, it was agreed they would separate and meet up later. Smoker should already be on the island to escort the others.

“Its a yagara bull.” His dad said before they walked into the store. “Not recognizing them is a taboo here. Everyone has them.”

“Arlong showed us some babies at the park.” Penguin stated. “This place is a lot like that water ride what’s his name designed.”

The man blinked. “When?”

“You were being a cranky party pooper and getting snacks with Law.”

The aforementioned boy crossed his arms and definitely wasn’t pouting. He just knew riding the beast may be concerning.

The shop keep only had two left for rent when they got in the store. Both were pink. This is a really bad start to their grand line journey. He can only hope things go smoothly from here.

“How do we know this thing won't kill us?” He asked his dad.

“We don’t.” The ten foot tall man said as he tried to balance on the thing’s back. “We have two options. We pray someone saves us, or you sit on my lap and I toss you if things go wrong. I get wet, and you use shambles to save us.”

Law shook his head. “I’m almost thirteen. I’m not a baby.”

“And still light enough to throw with one hand.” The man crossed his arms and grinned. “Sorry, you will always be a kid to me.”

“Fine.”

…

Not even five minutes later, the plan proved useful. Lucky for both of them Rosinante was fast enough. Law had the room up just as quick. The lady he shambled into the water was luckily an old mermaid who laughed it off.

Kokoro showed them roads that did not require the yagara bull, and the best was promptly returned.

Good.

It was worse than the rollercoaster.

…

“You are getting too big to ride on my shoulder. My back can't take it.” Rosinante said to Law as he trudged through the street soken wet. He didn't know if he could trust this woman.

“But you carried Haku on your shoulder last week!” The boy grumbled as he stood to his feet.

Rosi shifted so he could catch the boy if he fell. “Law, please!”

“Am I not your favorite any more?”

Rosi shook his head and dropped his arms. “Seriously? How are you okay with this and not roller coasters or those bulls? I'm more clumsy.”

“But, Dad!” The boy grumbled as he dropped from his feet to a sitting position throwing Rosi off his balance. “You always catch me."

Rosi paused mid step and looked at the kid using him as a personal jungle gym. The choke escaped him before he could stop it.

“Are you seriously crying right now?”

Kokoro started laughing as she led them through the street. “Kids will do that to you! Oh, I miss the good old days when mine were young. Hopefully I’ll be a grandmother soon.”

…

Smoker was half way through his second cigar when he saw the three boys on the back of an yagara bull. He released a sigh of relief that his cigar wasn’t about to get replaced with a frog. That means he can keep smoking and nobody can stop him.

Why did Penguin jump in the water?

His observation haki was too slow. Smoker had no way to prevent the mini tsunami that soaked him and those behind him.

“Saved your life!” The brat said as he rested his elbows on the cement.

“How is that?” It doesn't get that cold here, but it is still fall! He is also a logia to boot!

“Smoke! Law says it will kill ya!”

Stupid brats.

He should have stayed in the South Blue.

…

The Numancia Flamingo got damaged again.

Doflamingo wouldn't let damage to his ship delay his plans. He was well on the way to becoming the underworld kingpin in both the Grand Line and New World. He wasn’t even there when the ship was damaged! Senior Pink knew it wasn’t the young master’s fault the ship was damaged. Dofi was busy in the new world.

Corazon- Virgo finally made it back from his long stint going through paperwork at the marine base. Dofi decided that he should keep his heart close. He was no longer hunting for the traitor. How he knows the second Corazon will come back, Pink didn’t know. He did trust his young master though.

The former Corazon was a sour spot for the crew. It was eerie having the new Corazon walking around with an inverted version of the last Corazon’s costume. Just thinking about it was headache inducing. Dofi had forbidden the use of his brother’s name. Pink couldn't even remember the name in the first place!

“We need the ship fixed.” He told the young man in a suit who looked half asleep. “If your company’s repairs last, we will stay loyal to your service.”

The child of a man in charge of the Gally-Law Company and some theme park thing looked up at him with bags under his eyes. “So what? I’ve been working to build this business from the ground up. No matter how we fix your ship, it is how you maintain it that matters. That, and while I understand you want your privacy, I can’t fix your ship if you won’t let anyone on the lowest level.”

“An unmanly child like you won’t understand the complexities of business and family.” He told him.

The greasy boy gripped the bridge of his nose. “You remind me of my stepbrother- not in a good way. We can’t fix something we can’t inspect!”

“Your brother sounds like a wise man. Can I speak to him?” Pink asked before sucking on his pacifier.

The boy glared up at him. “He is dead.”

“Apologies.” He took his bonnet off in respect.

“No need to apologize. He was stupid and didn’t respect our father’s sacrifice and cherish his life.” The boy started feeding a rat.

Pink pulled out his beer bottle. “Sounds like a real man. Only a real man would face revenge at risk of his life.”

The almost man in the tweed coat shook his head. “I have a meeting with…” He looked at a paper list. “Rosin… Ro something. I really need an assistant.”

“A real man could handle it himself.”

The bell for the front door rang.

“Excuse me.” The young boy walked out the door of his office into the lobby. “Are you my 2:30?”

Pink looked over the boy’s shoulder. In the doorway he saw that four people entered the room. The oldest was another young almost man with white hair and an aviator’s coat. The man was grumpy and dripping wet. At his side were two boys and a mink. The kids at least know a little more about dressing like a man. Those hats are slick.

“Half of us.” The kid with the white hair said as he reached out to shake hands with the greasy shipwright in the tweed coat. “Iceberg, I presume?”

“Yes.” The greasy boy said with a nod. “Rosina-”

“The Commander isn’t here yet.” The boy with the white hair cut him off as he waved like the name didn’t matter. “I’m sorry to interrupt. You appear to be busy.”

Iceberg turned back to Pink. “Is there anything else I can do for you, sir?”

“Not till you become a man, and agree to a man’s terms.” Pink walked to the door. He had his hand on the handle and almost opened it when he heard the snort.

The boy with the red hair was outright laughing. “I’m sorry! Did you lose a bet?”

“I dress like a man.” He told the boy. “You will understand one day.”

The wet guardian of the children was glaring daggers at him and reaching for a cheap and wet cigar. Pink wouldn’t allow that. He held out a better cigar. “Take this, it will put hair on your back.”

The young man grit his teeth and made a face. Funny, Pink thought he saw the other go slightly transparent. “I have enough hair on my back. Thanks for the offer, but I decline.”

“Your loss.”

Pink walked out the door.

He made it past a few buildings before suddenly doing a double take. He thought he saw that brat, Law and the former Corazon. He didn’t hesitate to swim down through the cement of the ground and rise up behind the man. No, it’s just the real Corazon- Virgo.

“Did the shipwright agree to your terms?” The man asked. He had some steak on his cheek.

Pink shook his head. “Not man enough.”

“Then we need to move her.” Corazon told him. “Find someone to help, or move the woman yourself.”

“The travel is enough for Russian.” Pink argued for his wife. “Unless we are moving her to a new ship, I don’t like taking her off life support to move her.”

“I’ll give you three more days. Find a shipwright, get her out, or they will be working around her.” Corazon stated flatly.

“Dofi agreed to protect Russian.” He reminded the first mate.

“Dofi put me in charge to protect the crew. We are behind schedule because the last shipwrights didn't fix the Numancia Flamingo properly. She should be fine with a few shipwrights.” Corazon walked away from him. “We need to be in the new world yesterday. You can be the one to explain to the young master why we are back here again.”

Pink gripped his fist at his side. The family needs a chain of command. Corazon’s return changed the dynamic though. The last… the traitor was quiet, mute, and put a smile on everyone’s face. The traitor made the kids stronger when they targeted him, and took a lot of their annoying energy Dofi can’t stand. Yeah, he didn’t laugh with the crew much, but there was always cause to laugh at him. Funny enough, Dofi would kill anyone that laughed at Pink, Pika, or anyone in the family save his brother. Dofi loved laughing quietly at the second Corazon.

This new… the original Corazon, he isn’t like that. Virgo isn’t one to be laughed at. He is one that gets the job done though. Virgo is the stability the family needs right now. He may be heartless for a Corazon, but the young master needs that.

…

Kokoro found herself pulled behind a wall by the funny dad who wanted to meet her foster son. His boy looked pale, scared. When Kokoro tried to ask what happened, her voice failed her. She was completely silent. How did that happen?

A kid ran by wearing a blue hat with horns on the side. He had red stilettos on and short shorts. The boy must be crazier than Cutty Flem was! Those short shorts are practically a speedo! The heels are something else though. Her boy would break his ankle in heels! Or would he? Cutty hated shoes just as much as pants, but he could dance. That means good balance right?

Well, if they need to lay low, she can take them to her favorite bar. That kid reminding her of her dead son really made her need a drink.

…

Chapter Text

A back road to a pub is not what Rosinante calls safe. The alarm bells rang louder in his head when the door opened. Rosinante was about to object to letting Law into a bar when he sensed a familiar haki presence- it had him almost charging into the pub.

Sure enough, Hakugan was slipping into the shadows of the room as he entered. What brought the boy here was obvious. Rosinante knew the man behind the bar. “Didn’t expect to see you here. Weren’t you transferred to the 9th unit?”

Bluno’s eyes only slightly shifted. “We were in completely different units, and I retired from the army. Violence just isn’t for me.”

Kokoro’s raised eyebrows and the fear in her haki was enough to prove she did not know this was a CP-9 agent behind the bar. What would CP-9 even be doing here? Yeah, there is the sea train, but the normal marines have enough contact with this rather peaceful island. A SWORD agent like him posted here would make more sense.

Rosinante felt Law shift his weight. The boy was bracing himself to hold on if he started to run. “Guess you couldn’t en-door… sorry, I meant endure.”

Blueno grit his teeth. “How about a free drink for an old friend, and an old army buddy. You never had the stomach for war either. Is that your son?”

He took a seat. Law’s hand started gripping his hair as the boy held on. It hurt. The kid is used to holding onto his feather coat though, so this probably calms him a little. “Yeah, Law, meet Blueno. The man may be better at appearing and disappearing than Haku.”

Law nodded.

“Got any milk? The kid is too young for alcohol and his growth is already stunted enough. He needs the calcium.” Rosinante said when Blueno set a rather fancy drink in front of him, and a beer in front of a slightly uncomfortable Kokoro.

“Dad!” Law grumbled. “One minuet I’m too big to sit on your shoulder, then I’m too short?”

“Just drink your milk, Law.” He released a heavy sigh.

Rosinante looked around the bar. He needs to ditch Kokoro and talk to Blueno. That, and getting Haku somewhere safe is probably a good thing. As a CP-0 agent, the boy was probably delivering a message to Blueno from CP-9 here. CP-9 is the unit that never fails after all.

The drink was strong and expensive. He had a feeling that the code wasn’t more then just a gift to a celestial dragon. It is one of his brother’s favorite brews after all. One full glass may leave the spy drunk though. Exposing his lack of liquor tolerance is the last thing he wants to do. Most spies are trained to be able to down a giant’s brew without getting tipsy.

“I didn’t know you were a soldier.” Kokoro said as she swooshed her drink. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Blueno shrugged and started cleaning a glass. “PTSD. It’s not the best to openly complain to customers about my grievances with the government. It helps to know at least here I have no blood on my hands and can carry other people’s burdens. Everything you say, all you know, our world is a mess.”

Rosinante knew Law saw his eyes almost fly out of his skull. It took everything in him to keep his jaw from dropping. Blueno complaining about the government? This man is CP-9! He has got to be looking for insurgents here.

Without hesitating, Rosinante started tapping morse code against Law’s leg asking the boy to keep his mouth shut around this spy. He is dangerous. He also may have asked Law to use his powers to dilute the alcohol.

“Do you ever see anyone else from the old days? I got out because protecting my kids was more important.” He asked casually as he took a sip.

Blueno shook his head. Then he paused. “I don’t talk to him, but I hear your brother has been making waves.”

Rosi chewed his lip trying to think how he could go through this. “I saw his foster son outside. Is he here? I would rather not have that family reunion right now.”

Blueno chuckled. “He still mad at you for deserting?”

Rosi shook his head. “If I am going to see him, it will be on my terms.” If this man will report the conversation, then he needs to make it clear he will confront his brother one day. The deal is that he will make it a good story for the celestial dragons after all. CP-0 or CP-9 this man is a government dog. It’s also best to hide the fact that he cares about Haku… Or is it? Showing he cares about the kid will make them think he is vulnerable and keep the kid close to him. “Are there any mask shops in town? I saved a kid out of one of the war zones whose face is a little mutilated. He doesn’t like showing it in public.”

Kokoro looked at him, and Blueno’s eyebrows rose at his question. Rosinante saw Hakugan’s mask peek around the corner reflecting in a glass behind Blueno.

“Yeah.” Blueno sounded a little shook. “I can show you after my shift.”

