Chapter Text
It was pouring on deck. Thick grey smog smothered the skies overhead, leaking not even an iota of unsullied sunlight. But despite the foreboding climate, the clouds did not threaten a storm on this tranquil mid-day. The tides graced the area with calm and they sailed listlessly on windless, settled seas.
"Captain!" Bepo called. "We should submerge soon. The coming fog is going to hinder our visibility."
Law was no navigator but he could make his own predictions from the moisture in the air. Fog was tricky, its low visibility meant not being able to see any other ships or threats that might emerge until it was too late. It would be best not to remain so vulnerable out in the open seas, but the ship needed to surface once a day to replenish the oxygen, and it was rare to find a patch that wasn't plagued with storms in these parts of the Grand Line, even if it was still raining buckets.
"In a minute. I'll go up and keep a lookout in the meantime." Law headed up outside onto the soggy, empty deck. Within seconds, his feet were drenched. Standing by the railing, he watched the area for enmities, disregarding sight and relying mostly on instinct and hearing. The sea was quiet enough that he'd be able to hear the crashing of waves, even through the showers around him.
It wasn't as though any common enemy would pose a threat, should one show up to challenge them. There were very few who could stand a chance in the face of the infamous Heart Pirates. But Law was ever cautious. There were plenty of those pirates who let their fame get to their head, letting down their guards and ultimately leading themselves to their own demise. Law wouldn't allow that fate to come to his crew. He wasn't as reckless as...
Lowering his gaze to the floorboards, he watched the rainwater pooling around his boots. It was only a chance glimpse that he saw it when he did. With the oncoming fog and heavy rain, he might have missed it had he altered his position in the slightest direction. But he managed to catch it in the corner of his eye.
That straw hat floating on the surface of the sea.
---
"...Not dead."
Law suppressed a scowl, pressing his lips into a thin white line. His hands were busy wiping down the mix of seawater and blood that stained his forearms. "I'd say it was pretty damn close to it. If I hadn't found him when I did, he'd be kissing the seabed right about now."
After the initial resuscitation from drowning, they had to go straight into surgery and perform a blood transfusion. Straw-Hat couldn't utter a word throughout the entire process, he was barely even conscious before the anesthesia kicked in. It was an all too familiar scene.
Now they stood outside the room where Straw-Hat rested. "A - are you alright, Captain?" Shachi asked.
Law felt the sweat running down the back of his neck, but that was nothing unusual after an operation. He felt he had to struggle to focus, but that might've been because of the seawater that Straw-Hat threw up on him. It hadn't shaken Law, who'd worked under worse conditions on his voyages throughout the Grand Line. (The prickle of seawater - it had filled his lungs - vomiting blood and water - there was so much...) "I believe I'm not the one you should be asking."
"But he's pulled through, yeah?" His subordinate said with clear, abundant faith in his captain's abilities.
In all honesty, it was too early to tell. As always, there was never a guarantee when it came to surgery. Law might have been confident to announce Straw-Hat's recovery if it had been as simple as bruises and bleeding, but the seawater had seeped into his wounds and weakened his body's functions. Straw-Hat could have been in the water for hours, and the extent of the damage to the brain was unknown. "I don't know how long his heart stopped for," he admitted without meaning to.
Shachi paled. "Captain..."
Law glanced down the corridor. "What's keeping him alive right now is the ship's life support system and that insatiable will of his to survive. The only thing I can do now is give him antibiotics and hopefully prevent an infection." Hastily throwing away the towel drenched in blood and water, he turned and marched away from the patient's room. "We'll see if the will of D survives soon enough."
---
HEADLINE: STRAW HAT PIRATES GONE MISSING!
Rumored to have been on the trail of Gol D. Roger's lost treasure, ONE PIECE,
the Straw Hat Pirates have disappeared without a trace from the face of the
world. Marines and Pirates alike are on the hunt for any clues as to their
whereabouts, as the members of the Straw-Hats are currently the most...
Setting the newspaper down, Law asked, "Have you been able to contact his crew?"
Penguin shook his head. "It's a dead line. Their Den Den Mushi is most likely damaged."
