A/n: I liked writing this chapter and the one that follows this one. See ya next weekend. (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧
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An hour ago you had a simple plan.
Sneak in a human trafficking side base, place some homemade explosives and let them go off. Undetected and untraceable, it's the perfect job for you. If Doflamingo finds out you've been messing with his allies and a source of his income, you'll lose some credibility points with him and your warlord chances will lower.
The first bomb was in place, but before you could set the timer...
"Let go of me! Do you have any idea who I am?!" a feminine voice rang through the dark hallways.
Oh no, They aren't supposed to bring any prisoners here.
"Once my brother Katakuri comes for me he's gonna kill all of you!" Poire shouted at the top of her lungs.
You froze.
Abandoning the bomb, you carefully crawl your way across the steel beams built over the corridors, getting a good view of a pink-haired girl struggling between two men.
"Knock her out, she's pissing me off." one of the men mumble.
You grimace at the whack given to the teenager, watching them lock her unconscious body inside a small cell, standing on either side of the entrance.
This is supposed to be a destructive mission, not a rescue one. It would be easy to knock out the guards, blow your cover, and take the girl. But that would mean risking everything you built up to this point with Doflamingo. However, you can't simply blow up the base if this girl is here.
Hence why you came to seek Katakuri's help in the present.
"An alliance?" Katakuri repeated your words. "Don't make me laugh moonlight thief. Just give me the information and I'll spare your life."
"Even if I give you the location, they'll relocate her the second they detect someones after them," you reason with the man. "You need me to go unnoticed, but I can't do that if you're gonna try to kill my ass every five seconds."
Katakuri took a step forward, unwilling to cooperate with you.
"I have an array of subordinates under my command, with enough numbers I can take down the entire operation."
"It's not that easy, that's why you nedd to solve things undetected and I have the right ability for it."
Katakuri narrowed his eyes. "So does my sister Brulee. All she has to do is find a mirror within the base and-"
"Would you just listen to me?!" you snap all of the sudden. "By the time you gather your men it will be too late for her, good luck finding her when she could be sent anywhere in the world!" you pause to calm down, but there was still urgency in your voice. "I know how these guys work, that's why I'm offering you an easy escape route."
You readjust the umbrella in hand, hovering it over Katakuri as a good sign.
"Can't you just trust me on this?" you ask in a lower tone, almost a plead.
He wants to believe you, but logically speaking he knows how good of a liar you are. The combination between his pride and mixed feelings unable to fully trust your story.
His silence said it all.
You took a moment to ease yourself. Sabaody has the ability to magically work up more than usual.
"My eyesight," you said all of a sudden.
"What?"
"That's my natural weakness, I need to see to know where I am going and create portals. Even if it's just for a few meters within my eyesight. If I wanna go longer distances I need to know the exact coordinates of the location or it has to be a place I've already been to, that's how I can sneak into places," you explain.
"Why are you telling me this?" he asks. "I could use this against you."
"I'm trusting you won't. This is what it means to form an alliance, no matter how brief."
Katakuri's grip on Poire's hat tightens. He eventually loosened his hold on the accessory and stuffed it in his pocket with a sigh.
"You better be right about this."
Your base in Sabaody is old but reliable. Built long since before your thief days and remained well hidden between the tree roots under groove 10. Your first mate patiently waited for you inside the base, polishing his swords until your characteristic purple portal opened up, his eyes growing wide at the sight of the sweet commander walking behind you.
Once Katakuri walked through your portal you saw the man grip his stomach with a hand, and raised the other to his scarf covered mouth.
"Oh right, I forgot to warn you about the nausea." you comment like it's no big deal. "It happens a lot with newbies who go through my portal for the first few times, you'll get used to it," you reassure the large man.
"I don't want to get used to it." He mumbles back.
Val lowered his swords, staring at the sight of you and Katakuri standing side by side without fighting to the death.
He was marveled.
"Huh, and here I thought you wouldn't manage to convince him." Val crosses his arms over his chest.
"I'm a very convincing person," you joke.
"True, you convinced me to come back to this hell hole," Val chuckled with a dry laugh.
Digging through a chest filled with documents until you fished out the right one, sprawling it over the table in the middle of the room.
