Elizabeth's Pov
I didn't think my supper would be ruined by Doflamingo. He was usually good at making sure everything was perfect although I tried not to think much of it since it gave me more time to wander the castle. "You are not being wise" When a girl's voice reached my ears I froze in place before I realized it was the same one from a couple of weeks ago. "You again? Where are you?" Just like the last time she never showed herself. However, unlike in the previous meeting, I heard her at least reply with more.
"He is stealing away your life and yet you do not care. Why do you allow such a thing to happen?" I still couldn't see the owner of that voice but decided to start a conservation with her. "Who is stealing away my life?" Her voice was almost bouncing out the walls although as I listened to what she had to say I found it hard to keep up. "The man with the button eyes. He tells such lies. His promises are all false. He simply desires the chance at toying with others" There was only one man I knew that fit the first characteristic. "Doffy? Are you talking about Doffy?"
"I called him that once... I should have listened to my father" That couldn't have been right although even as I tried to convince myself that this girl was wrong, I knew he had a questionable past. "Who are you? Why are you hiding?" I needed to see her with my own two eyes but I was only met with more questions. "Why are you in this place? Can you not see how you will only fall victim to his game?"
"I cannot leave. Doffy took away the key to the little door but he's different! I trust him!" Well, it was true that Doflamingo had taken the key from me my feelings had changed over the last few weeks. "He has placed you in his cage. There is no escape from here and if there was you are much too late. Why have you abandoned your family? Why were you so selfish?" Hearing that made me flinch although just as quickly I felt anger bubble to the surface. She had no right to accuse me of abandoning my so-called family. "I didn't abandon anyone!"
"We all did. I made my older brother into a monster. He lost his life because of me. I was selfish for coming here all those years ago. All because of my choices I caused so much pain" Now, her response caused me to pause. I gave it some thought although before this could continue, I needed to know who exactly she was. "Who are you? If you don't tell me I'll scream for Doffy" Using him as a threat didn't seem like the right thing to do however it worked since immediately the girl walked forward from her hiding spot. "Do not do that. I am Lami, Trafalgar Lami"
The lighting was poor although I recognized her. It was painful and my heart sank as I picked up on the girl's eyes. They were made of buttons or they had been replaced with them. I thought of running far away from her although even if I wanted to it was like my legs weren't allowing me to move. "No" I didn't know if she could see or not however as I saw her hands grip together, I knew I had upset her in a way. "Is something wrong?" Even if she couldn't see me, my tone was telling too much. "It's you"
"I do not understand. Have we met before?" My thoughts immediately went to Law and how this was his little sister. She was supposed to be dead. He thought she was dead although here she was. "No, but..." My words faded out as I thought over how to word this. She was clearly older than what her features told however she was still a child. "But what?" My words were thought of long and hard but eventually, I found it easier just to allow them to flow. "I met your older brother. He warned me not to come here... because of Doflamingo... he said you were dead"
"I am not alive. Doflamingo took away that choice from me the moment I accepted his... his gift. Y-You said you have seen my brother? W-Was he well?" I knew she wanted to know about her brother but I had questions of my own. "What happened to you? Why are you like this?"
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Many Years Ago...
Lami's Pov
"You do not look well, Lami. I want you to take this medicine" My father was a great doctor although I did not want to take any medicine so turned my head away to avoid the spoon. "N-No" He again tried to move my head back but I was fighting against him. "It will help you get better. Please, it may not taste pleasant but it will help" He was only trying to help me however I thought I knew better. "I said no!"
"Alright, but I will come back later. Your mother and I have to go out. We will return later. Law is downstairs if you need him" Slowly turning my head I saw him standing by the door but did not think I needed to give him much of a farewell. "Okay"
"I love you, Lami. Try to get some sleep in the meantime" I did not reply to my father even though I knew it was not polite. They would be back later and at that point, I would tell him I loved him but right now I was upset he had tried to offer me medicine. Doffy had told me I would be better soon. There was no need for medicine, that was what he told me yesterday anyways. "It has been long enough" My body was a little weak today and maybe I should have stayed in but today was important.
"He is waiting for me" Sliding into my slippers I carefully wandered downstairs stopping just at the bottom. My older brother was studying in the kitchen and as I peeked into the kitchen he did not look up. He was busy studying although I knew one day it would be all worth it. Law was going to be a great doctor just like our father. I could not wait to see that day but right now I would need to be patient. "I love you, big brother" When he again refused to look up I only turned away to head into the living room.
I had thought about sharing my secret with Law many times over the last few weeks but in the end, I never did. The fear that he would not believe me was too great. I valued what my big brother thought, he was my everything. Even if now, he did not have the time to spend with me that was alright since I knew he was working towards his dream. It would be selfish to get in the way of that. "One day I will tell you about the little door, I promise" Leaning down I knocked on the door and waited for one to sound back.