“That doesn’t end for hours!” Cocoro said before knocking the rest of her drink down her throat. “He has a meeting with my son anyway. What was that meeting about?” The suspicion was clear in her expression.

“Iceberg?” Rosinante’s eyebrows raised. Well, if his mom is a mermaid, that explains why Arlong trusted the shipwright so much.

“Foster-son. That doesn’t make a difference though, does it? That masked boy is just as much yours as the jealous brat here, right?”

He couldn’t resist the smile. “Sounds accurate.” He could honestly say Haku was his to protect, but would stab him just as soon as Dofi if the orders came. After what happened to his father, he couldn’t bring himself to truly call the assassin his son. It would be like dooming Law to history repeating itself. Then again, Law is technically his foster son. As far as the other boys… he didn’t know how to consider them. Family? Law called them Nakima. That sounds better. They are really just the children under his protection. Any labels would make things dangerous, despite his feelings.

Rosinante followed the woman to the small building that was the Gally-Law Company. Kokoro swung the door opened signaling the bell. Before he stepped in, Rosi saw Haku slip in the cracked window. Clever little killer.

When Rosinante stepped in, he didn’t expect to see Smoker and Penguin were wet too. “Did you have problems with the Yagura Bull too?”

Penguin laughed. Smoker just looked exhausted. The young man responded. “You could call it that.”

“This place is a death trap to power holders.” Rosinante shook his head. Then he turned to see the young man with his hair slicked back. “You must be Iceberg. So sorry for keeping you waiting! You see we had a little complication.”

“Is she part of it?” He pointed to Kokoro.

“One of your brother’s gang members was here looking for repairs.” Smoker reported. “I swear all our intelligence said they left Sabiodi for Fishman Island! Something must have been wrong when their ship was getting coated.”

Rosinante rubbed his face. “I know. We saw Delenger. That was… part of our delay. Do any of us know where my brother is, or who all is here?”

“I’m sure your family drama is really interesting, but I have a business to run, and a schedule to keep. Do you want me to take you to your ship, or not?”

Rosi glanced at the young man. “Sorry. Yes, we should be getting out of here. Can you take the kids? I’ll catch up later.” He said before pulling Law off his shoulder and setting the boy on the ground. “I’d like to do some research. Stick together and stay safe.” The man made sure he held eye contact with every single kid, especially Haku, Law, and Smoker. Then he stole Law’s hat and walked out the door.

Time to act like a SWORD intelligence agent again.

…

Law could feel Haku’s eyes on him from the moment Cora-san left. The way he made eye contact and told them to stay together was scary. It reminded him of when he left him to grab the Opi-Opi No Mi. Yes, the man needs to come back for his protection to work.

A few months ago, his foster father pulled Law aside. “If I die, be careful around Haku. He will be tasked to monitor you for the show being put on for the celestial dragons. Since you have the Opi-Opi No Mi, they may just decide to have him drag you back. If you refuse, they may just kill you. No matter what, make sure you are stronger than him.”

Since then, keeping the boy occupied has been a game. Haku needs to keep his eyes on both of them. That is impossible for one kid. Finding time for private meetings is hard. At the same time, as long as Haki was guarding Law, he knew his dad planned to come back alive.

The idea that Dofi could be on the island was all the more terrifying. Law kept his head down, and stayed towards the back of the group as they walked towards the sub. The only one behind him was Haku. He thought they were getting close when he saw it, Dofi’s stupid Flamingo ship was docked three spots down from the Arctic Tang. Law froze when he saw the ship. His blood ran cold.

Hakugan pulled him behind a wall before Law could act. He was about to scream and start stabbing when he looked up at that mask. Haku was busy watching the ship.

“Room.” Law expanded his room till it covered his friends. The others all noticed the flamingo ship. Shachi pulled two coins out of his pocket and flicked them in the air on the deck right by the submarine’s door. “Shambles!”

The two teleported right by the door and ran into the ship. Law thought his heart was going to beat right out of his chest. Then he closed his eyes and leaned against the door. He is okay. They are okay. The sub is right here, and Cora-san won’t get caught. He looks different without all the makeup and the feather coat. Dofi’s crew has no reason to look for them here.

The boy reached out his haki. There appear to be three people on the ship. Maybe he can figure out who is here. “Room.” He expanded the room which made it a lot easier to see. That told him he was wrong. There were four people on the other ship, and one is weak. If Law didn’t know better he would say life support… or is that five?

Haku tapped his shoulder. Law looked up at the mask tilted to the side. If Law didn’t know better he would say that is concern. “Love him, care for him, but don’t completely trust him. Hakugan may one day join us, but he doesn’t know what it means to be human yet.” Cora-san’s words rang in his head.

Law bit his lip. “Are your orders to protect us, or to watch us fall?” He asked the masked boy.

Haku froze. His posture became stiffer than usual. ‘Your dad wants me to keep you alive. Control hasn’t given orders to harm you.’

Law chuckled. “Welcome to the crew.” He couldn’t believe this. “We protect each other. As long as we live, we will protect you from the government. Want to help me find a free kill with a voice you like later? Let's get those vocal cords fixed!”

The mask tilted the other way. Law could sense the excitement and fear in the boy’s haki. “Don’t worry, it won’t hurt.”

‘But screaming or speaking out of turn means a beating.’ The boy signed with his hands.

Law bit his lip. “Fuck the government.”

Haku flinched back.

“Please don’t tattle to dad. I don’t want to get grounded for cursing again.”

…

“What happened to the other two?” Iceberg asked.

“Don’t worry about it!” Bepo was quick to respond. “Sorry.”

The shipwright shrugged. “I’m not repeating this again.” Then he led them over to the ship and started showing off the engines and all the technical jargon Smoker couldn't understand. He was too busy keeping an eye on the flamingo ship.

It looked like the boys understood the technical jargon of the sub’s updates and maintenance. Why Law asked for it to be yellow, he would never know. Really, one minute the boy is body horror goth, and the next he wants bright yellow submarines and other goofy things. It was too much to keep track of.

This time when Smoker lit up his cigar, nobody objected. He saw the rooms, and knew only those with haki would see them. Law let the room down after a few moments. That means the boy probably has an idea of the threat level. They need to be careful.

“What’s the curtain covering?” Shachi asked.

The man just now noticed that yes, there is a tarp over part of the ship. “We got a request for a mural, but the request included keeping it hidden till you get here. I think it was supposed to be a surprise or something.”

“Keep it covered.” Shachi looked pale. “Law wanted it. It’s… a surprise.”

“Whatever the customer wants.” Iceberg looked dead tired.

With the way all three boys sighed in relief, Smoker had a feeling the painting would be recognizable. Why is Doflamingo’s ship right there? Is Law even safe in this submarine? He saw the way the boys slipped in. Their old man really knows how to train for subtlety. Hopefully they can slip out unnoticed.

…

Rosinante’s first stop was the library.

In the back he found a cookbook with a code written on the 83rd page. That lead him to a history book, then an encyclopedia, and eventually he found himself searching some old newspapers. In the newspapers he found an envelope with tickets for the sea train in three days, and a note from Sengoku.

He put himself on mute from the moment he entered the library. Thanks to that, Rosinante had no problem muttering about how dangerous this is.

Yes, he wanted to see his dad. As much as he feared Law would stab the man, he wanted to introduce them. Rosi hadn’t been able to see his old man since before his cover with Dofi. How long has it been? He was working undercover for years. Then there were the six months burning down hospitals, the three month trip to Minion Island, and the two years since then. “Am I really 30?” He asked into the silence.

The sea train is a wonderful place to meet. Thanks to Ennies Lobby, Sengoku can wait on the train without much suspicion. Because the other two stops are civilian, it is a great way to meet up and act like a normal family for once.

His old man planned this out under the assumption Dofi’s crew wouldn't be here. As the Fleet Admiral, the man can’t attack a Warlord’s crew. To add to the rotten luck, any information his dad was planning to leave is probably being saved for their meeting. “Great. Just great.”

Rosinante closed the book. On other days, he would love seeing how many codes he can find here, and how old some of them date back to. Sadly, he can’t waste the day away here. Right now he needs information on his bro- no- the criminal Doflamingo.

Chapter Text

Smoker stayed outside the sub. The excuse was that he wanted a smoke. In reality, all the boys knew he was watching the flamingo ship. It looked like the other ship was also getting work done.

Inside the sub, it was better than Shachi dreamed. Yeah, Law was looking frustrated as he couldn’t find a single complaint on the state of the art medical supplies. It was obvious by the boy’s scrutiny and put off expression after looking through everything. This sub has been sitting here for almost a year. Both Kuma and Sengoku worked to make it perfect. Perfect is exactly what it is.

From the kitchen, to the library, to the weapons room, to… well everything, the sub was more than Shachi had ever dreamed! It looked like Ginny helped give suggestions on the command and communications rooms. It was like his setup at her communications room. The boy already knew that they wouldn’t need to worry about surprises on islands with high tech like this again. From the safety of their sub he can hack into the communications of almost any island and make sure it is safe for the crew.

There are four bedrooms with four beds in each, as well as a captain’s quarters and first mate’s bunk adjoining it. Every boy had a room if they wanted to split it that way.

Iceberg was quick to leave once the tour was over.

“Who gets the captain’s quarters?” Bepo asked as he tapped his claws together. “Captain or captain’s dad?”

The red haired boy crossed his arms. “For that matter, who is the captain?”

“What?” Law looked stiff. He glanced at Haku who was pinning up their score boards on the wall.

“Well…” Bepo didn’t look Law’s way.

“Saving your dad… he kinda usurped you.” Penguin wasn’t hesitant to say it. “As far as he is concerned, we are kids playing pirates. One day, who will be the real captain, and who will be the first mate?”

Law’s face was flat, but his eye was twitching. “What does that matter?” He crossed his arms. “I thought you agreed, heart pirates forever.”

“Yes.” Shachi said with a grin. “Corazon Pirates.”

Law’s jaw dropped open.

‘Law is second in command.’ Hakugan signed.

“All of you are traitors.” Law grumbled. “This is mutiny. Even dad takes my orders… sometimes.”

“What did he say last week? ‘Hi captain, I’m dad! Now get to bed.” Shachi echoed. “Right Ping?”

Penguin was over by the score boards. “How did Smoker’s sheet get on our wall?” He asked.

Everyone else shrugged except Law and Hakugan. After a moment the captain spoke. “Dad is training him. Hence, he got on the board. I want to see Sengoku’s score, just to prove it is worse than Hakugan’s.”

“Hey, Bepo, how do you only have three?” Shachi asked. “I thought you ended a cold war between those funny herbal medics and the birds.”

“That doesn’t count, sorry.” The bear said. “All I did was observe the bird’s patterns and ask Cora-san for help decoding their language.”

Shachi shook his head. “Really, that alone should put you in the lead.”

The bear looked away.

“Bepo, what’s wrong?” How Law knew to ask that question, Shachi didn’t know. Usually Bepo is the one reading everyone else.

“I… I killed someone before you found me.” He tapped his claws together. “It was an accident. I thought they were going to help, but they led me into an alleyway with a cage… It was a full moon, and I… don’t remember. I went sulong and woke up with blood on my claws.”

Shachi couldn’t help his jaw from dropping. That is dark.

“I don’t know what my true score is.” Bepo looked sad.

Hakugan gently tapped Bepo’s arm to get his attention. ‘Human traffickers are part of the free kill list!’ The assassin signed. ‘We can look up the day and time to get your score! Then you and I can compete for the most free kills!’

“I don’t think the old man wants us to compete on who can get the most free kills.” Shachi tried to move in on damage control. “Murder isn’t a good thing.”

“Dad just wants us to leave the world a better place than we found it. The free kill list is an admission that the world is a better place without slavers, human traffickers, rapists, child molesters, and the like.” Law said with a shrug. “Sounds like a good idea. We should pin the free kill lists next to our point pages.”

“When the old man asks, this wasn’t my idea.” Shachi stated. “I wash my hands of this.”

Penguin walked up to the board. “I need to save someone. We can’t stay tied forever.”

“Guys, this isn’t a competition.” Shachi stood his ground.

“You only say that because we are going to beat you.”

‘When can we go voice hunting?’

The headache was already there. When Smoker is here, Shachi isn’t supposed to be the responsible oldest! What will the old man say?

…

The bar hadn’t changed in the last few hours.

“Are you trying to ruin my cover?” Blueno looked tired.

Rosinante shrugged. “I thought you asked her to bring me here.” He was being genuine. “I need real information.”

Blueno scowled. “CP-9 and SWORD don’t collaborate often. You are hardly even a real marine.”

“True.” He couldn’t argue that anymore.

“Why are you here?”

Rosi shrugged. “Just looking for information. You mentioned our units don’t work together much. Want to give me a heads up so I don’t step on your toes again?”

