|| Broken Promises! Enter, Sengoku-san! ||
Law woke up that next morning to the smell of smoldering kindle and the sound of soft snoring. As he sat up, he noticed the fire had died, leaving behind a pile of ash.
He looked around for Daisuke before settling on his figure at the entrance of the cave. His words still lingered in Law's mind.
Daisuke and Corazon were the only people left in the world who cared about him. Hell, they've cried over him. But now, Corazon was gone. Law was terrified of the thought of Daisuke leaving him too.
"Daiko-ya?" Law called to the older boy who was leaning against the side of the entrance to the cave, although he got no response. "Oi, Daiko-ya!"
Still nothing. A worried lump punched its way into Law's throat as he walked up to Daisuke, the said male's sweatshirt in his hands.
As he approached Daisuke's form, he relaxed when he realised Daisuke was just asleep.
A soft smile appeared on Law's face as he slowly shook Daisuke's shoulder, effectively waking the older boy up. "H-Huh? Oh, Law. Is it morning already?" Daisuke wondered with a yawn.
Law nodded, holding out the black and red sweatshirt to its rightful owner. "H-Here, Daiko-ya. Th... th-thank you for letting me use it last night."
Daisuke's face formed a warm, bright smile. "You're welcome, Law. Were you warm enough last night?"
Law nodded, his cheeks subconsciously turning a light shade of pink. He didn't know why, but they did.
Suddenly, his flustered state was interrupted by the sound of his stomach rumbling, making Daisuke burst out laughing. "Hahaha! Someone's hungry, eh?"
Law's cheeks turned an even darker shade of red as he avoided eye contact with Daisuke. "S-Shut up, Daiko-ya! Y-You're probably hungry too!"
Daisuke chuckled, nodding, as his own stomach growled as well. "Ah, it appears that I am," he stood up, pulling his sweatshirt over his head, "let's go see what we can find."
Law nodded, and then they were off to hunt.
────𖤐────
Daisuke had gotten used to only having one eye. He came to terms that he was never going to be able to see out of his left eye ever again, so he became much more aware of everything around him.
For the past week, the two of them have been living off whatever they could catch, rather it'd be fish, wild boar, or the occasional rare deer.
Daisuke was low to the ground, his knife in his hand. His senses were at their prime, and thanks to the Uroko Uroko no Mi, he didn't have to strain much energy to keep his awareness up.
Law was nearby, armed with a small scalpel he kept in the small pouch on his waist. Daisuke didn't know where he found the scalpel, but he didn't ask questions.
Most people ask him where the hell he keeps his knives, since he seems to have an endless supply of them, so he didn't bother.
Suddenly, they heard a twig snap, making both boys tense up. The sound was close, right next to them, actually.
Law and Daisuke locked eyes, Daisuke gesturing to Law to keep quiet as he brought his finger to his lips. Law gave a nod as he stood still, completely silent, as Daisuke slowly approached the direction of the noise.
Suddenly, a wild boar appeared out of nowhere from the brush, ramming its body into Daisuke. Daisuke let out a grunt, the wind getting knocked out of him as the boar took him to the ground.
The boar squealed, running right past Law as if it was running away from something. The boars on this island were some of the most dangerous creatues, and the thought of something being able to scare the living shit out of one made Law uneasy.
Law was instantly brought back into reality when he heard Daisuke start coughing hard. Looking over, he saw Daisuke on his knees, holding his gut as he coughed up blood.
"Daiko-ya!" Law barked, quickly rushing over to Daisuke's side. "I-I'm... I'm fine, L-Law," Daisuke huffed out a pained breath as he felt blood spill from his mouth, "I was j-just caught off guard..."
The boar had rammed its head straight into Daisuke's chest, effectively reversing all the healing his broken ribs had done in the span of a week, most likely breaking a few more.
The pieces of bone were lodged into Daisuke's lungs, making breathing feel as if someone was trying to scrape their way out of his heaving body.
"T-That's a lie!" Law croaked, "You're lying!"
Daisuke shakily looked up at Law with a wide eye. He... he did know...