Law could almost feel angry. Where were the rest of the Straw-Hats when their Captain was left in such a wrecked state? But Law knew how trustworthy the Straw-Hats were, which only meant that a terrible fate must have befallen the crew to leave their Captain knocking on death's door.
"Captain, today's newspaper..."
"I've read it." Law kept his expression stoic. "From what I'm able to gather, the Straw-Hat Pirates were in the midst of their journey when they came across a vital clue about the coordinates of One Piece. Something occurred between then and now, which resulted in the disappearance of the crew, as well as the separation of their Captain. Word got out and now everyone and their mother is out for the Straw-Hat crew and the information they hold."
"Not to mention the Four Emperors...." said Penguin.
"We can't forget about all those pissed off pirates. And yet with the whole world scouring for them, nobody can find anything." Until Law just happened to stumble upon the main man himself. It was too strange to suspect it to be fate's workings. But for the time being, he had to hope the rest of the Straw-Hats were all safe. Their enemies outnumbered their allies, but those affiliated with them were loyal to a fault, and they wouldn't think to betray.
The difficult part came when Straw-Hat woke up.
Shattered ribs or not, his broken physical state would do nothing to stop him once he found out his entire crew was missing. Law was certain the man wouldn't last a day if those wounds reopened. Then again, that was if he ever woke up. He had fallen into a coma right after the operation and it was impossible to tell if he would not just pass away in his sleep. Law kept ever vigilant by his bedside, though he could do nothing more than keep watch and record his condition.
But by some miracle shtick the boy had going for him, it only took a week for him to open his eyes.
Shachi came bursting into the Captain's quarters. "Captain! H - he's awake!"
Law stood up abruptly, wasting no time in marching past his crew member and down the hall in the direction of the patient's room. "How's his condition?"
"Wait, Captain!" He said, slowing Law's hurried pace. "There's a problem."
Law figured that much. "Have the men restrain him if he's kicking up a fuss. He is not to move around for another week at least. If it gets dire, I'll hold him down and chain him to the bed myself."
"That's not it," said Shachi, appearing distressed. "He hasn't moved from the bed because of his injuries...but there's something else. Straw-Hat Luffy...seems to have lost his memories."
The skid of his boots made a deafening sound. Law wheeled around to face down his crew member. "What do you mean by that? Are we talking full-blown amnesia?"
"No...he still knows his name and his hometown. But he doesn't seem to remember anything about the Grand Line...or his crew."
Amnesia wasn't that unusual when dealing with head injuries, Straw-Hat's hair had been matted with blood when they found him, it was only reasonable to deduce that he had suffered a nasty blow. The issue here was how long this shock would last, and whether it was truly temporary or not. For Straw-Hat, no personal fate could be worse than forgetting all about his friends and adventures.
"Were you the only one to speak to him?" Law asked.
Shachi nodded.
Law ordered one passing crew member to guard the patient's room and not to let anyone in or out. "Tell me everything that's been said between the two of you since he woke up," he said, returning to the urgent matter at hand.
"When I walked into the room, he was already awake and he asked me if I was the one who saved him from the whirlpool. I told him that Captain saved his life, and he was safely aboard the ship now. But he seemed surprised, and said thanks even though he didn't know you. I thought it was weird he didn't recognize your name, so I asked him how he felt and what had happened to put him in this state. He replied that his rowboat had gotten caught up in a giant whirlpool right after he departed his village. He said...he was on his way to gather up a crew to head to the Grand Line with...!"
Law's mind processed the information quickly and he knew what had to be done. Nodding in comprehension, he set forth his plan, "Inform the rest of the crew of Straw-Hat's condition, but under no circumstance are they to allow him to discover the reality of his situation. Clear out the newspapers, papers dating anywhere in the past three years, or anything pertaining to the Straw-Hat crew. We need to keep him in the dark about everything's that he's forgotten."
"Uh - yes. B - but just out of curiosity...why, Captain? Wouldn't it be easier to tell him the truth?"