“I thought you would be leaving town immediately.” Blueno stated. “That sub is ready to go.”

Rosinante shrugged. “I should, but we both know how clumsy I can be.”

Blueno shook his head. “My shift ends in an hour. I will show you where their ship is docked, and you will keep your nose out of our business.”

“Deal.”

…

“I’m bored.” Shachi stated.

“Well, what are we going to do?” Penguin asked. “It’s not like we can wander the island.”

“What do you say, Cap?” The redhead looked at Law.

Said boy was staring at the wall. “Two of the people on Dofi’s ship were shipwrights.” Law stated. “Something is wrong with the person below deck. I… Penguin, were you serious about wanting to get a new save?”

“What can I do?” The boy grabbed his shark saw.

“You aren’t actually thinking about sneaking onto his ship?” Shachi’s jaw dropped.

“We are on a submarine.” Law stated. “Worst case, we need to go under and move it. That is something I considered the moment that stupid boat was docked a few spots down. Co… Dad coming back here is a risk.” Law shrugged. “He stole my hat, and I’ve grown a lot. Dad may not be wearing his makeup, but he still looks like his brother.”

“This is stupid. Why don’t we talk to Smoker?” Shachi asked.

“All in favor of investigating, and keeping the marine out of it, say Ai.” Law countered.

Hakugan gave a thumbs up.

“Ai.” Penguin had a fanged grin.

“I don’t know… Sorry.” Bepo shook his head.

“Perfect.” Law grinned before speaking. “We only need a few of us anyway. Penguin can be the lookout. I just want to check one room.”

“How does that help my score?” Penguin asked.

“Dellenger is here.” Law stated. “He is half fighting fish. If he drags me into the water, it's over. I need you close”

“I’ll be in the communications room for when things go wrong.” Shachi said as he got up. “Keep snails on you.”

…

Law used his powers to slip them into the lowest level of the ship. Inside Pengen saw what he never expected. Suddenly Law’s interest made sense. It was a hospital room.

Ping jumped when he noticed the woman looking right at him. It was only after a moment that he realized her gaze was looking straight through him. She was alone, and everything about her looked wrong. “Who is she?” He asked the captain.

Law didn’t hesitate to walk over to the side of her bed. “I don’t know.” The captain read her chart. “Room… Scan.”

“Captain… why do you look pale?” Ping tightened his grip on the blade Arlong gave him.

“Her chart is… she is a lemon, her brainwaves are dead. Trauma, and I can’t fix it… but...” Law shook his head. “The chart didn’t mention that she is over a month pregnant. She has got to be closer to two months...”

Penguin felt his stomach drop. “What could that madman want with her baby?”

Law shook his head. “According to the chart, she has been like this for almost two years. Also, the chart doesn’t say she is pregnant.”

“Shit.”

Law nodded. “We can’t just take her right now. I need to set up our medical room… Or I can use my room as you help me set up the machines.”

“I knew Dofi was crazy, but this…” Penguin shook his head. “This is just sick.”

“Look on the bright side.” Law said before whispering. “Room.”

“What?” Penguin asked.

“We may just get two save points out of this.”

…

Rosinante was sitting at the bar when the door opened. He bit his lip and tried not to react. Suddenly, whatever information Blueno could give didn’t matter. That haki signature is Pink’s. He needs to find a way out before a fight begins.

The blond made sure not to look at the man in his brother’s gang. Instead he kept his senses alert as the man walked straight up to the bar beside him. “Give me your strongest whisky. Only the manliest brew.”

Rosinante reached into his pocket. He ignored the presence of Law’s hat and reached for a smoke grenade. Then he silently slipped off his seat and turned to walk out the door.

“You dropped this.” Pink’s voice rang across the room.

Rosi took a deep breath. He just has to wait another five seconds.

“It’s not manly to leave a grenade in a bar.” He heard a crushing sound. “A real man faces his enemy.”

Wonderful. Can he run faster than Pink can swim? “Well, I’ve never been known for being the most manly.” He said softly. “Sorry; but I do whatever I can to survive.”

“Is the life as a coward worth living?” Was Pink always this philosophical? This is their first real conversation.

“I don’t care as long as I don’t leave my kids alone.” Rosi said as he pulled a flash bomb out of his pocket. He held it up with his right hand. His other hand reached for another smoke grenade.

“Your wife must hate having such a weak husband.” His voice shook. “At least your kids seem to be alive. I couldn’t protect mine.”

“What?” Rosi turned to face Pink. “Since when were you…”

His jaw dropped. Why is this man dressed in a diaper and a bonnet? What the… What happened to the designer suits? Also, he is wearing shades. That is a problem for the flash grenade.

“Corazon?” Pink’s jaw dropped. “What happened to your mainly fashion?”

“I could ask you the same thing.” Rosinante spoke before he could think. What could possibly cause this… everything.

“Wait…” The gangster’s face froze. “You can talk?”

That snapped Rosinante into reality. He dropped both the flash bomb and the smoke grenade and ran out the door.

“Calm!” He silenced himself and kept running. Only a moment passed before he sensed Pink’s Haki. The man was indeed swimming through the street. Well, he can make some waves. Rosinante coated his fist in haki and punched the ground.

The crater left him winded and definitely made a scene. Ten feet. Garp would level a small island. It’s not much, but it was enough to throw Pink back.

Rosinante then rushed towards a shopping district. He ripped the benne off his head, and shoved it into his pocket. Then he pulled out a black one and put it on. A moment later, Rosinante reversed his trench coat. The other side was solid black. The yellow lining Law kept complimenting was the only thing keeping him from looking completely goth. Why can his kid decide his outfits now? Well, he never was too picky on clothes.

From there, Rosinante walked into a mask shop. He promised to get one for Hakugan anyway. In the shop, he splurged and bought five. It was payment for loitering an hour. One mask was yellow with a happy face that he bought immediately. The second had a frown. The third was a rather neutral expression. The fourth was positioned like it was screaming in shock. The last was like an ancient dragon. For some reason, Rosinante had a feeling the kid would like the big yellow monster mask.

He felt so silly walking out wearing the mask with the yellow smile. It was like Law’s logo he kept drawing and the crossed out logo of Dofi’s pirate crew. Is he really just a mascot? Rosinante didn’t like dressing up for Dofi, but the kids regularly chose his wardrobe. The makeup, and everything but the feather coat was Dofi’s idea. This may be a trend he needs to keep track of.

…

Chapter Text

...

Rosinante felt the snail buzzing in his pocket. He kept it close to his skin where he could feel if the little critter woke up. Having it ring out loud was a risk for him, but he would be damned if he missed a call from the boys. They aren't the type to call outside of an emergency.

"What's wrong?" He asked once he had himself and the snail in a silence bubble.

"Nothing!" Shachi's voice yelled back. "Or… It's not my fault. Anyway, we moved the sub."

"Why?" He could worry about the rest later when he can see the boys are safe.

"You see, we were docked three spots down from another ship getting repaired." Shachi's voice wavered. "I don't think they recognized anyone, but…"

"I understand." He told the snail in the most calming tone he could manage. It isn't time to stress out the kids. "Where are you, we can talk when we are together."

The snail appeared to take a deep breath. "We docked at the place we were dropped off. I don't know if we can park here, or if you can get here without one of those yagura bulls…" The boy’s voice was trembling.

"Don't worry. I can get there. Sit tight, and don't let anyone else board the sub. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir." The boy responded. "Penguin is outside, and Law will-"

"No."

"What?" Shachi asked. '

"Keep everyone inside the sub till I arrive. That's an order. Do you understand me?"'

"Yes, sir."

Well, maybe it is a good thing he didn't return to the sub with them. At least the enemy has no reason to tie any of the kids other than Law in with him. All they need to do is get off this island as soon as possible. "Stay safe, and I will be there soon." He hung up without saying goodbye. Saying goodbye is bad luck.

Rosinante could almost feel the train tickets burning through his pocket. Was he really going to miss his first chance at seeing his dad in years?

It is too dangerous to even stop on Sabiody. That is a place celestial dragons often visit. On top of that, the grove is full of bounty hunters. Bepo would also be a target as a mink…

Bepo.

Rosinante planned to ask where the last place Zounisha was seen. A few months ago he found the bear hiding during a full moon. The little mink told him about his nightmare. The kid feared his friends would judge him since they all see him as innocent. He fears waking up with blood on paws. Bepo fears himself.

He could relate to the bear. No matter how much he promised the kid that he would stop him, the mink fears what he is- what he could become.

The far off goal to reunite Bepo with his older brother became an important and active mission. On Zounisha, they can find Zepo, and beg for someone to train Bepo so he can control his sulong form. He didn't care how long it would take. Rosi was going to help that kid get over his fear of himself.

As far as he can find, even the marines know little of Zou. His kind isn't welcome there, as a marine or a celestial dragon. At the same time, it truly is the only place Bepo can find the training and help he needs.

The man made his way through the streets with all his senses observing the world around him. How can he still meet with his dad, without risking the kids?

…

Pink searched everywhere. Then he marched back to the ship with confidence. He didn't run like a little girl. He is a man after all, hard boiled to the core.

"Where have you been?" Giolla asked once he stepped on the deck.

"I had a talk with Corazon." He responded. No need to hide the truth. "He is stronger than I thought- sent waves through the street that I couldn't swim through."

Corazon, the other one, Vergo stepped out of the door and onto the deck. Was the man in the captain's quarters? "I don't know what kind of metaphor that is, but thank you for moving her."

Pink crossed his arms and looked at the man in the feather coat. "What are you talking about? I never move a woman, they move for hard boiled men like me."

Vergo just looked at him with a stupefied gaze.

"Then who moved the stupid lady?" Dellinger asked.

Giolla put her hands on her hips. "Come to think of it, I never saw her leave the ship."

"Stop speaking riddles." Pink wanted to know what was happening.

Corazon looked at him and put his hand out to pacify him. "Don't freak out, but Russian is missing."

"What?" He pulled gunk out of his ear. "I must have heard you wrong."

"You didn't." Corazon stated. "You said you had a talk with me, I don't remember us fighting… did we fight?"

Pink shook his head. "We need to find my wife, and Corazon."

"He is right here!" Giolla yelled.

"The other one." Pink shook his head. "The coward ditched me in a crowd. If it wasn't for him I might have made it back in time to protect my sweet Russian."

…

"So you kidnapped someone off Dofi's ship."

"Rescued." Law corrected.

"And you didn't think there would be repercussions." He stated.

Law and Penguin shrugged. "We saved two lives."

Rosinante looked at Smoker. "And you didn't stop them?"

"I was guarding the ship out front. By the time I noticed something was wrong, it was too late." He defended.

Rosi shook his head. Things were looking pretty grim. “What do you plan to do with this woman?”

Law nodded. “The first priority is everyone’s health. I’d estimate in her health she can't carry it to term. Maybe I can work up something like life support for the little one. As far as the woman goes, I can't fix the brain- but Kuma can. Given they know we are here, this was probably our only chance to save her and the kid.”

Rosi shook his head. “Where is she? Who is she? For all we know this could be a trap.”

Law walked the man through the sub. It looked like the boys had already unpacked. That's good. They will need to up and leave at any moment’s notice. At least life on the run will be less jarring for the kids if their home goes with them.

Inside the medical room, Rosinante saw a woman he didn't know. Even if he didn't know her name, this is a face he has never seen before. The file next to her simply read Russian. Law was already making a second medical file for her.

Beep… beep… beep… beep… beep

Her life support rang on.

What could he make of this? Rosinante sat back on the chair at the foot of the bed and ran his fingers through his hair. His bangs were getting into his eyes again. He needed to cut them if he didn't want to style it back.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Rosi opened his eyes. His face was clearly visible, and the women could see it.

Her face was contorted in fear. She was looking right at him. Despite that, he knew she saw someone else- someone he was cursed to look just like.

Beeeeeeeeeeep.

Rosi ran out of the room. He ran till he found a door and jumped into what appeared to be a supplies closet.

“Damn it, Dofi!”

It was only after he punched the wall that the man realized he was not on mute.

He could sense the silent presence behind him. Slowly, Rosi turned to face Hakugan.

‘Does this put your brother on the free kill list? How does that compute with government orders? Most half breeds are automatic kills.’

Rosinante took a deep breath before responding. “Can you wait to report this till we have more information? Please? We don’t have more than circumstantial evidence.”

‘My report tells me his presence aligned with Law’s possible conception period.’

“Report?”

Hakugan nodded.

“Are you permitted to share it?”

The boy shook his masked head.

“Okay. Can you tell me when we approach islands you don't want to visit?”

Haku froze and leaned his chin on his hand like he was thinking. The boy remained that way for a full minute before nodding.

Rosi sighed in relief. This may be a trap, but he is willing to take every little win for what it is at this point.

…

Drake looked at the giant crater in the street. How high are the chances that this has something to do with his foster brother and the man’s crazy brother’s crew?