"Law... I'm sorry. I didn't want to worry you." Daisuke exhaled sharply, forcing his body up against a nearby tree.
"But I could've helped you! I'm a doctor! I ate the Ope Ope no Mi!" Law protested, his worry and fear clearly visible on his features as he crouched down next to Daisuke's weakened form that was propped up against the tree.
Daisuke painfully chuckled, both arms tightly wrapped around his gut. "Law... do you even know how to use the Ope Ope no Mi?"
His question caught Law off guard. Daisuke was right, however. Law had no clue how to use the Devil Fruit Corazon made him eat. He didn't know what to do with it.
Both Daisuke and Corazon had said the fruit needed medical knowledge to be used properly, but Law didn't know where to start.
Daisuke easily read Law's expression. "See? Law... you knew I was suffering. So, you must know why I kept it from you."
Law noticed Daisuke's skin had paled significantly. He noticed how careful Daisuke had became, and he noticed the coughing fits and the painful nights Daisuke kept from him.
"Why? Why would you do something like that?! Why did you keep it from me, Daiko-ya?!" Law felt tears in his eyes now. His worst fear was coming true. N
Daisuke... was leaving him.
Daisuke smiled, placing his hand on the boy's head. "Law, sometimes things happen because that's what's supposed to happen. I'm sorry that I couldn't fulfill my promise to you. I'm sorry we couldn't see the world. I'm sorry that there's nothing you can do."
"S-Stop talking like that! I-I'll go get help! The Navy hasn't left this island, yet! I'll... I-I'll..."
"No, Law. I don't want you anywhere near the Navy. Do you understand me?" Daisuke's tone suddenly darkened, making Law meet the older boy's eye.
"B-But... you'll die..." Law began, but he couldn't bring himself to continue.
"You're in trouble, Law. You may have eaten the Ope Ope no Mi, but you're still sick. The Navy were the ones who destroyed Flevance, killing anyone who had the White Lead Syndrome. You ate the Ope Ope no Mi, the Devil Fruit worth five billion Berí. I... I don't know what the Navy will do to you if they found out. We can't go to a hospital either, even if there was one on this shitty island." Daisuke explained, lowering his hand from Law's head.
"I don't care about my life being in danger when you're the one dying, Daiko-ya!" Law barked, tears falling from his eyes now.
"But I do, dammit! Cora-san gave his life so we could live! So you could live! I'm not going to die here, Law, I swear. But I don't want you throwing away your life for me!"
Law froze at Daisuke's words, utterly speechless. "B-But—"
"No! No buts, or ifs, or anything!" Daisuke snapped back.
Law opened his mouth to say something, but a voice cut him off. A voice that wasn't Daisuke's, "Are you sure the forest isn't just getting to you?" It said.
Both boys snapped their heads in the direction of the voice. It was a male's. "I'm sure! There was a voice over here!" A second voice said back.
"Shit, it's the Navy. Law, you have to go. Promise me you'll be safe." Daisuke said, looking back at Law, hoping to meet his silver eyes at least once more.
Law was petrified. Everything bad that could be happening was happening. "Law! Law!! Promise me, please!"
Law slowly looker over to Daisuke, the said boy's eye softening after meeting his gaze. "Everything's going to be okay. I swear. You still have my Vivre Card, don't you?"
"You mean your magical paper compass, Daiko-ya?" Law sourly joked. Daisuke laughed, "Yes, that. Do you remember what I told you about it?"
Law thought for a moment. "No matter where in the world we are, if we were ever separated, the Vivre Card would lead me back to you?" He recited.
Daisuke nodded. "Good. You remember. That scrap of paper will be the key to us meeting again one day. One day where we're strong enough that not even some stupid disease can stop us."
Law began shaking. "I... I can't leave, Daiko-ya. I can't lose you... I—" he was cut off by Naon pulling him into a hug.
"You're not going to lose me. This ain't goodbye. This is just... temporary separation."
Law blinked before embracing Daisuke back. Temporary separation?