"I can transport you to where your sister is, but you need to go alone," You land the tip of your index finger on a specific spot on the map. "Trust me, just sneak in there and get out by using the steel beams on the ceiling. Whatever you do, don't cause a ruckus, or else they'll send someone tough to handle the situation."
"I can handle anyone," Katakuri states in a stern voice.
"It's not about if you can handle them or not, its about going undetected that's important." you remind him.
To avoid wasting more time, you kept your part of the deal and teleported him inside the base.
However, Katakuri didn't listen to your warning.
By the time he got inside the base and went up to his unconscious sister, it was enough to enrage him to no end. His furious eyes trailing over the bruises they left on her arms, no doubt by dragging her by force.
"There's an intruder!" one of the men yelled.
Katakuri dispatched the man with his trident, slashing his throat open before more of them came. The sweet commander cradles his unconscious sister with one arm, keeping her close to him.
He would make them pay.
The rain started dispersing as the sunlight broke from between fluffy clouds graciously floating over the archipelago. Meanwhile, you returned to your base in a better mood, feeling like you did the right thing even though your week old bombing operation was ruined. Val was already waiting for you like a mother who caught their child arriving late from a party. You can tell he was ready to scold you.
"Relax I just dropped off our temporary ally where he wanted to go," you reassure the Fishman. "We don't have any connections to big mom, so I doubt the flamingo and his allies will tell I was involved."
"It's not that," he expressed. "I'm just concerned at how involved you've been with the Charlotte even after we left Totto land."
"This again? I told you he's not gonna interfere with my main plan. I'll become a warlord and bid to the marines when they need me, even to the holy lands," you said with the stomp of your foot.
Pururu
Pururu
Both you and Val eyed the den den mushi on the table, heading your way to pick it up.
Ka-cha.
"Hello, bunny rabbit~"
You wanted to sigh at the voice.
"Joker," you respond.
"How is my dear thief doing along today?"
You recognize that voice, he'll most likely ask something from you.
"Not much, just enjoying a small vacation on a summer island." you lie between your teeth.
"What a shame, and here I was about to offer you a job that would pique your interest~" Doflamingo responds in a sing-song tone. Although his voice sounded oddly distant, with the occasional blur of wind in the background.
"Is that so?"
"It appears Big mom's child is messing with one of my associated businesses, the second eldest Charlotte Katakuri."
Apparently Katakuri didn't listen to your warning. You were ready to punch the mochi man the face the next time you meet him. "And you need me to go after him?" you said in a faux relaxed tone.
"Oh, I wouldn't want to interrupt your vacation~" Doflamingo chimes, feeling your throat go dry. "That's why I'm heading there instead. I want to deal with the issue personally."
Dread cascaded over your body for an instant, your hand trembling as you held onto the device. "That's what happens when duckies wander too far from their mama duck." you joke around.
"Indeed," Doflamingo chuckled from the other side of the receiver. "I'm nearing the Archipelago. Enjoy your vacation bunny rabbit."
Click.
You could already hear your first mate's voice inside your head.
Don't get involved.
Don't get involved
Don't. Get. Involved.
Katakuri left bloodshed in the lead as he casually approached the exit of the base. Retrieving mogura back inside his body while he cradles Poire against him with one hand. The light from the exit shine within the base. But as the Charlotte neared the doorway he felt his body stop, something delicate crawling over his skin that prevented him from moving. A tall figure blocked the light from the door, casting shadows over his body.
"Charlotte Katakuri, what are you doing so far from home hm?" Doflamingo steadily walked his way towards the immobile mochi man.
"Donquixote Doflamingo," Katakuri spat the name like venom. "Your subordinates had the misfortune of capturing one of my siblings, so I gave them what they deserved."
Doflamingo leans to the side and notices the slaughter behind Katakuri.
"Fufufu you really did paint the town red," with the motion of his hand Doflamingo eagerly puppets Katakuri around, like a boy with a new toy.
"Take the girl to the auction house, we could make a good amount for her," Doflamingo ordered a group of subordinates from behind him. Katakuri struggles, attempting to break free from whatever Doflamingo is doing to him. "Don't touch her!" He spews a storm as the group of men take his sister from him again. "Stop! Leave her out of this, I'm the one who wrecked your business."
