Chapter Text
Ikkaku had to admit, if she had been told that she'd be helping a marine a week ago, she would have been sceptical. Penguin, Shachi and Ikkaku were running along the streets with Nailing Isuka, the marine who hunted down Ace for years, trying to covert him into a marine. It never worked, but Ikkaku always thought it was amusing how persistent she was. They had used all their healing potions up to recover from their last fight, but Ikkaku still felt every ache in her bones. No doubts Penguin felt the same way, and Shachi's shoulder looked rough, even after stitches and bandages.
“So they kidnapped Cora-san too?” Penguin frowned.
“Yes, but I can't outright blame them without proof,” Isuka sighed. “Fujitora has already said he didn't hear Rosinante when he was in the palace, and that his haki hadn't picked him up either. I'll eat my left boot if it wasn't the Donquixote Family who took Rosinante though.”
“And the reason you're running with us is...?” Ikkaku raised a brow.
“You're working with the Straw Hats,” Isuka said. “Straw Hat already broke in to Impel Down once, and they destroyed Enies Lobby, so I'm quite hopeful that they'll break into the palace too.”
“The beautiful lady has got a point,” Shachi mused.
“Not the time, Shachi!” Ikkaku scolded.
“What? Can you blame me?” Shachi complained.
“She is very pretty!” Penguin agreed.
Isuka blushed.
“Our Captain has been kidnapped and you two are going to just admire a beautiful woman instead?” Ikkaku scowled.
“You're very pretty too-”
“THAT IS NOT THE PROBLEM HERE!”
.::.
Doflamingo bit into this thumb and smeared his blood over the brick wall before him. It glowed white briefly, white lines spreading over the wall, forming into the shape of a heart. The doors formed into the wall, and the heart slowly began to open up, revealing a secret passageway. It was right at the back of the castle gardens, hidden safely among the plants and palm trees. Doflamingo climbed the stairs down as the doors shut behind them, hiding the entrance once more. The stairs spiralled deep underground, right until Doflamingo was stopped by another door.
Law remained asleep against his shoulder, as Doflamingo smeared his bloodied thumb across the door. It did the same as before, a glowing white heart outline spread across the door and it opened up. This time it revealed a chamber. It was a wide, circular room, with pillars that had runes carved into it surface. White lines ran through the walls of the circular room, crossing behind bookcases filled with books and scrolls. Somehow, despite being deep underground, the ceiling still brightened the chamber with sunlight. The floor was covered in grass and flowers ran across the edge of the chamber. Doflamingo smirked and brought Law inside, the door sealing shut behind him. Good, nobody would disturb them.
He laid Law down on the grass right at the centre of the circular room then sat down across from him, leaning against one of the runic pillars, setting his den den mushi beside him. He had told everyone not to disturb him unless it was an emergency, after all, he and Law had a lot to talk about.
.::.
Rosinante didn't like any of this. Doflamingo had taken away Law, and Rosinante couldn't do anything about it, not chained up like this at least. He couldn't even protest with his mouth sewn shut. The bastard. If he hurt Law there would be hell to pay. Doflamingo wouldn't be shown any mercy.
The Suit Chamber was certainly getting busier. Vergo sat across from him now, on a chair, while Monet served him coffee. Baby-5 and Buffalo stood beside Monet too, and it pained Rosinante to see that they were still here. That he hadn't been able to save those two from Doflamingo. The girl from earlier, Riku's granddaughter, Rebecca, stood beside Vergo, watching the projection from the den den mushi of the coliseum match.
“Lucy doesn't have black hair anymore,” Rebecca murmured thoughtfully.
Vergo frowned. “What do you mean?”
“I can see some strands peaking out his helmet. It's blonde hair now,” Rebecca said. “And the scar isn't the same. It's colours are too bright.”
“Now that you have mentioned it...” Vergo scowled. “Then who is that fighting as Lucy in place of Straw Hat?”
Monet smiled warmly. “Your observational skills are as strong as ever, Rebecca.”
Rebecca grinned. “Thanks, Monet.”
“I suppose it doesn't matter either way,” Vergo mused. “Diamante will beat him.” Vergo turned to Riku and his scowl deepened. “And that traitorous Violet will be dealt with too. Doffy might forgive a mischievous child like Law because he's Doffy's witch, but he will not forgive Violet. I will beat her into down into a bloodied mess and then crush her skull beneath my boot for what she has done to Doffy today.”