"You have to leave, Law. The Navy will be here any second." Daisuke said, reluctantly letting Law go, although Law didn't move.
"But... Daiko-ya..." Daisuke brushed away a tear from Law's silver eyes as Law reluctantly pulled away. His eyes could rival the steel-coloured marvel of the moon.
"No buts, Law. Just remember that I love you. And, when I'm fine, I'll come find you. We'll be together again, and we'll finally travel the world just like Cora-san wanted. All you have to do now is run."
The snow had begun to fall again. It was a small flurry, but it would eventually pick up once more. "Goodbye for now, Law. Run."
Law quickly hugged Daisuke one final time, Daisuke not hesitating to hug the young boy back. Then, he ran. He moved past brush, twings, branches, anything in his way he effortlessly dodged as he kept on running.
Never looking back.
Goodbye, Daiko-ya... I love you too...
────𖤐────
A group of marines stood in the middle of a surprisingly dense forest. They were waiting for the Navy Fleet Admiral, Sengoku, to regroup with them.
The group of four marines were a bit confused when they were told to wait for Sengoku. He is the Fleet Admiral, the head of the Navy.
What had peeked his interest that inclined him to want to come to Minion Island?
"Sengoku-sama! Is everything okay?" A soldier asked once Sengoku arrived at the group. The snow had been falling for around ten minutes now, but it meant there was a snowstorm on the way.
"Hmm... yes, sorry to have kept you waiting." Sengoku hummed, stroking his chin in brief thought.
Minion Island was covered in multiple large forests that took up most of the island. The only sign of previous settlement was a ghost town that had just recently been home to the Barrels Pirates. But the Barrels Pirates were massacred, along with the destruction of their hideout.
The Barrels Pirates somehow had got their hands on the Ope Ope no Mi. The World Government was willing to pay five billion Berí for just a simple Devil Fruit, but something went wrong. The Donquixote Family found out about the exchange, and then the Devil Fruit went missing.
Then, Donquixote Rosinante, codename: Corazon, was shot dead. He was like a son to Sengoku, and Sengoku trusted him enough to go undercover in the Family to find a way to stop his older brother, the head of the Family, Donquixote Doflamingo.
Then Rosinante met to boys. He told Sengoku about them, and how he wanted to save the one suffering from the White Lead Syndrome with help from the boy who was a survivour of the massacre of Demounereach, the island that was under the control of Yengin Kasai.
When Sengoku got the report, and the picture, of Rosinante's death, he broke down into tears, a million scenarios playing in his head on why he lied to him. The only time Rosinante ever lied to Sengoku.
It cost him his life, the Ope Ope no Mi, and the whereabouts of the two boys.
"Sengoku-sama, what are your orders?" The voice of a black-haired marine brought Sengoku back to reality.
He met the soldier's green eyes before looking around the forest they were in, then he settled on one soldier in particular.
He was tense, hands tightly gripped around his musket, staring off into the brush. "Is everything alright, soldier?" Sengoku asked the marine, making his presence known to the tense soldier by gingerly placing his hand on his shoulder.
The soldier jumped slightly before meeting Sengoku's eyes. "H-Huh? Oh, sorry, Sengoku-san..." the soldier mused, looking back to where he was previously staring off.
"Don't mind Harugima, Sengoku-sama," another marine said, bringing Sengoku's attention over, "this whole situation's finally getting to him. I mean, we have been on this island for a week strait. He's been claiming to hear voices all afternoon."
Sengoku narrowed his eyes in the direction the tense marine, Harugima apparently, was still staring in.
"Voices, you say?"
Harugima nodded. "O-Over there, Sengoku-san. It sounded like—" he was cut off by the brush shaking, indicating something was behind it.
In an instant, the other marines were by Sengoku and Harugima's sides, muskets aimed at the brush. Harugima copied their actions, pulling the pick of his musket back to cock it.
Nobody made a sound as a figure stumbled out of the brush, falling to the snowy ground in a painful, bloody coughing fit.
Suddenly, the figure tensed, instantly aware of Sengoku and the soldiers' presences. As the figure lifted their head up, Sengoku's eyes widened at what he saw.