Taking one last look towards the kitchen I gave my brother a little wave but I knew he did not see it. He was busy studying and a wall separated us. That was okay, I understood how busy he could get. One day he would have more time for me again. For now, I would patiently wait. "Goodbye brother"
Unlocking the little door, I let out a puff of air and pulled it open. The tunnel was present although it was much smaller than before. "Where did all this stuff come from?" When I first went through it was empty so I was confused as to when all the junk appeared. "There is still room for me... I will be back big brother, I promise" Crawling through the tunnel I eventually came through on the other side.
"Welcome back Lami. Fufufu. I got your buttons. There are yellow just as you requested" I did not have the chance to even stand as a man showed me a tray with two buttons on it. They were a pretty yellow, Law's favorite color to be exact. However, right now the color was not the most important thing on my mind. "These will cure my sickness, right Doffy?" Taking the time to stand I waited for his response but just like before he repeated what had always been promised. "Of course, you will be free of all sickness after these are sewn in. Shall we begin?"
"Will it hurt?" I had not asked that before and maybe I should have since I knew even a small needle hurt a bit. "Only for a second but in the end do you not believe a little pain will be worth it?" His words gave me comfort. Doffy always made things better, he just had a way with words. "I suppose you are right. Doffy, did it hurt when you got yours?" He had shown me his buttons weeks ago but I never had the courage to ask about them before today. "Why do you ask?"
"I am curious"
"That is fair. Yes, it was pure agony but mine were done alone. There was no one to help me cure my pain. Fufufu. However, I do not regret the decision I made. These buttons complete me" I had thought his family had been here just a few weeks ago although it caused me sadness to know they never helped him. Maybe that was the reason they all left. "You never told me you were in pain" I thought I had known everything about Doffy but I suppose I could not have known every little detail. "It was not important. Come along, we do not have much time and besides, you need to be home in time for supper"
He had held out his hand for me to take. Usually, I would not have hesitated but I could not help the chills that run up my arms. "I am afraid" My mind had thought over this for the past couple of weeks and with each passing day I grew wearier of the decision I was about to make. "There is no need to be afraid. I made you a promise. After these are sewn in you will never feel pain or sickness again. Do you not believe me?" That was not the reason behind my hesitation, it was something else entirely. "I believe you Doffy but..."
"What is on your mind my little Lami?" I did not want to upset him but I needed to speak my mind. "Why is it fair that I get to have a cure when so many people in the world never have such an opportunity?" I was glad I could live a little longer and be cured of my illness although there was someone important to me that would never get that chance. "For someone so young you are thinking too much. Why is it you say this?"
"My brother is sick. He may be hiding it although I have seen the white patches on his skin. We have the same sickness! Why should I get to have a cure when he continues to suffer!? I-I want him to get better too!"
Law was the most important person in my life and while he was my older brother, I wanted to be useful to him as well. Accepting Doffy's gift did not seem right when it meant I would live while Law would most likely die. My father said it was not a fatal illness but I knew that had been a lie. I had heard them talking about the stages of the illness one night and how it had taken each person who had been infected with it. This illness would take away my best friend. When that happened, I did not want to live with the guilt that I chose to save my own life and not his.
"Fufufu. I can cure him as well. Is that what you desire?" When Doffy spoke, I thought I had misheard him. However, after I moment I realized my ears were not playing tricks on me. "Y-You would do that?" If Law could live too that would erase all my hesitation within a second. "Of course, I had a brother too once. He was someone I wanted to protect. I cured him of his pain and still, he left me. It could not be helped although I sleep easier at night knowing he is free because of what I did. Fufufu. If you want your brother to be free, I will gladly see to it"
"You really mean it, Doffy!?"
"Anything for you"
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Sometime Later...
"You lied to me! I-I trusted you!" My sight was gone although I knew he was close. At first, I thought he was not going to speak but after a moment I felt someone's hand tilt up my chin. "Fufufu. I have never lied to you, Lami. You simply misunderstood my words. This wing will meet your needs. I will bring you enough blood to satisfy your hungry but other than that I am done with you. Oh, and in the future when another victim wanders into this realm keep your little mouth shut. I would hate for them to be scared away by little lost souls"
When my chin was released, I carefully backed away but as I bumped into a wall I jumped. I could not tell where anything was although that did not manner. What mattered was getting away from him. "Y-You are a monster!"
"Fufufufu. I am glad you have finally seen it, not that you will be seeing much of anything from now on. Before I go, your brother has been set free from his pain. Fufufu. I kept my promise"
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To Be Continued...