It was the day before that Drake first noticed the discrepancy in the Numancia Flamingo’s coarse. He quickly rounded up information regarding damage and ran to his father’s office.

“Dad!”

The man was in the middle of packing for his base check of Impel Down and Enies Lobby. The man had been looking forward to his vacation for weeks! “What's wrong?”

Drake watched as the man's expression hardened when he read the report. “Can you go to warn them? I'll be taking my vacation at a different location that will be decided within the hour. Report back to me before you leave the base.”

“Understood.”

…

Now Drake has the sinking feeling he arrived too late.

There was no proof that Rosi-san caused the crater. If he did, the biggest concern is if the man is okay. The bigger fear is that the man was caught.

Drake had his marine whites under his coat. This proved fruitful for the local authorities to quickly give him all the information he needed.

Yep. Ten foot tall blond who disappeared without a trace. He didn't need any more information than that. Rosi is really pushing how much of the marine’s beri he can spend, isn't he?

Drake definitely didn’t need Vergo walking in wearing his stupid Corazon costume. The man announced himself a warlord’s crewmember and offered to help. Lucky for Drake, Vergo took the blame for the destruction. Unlikely, he now needs to find a way to slip away unnoticed.

Would a random T-Rex be a shock here? This island is weird.

…

“Bedabdabdabda… Yes?”

“Young master, your brother was sighted on Water 7.”

Doflamingo blinked. “By who?”

“Pink.”

“Put him on the line.”

“I can’t. Somehow his wife was kidnapped. The man disappeared.”

Dofi felt a vein bulge in his head. How did his brother find out about her? “Get Pink back. Tell him this is a ploy to divide us. Ask if he is no longer loyal to me.”

“And the woman?”

Doflamingo shrugged. “I planned to get rid of the dead weight sooner or later. Just make sure Pink knows I am his only friend.”

“Understood, young master.”

Dofi smiled. They were right. He doesn’t need to waste time searching. His brother will seek him out soon enough.

…

It was dinner time. Everyone was sitting around the table.

“Does this mean we are keeping the baby?” Bepo asked. “Sorry.”

Alfa… no, Rosi-san choked on his food.

Beta- no, Law shrugged. “Good question. It’s a girl, by the way.”

Hakugan observed everyone's silent looks of anticipation. It appears to be an important discussion. Smoker is inching farther to the corner of the table, as if ready to disappear.

“Can I name her?” Bepo asked. “How about Cortney, Coraline, or Corazon? Then we can call her Cora-chen!”

Hakugan tilted his head at the family naming technique.

“That's too confusing.” Law deadpanned.

“Russian has first dibs on the baby.” Rosi-san spoke like it was final.

“Yeah… but why would she want it?” Shachi asked. “After everything, she needs therapy and some healing time first.”

“Don't get too attached.” Rosi-san drank half his coffee in one swallow.

If he adopts the kid, she is a 'no kill' no matter what, right? He already has two half breeds under his protection. Hopefully, that means Haku won’t lose a point.

“We can always kidnap her.” Penguin spoke up with the obvious solution.

“What?” Both Rosi-san and Smoker echoed.

“Oh, come on!” Penguin threw his hand out dramatically. “Don’t act like you are above kidnapping now!”

“It’s not…” the man rubbed his hands down his face. “Do you have any idea how hard it is to keep a baby alive? It would be like traveling with Bonny!”

“We could go visit the terrors for a few months.” Shachi proposed. “We may be stuck with a few additions if we try that though.”

Rosi-san shook his head. “Sorry, we are going to Zou next. It's off the grid and Bepo can finally see his brother.”

“Since when?” Law asked.

“Since I said so.” The man stood up. “I’m going to check the perimeter.”

The group sat in silence for a few minutes. Then the cub spoke softly. “Do you think he wants to abandon me?”

Hakugan was happy none of them could see his face. They are Nakima, right? That means nobody gets left behind… right? Will they leave him behind if his handlers come for him? Is he safe here?

…

Chapter Text

Rosinante just finished walking the perimeter of the scrap metal pile that acts as an island when he felt a presence. “Law, what are you doing outside the sub?”

“What is this whole Zou thing?” The boy’s tone was suspicious.

Rosi shook his head and made a bubble of silence to be safe. He noticed Haku was in the rubble just behind Law. For once he let the assassin into the silence and gave Law a hand signal. Chances are the boy can read lips anyway. “Look how much Penguin improved after training with Hatchi and even more with Arlong! Bepo is afraid of the moon. I can't… you need to talk to him about this.”

“His kill count…” Law’s voice spoke understanding.

Rosi nodded. “Yeah, his kill count. I’m glad he finally told you.”

“So you aren’t planning to abandon him?” Law asked with suspicion.

Rosi flinched back in shock. The scrap metal under his feet chose that time to shift bringing him down in a crash. When looked up, the man found his kid laughing quietly. “What?”

Law walked over and decided to sit on the downed man like it was his victory that brought his father low. “You won’t leave Bepo on Zou like you dumped the terrors, right?”

“Law.” He sighed. “This is… it's more complex than that.”

“What do you mean by complex?” The boy’s tone was not happy.

He closed his eyes as he spoke. “If the cub wants to stay with us, I’d wage war on the whole elephant to protect him.” That caused Law to shift his weight. “At the same time, Bepo’s whole goal since before we met him was to find his brother. If he wants to leave, that's his choice. Also, training could take a year or more. I can only remain on the island for six months.”

He opened his eyes to meet Laws. The boy’s eye color dulled from the angry gold shade so it was now a more gray tone. “We are keeping Bepo?”

“Law, what if he wants to leave? He isn’t a pet.”

“My best friend won’t leave us!” Law stood up on his chest.

For the first time, Hakugan made his presence known and didn’t just lurk. He looked spooked.

“What is it, Haku?” Rosi used the tone he would use to calm a wild animal.

‘Will you…’ He shook his head and stopped signing.

“I promised Haku we would go voice hunting.” Law stated.

Of course he did. “That it's a terrible way to make friends on Zou…” He paused for a moment to think. “We need to throw Dofi off track, and we never chose a day to celebrate Haku’s birthday.”

“So how does that change things?” Law asked.

“I can’t believe I’m suggesting this. I must be mad!” He threw his arm over his face. It felt like Haku then chose to join Law sitting on his chest. Those boys will be the death of him.

A finger started poking his cheek.

“You alive?”

“Mock-Town, Jia. It is a place full of criminals and ‘free kills.’ I can probably also find some eternal poses there.”

He peeked out from under his arm to see the boys high five.

“Start packing up. I’ll have Smoker stay to meet Dad on the train. Don't tell him where we are going.”

Both boys nodded and started racing back to the sub. This is going to be a headache, isn’t it? At least Smoker knows their end goal is Zou. Maybe he can get the information they need and then arrange a pickup point?

…

“I found him!” Delenger’s voice rang out of the snail.

“Pink!” Dofi grinned as he spoke. “Corazon told me your wife is missing! I put a bounty out for her in perfect health already. You know as my family, I treat her like my own wife.”

The snail seemed to let out a heavy sigh. “Thank you, young master. You are a real man.”

Doflamingo relaxed back in his seat. “I hear you ran into the traitor. Now, how is my little brother, Ro, doing?”

“Ro?” The snail looked confused.

“Ro, Roschi, Rosinante, whatever he is going by now. I’m worried the weak little mute is getting pushed around.”

“He isn’t mute.” Pink’s voice was serous.

“What?” Dofi must have heard that wrong.

“We had a full conversation before I recognized him. Your brother has a very deep voice. It's the only manly thing about him.”

Dofi blinked. “The Opi-Opi No Mi shouldn't be able to fix mental blocks. I brought Ro to a doctor. His vocal cords were perfectly fine.”

“I know what I heard.”

“Where did you see him?” Dofi tried to make sense of this information. “Was Law there?”

“At a bar. The young one wasn't there.”

“My brother is too much of a lightweight to go drinking alone.”

“He was drinking when I arrived.” Pink started. “I can go back and talk to the bartender.”

“Please, do.” This is all wrong. Dofi felt sick. “Where is Corazon?”

The snail paused. “Which one?”

Dofi hated that he needed to clarify this. “Vergo.”

“Investigating town with a suspicious marine.”

Doflamingo released a heavy sigh. “I will need all of you in the new world as soon as possible. My brother won’t stay on the island any longer anyway.”

…

“We can’t leave yet.”

“What?” Smoker looked at the group.

“At sunrise, I’m going to need you to take Bepo and buy some eternal poses.” Rosinante told him. “I'm taking Law to get some saline and other supplies our newest guest needs. She is eating for two, even if she can't eat. We will contact Kuma when we are somewhere safer.”

“This is a bad idea.”

“I know.” The commander shook his head. “Believe me, I know.”

“Do we stay here tonight?” Smoker asked.

“We will move a short distance out and submerge. We need to make sure the Artic Tang works properly before setting out anyway.” He explained.

“Understood, sir.”

…

Drake didn’t know if the spy was dumb, or just really good at playing dumb. Vergo got his name wrong ten times! How does he not recognize him? The man was practically hovering over him at marine HQ before Sengoku took Drake under his wing!

Now, the stupid creep keeps looking at Drake like he is a complete stranger. The teen wanted to punch the haki man in that stupid cherry cheeked face! Can the man just wash the food off his face for once?

It took Drake three hours to ditch the creep, and he was pretty sure Vergo never truly let him out of his sight… or at least his senses. The teen didn't sleep much in his hotel that night.

…

It was the first night in the sub.

At the start of the night, everyone was in their room. Rosinante-san had the captain’s quarters as the bed was sized for him. Law got the adjoining room. Penguin and Shachi shared a room. Smoker got his own room. Haku was surprised when Bepo asked if they could share a room. The mink didn't want to be alone.

It was thirty minutes past the bedtime when Bepo wanted to check on the others. Oh, is it going to be one of those nights? Hakugan liked those nights.

When they knocked on Rosi-san’s door, Law was already in there. The boy opened the door promptly. Law was in his pajamas, just like the rest of them.

“Hey, you boys can’t sleep in the new location?” Rosi-san asked.

Bepo nodded.

Haku just shrugged. Of course he could sleep. He has slept in far worse.

“It's knowing… they are close.” The mink spoke softly.

Rosi-san lifted the blanket. That was all the que needed for the two youngest to run to the large bed. Law used his powers to claim his spot under the man’s arm before the others could arrive.

Hakugan claimed the spot under the man’s other arm. Bepo curled up above the blanket. The mink gets too warm under the covers. Law usually tosses his blanket of within an hour.

Eight minutes and forty-eight seconds later the other two appeared at the slightly open door. Both were all ready for bed.

“Penguin was scared. I’m too old for this, but I didn't want my little cousin worry.” Shachi said. He had his blanket over his shoulder.

“Keep telling yourself that. I'm stronger.” Penguin shot back.

“I’m too tired, and you both need a good night's sleep. Just get in.” Rosi-san didn’t even open his eyes.

Both boys ran up without hiding their glee.

Dogpile nights are the best! At one point Law argued it was to make sure his dad slept and didn’t sneak out to train. Hakugan suspected it was secretly just his excuse for these nights to happen. Who doesn’t love these nights?

Around fifteen minutes later, Smoker passed the open door.

“Is everything okay? I noticed the boys weren't in their rooms.” The 18 year old asked.

Rosi-san pushed himself to an almost sitting position. “Fine.”

“Pardon?” Smoker looked tired with his night clothes on.

“Get in.” The man spoke as he let himself drop back to a lying position. The bed bounced from his weight.

“What?” Smoker looked confused.

“I’m too tired for this.” He is acting like the old man Shachi calls him.

Hakugan decided that it is silly to stall. Cuddle piles are the best. Hence, the little assassin got out from under the covers and ran to grab the hand of the oldest kid in their crew.

Smoker put up resistance for a few seconds. Then the teen let himself get dragged to the bed. Hakugan gave the newcomer his spot and curled up under his shoulder. The logia is like a furnace. This is a nice addition to the crew.

All he had to do now was pull out his knife and hug it. This will be the best night sleep!

“Haku, leave your mask and knife on the nightstand.” Rosi’s sleep addled voice caught him. “You too, Law, knife on the nightstand.”

“Fine.”

Why does Smoker look so pale?

Maybe he would feel safer if they were all armed.

…

He hated the submarine.

He was surrounded by water. Yeah, it is safe, but those cursed fruits aren’t logical. His powers don’t compute with anything other than the ever present danger of the water all around him. Once the submarine went down, he knew that he wasn’t going to sleep that night.

Smoker remembered checking the submarine to make sure everything was working well. Then…

Why does he feel like last night was the best night sleep he has had since leaving home? The young man didn’t want to get up. He hasn’t slept this well since he was a kid. After his dad left, his mom used to let him spend the night in her room. Then…

Why did his pillow move?