Damn it all. Rosinante needed to get out of these cuffs! If Doffy hurt his son, Rosinante swore to God, he'd kill him. Mother forgive him, he would actually kill Doflamingo if he harmed Law.
.::.
Law blinked heavily. Everything was quiet. He felt soothed and relaxed, despite the exhaustion nagging at him. Doflamingo was sat on the grass across from him, leaning against some kind of pillar with runes carved into it. A witch's ritual pillar? Law groaned and rubbed his forehead. Shit, it was hard to think. Those sedatives he had been shot with were making his head woozy.
“Do you recognise this room, Law?” Doflamingo asked.
Law pushed himself up to sit with shaky hands. “It makes it harder to do anything when you drug me...” Law complained warily, but eyed the room, his brow furrowing.
It felt... safe? Law frowned at the thought. He could feel his ancestors stirring, their magic fluttering through him. They all recognised this place, as he did too, but Law had never been here before. He knew that for certain.
“Fufufufu, you'll be fine,” Doflamingo said, surprisingly softly. “I just wanted to keep you from fussing for a little while.”
Law frowned. “I've never been here before,” he finally answered. “But I do recognise it...”
Doflamingo smirked. “Of course you would. Do you remember the words 'Witch Sanctuary'?”
Law gasped, flinching. That had sent a jolt of magical energy right through him.
“I thought you would, even subconsciously,” Doflamingo mused. “Long ago when an witch heir was born, they would be born in here, among these stone runes, and they would later on come back here when they were twelve, with their grimoire, then once again in their thirties when they became a head witch. It was apart of their ageing process to become a proper head of their clan, but many of them were lost over the years. They are filled with books your ancestors have gathered over the years, and the runes were said to be able to help enhance any spell that you cast in this room.”
“And you knew it was here?” Law frowned.
“This one, yes.” Doflamingo chuckled. “These sanctuaries have been under certain people's protection for hundreds of years. The Nicos was hidden on Ohara, under the scholar's protection, while your one was hidden here in Dressrosa by the royal family that had ran the kingdom before the Rikus.”
Law tensed. “Your family.”
“Exactly.” Doflamingo smirked “Our connection runs much deeper than you think, Law. Marshall D. Teach once tried to copy this idea by spilling his blood on Portgas D. Ace's grimoire, to take control of him. The Donquixote King and the Trafalgar head of hundreds of years ago bound our blood together with the same technique. This ritual was set out to protect the Trafalgar Sanctuary, only one of us can access this room.”
Law grimaced. “What's the point in telling me this?”
“The point is that we're bound together by blood,” Doflamingo said. “You will always be my witch.”
“As fascinating as this all is, I'm more concerned about what you've done with Rosinante,” Law admitted.
“He's fine. I left him on the heart chair.”
“Isn't that rude to Vergo?” Law grumbled.
“He put Rosinante there.” Doflamingo smirked.
“But you're petty enough to suggest it.”
“Rude,” Doflamingo chuckled. “Fufufufufu, but I brought you in here for more than just a history lesson, Law. You would have known all this had Rosinante not kidnapped you, but still, I suppose now is a better time than any.”
Law tested his chains, but they held him fast and kept draining him of his energy. There was no way he was going to be able to break out of them alone. Law gasped when Doflamingo grabbed his shoulders and pushed him down to lie on the grass, and flinched when the pillars glowed.
What was he doing? How was Doflamingo tapping into the magic in here?
“Your devil fruit-” Doflamingo began.
Law narrowed his eyes. “Let me guess, you want me to give you eternal life?”
“Fufufufu, indeed-”
“That sucks for you then. I'm not killing myself to give it to you,” Law snapped.
Doflamingo smirked. “If you stopped interrupting me, I could tell you, Law.” He raised his hand, and Law frowned and tried to twist his head away, but Doflamingo's hand covered his eyes. “Shh, hush now. Listen.”
A wave of magical energy jolted through Law, and a gasp tore out of him. The darkness of Doflamingo's hand slowly disappeared, and Law found himself standing at a beach instead. Those two from one of his older visions, Levi and Ann, stood before him, at the edge of the beach, talking to a shadowy figure in the ocean.
“So you're creating devil fruits?” Levi chuckled. “How interesting.”
Ann laughed. “That sounds awesome!”
“Yes, but those who consume it will have the sea turn against them,” the shadow said.