The figure... was a boy, no older than fifteen. Dried blood, bruises, scrapes, and cuts covered his body with blood present on his chin from his coughing fit.
His hair was a dark raven colour, and his skin was unnaturally pale, most likely from blood loss. He wore black, ripped jeans, and a black and red sweatshirt with a messy white t-shirt under it and he had a long red scarf that fell over his shoulder.
He had some sort of bloodied makeshift bandage covering his left eye, making his right eye visibly stick out. The deep blue colour of his eye looked incredibly vibrant against his pale skin.
"T-The Navy? F-Fuck, I didn't want to—" he cut himself off by wincing, grabbing his right leg, which Sengoku noticed was bleeding, even through the dark colour of the boy's jeans.
His wrist looked broken, judged by the massive purple, bruise-like colour that it had.
Sengoku signaled to the marines to lower their weapons, which they did. He then slowly walked up to the young boy, kneeling down to him.
"What is a young child like you doing in a place like this? Especially in a state like yours?" Sengoku wondered.
There was something about this boy he couldn't put his finger on. His appearance looked... so similar... like someone had described it to him before. But... who?
The boy weakly glared up at Sengoku, his eye full of rage, pain, hate, and... guilt.
"W-Why should I tell you? Y-You're marines, ain't ya? Well, you're too bloody late!"
"Too late, you say?"
The boy looked to the ground, his body beginning to violently shake. "The... the Ope Ope no Mi is gone! You can't have it!" His voice cracked as he tried to hold back the tears that clawed in his throat.
"Your anger towards us isn't because of a Devil Fruit, is it, boy?"
The boy's eye widened as his head shot up to Sengoku. He definitely wasn't expecting to see right through him.
"Y-You're... you're too late. I-If you would've come sooner then... then... then Cora-san would still be alive!"
Sengoku froze as the marines looked at each other with pity towards the boy. True, they didn't know who Corazon, or well, Rosinante was, but it didn't take a genius to figure out that this "Cora-san" meant a lot to this boy.
But Sengoku knew. And it clicked as to why this boy was so familiar. He was one of the boys Rosinante had described to him about two years ago.
The boy had began to cry, although it was mostly weak whimpers as tears fell from his eyes and on to the snow.
Sengoku quickly regained his composure. He had questions to ask this boy, but in his current state, he looked like he would drop dead any second.
"Soldier," Sengoku called to Harugima, the soldier instinctively going into a salute.
"Yes, Sengoku-sama?"
"Call Tsuru-chan. And tell her we need the medical crew. We have a severely injured person with us."
"Yes, sir!" Harugima then pulled out his baby Den Den Mushi and called Tsuru just like Sengoku had asked.
"W-What are you doing, old man?" The boy hissed out in both pain and anger, "I don't need your help!"
"But you do," Sengoku was quick to shut the boy down. He knew that the boy would not listen to reason, so maybe Sengoku could at least let him feel at ease so he could get treated.
"If Rosinante was still alive, he would kill me if he found out I left you to die here, Boy." Sengoku said, making the boy's eye widen again.
"Y-You... you knew... Cora-san...?" His voice was starting to get weaker, and his eye was beginning to close. It wouldn't be long before the boy's many wounds finally knocked him out.
"Yes. You could say... he was like a son to me." Sengoku said lowly as the marines stepped into a guard to keep watch for hostility as Tsuru and the medical team made their way over.
"But... he's... gone... Law..." with a painful, shaky breath, the boy finally collapsed, but Sengoku caught him before he hit the ground.
Resting the boy's body in his lap, Sengoku watched as he slept peacefully, quietly muttering to himself about something or someone Sengoku couldn't make out.
"Rosinante... this is one of those boys you told me about, isn't he? Then... I will watch over him for you. As my way of saying sorry... and that I forgive you."
Sengoku then sat down, waiting for Tsuru and the medical team to arrive. But, he swore he felt some sort of presence smile at him. Not in an evil way but in a... grateful one...?