Smoker felt something move. There is a heavy weight on his chest. Actually, it feels like…

No. That was a dream right?

The marine woke up to find Hakugan curled under his arm. It was his first time seeing the boy’s face. It looks like Law finished repairing it. Guess the kid just likes masks.

Next he found the weight in his chest to be Shachi- sprawled out. Smoker could turn to smoke and let the boy fall.

The real kicker is that he is laying on the commander’s arm. The man is so tall that Penguin somehow fits between him and the commander.

Bepo is curled up on the man’s stomach, and Law is hugging his other side.

How does he escape this without eternal embarrassment? Next thing he knows people are going to start calling him one of the kids again. He just graduated to adult!

…

Chapter Text

During breakfast, Smoker thought he escaped mention of the dogpile. Nobody said a word as they got up one at a time to prepare for the day.

Then, it was Shachi who brought it up. “Do we need so many bedrooms?”

“It's not special if we dogpile every night.” Bepo was the rational one.

“I like having my own room.” Law leaned back as he made a room and stole the commander’s coffee.

‘Technically, the entire sub is yours.’ Hakugan signed.

“The sub is all of ours.” The commander spoke as he switched back his coffee and Law’s milk.

“I liked having the personal furnace. Are you going to crash with us again next time?” Shachi was looking at Smoker. The brat proved himself to be a stupid punk. “It's nice to not worry about being the oldest.”

Smoker bent his spoon as he glared at the grinning teen.

…

It was strange being in the sub without an adult present. The echo of the waves on the metal hull rang in Shachi’s ears. He couldn’t really navigate alone.

The boy took a deep breath as he checked all the snails.

Everyone else was gone. Haku is the only one who stayed. Shachi didn’t know the little killer was there till everyone was gone and the sub was back under the water. All of a sudden he turned the corner to see a smiling mask down a dark hallway. He is pretty sure the brat is still laughing at him.

“You can't help if things go wrong, can you?” He finally asked the younger boy.

Haku nodded. Then he signed, ‘But if they can’t prove it… this sub takes two to navigate.’

The boy grinned and pumped his fist in victory. “Yes! Welcome to the crew!”

…

Pink was waiting inside the medical supply store.

That means he is in on whatever happened to that woman. After a few quick hand signals, Law gave him his hat and ditched.

The boy needs to get everything he can to keep both Russian and the baby alive for at least three more months.

Rosi knew the second Pink saw him. “Is it manly to start a fight in a medical supply store?” He asked.

“So it was you.” Pink sounded like he knew a secret. “Why should I trust a coward who steals another man’s wife?”

Wife? Rosi held his tongue. He was usually good at that. “Did you forget my son is a doctor? This is like a toy store.”

“Who else would rob a woman off a warlord’s ship?” Pink asked. “What have you done with her? Russian is innocent.”

He couldn’t suppress the scoff. “I’ll humor you.” He turned to face the man. “Why would my brother keep a civilian on his ship?”

“The young master cares about his family.” Pink sounded so sure.

Rosinante couldn’t hold back the choked laugh. “Continue.”

“If you had working eyes you would see that, Ro. He promised to treat her like his own wife after the accident.” Pink was glaring at him.

“Where those the exact words my brother told you?” Rosi asked. He tried to keep the accusation out of his voice.

Then he looked over Rosi’s shoulder where Law was checking out. “Your boy finally hit his growth spurt. Dofi knows he isn’t really yours.”

“Can you prove it?” He asked. “Why would I leave if he wasn’t?” They need to keep the con up now that Hakugan, Bonny, and another girl may be introduced to the equation. “You can doubt my resolve or manliness on anything, except what I would do to protect that boy.” His thoughts went to a handful of other kids he woke up to this morning as well.

“Then let me protect my wife.” Pink ordered.

Rosinante shook his head. “Six months, meet me in Dressrosa, without Dofi. I’ll give you an update on her, and the child then.”

“Child?” Pink looked confused. “Gimlet died the day she…”

“So, you're not the father.” Rosi realized with a heavy heart. “Don’t trust my brother with anyone in your family. If she wants nothing to do with you when we get her mind back, I’ll still give you a way out.”

The man walked away and met his son at the door.

Pink didn’t follow them. Is that better or worse than he expected? Really, Rosi just wished he was surprised.

Rosinante saw something in the water, someone. It wasn’t Penguin.

“Law, get back to the sub. Fallow the inland roads.” He ordered.

“But-”

Rosinante helped the kid off his shoulder and put his hat back on his head where it belonged. “If anything happens to that medical supplies, we will need to make another stop. That is too much to risk with how clumsy I am.”

Law nodded. “Be safe.” The boy spoke again as he ran. “I’ll call in your backup!”

…

Smoker was sent out with Bepo. It surprised the man that the mink was sent out to the town. From what he understood, the commander wanted keep the boy a secret so nobody would suspect Zou.

Traveling with the Mink proved useful on three accounts. One, Bepo is an angel who will not bring up the night before. Two, he is the crew’s navigator… kinda; when the commander is busy. Three, Bepo is bad at keeping secrets.

The mink stayed close and didn't object to all the random Eternal Poses he grabbed for relatively safe islands. He even let the bear pretend to be sneaky when he slipped a Logue Pose into the bag.

Jia…

Why would they go to that death trap! The island is known as suicide to marines!

“Why was this next so so important again?” Smoker asked as they checked out.

“Law-san and Haku-chen need spare parts.” Bepo said with a smile as he took the shopping bag.

“Spare parts?” He repeated.

The little mink nodded.

What kind of spare parts can he find in Jia and not Water 7? All Jia has to offer is criminals and… oh. Free kills. Spare parts.

That is why he was advised not to ask questions. Ignorance in court.

…

Drake hoped he wasn’t going to find anything with his investigation. Right after breakfast, Vergo approached him again asking for help on their investigation. Wonderful! The only good news was that a trained spy wouldn’t stick around after his cover was blown.

The oddest thing he found was an abandoned bar where Rosinante was spotted the day before. It obviously made Vergo… look emotionally constipated. Drake didn’t know what to think of the place. Why would there be a SWORD base here, it didn’t look like a normal undercover spot for SWORD. Is it a CP base? Why would they be here?

All Drake could find was more questions.

After the bar, Virgo wanted to camp out in front of the local Logue Pose shop. At that point, Drake was just happy they were camping at a place with coffee. Drake was completely calm till he saw Smoker step out of the store with a little mink. Why are they here?

He covered his shock that led to spilled precious coffee. “Mosquito! Why would the pest ruin a good cup of coffee!”

Virgo just raised his brow.

Smoker shared a nod with the mink. The little polar bear didn’t hesitate to run away with his loot. Then the stupid hero decided to walk straight up to Drake. “How is your vacation going?”

Drake leaned back and smiled. “I thought I’d play good samaritan, and got roped into solving a local property destruction case.”

The older teen just laughed. “Good for you.” He gave the redhead a tap on the shoulder. “Burn on both ends too long, and you will burn out.”

Drake felt the need to laugh as the man made of smoke making that analogy. “Where are you off to?”

“The bar.” Smoker responded. If you want a break, join me.

Drake watched the other go as he felt the paper in his pocket.

That is when they heard the crash.

Vergo answered his snail before smiling. “Found him.”

…

What was he supposed to do with a seven year old chasing him?

Yeah, he is stronger, but this is just a kid! Who cares if he is Dofi’s pawn. Delenger is a child!

Rosinante stopped. It was just in time too. The road ahead looked like an abstract painting. Giola. He does not want to get stuck in that.

The little fighting fish jumped out of the water and bit bus arm.

Rosi tried to ignore it as he turned and climbed up a building. He just needs to jump to the city’s lower levels. It took three city blocks to pry the boy off his arm.

“You taste delicious.” Delenger said before wiping the blood off his lips.

When the boy jumped at his leg, Rosi dodged and let the boys momentum send him into a wall.

“I knew it.” The blind grinned up at him. “You won't hurt me.”

“Everyone knows, I hate kids.” He bluffed.

“I'll drag you back to the master!” Delenger got up again.

Rosinante ran. The kid pegged him. He tried to get the kids to quit, or at least make them strong enough to survive. It was Garp’s training methods he used after all… no, the terrors have it worse than anything he did to the brats in Dofi’s gang.

His haki warned him of the incoming wave. Rosi also knew it wasn’t aimed for him.

“Penguin!”

“I’m not fighting the adults!” The arctic fish boy said. “You can't object to a kid fighting a kid.”

Rosi nodded. He sensed more strong haki presences coming. One is Smoker. The boy is right. Delenger is the only one who can go underwater to see the sub. “Five minutes.” He ran and didn’t let himself look back.

…

“You think a weak prey like you can beat me? I’ll bite straight through that sword!”

Penguin took a deep breath and gripped the fancy sword Arlong gave him. He trained with fiercer predators. This kid doesn’t seem to know the basics of real fishman karate.

When the boy tried to bite him Penguin elbowed him in the jaw. Then he stole a tooth. Since they grow back stronger, Arlong called it a traditional trophy for the victor in battle. He knew the fight was his before the brat started screaming like a little girl.

“You stole my tooth! Bully!”

“Chill out and grow it back.” He shook his head.

“Aw.” The brat stood up. “You were supposed to pity me!”

“You mean let my guard down?” He can use the back of the blade without risk of killing the brat. Even if he does, there are spare saves to lose on his kill list.

His haki rang out. Someone heard the screams.

“Let's play.”

Penguin shook his head. Then he attacked. A few parries and one ringing hit to the back of the brat’s head knocked him out.

He found himself panting. Then the boy made a v with his fingers. “I win!”

[Penguin vs. Delenger]
[.... victor Penguin.]
[Heart Family 1. DonQuixote Family 0]

…

Smoker ran the moment Shachi reported that the commander was made. Who cares if he is supposed to keep his head down. Lives are in danger now! How can he worry about his career?

The man ran towards the chaos. In the distance he saw an explosion. The world was… abstract?

Right- he read the report. Giola.

He pulled out his baby transponder snail. “Shachi report.”

“Bepo made it back to the sub. Law is almost here. Penguin is kicking the little creep’s teeth in.”

“And the commander?”

“Something about trashy art. Peng is on his way to soak the problem.”

Smoker turned his attention to where he knew the other marine was. “We have another problem. Drake is here. I think he was sent to warn us but got caught. Vergo is herding him towards the ocean.”

“Dino-Drake? The guy who ate a creep’s arm off?” Shachi asked.

Smoker released a heavy sigh. “Yeah.” Why did he share that story?

“I have a plan.”

…

Rosinante put himself on mute as he exploded his way out of the painting. He didn’t hesitate to jump to a lower level of Water 7. His knees are going to hate him for this- whether he uses haki or not.

The impact rattled his bones, but adrenaline kept the pain away. How long of a lecture will he get from Law about taking care of himself? Maybe he can hide it.

The sound of the baby snail in his hat could only be heard by his ears. Shachi’s plan should work. It requires a lot of trust, but it will work.

He released the silence and bowed dramatically for the crowd that watched him land.

He could recognize Smoker’s haki heading towards what must be Vergo and Drake…

There, he could sense Vergo’s haki. The familiar presence rang in his head with a nightmare and a beating that never happened. He remembered as the man railed on Law, then him. He did everything he could to keep the man’s focus on him.

“Calm.” He focused on the haki and made sure that only the snail could hear him. “Is Law there?”

“Yeah.” It was Law’s voice that came over the line.

“I need you to stay in the sub.” The man started running as he spoke.

“Vergo is…”

Rosinante took a deep breath. “We can’t blame him for something he has never done. Besides, I haven’t been training the last two years for nothing. It was… impossible to properly train undercover.”

“He hurt you.” The boy sounded small. “I thought I could trust him.”

Rosi bit his lip. He paused his run to focus on his kid. It was a stupid thing to say. He couldn’t stop himself. “I love you, kid.”

Law’s chocked sob came over the line. “I love you too, Cora-san.”

“I know.” He couldn’t help but smile. Last time, the first time that never happened, he was never sure. “That’s why I’m trusting you to catch me.”

“Come back alive. Captain’s order.”

For once he laughed of the daunting horror of his son becoming a wanted pirate. Yeah, he probably will join the crew just to keep the boys alive. Beats his other options.

…

Drake was cornered at the end of the island. He didn’t know what to do. At all sides he was surrounded by water or the enemy. That is when Vergo pulled out the pink snail with glasses.

“Hello? Corazon, did you find my brother?” It’s the stupid warlord.

“Not yet. I have the fleet admiral’s other foster son here.” The creep in the white feather coat said. "He didn't make contact with your brother last night."

“Oh, the replacement.” Dofi sounded so happy. “Sengoku let the bird fly a little too far from the nest, hmm?”

Drake glared at the snail.

