Earlier That Morning...
Law's Pov
"You haven't touched your breakfast" Smoker was always worrying too much for his own good and even now he was treating me like a child. He should have understood why I wasn't touching what was in front of me but no he just had to point it out. "I lost my appetite" The coffee was the only thing I did finish however according to him that didn't count as breakfast or any other meal for that matter.
"Law, I understand the hurt you have but you're letting him control your life. You need to move o-" He shouldn't have said anything about her and I wasn't going to let him finish that sentence. "Move on!? Don't even suggest such a ridiculous thing! He destroyed everything I had in life! I-I should have protected her but I let her down!" She was the most important person in my life; I was nothing without her. It wasn't ever going to change how I felt but I still wanted to kill that man. Maybe then I'd be able to sleep at night.
"What are you going to do about it?" Again, he had opened his mouth but at least he left her out of our decision. I was in a bad mood and knew getting angry didn't help my case however that man just brought out the worst in me. "What?" Smoker was a lot of things but I didn't take him for a complete moron. He hardly spoke up against me before so I couldn't understand why he was taking such a stance toward me now. "I said what are you going to do about it? You have a plan, don't you?"
I thought it over for a second but replied once I realized he only wanted to know what was going to happen in the coming days. "That girl is the key. We get to her; we get to him. He hates when his game is interrupted, right?" That bastard had a pattern and if I disrupted it all chaos would break loose. I could care less however still needed to be cautious should his anger be distracted directly towards me. He was stronger than me, he always had been although the key to his defeat was taking away his food source.
"What are you trying to say, Law?" Smoker most likely assumed my plan wouldn't succeed but he was wrong. If that bastard's game was interrupted, he'd have no choice other than to deal with the problem personally. He has no family left, after all, he was alone with no one to stand with him. "That girl is bound to be in the forest again and when she is we'll speak to her about what that monster plans to do with her... Why are you looking at me like that?"
That look wasn't one I was very fond of; Smoker knew that although it refused to fade as my plans were picked apart. "I think your plan needs work. The girl will behave negatively if you tell her a blonde bastard has an entire world through a small door in her house and sews buttons into the eyes of his victims" This was my plan and Smoker shouldn't have questioned it. I hated when he did but didn't want to admit it was rushed. Thinking of anything else would take valuable time that we unfortunately lacked. In my mind even if she didn't believe the truth the thought would at least be there. "It will be fine"
Smoker had finally given up on sending me that look although he still questioned my plans. "Do you truly believe that?" I saw why he had asked and even if it wasn't going to change my mind, I turned back to him. My frown was deepening however it wasn't as if I smiled often for it to concern him. "No, but it's all I came up with. His game has already begun. Her time left in this life is counting down"
"Her death wasn't your fault... You did all you could" I had thought he had given up on speaking about her but I was wrong. However, I couldn't find the strength to get angry with him. My tone lowered slightly but other than that, things remained the same. "That's where you're wrong. La- My sister is dead because of what I didn't do. That's why this time will be different. I'm done standing by and letting him take everything he wants. That brat will not lose her life as she did... It's what she would have wanted"
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Flashback...
I had been studying in the kitchen when my father walked into the room causing me to take my focus away from the medical book in front of me. He had a look of concern on his face but I didn't know why. "Law, where is your sister?" Lami had been upstairs the last time I checked although it had been a few hours since she had last come down to bother me. "I saw her playing upstairs this morning"
He had a certain expression on his face other than concern although before I could ask about it, he started to speak. "We're going out for a few hours but keep an eye on her. She's been acting strange lately" It wasn't my place to ask too many questions and since he was already smiling as if everything was okay, I chose to believe him. He was my father; he didn't have any reasons to lie to me. "Yes, father" His smile stayed in place so I returned to my studying to finish the chapter before checking on Lami.
"That's my boy. Suppers on the stove, just turn it off once the potatoes are tender" With my father already walking towards the door I gave him a farewell not even looking up from the book. "Yes, father" Well, it wasn't much of a goodbye per se although the man knew what I meant. The door closed shortly after and I quickly finished my reading before turning my sights toward the ceiling. "I wonder where she is?" It had been quiet, almost too quiet for her. My little sister hadn't been feeling the best ever since we moved here but still, it didn't seem right she'd be taking a nap.
She wasn't the type to rest when sick so I headed up the stairs to see what she had been up to. Her room was the last one at the end of the hall although when I entered, I didn't see any sign of the little brat. "Sis?... Hm, how strange" After a quick check I realized she wasn't anywhere in the room. She could have gone downstairs without me noticing so I continued my search not thinking much of it. The house wasn't overly large but as I came to the last room, I hadn't found her.
"Lami-chan! Where are you!?" I didn't want to assume anything bad had happened to her although as I was meant with silence, I panicked a bit. She might have been a brat at times but Lami always came out if she heard me calling for her. There was zero chance she could have left the house as she would have passed by the kitchen since the other doors had locks out of her reach. "Lami-chan!? Come out this isn't funny!" The whole house had been searched once but I quickly went through it once more encase I overlooked something.