“Boo,” Ann complained.
“It makes them less overpowered I suppose,” Levi mused.
“Boo!” Ann continued.
“Oh shut up, Portgas,” Levi scoffed, crossing his arms.
“I want them to be apart of people's hopes and desires. A way for people's dreams to come true!” the shadow continued, they sounded delighted.
“I think it sounds like great fun.” Ann grinned, and all Law could see was Ace for a second. His grin lighting up his face. “Here.” She lit her finger on fire and held it out. “Can you use my fire? I think a fire fruit would be great!”
“Or perhaps some kind of healing fruit?” Levi mused. “It would need to be like an operation room where a doctor could work on people with all types of medical difficulties.”
Ann's face scrunched up. “Sounds so complicated.”
“Just go back to your fire, you cavewoman.”
“Rude! I could do lightning too, or sand, or water-”
“These are such great ideas, you two,” the shadow laughed. “I'm sure Joy Boy will get a kick out of this!”
Levi smirked. “He'll bite the first one he sees.”
“Oh yeah,” Ann laughed.
“I should copyright this as your work,” the shadow chuckled. “The elemental fruits created by Portgas D. Ann, and the Operation Room created by Trafalgar D. Water Levi. Yes! It's perfect!”
The skies darkened and lightning flashed, the ocean waves crashing around behind the shadow figure.
“I can picture it now! A person turning into flames. A room opening up to heal others and treat their pain. Lightning, sand, light, darkness, the possibilities are endless!”
Levi sighed. “Well that's you busy now.”
“When the time comes, I'll deliver them to you both.”
“Huh?” Levi blinked.
Ann beamed. “Really?!”
“But you'll only be allowed to choose one fruit!” the shadow insisted. “You can't have all of them, Ann! I'm only doing this because these amplify your witch clan abilities. Ann will literally become one of her elements with this fruit, while you, Levi, will be able to treat anyone in the world and cure them of anything. No disease will hurt you, nor any injury for long. You can cure them all!”
Law inhaled sharply at the thought.
Amber Lead. The Ope Ope no Mi had cured his Amber Lead Disease.
“I'm in love with this idea already. I should create one for all the witch clans as a tribute to them all. Something to help their magical abilities!” the shadow cheered. “I'm so excited!”
“And immortality?” a voice asked from behind them all.
Law flinched. A wave of comfort and safety wrapped around him, like a warm blanket. All Law could see was another shadow behind him, tall and strong, with red eyes. But Law felt safe. He didn't feel like he was in danger.
“Anyone could do it with this fruit, but the cost will be their life,” the shadow from the ocean said. “Except for the Trafalgar's. I will make it that they can do it once, because it is their devil fruit, and then they cannot access that ability again.”
“Is that something you're interested in, Imu?” Levi asked. “Immortality?”
“I think so.”
Law gasped softly as Doflamingo removed his hand, staring down at him with a thoughtful frown. He could see the Witch Sanctuary again. There was no more beach.
“You saw, didn't you?” Doflamingo said softly, ruffling his hair. “The sea devil and the clan heads made the devil fruits together, or at least some of them. They had specific ones that belonged to each of the clans. Yours was the Ope Ope no Mi.”
Law frowned. “You want me to give you immortality, yet somehow you knew that it wouldn't cost me my life?”
“Back when I was in Mariejois, I was taught quite a bit of this as a child,” Doflamingo revealed. “The knowledge about our connection to the Trafalgar Clan was passed down in a journal, made by the last Donquixote King before me, the one who helped protect this sanctuary for the Trafalgar Clan, and I discovered your devil fruit's connection when I first accessed this sanctuary. Rosinante was too young to learn about it, and didn't get to after our father dragged us out of Mariejois and cast us down to this hell. So I am the only one out of us who knew about all this.”
Doflamingo's face darkened. “It's why you're my witch, Law. I'm the one who knows everything about our history. You're mine.”
Law closed his eyes and rested his head against the grass. Doflamingo was still caressing his hair, but he remained silent too now. Law didn't know what to do about this. This was too much information at once. But he knew one thing. Doflamingo would use Rosinante against him. He would make sure Law had no choice but to perform the eternal operation on him. However, now Law knew his life wouldn't be at risk. If he did this though, he'd be Doflamingo's prisoner forever. Doflamingo would never let him go.
Dammit. He didn't know what to do.