“Is he mute? Oh, it’s another one of those mocking games! Isn’t it?”

Drake found himself mouthing the word mute before reality finally dawned in him. Oh… the teen couldn’t help but snort. He held the laugh back though.

“What? Do you find that funny?” Dofi asked.

“Yes.” He answered honestly. He could see Smoker behind the pirate.

“Drake, right? I'm feeling generous, so I’ll give you three options. Tell me where my brother is. Act as our hostage till the coward comes out of hiding. Or, take his place; join my crew.”

Drake blinked a couple times in shock.

“I'm waiting.”

“He is right behind you.”

“Very funny.”

Drake really wished he was joking when he pointed behind the pirate holding the snail. Funny, why is it getting so foggy- no smokey.

Drake started to turn into a T-Rex. He can help them win. That is when something gripped his ankle and dragged him into the water.

…

If Rosinante thought Pink’s costume change was bad- Vergo should come with a warning label. The man didn't look like him, but they both did have a permanent scowl on their faces… or, he did... back when he was undercover and miserable.

Rosi didn't know what to feel. Did Dofi want him to feel jealous? Replaced? Something sick inside the man’s gut was just happy that Dofi wasn’t focusing on him anymore. He isn't the one being treated like a dress up doll and paraded around as the monster's heart. He felt...

Relief.

“That's messed up.” He mumbled into the silence. He needs to keep the man distracted till Smoker gets Drake out. The man made a silence bubble that only extended to Vergo.

When Drake pointed, Rosi smiled. He decided to give a goofy bow like when the boys put on a skit. It was usually playing out one of the Sora comics.

“Projecting much?” He asked.

The pirate turned to face him. Okay, how does he do this? Rosinante knew he couldn’t win. All he can do is stall. That said, when will he get the chance to test his training against a real opponent who is stronger than him again?

The Doflamingo snail scowled. “That voice.”

When has Dofi heard him talk?

Oh…

He grinned before speaking again. “Shut up, Dofi. Don't you ever get tired of your own voice?”

Vergo looked stupefied. The snail though… it looked like it was going to explode. Is Dofi’s ego really that fragile?

“Vergo! Kill the kid.”

The stupid man in an inverse version of his undercover disguise looked around. “Law isn’t here.”

Okay, that is concerning.

“The marine.” Oh, Dofi is mad.

“He… disappeared.”

Vergo specializes in armament, not observation. Why dodge what you can tank? As such, Rosinante pulled out his pistol and aimed for the snail. If he is lucky, the transponder will come off. If not… it will be more merciful than what Law does to frogs.

Bang.

Vergo blinked up at him. The snail was no longer a concern. What are the chances Dofi made him wear a second one? The man is an obsessive snoop.

“How many snails did Dofi leave on you?” He decided to just ask. “The man has such a fragile ego. He needs to make sure you always praise him. Best to just keep your mouth shut.”

That did it. Vergo took off the feather coat. Rosinante had to resist the urge to steal it. His was so damaged. He could repair it with those feathers and make some for the kids. All he needs is something to stain it black.

“You will pay for that.” Vergo said as he ripped off his shirt and covered his whole body in haki.

“This is a bad idea.” Law’s voice rang in his ear.

Rosi sent out two silent bullets for the man’s eyes. Then he ran over and kicked the man’s knee. He knew the right angle to break it. You don’t need to be a doctor if you have experience.

When Vergo looked up at him with bloody eyes, all Rosi saw was anger. The man punched him in the gut, sending Rosinante through a building.

“That wasn't following marine procedure.” Vergo grit out.

“Thought I’d play by your rules.” He bit back when he stood up. “Pirate and all.”

Vergo didn’t look damaged at all, just mad. Well, he has a slight limp. “Since when did you get such a smart mouth?”

Distract and attack. He can do this. “Dad…” Law’s voice rang in his ear. “I think the others are coming.”

His kid is scared. Hid kid is traumatized by this man. Who cares if it never happened?

“You really aren’t selling it.” Rosi mocked the enemy. He needs an opening.

Vergo tried a punch, and Rosinante dodged under; landing a hit on the man’s chin. “Calm!”

When Vergo looked confused, the blond rolled away and ran as fast as he could. That was probably stupid.

“Did you just put Vergo on mute?” Law asked in his ear.

“He was dressed as Corazon.” The man responded as he ran. Vergo definitely broke a rib… or two.

As he felt the ground rattle from the explosives he left, Rosinante let himself smile. Law’s laughter was ringing in his ear. The other boys wanted to know what was so funny.

When he got to a ‘dead end’ Rosinante turned back and put up his hands in surrender. “I was planning to ask, Dofi’s plans... But, you can’t answer.”

He watched as the Pink finally arrived. He made eye contact for a second before looking at Giola holding an injured Delenger. Were there really only four crew members here? Who are those two girls with the green hair?

He can ask that question later. Looks like Dofi’s crew expanded. “I’m ready.”

Rosinante took a step back off the building like he was going to fall in the water. Only, there was no splash. Instead, he found himself in the control room of the sub.

He smiled down at Law. In the blink of an eye the kid crashed into his legs hugging him. Yep, those knees are definitely damaged.

To his surprise, this quickly became a group hug. Every single one of the kids jumped on him.

“Who is driving the sub?”

“Setting coarse to Jia.” Smoker’s voice rang across the room. “I'm not leaving the sub with those creeps out there.”

“Jia?” A voice he didn’t know but assumed to be Drake spoke in question.

…

Water 7:
Complete
…

Chapter Text

Rosinante gave up. He laid down in the floor of the submarine. “Calm. There, they shouldn't be able to track us. I need a nap.”

Law jumped on his stomach and poked him in the side. He flinched accordingly. “You broke your ribs.”

Yep, hiding it was never an option. “If you knew that, why did you jump on them?”

“Punishment.” Law crossed his arms. “You are grounded.”

Rosinante choked out a laugh. “And who is going to enforce this?”

He knew it was coming. Bepo laid across his knees. Shachi and Penguin both grabbed an arm. The biggest surprise was Haku helping Bepo. “I’ve been betrayed.”

“Sorry, it's my crew.” Law looked so proud.

“Do I get time off for good behavior? I did mute Vergo.”

Law tilted his head like he was contemplating this. “That was stupid… but worth it.”

“I'm just mad I couldn't do more damage. Dofi can break the silence anyway.”

“What?”

“Overwhelming haki. You aren't invincible. If I did some damage, then my haki may be enough to keep him quiet… may.”

“This is a major blow against your time off for good behavior. Also what did you do to your knees?” Law seemed exasperated. “We will need to supervise you non stop!”

“Dog pile again tonight?” Bepo asked.

“I’m afraid it must be done.” Law responded.

Haku pumped his fist in victory.

“I also got my first real win!” Penguin announced.

“Let's celebrate. At least one of us can hold our own.” Rosi pushed himself to his feet, gently knocking the kids off of him.

“Hey!” The boys proceeded to try to tackle the man; for the third time in under five minuets.

Rosi just walked over to Drake like he wasn’t being used as a jungle gym. “It is a pleasure to finally meet you.” The man bent down and reached out his hand to shake.

The sixteen year old took his hand. “Pleasure’s all mine, big bro. Thanks for the save.”

“Sorry I couldn't do any real damage.” The tall man responded.

“Call me your favorite brother and we are even.”

…

Monet arrived with her younger sister just as the man who looked like the young master jumped into the waves.

Their job was to stay hidden, secret- but the traitor got rid of Dofi’s snail.

“He jumped into the water.” She told the snail. “I can't follow him.”

“I didn't hear a splash.” The master’s voice rang out. “He probably has a devil fruit.”

“The man can teleport.” Pink’s voice biomed into the silence. “That is how I lost him.”

Sugar came back from the water where the man disappeared. She had a piece of driftwood with a pirate logo painted on. Monet took it before reporting to the master. “He left a symbol. Out looks like ours, but the smile isn't crossed out. Also, there is s shape around it… almost like a virus.”

Dofi’s snail looked mad. “Virgo, report.”

The man in question looked at the snail. Her opened his mouth, but no sound came out. When he dropped the layer of haki covering his face, the man’s jaw was still purple. It looked broken, and his mouth didn’t close right.

“Virgo?” Dofi asked again.

“He isn't speaking.” Pink said.

“I don’t think he can.” Monet realized. “I'll do a medical check back on the ship.”

“Do.” Doflamingo ordered.

Virgo took two steps fine. Then he started to limp. After he fell, Pink picked the man up and carried him to the ship.

Monet looked at both their strongest fighter, and the boy only slightly older than her sister. The chill down her spine had nothing to do with her powers. This man must really be a monster.

…

The submarine’s course was set.

They would run to Jia, then follow his vivra from Sengoku. It is a three day trip to Jia with the sub’s engines. Then after the stop, they can safely go to the family reunion. It wasn’t that far out of the way.

Drake was surprised to be given his own room. He thought the kids would take advantage of the sub’s size. Most boys beg for their own room… don't they?

When he went to check for shifts driving the sub, the teen did not expect to find a pillow fort in the control room. “What?”

“Oh, I thought you were spending the night in your room. You probably need sleep. Virgo can be… something else.” Rosinante’s voice came from behind him.

“What is…” he didn’t know what to call it, so the boy just waved his head at the mess of pillows.

Rosi nodded. “We couldn’t agree on how to work shifts and keep everyone together. I’d prefer parking for the night, but if we want to stop at Jia first; we need to keep going through the night.”

“So… you are doing a sleep over in the control room?” He felt the need to clarify.

“Pretty much… yes.”

The boy nodded his head. “Am I invited?”

He saw his much older foster-brother’s eyes widen. “You want to?”

“I…” What is a good excuse? He never did this as a kid. “I want to be the fun uncle.”

“Your competition is Dofi. You win by default.” The ten foot tall man gave Drake a pat on his shoulder. The teen couldn’t help but grin.

It didn’t take long to grab his pillow, borrowed pajamas, and finish everything he needed to do before bed. When Drake ran back he was ready for whatever chaos this night would bring. Well, he was ready for everything but finding Smoker sleeping in the middle of the dogpile. It appeared Law was the only one missing.

Keeping himself from laughing out loud wasn’t too hard. He just managed to find his photo snail and snap a photo before the missing boy appeared. Law suddenly had the photo in his hand. Drake was left with a coin. From what he has heard, that is extremely tame.

“What is the purpose of this?” His tone was unsure.

“Blackmail.” Drake said with the most serous face he could manage.

Law nodded. “Approved. You are free to stay on the sub.”

“What, did you take the first watch so you could dispose of me without anyone finding out.” Drake joked.

“The world will never know.” Law said as he walked over to sit at the control panel. “It’s strange. We can set the sub’s coarse, and it mostly sticks to it. Despite that, it takes multiple people to properly navigate.”

“You are just changing the subject because you know that I’m stronger than you.” The sixteen year old bragged.

“Room.”

Oh no.

Drake never heard the word shambles. He just found himself lost in the submarine that he helped bring to Water 7. Where did that closet even come from! By the time he made it back to the control room, Law was happily sleeping under Rosi’s arm. Bepo was humming a happy tune at the control panel.

“You should get some sleep.” The bear told him.

“Thanks.” Drake had a sudden fear of that cuddle pile. Is it really safe? Law isn’t even the only threat! There is Hakugan, and whatever Smoker will do if he finds that blackmail photo.

…

Doflamingo steepled his fingers as he looked at his snail. Business was going wonderful. He needed to get Monet in place as a spy in the castle at Dressrosa. He was doing so well. So how did half his crew get completely destroyed by his weak brother?

“What do you mean Virgo just can’t talk?” He asked again.

“He wrote out that Coriz- Ro used some kind of devil fruit on him.” Pink’s voice came over the line.

“But you said my brother’s devil fruit was teleportation.”

“I assumed as much.” Pink said. “He is a sly one.”

“You mean to tell me that Virgo, my closest friend and one of my strongest crewmembers got played by my brother. On top of that, my brother’s secret is that he has a devil fruit- and it’s not even a strong one! He just likes to play the quit game! Why was he such a boring kid!”

“How could a man know a coward’s heart?” Pink asked.

Doflamingo tired to focus on business. “When can you get to Dressrosa?”

“The work will be done in two days.” Pink didn’t hesitate. “We will be back by your side in a few weeks. I give you my word as a man.”

Wait. Something is wrong here. “What about your wife? I’m such a terrible friend.”

Pink took too long to answer.

“Does Ro have her?” He honestly didn’t expect that.

“Yes.” Pink answered.

Doflamingo rapped his fingers on the desk. “What does that mean?”

“I’m sorry. If I had joined the chase, maybe I could have stopped him. Instead I tried to find their ship. It was… cowardly.”

“What did you find?”

“Nothing.” Pink answered.