For once in a long time, he felt impotent.
Doflamingo kept playing with his new puppet. Taking a seat as he watched the Charlotte.
"Did you now? but how does someone as large as yourself sneak into the base undetected?" the flamingo inquires, tapping a finger to his chin. "Unless someone else helped you-? if that's the case, just give me the name and I'll release your sister."
The heavenly demon raised a hand to stop the men from taking Poire.
Katakuri ground his teeth together, his eyes landed on his little sister before closing them shut. "I don't need help, I infiltrated alone with my devil fruit," Katakuri responds, slowly reopening them towards Doflamingo.
Katakuri may be cruel and ruthless towards anyone outside of his family, but he ain't no snitch.
An unsatisfied expression landed on Doflamingo's face. With another wave of his hand, the henchmen took Poire to another cell.
The flamingo paced around the Charlotte. "What to do with you~?" he wonders. "Your impressively strong, if only I had someone to play with," he hums.
Doflamingo wanted a good look at Charlotte's expression, but the sweet commander refused to pay attention to him, not to mention the scarf of his covered his face.
"Fufufu or maybe I can see what you're hiding under that scarf?" he muses.
Doflamingo used his strings to have Katakuri grab the edges of his scarf, attempting to tug it down.
"Oi, don't tell me you started messing around without me?" a feminine voice interrupted the two men.
You strolled inside the base with a laid-back attitude, tucking your hands inside your pockets, the fancy carnival mask on your face striking in contrast to your casual clothing.
Doflamingo pulled his attention from Katakuri and focusing on you with a wide smile.
"Interesting to have you here my dear, I thought you were busy enjoying your vacation hmm?" The flamingo walked around you tentatively, passing a hand on your shoulder and across your back.
Although he couldn't physically move, Katakuri could still feel something stir inside him at the sight of Doflamingo placing his hands on you, huffing in annoyance.
"I couldn't help myself to stop by, there's a reason I enjoy messing with the charlotte. It's fun~" you said with a brief laugh, tracing your eyes over the tall man. "So I came as fast as I could after your call."
"I see..." Dofla looked like he was in thought. Until cracking a wide smile, flicking the tip of his tongue across his lips, continuing to touch you one way or another. Noticing how it made Katakuri's eye tick.
"You came just in time bunny, I was about to entertain myself with the second eldest Charlotte son," Doflamingo maneuvered Katakuri with his hand to show off. "Please, join us. Let's see how resistant the big mom pirates are."
A knife was pulled from Doflamingo's belt, placing it in your hands.
You casually toyed around with the blade, tossing it up in the air to maintain that sense of playfulness you're known for. Gripping the knife's handle in your hand after the final toss. You really didn't want to do this, and you hoped Katakuri could tell with his observation but that would mean Doflamingo would see through your act too.
"Though, please answer me one thing my dear bunny rabbit," Dofla interrupted you all of a sudden, walking up from behind you, holding your waist with one hand. His tone is still eerily playful. "How did you know I was heading to Sabaody hmm? I told you about a job but I didn't tell you where it was."
Shit.
He's right.
Upon noticing your lack of response and your tense body, Doflamingo nuzzled into your hair with a disapointed sigh.
"Ah, so it was you who helped him infiltrate the base?"
You didn't reply.
"Don't fret my dear bunny rabbit~" Doflamingo coos in your ear. Holding you tight while he placed his other hand over yours. He forced Katakuri to kneel on a single knee, guiding the knife in your hand to point directly over his heart. "If you kill the Charlotte here and now I'll forgive this little mishap of yours, we'll go back at being partners and you'll be able to enjoy a seat with the warlords in no time."
It was, figurevly and literally, like having the devil whisper you tentive promises in your ear.
"We had a deal (y/n)!" Katakuri shouts in an angered tone. "You gave me your word!"
You remain hesitant, tightening your hold on the weapon. Doflamingo didn't add in any force on the hand holding yours, but you could feel yourself unconciously digging the tip into Katakuri's flesh.
His skin feels much softer when his devil fruit isn't activated.
"I knew I couldn't trust you," he mutters.
And it hurt.
"My apologies for what i'm about to do..." you lament with all honesty.
However, the apology wasn't directed towards Katakuri.