Unfortunately, I still couldn't find her. My first thought was to call for help but before I got the chance, I noticed the way our couch had been pushed to the side. We had put it there to block access to the crawlspace as my mother had sworn there were rats taking up residents there. For a second my mind had been put at ease. "That must be where she's hiding. Little brat forgot the key too"
The key had been sticking out of the lock although when I touched it a small zap caused me to pull away. I blamed it on the fact I had walked across the carpet and reached for it again when the same feeling rippled through my body. This time I didn't pull away instead turning the key until a soft click was heard. I pulled the key free before slipping it into my pocket and grabbing a hold of the edge of the wood. My fingers had been too big to get a proper grip on it although I somehow managed before pulling it towards me. I had expected to find my sister asleep on the other side but that wasn't what greeted me.
"What the... What is this?" Nothing could have prepared me to see a long narrow tunnel in place of what had been an empty crawlspace. I must have been dreaming as this made little sense. The tunnel seemed to go on forever although as I looked at it there appeared to be a small amount of light. "Ahhhhhhh! Help me, Big Brother!" Even if this had been a dream those were the crying of my little sister and before knew it, I had already started crawling through the tight space. I didn't hear her scream again but as I reached the end, I pushed open another door only to exit into a whole other room.
It couldn't have been another tenant's apartment as the ceilings alone were taller than the house. This only resulted in more questions but they would need to wait, I needed to find her. Lami needed me however I couldn't hear her screams. It was quiet although I still run out of the room trying to find her. Half the rooms couldn't be opened but when I finally found one that did, I almost couldn't speak. The panic was overwhelming. The fear was unbearable. My eyes were locked on the back of a man and somehow, I found some hope.
"Excuse me! I am looking for my little sister! Have you seen her!?" I watched as his head perked up although I also took notice of the bloodied needle and thread sitting beside him. The blood was fresh, still dripping from the tip of the needle as it rested on the spool. "Do you know it is rude to show up to dinner uninvited? I do not recall inviting you into my house! You are interrupting my meal!"
His voice was filled with such hate and when he took a step toward me, I caught I glimpse of Lami. Her skin was so pale but as my eyes took in everything, I felt sick to my stomach. That blood was hers, that thread and needle were used to end her life, and this sick monster destroyed her innocent life. I had been so focused on Lami that I didn't notice him coming closer until his teeth were sinking into my throat. The pain was all I felt but when it started to dull the spots appeared in my vision.
I realized it had been from blood loss. Lami had those puncture wounds on her neck as well although this wasn't a case of cannibalism behavior. No, this was something else entirely. Whatever this ma- monster was it wasn't human. I didn't know what this thing was but one thing was certain and that was he killed the most precious person I had in my life. This was the end, or at least I thought it was until he yanked his teeth free from my throat. "Fufufu. Death is too good for you"
My head was forced back before I could flee and somehow his blood ended up down my throat. I couldn't stop myself from swallowing although when his hands wrapped around my neck everything faded to red. Nothing made sense however I knew this wasn't death it was something else. I wanted answers, I wanted this all to be a terrible nightmare, I wanted it all to end but that was a hopeless thought since within a second I was forced back into the light.
"Fufufu. Took you long enough. I am looking for something and I know you have it. My key, where did you put it?" His fingers had begun to move long before I had the time to speak. That key was held out for him to take although he only stared at it. "Smile more. Fufufu. This key is very special. Thank you for returning it to me" I watched as it was thrown behind him without a care in the world before landing next to a pile of buttons. "W-What d-did you do to me!?" I wanted answers although my voice was so strained.
"Oh, I made you better. You are just like me, weaker sure although still, it is an improvement from your past self. A thank you would be nice" He was insane that much was certain and for a single moment I forgot about what he did and let the rage fill my body. "Y-You are nothing b-but a monster!" Somehow I managed to cause a light blue tint to surround the small area of the room. I wasn't sure how I did it although the monster seemed to step away from it. "Fufufu. So, that is your power? Sorry but this is where we part ways. This is my domain, not yours. Be gone" I wasn't in control of my body and was forced to step out an open window, everything faded once again.
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Sometime Later...
I didn't know how much time had passed although why did it matter? There was nothing left except the pain within my chest. Just a painful reminder that my heart was missing a piece, it was missing her, it was missing Lami. "You shouldn't be sitting in the rain... It's okay. I understand your pain" No one should have been out here although when I look up from my lap, I saw him. He was holding an umbrella over my head and his smile almost radiated life. "I can not reverse what my brother has done but please let me help you... I am Donquixote Rosinante. Who are you?"
"ROOM" This power was still new to me although I had enough control to at least protect myself. He made it clear he had the same blood as him which made this man another monster. "Listen brat I'm trying to help you! Stop acting like a fool!" I hadn't been prepared for him to kick me but as I was knocked down into a tree my powers faded. "You will listen to what I have to say and after you can decide to end my life. Do we have a deal?" This male was bold with the power to get what he desired although I wasn't going to let another beast step on me without putting up a fight.
"Go to hell. SHAMBLES"
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Present...
"Law, snap out of it!" When Smoker started to shake my shoulders, I came back to my senses. I could have yelled up at him for touching me although just pushed his hands off before leading the way out the door. "Let's go. That girl is close. I can smell her"
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To Be Continued...