Doflamingo grit his teeth. “We will get her back.” Why is Ro making him make such stupid promises? His Corazon should serve him, by his side. The jerk wouldn't even talk to him! It must be Law that changed his mild mannered brother into such an selfish jerk.

“Thank you, young master.” Pink’s voice rang out.

“Can Corizon come to the phone?” He asked.

“The man can’t talk.” Pink answered.

“I know.”

Dofi was stuck waiting for five minutes before he heard Monet say Virgo was there.

“Leave us.” He ordered. Then he waited a few minutes. Lucky for him, Ro already told him how to deal with this. “Corazon, I need one tap for yes, and two for no. Understood?”

One tap.

“Did you know overwhelming haki can off set devil fruit powers?”

One tap.

“You are stronger than my brother.”

Silence.

“Corazon? You have more haki than him. Right?”

One tap.

“But it didn’t work.”

One tap.

Doflamingo shook his head. This is frustrating. “Just hear me. Don’t trust Pink. Something is off. Keep an eye on him. Other than that, get back as soon as possible. I need my heart with me.”

One tap.

Doflamingo hung up the snail. Nobody hangs up on him. Then he jumped out the window and flew to the nearest bar. He really needs a strong drink. Something fruity and expensive will do.

…

Pink felt sick to his stomach as the crew left. He felt shame for doubting the young master. He really needs to come clean to Dofi. His friend will forgive him for doubting him, right?

…

“Welcome to Jia.” Rosinante said from the deck when the submarine surfaced. “It should be easy enough to find a voice for Haku. Does everyone remember the rules?”

“Stay on the Arctic Tang.” Bepo said. “It’s dangerous for a mink here, and we can’t be followed to Zou.”

Smoker gave the Mink a pat on the head below deck. “Stick with Bepo for plausible deniability, and protect the ship.”

“Stay in teams of two.” Shachi began.

Penguin went next. “And blow things up when in doubt. Running doesn’t make you a coward, it makes you smart.”

“Double check if people are on the no-kill list.” Law grumbled.

Haku signed. ‘Call for help if something seems off.'

Rosinante nodded. It was nice to wear his feather coat again. “Good. Any questions?”

“Yes.” Drake was the one who raised his hand. “Do I get clout for free kills, or is it just the saves? Also, does eating limbs as a dinosaur hurt my score for unnecessary violence?”

Rosinante rubbed his hand down his face. How is he going to respond when his dad finds out what a bad influence he has been? Is there good response to that?

“We need to get a style points chart!” Penguin said.

Rosinante put himself on mute and started muttering to himself that they are just kids. These are just kids, and he is not helping them destroy the world. At least they are fallowing the save over kills chart. It could be worse, right?

Now where can he find fuel? He needs coffee for himself, and fuel for the sub. That, and any info on Dofi will help. It’s not like his dad will let him stress and obsess over how many lives his brother has destroyed. Yeah, his old man wants him to forget, but there is literally evidence in the medical bay. That evidence fears him just because he resembles the monster!

…

Germa 66 was expanding.

Or… trying to expand. Somehow their first raid in the East Blue caught the ire of Garp the Fist.

Reiju didn’t forget the strange boy who promised to free her. She did indeed remember him. He was too strange to forget. She couldn’t rely on such a promise though. She needed to get Sanji out now.

Surprisingly, Judge let Sanji go. He disappeared on a passenger ship. Reiju gave him the final push and did not look back. She did not want to know the ship’s name in case her father changed his mind and asked what happened to Sanji.

The girl smiled. Her mother’s kindness will live on. She won. No matter what, her mother won.

…

Garp looked down at his oldest grandson who actually demanded passage abord his marine ship.

“We need to save her!” Ace would not relax.

The old marine thought he would brag about scaring an evil king out of the East. He never thought that Ace would climb aboard his ship and beg to chase after the villain to save a princess.

Well, maybe he can make a marine out of the boy yet.

Chapter Text

Rosinante spent forever looking for a coffee shop. Is Jia against coffee? Yes, bars are more popular here. Even if it is a place for criminals, where do you go with a hangover? Back to the bar? Shouldn't coffee be a booming business here?

Leaving the kids alone was more of a danger to the island than the boys. He knew that. As such, he chose to trust the kids not to do something stupid. Now he can do some research on Dofi. This is his brother’s kind of island after all.

Law still wasn't sure if his powers would give Haku his voice back, or the voice of whoever he takes the parts from. As such, the kids were very particular on finding Haku a ‘cool voice.’

If only he could have stolen Virgo’s voice. Would it be petty, yes… well, no. That is a terrible burden to place on Haku, and bad PTSD for the rest of the crew.

When he finally found a place that served coffee, Rosinante turned to look at an large explosion. He checked with his observation haki. “Not my circus, not my monkeys.”

Hopefully Zou has good coffee. He never got the chance to properly stock up at Water 7. The man only really went shopping himself when he was hiding from Pink. Then, disguises were the only thing on his mind.

For that matter, how much fuel does the sub have? How much does it need?

…

Trebol was not happy with what he learned, or to find a very drunk Dofi. Why did the man’s stupid brother have to appear now?

Doflamingo is a dangerous man. He is charismatic, brilliant, and manipulative to boot! Trebol knew he would reach places higher than he could have ever dreamed in Dofi’s shadow. He also knew manipulators often doubt they can be manipulated.

As long as Trebol kept the position as Dofi’s closest confidant, he was safe. The only one who ever threatened his position was Corazon- Ro, the man’s little brother.

Back when he was in the gang, there were days he saw intelligence in the idiot’s eyes. Now, that hidden mind is more than just a threat to his position, but maybe even Dofi.

“He broke Virgo’s jaw?” Trebol needed clarification.

“My new Corizon is stronger than him. He said Ro’s power is putting people on mute. Pink thinks he can teleport, but I don't trust Pink.” Dofi said as he laid back in his chair, completely waisted. “My stupid little brother wouldn’t act like this!”

“Have you ever considered he has always been playing us?” Trebol asked.

“... what do you mean?” Dofi isn't in his right mind. This is a dangerous situation.

“Well, remember how the bases he was put in charge of often blew up? What if it was all an act? We believed him clumsy enough for it to be an accident.”

“So what? My little goody two shoes brother is a fed. He could have betrayed me outright sooner. It's all Law’s fault.” Yep. Dofi is being emotionally stupid again.

Trebol took a deep breath. “We both know CP-0 and other spies can change their voice and appearance. What if he pulled a trick like that? A fruit that makes things silent sounds stupid.”

“My brother is stupid.” Dofi grumbled. “He got it from our father.”

“He is your brother.” Trebol chose to remind him. “Doesn't he have to be somewhat brilliant?”

Doflamingo sat up at that.

“Even someone weak in your shadow would be amazing compared to normal people. Everyone saw him disappear. That; and he is just forming a crew after yours.”

“What do you mean?” Dofi was drunk, but listening. This is the only time to strike.

“The boy that beat Delenger is half fishman. He only won because he is older. Why would Ro take the kid on if he weren't copying you?”

“You are right!” Dofi shot to his feet. “Teleportation is valuable for a spy.”

“Worse, he can escape the birdcage.” Trebol brought up the biggest risk. “I don't know how easy it will be to capture him.”

A vein appeared on Dofi’s brow. “I want sea prism cuffs. Now.”

…

“We can't destroy a sovereign nation in retreat.” Bogart reminded Garp.

“That's stupid.” Ace grumbled. “A pirate could destroy a evil nation, no problem. How are the marines the good guys if they can't beat the bad guys?”

“Ace…” Garp shook his head.

His commanding officer shook his head. Bogart explained; “Politics.”

“I know.” Ace sat back and crossed his arms with his pipe in hand. “Dad explained politics. I'm stupid, but even I understand knowing politics saves lives. I just need to save Reiju and one of her brothers.”

“Kidnapping a prince and princess is not something the world government will approve.” Bogart reminded them.

Garp gave the man a pat on the shoulder. “Lighten up Bogart! We are just making sure Germa doesn't expand past the Red Line. Any missing royals is just a coincidence.”

“You are so lucky I know how to write your reports in a less incriminating manner.” The man muttered as he walked out of his boss’s office. “The princess should be on the main snail.”

Ace waited a moment before he realized a 'flaw' in his plan. “Reiju said Judge programed her to follow orders with magic science stuff. We need Law to fix her. Where is Dad?”

Garp gave his grandson a pat on the head. “You don't need some silly old spy and magic brat in the family. You have me! Trust me, I’ll fix her head right up!”

Ace gave Garp an unsure glare.

…

Rosinante sat back with his coffee. He knew people recognized him. He saw his poster on the wall. Here it brings clout. While it would be better to have a legal wanted poster here, that one has some standing.

Only one foolish hunter approached him. The man is now unconscious in the corner. That established Rosi as a threat in five seconds. If anyone knows who he is, they won't just attack without warning or a proper strike crew.

That may be the only time his obvious resemblance to his brother comes in handy. People are whispering about his brother’s shady dealings just down the road. Good thing observation haki comes with wonderful senses. His fruit helps him block out chatter too.

When the loud fight started down the street, Rosinante reminded himself; “Not my circus, not my monkeys.”

After all, on this island, he is not a marine. Nobody is who wants to survive.

…

Sengoku was tired, his routine check of the marine bases took way longer than he hoped it would. Since he could delay his vacation by another day, he did. Drake will make sure Rosi makes it to safety. The teen doesn't have enough friends his age as it is.

The trip to Long Ring Long Island should be short. He just needs to land on one of the abandoned islands. Just like that, his family will come find him. It is as safe and quiet as it can be. Even better, Garp is out of town. Nothing will blow up with the man visiting home.

…

Garp jumped to the largest snail with Ace holding on to his shoulder. The boy had a wicked grin on his face. Could this actually work? Will Ace choose Justice just because of one ‘take your kid to work day’? He needs to try this with all the boys!

…

“Sooo…. what is the plan?” Drake asked as the kids started walking down the street. “I've been here a few times, so how can I help?”

Law gave him that untrusting look that he got before being transported into a hidden closet.

“I promise! My birth father was a pirate! I'm not here to get you into trouble. I just want to be the cool uncle.”

Everyone looked to Law. His is definitely in charge. “Where can we find fuel?”

Drake blinked. “You mean for the sub? It will be hard to find the marine’s kind of fuel here. The shipments are expensive… I may have heard of something...”

…

Rosinante had a rather relaxing day. Smoker was watching Bepo. Law should be able to protect the rest with Drake. And to make it better, he had a grasp of how well Dofi’s plans went to take over the criminal under world of the Grand Line. The best thing was that the coffee was good and he got thirty pounds for cheap! Who cares if this is a front for a crime organization? The coffee is good and free of drugs! He knew when to stop asking questions.

When he got back to the sub, Smoker looked… concerned. He didn't even put the coffee away before asking; “What’s wrong?”

“I… don't know.” The young man replied. “It's just… the boys moved all my stuff out of my room and stuffed the beds in there.”

“What?” Rosinante decided to look for Law’s haki before anything else. It is probably a harmless prank.

When he got to the deck, Rosinante saw an explosion in the distance. It was one he could be proud of- if he wasn't concerned about so many other things. “That one… it is my circus.”

He needs an explanation, now. The T-Rex running down the street proved Drake to be just as bad of an influence on the boys as he is on Drake. “That boy is never babysitting again.”

…

Ace ditched his grandpa after watching the man fight for a few minutes. He memorized Reiju’s haki signature. She was hard to find, but he found it. Her presence was like a light in this mess of haki signatures that felt wrong.

Looking back at the destruction, Ace felt proud. Dad was right. The marines are strong. It is foolish to ignore his grandpa’s protection. Pirate or not, training from the old gezer may be more valuable than gold.

Now, on to find his first recruit for his pirate crew!

…

“Sooooo…” Rosinante paced back and forth in front of the dining room table.

Smoker was standing in the corner of the room with his arms crossed and a smirk. Bepo was beside him.

Sitting at the table in front of Rosi was all the rest of the kids under his charge. Law was sitting in the center staring his dad down in challenge. Shachi and Penguin were on either side of him and refusing to look at the man. Haku was sitting on the table. He had his happy yellow mask on. He sat with his legs hanging down as he clicked his heels together. At the other side of the table sat a very guilty, but satisfied looking Drake.

“Who is going to tell me what happened?” He asked. “The plan was for you to come find me before stealing a voice. Kids can go pretty unnoticed here. I expected some trouble, but anyone with an iota of sense would know weak kids without strong backing wouldn't be here, confident, and well dressed. I also know how strong you all are.”

“The sub needed fuel. Drake-ya knew about some pirates robbing the fuel depot. We stole it and stored out in the spare bedrooms. Then we blew up the place the fuel was being stored in, so nobody would suspect it. No fuel, no witnesses, no enemies, and a sound solution.”

“Drake-ya?” It should really concern Rosinante that what surprised him most was the new honorific.

“Sorry.” Law’s voice was quick, but timid; like Bepo. Definitely a conversation for later.

“Drake, why did you run around town as a dinosaur?” He changed the subject.

“Well…” the redhead had it in him to look sheepish. He rubbed the back of his head as he spoke. “We needed a distraction, and I heard some old guys say dinos don’t exist.”

Okay… he rubbed his hands down his face and paced the room. It could be worse. That was actually brilliant. For years now he has told the kids that he it's okay with them being criminals if they are smart ones. He just didn't expect it so soon. Good thing that the murder talk is well established.

“Did you at least get Haku’s voice?” They came to the island for one thing.

Law held up a blue-ish box with strange organs in. From his understanding of the boy’s powers, it looked just like when he had a stolen heart.

“How did that go?” Why is he asking like this isn't insane?

“Creep tried to pick on us because we are kids. He was small enough I thought his vocal cords would work.” Law stated.

‘I asked him to sing, Law translated.’ Haku added.

“I assume anyone who lures kids into a creepy alleyway with cages in is on the free kill list. He even sang to lure us in!”

Rosinante nodded. That is both worse and better than he expected. Worse because his kids ran into such a creep. Better because he doesn't feel guilt about the man who is definitely dead, and the kids probably won't either.

“By spare rooms, why are the beds stacked in Smoker’s room?” He realized the group didn't always get along, but that is just rude.

“We made our rooms storage first. If we will always decide to dog pile every night, why do we need the rooms? Fuel is more valuable.” Penguin volunteered.

“We put all our stuff in Law’s room.” Shachi added. “Do we need more than two rooms?”

He looked around at the kids. “How old are you all again?”

…

Reiju was tasked to lead the canon troops. She sent out orders from the control room.

Garp’s obsession was rather surprising. They were not supposed to find such a threat here. It mattered little. The snails were already climbing the Red Line and Sanji escaped. Reiju had no cause for cause for concern

“I found you!” She heard a boy’s voice. Reiju’s ears knew the voice, but she had to be wrong. This is a malfunction that needs fixed. The doctors will fix it if she reports hearing things. What will she say if they ask what she thought she heard?

Reiju ignored the voice.

“Where is Sanji?” The voice asked again.

She took a deep breath. Maybe this is just a hallucination. She must have concern for her brother leaking through her programing. “He is safe. My brother is free.”

“Good.” The boy’s voice echoed through the walls.

The girl nodded. Then she put her headset back on. She had work to do. Just when she was about to take herself off mute, the voice came back. “That means you are the only one I need to save.”

The girl froze. Her hand started moving to a panic button against her will.

“Hey, what are your orders?” His voice was right behind her. Then she saw a hand reach out quicker than her and break the red button.

“To repel the threat and lead the troops.” She felt robotic. Reiju’s instincts screamed to attack. She felt herself shaking. In the corner of her eye, she saw Garp punch Judge through a castle pillar. She is going down with this ship, isn’t she?

“Sitting back here isn't leading. Dad would call leading sacrificing yourself to protect your crew.” His words were soft.

Reiju could no longer resist. She punched him square in the jaw. The stupid boy took it. He just stood there. He didn't even wipe the blood from his chin.

“What does it matter to you!” She yelled.

“You are my crew, remember?” He looked more like himself in the shorts and tank top. The red beaded necklace suits him too.

“I can’t.” She felt herself shaking.

“Come with me and you don't have to do this anymore.”

“Don't you get it? I can’t!”

Ace caught her fist this time. He had a wicked smile. “Surender. Help me blow up all the footage, hide the evidence, and Garp will retreat. That counts for loyally protecting the kingdom, right?”

“You can't beat Garp.” She was so tired.

“He is my grandpa… and I guess yours now too, sis.”

Reiju blinked. That… complied with orders… freedom… orders… Germa…

“Reiju?”

Sanji… Did she send him off on his own too soon? Can he survive like this? What if is a trap for Germa? Mom… Judge… duty…

“Sabo, your logic idea broke her.” Ace muttered. “Hey, I’m just going to knock you out and kidnap you now. Okay?”

Kidnapping… bad. Soldiers: expendable.

What is she? Reiju, 0, nothing…

The world went black.

…

Chapter Text

They had the sub, peace, quiet, and already left Jia. All in all, it should be a worry free trip. Rosinante ignored his concerns over Jia till he saw the kill chart.

He managed to survive the island without changing his score. Smoker and Bepo stayed in the Arctic Tang. That he knew.

The first concern was Drake. His score of 19 was crossed out and 13 was written out. How did the distraction kill six people?

Lucky for him, his new little brother was walking by with a stolen bag of chips.

“How?” He asked as he pointed at the chart.

Drake sighed. “Do you know how hard it is to run as a T-rex without stepping on anyone? I have tiny arms, and a huge mouth! Taking a bite out of someone is psychotic, but what else should I do in a fight?”

“Have you ever considered the Zoan partial transformation?” He knew his tone was deadpan.

“How is that a distraction?” Drake raised his eyebrows.

“Point taken…” Rosinante shook his head. “Do you need haki training?”

“Dad is already training me, but he doesn't have much time. Smoker gave me some tips.” Drake wrapped-up the bag of chips he already stopped eating.

“I'll ask Law to help clear a training room. We need it for sanity over long trips anyway.” He gave his new baby brother a pat on the shoulder. “Sanity is a precious thing in this family. Survive, and make sure you can live with yourself at the end of the day.”

“Thanks.” The boy nodded.

Now, Rosi wasn’t usually one for awkward silence. In most cases, he found silence comforting. This, this is awkward.

“Did the explosion kill someone? Everyone except Haku lost a point.” There, break the silence and clue him in on what Law left out.

“Yeah. He seemed to be a crook.” Drake flinched. “I know he is a pirate, but not sure if he also qualifies for a free kill. That would take a background check.”

“Don't bother.” Rosinante had the sinking feeling the boys were competing to be the top of the free kill list. Smoker was the only one taking his saves seriously. “Do I want to know how Law lost 2 points?”

“A bystander called Dofi the greatest pirate to ever live. He bragged about running some shipments for him. Thirty something, black hair, may have been looking for clout. Law started the fight. The man called Haku a dumb mute, Law killed him. Haku didn’t want his voice.” Drake summarized as he stood at attention.

Why didn’t Law tell him? It… it makes sense. Time to move on. “And how does Haku have +1?”

“Law decided that free kill Haku took out counts as at least one life saved in the future.”

Rosinante took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Wonderful, just wonderful. He has a point, yes. The problem is with that logic some of these boys will try murdering their way to a positive number!

“Thanks for explaining that. I need to go find Law.” He told the teen.

“You should wait.” Drake almost jumped to grab him.

“Why?” That is suspicious.

“He is in the medical bay with Russian and Hakugan.”

Rosi blinked. Oh… right. “You want to tell me how things are going back home? How many times has Garp broken dad’s door this month?”

A huge grin spread across Drake’s face.

The two ended up talking four hours.

…

Bell-mere felt a chill down her spine when the snail started ringing. She sent her girls outside and pressed the button on the white snail next to the daunting pink one.

“... Yes?”

“Crackers, Dofi is calling.” It was ringing before she came in to answer the snail. The man is persistent, and won’t be happy she didn’t answer immediately.

“Whichever decision you make, I’ll back you.” His voice was firm. “You were right to call me. Stalling will just make him mad though.”

She nodded.

Right, the man can’t see her. “I’m answering.” She warned Rosi’s supervisor.

“What took you?” Dofi’s voice rang out from the snail.

Bell smirked. She knew her expression would carry over. “Sorry, handsome. I wasn’t home. I've got a life, you know.”

“Leave it.” His tone was firm. The snail’s grin was truly sadistic.

“Pardon?” She blinked in confusion. “Sorry sweetheart. We had this talk already. I've got a good business running here.”

“One year. I need you for one year, then you can return to your stupid simple life if you so desire. How soon can you leave?”

Bell shook her head. “Why now?”

“My brother is back, and I don’t trust part of my crew. I'm not asking you to join us, just… watch them for me. He doesn’t know you, neither does my crew.”

Bell-mere’s brain spun with the implications. She would be spying on Dofi’s crew for both Doflamingo and the marines. “I’m still keeping my eye out for that brother of yours. I haven’t seen a thing.”

“He… can disappear quietly.”

She knew that. Bell also realized that she didn’t have a choice. He isn’t asking. If she doesn't comply it will earn his wrath. “I can settle my affairs in three days. How will I get to the Grand Line?”

“Don't worry about the small stuff.”

And, he hung up on her. “He is gone.”

“That was very brave of you.” The man’s voice was soft. “What do you need?”

“I want my girls here, home, safe.”

“Understood.” The man she suspected to be Sengoku spoke. “Feel free to call any time. I'll have a team to extract you on hand.”

When she hung up, Bell-mere realized all she wanted to do was hug her daughters. She is doing this for them. It is too much of a risk to stay.

…

It wasn't that easy to get Law alone. Now that nobody has a room to themselves, the submarine has no privacy.

Haku wasn’t supposed to try out his new vocal cords for two more days. Law was actively avoiding him by spending too much time in the medical room. That left Rosi with the options of A: traumatizing the poor women with his presence. Or B: grabbing Law even if it makes a scene.

Of course, Rosi did not care if he embarrassed the boy. As such, he had no qualms with grabbing Law by the collar of his shirt right from his seat at the breakfast table.

The boy didn’t bother protesting. He knew he was put on mute. Law is smart enough to pick his battles. The boy just crossed his arms and let himself be carried away.

Rosinante walked into Smoker’s old room with beds stacked up by the wall. He dropped Law and his silence engulfed the room. Then he leaned against the wall and crossed his arms.

Law sat on the floor with his arms and legs crossed. “Is this about the kill count?”

Rosinante let himself slide to the floor. “No… not yet at least. I understand you were protecting Haku, but teaching him murder is okay… it's concerning. I guess I haven't been that good at enforcing it either.”

“Then…” the boy wouldn't look at him.

“What does the honorific ‘ya’ mean?” He asked.

Law’s tone after using it yesterday was all wrong. The boy isn't supposed to look like a kicked puppy. Even now he visually curled in on himself. “It doesn’t matter.”

“It does to you. I can look it up. I'll find it eventually, or you can tell me.” Nothing that shakes the boy up like this can slide.

“It's stupid.”

Rosinante rolled his eyes. “A lot of my favorite things in life are stupid.”

The kid gave him his classic death glare. That is more like it!

“I love the way you mix ice cream flavors together with your powers. I love how you used your powers to surprise Bepo with a coin he was looking for. He promised to find it for your collection. After you found it, you secretly ‘shambled’ it to him so he thought he found it.” He started listing off silly things. “I love how Haku started storing defensive weapons in all our beds to protect us. I love how Bepo left snacks out for the cute but annoying birds when we were on land. I love how Shachi keeps painting happy faces in the sub and thinks we haven't noticed. I love how Penguin always sticks his tongue out of the corner of his mouth when he is focused on something. I love how-”

“I get it.” Law cut him off. “I just…”

“Does it have to do with the other timeline?”

Law shook his head. “No, Yes? I don't know.”

This time, Rosinante let the silence engulfed them.

“It is used in Flevance.” The boy spoke in almost a whisper. “In that world, I did everything to keep some part of the culture alive.” Law was staring into the abyss. “I'm almost thirteen. That is more than…” He shook his head.

This was deep. Heavy. “Why didn't you start saying it sooner?”

“Because…” Law didn’t look at him. “In this world I have a family. If I’m fooling everyone and pretending you are my birth dad, how can I claim my heritage?”

“Law…” Rosi shook his head. “You are being stupid. Even with the act, everyone knows you are from Flevance! Of course I want you to keep your culture alive!”

Law’s owl eyes are something else.

“Why would you think otherwise?” He honestly wanted to know. “I encouraged Penguin to learn about Fishman Island, and I want Bepo to train on Zou! Why would I treat you any differently?”

Law blinked. “I… I don’t know.”

Rosi gave him a minute to think.

After Law shook his head, he started talking again. “It was easier in that other world. When I didn’t want to talk about it, and someone pried, I just cut them in half.”

“Naturally.” He wasn’t deluding himself about who he adopted.

“It’s… its not something you use with family... or close family. More, friends, acquaintances, people you don’t hate.” Law made a small room and began taking his hand apart and putting it back together.

He nodded so his kid knew he was following along.

“I’m almost thirteen, old enough to properly use it… be seen as a peer or equal to… well kids and teens.” Law started picking up pace as he found his words. “It was like a right of passage. It mattered in a family. I just… that family is gone. I can hardly remember their faces. How can I hold on to them without rejecting the family I have?”

Rosinante crossed his legs and leaned his chin on his hand. “That… I would rather you hold on to everything you can from your family. It doesn’t insult me. Is there anything I can do?” The suggestion was painful. “You can stop calling me dad if you want.”