Law scowled. "What do you think would happen if that guy found out he was missing years worth of memories - of all his precious comrades and adventures? Do you think he'd stay put?" He ground his teeth together. "With the entire world hunting for all those dubbed Straw-Hat, he wouldn't last a day in his weakened state. No memories means that he's lost his strength." For the first time since the death of his brother, Straw-Hat Luffy was vulnerable.
But he wasn't alone.
"Then...what are we going to do? Surely we aren't going to help him...? He's our enemy!"
Law's face was stern as he stared down a shrinking Shachi, then he quickly turned away, his expression stony. "That may be true...but I owe that man a debt. As long as I am Captain of this ship, Straw-Hat Luffy is under the Heart Pirates' protection. Is that clear?"
Shachi immediately straightened up. "Y - yes, sir!"
"Good. Now go inform the rest of the crew. I'll be busy for the next hour." Law walked towards the patient's room with a set determination. He didn't save Straw-Hat's life once just to have him die on his watch again. "I have an enemy to attend to."
---
He remembered darkness and the stifling stench of seawater as it engulfed his body and replaced his breaths with liquid; transforming into burning fire that coursed through his veins - unthinkable pain down his spine, his chest, all over. It hurts, it hurts, it hurts. Can't breathe - can't see - can't move - stuck inside this cramped space. Get me OUT. OUT. HELP. He needed help - he was alone. Where was his cre - Ace? Would save him - always saved him when he was hurting, because that's what a big brother did.
What was his name again?
You're such a cry-baby, Luffy!
Oh right.
Tired. Arms felt heavy. Ow.
Thinking was too tiring. Might as well not. Who needs brain power anyways? Maybe should open eyes - ow, ow, too bright. Okay, maybe not. Sun was too bright. But there wasn't any wind.
Lots of beeping though.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
Oh right, he forgot he was inside a ship. What's-his-face with the hat and jumper told him so. He had been saved from that dastardly whirlpool - man's greatest foe - after escaping in a flimsy barrel. In hindsight, that might have been a bad idea. Note to self: do not attempt again. Eh...who was he kidding, he probably would.
"Thanks fer savin me...mister hat-dude," he garbled.
There was no reply.
Opening his eyes, he lifted his head off the pillow and saw a stranger in a funny hat (that was different from the other hat) sitting at the foot of his bed, staring at him with intense eyes.
"...Not dis hat," slurred Luffy, pointing at the stranger. "The other hat. Lez furry. But I like yours better. Not as good as my hat but it'll do. Hey! Where's my hat? Oh, there it is." Luffy looked to the right to find his treasured hat resting on the bedside table.
The stranger in the funny hat arched a brow (Ace sometimes did that when he observed Luffy's antics) but it went back down swiftly, defaulting to an emotionless look Luffy didn't like. The stranger had his elbows resting on his knees with his fingers entwined together, looking awfully cautious in the presence of a bedridden man.
"Morphine's got you feeling woozy," said the stranger suddenly. "Your body will seem sluggish at first, but it should be wearing off right about now, and slowly the pain will start returning. But according to my estimations, something of this caliber shouldn't be too unbearable for you."
Luffy paused for a moment to co-ordinate his blinking. "Uhh...Wha? I don' really get what you're saying...but okay." With his face twisted up in pain, he tried to sit up in his bed at the very least. But even that proved to be impossible when his body's blood seemed to be weighed down with lead. "Ow! Ow! Owww! What's up with my body?!" Did that whirlpool affect him that much?
"I found you half-dead, floating on a piece of wood in the middle of East Blue. I suspect that whirlpool must have sent you flying at a coral reef at great speed to have sustained the damage that you did. My crew member informed me you tried to escape in a barrel just before you lost consciousness." He seemed amused, though he didn't show it. "Clever. That quick decision might just have saved your life."
"Coral? I wouldn't get hurt by something like that!" Luffy spluttered, clearly offended by the very notion.
The stranger grinned crookedly. "I suppose not. But as a Devil-fruit user, you're quite susceptible to damage when fully submerged in the ocean. You nearly died from all the water that entered your body."
Luffy thought he could still taste the prickle of seawater on his tongue. It felt unpleasant and gross. "Ugh...yeah. Hey - wait, how'd you know I'm a Devil-fruit user?"
"Of course I'd figure that much out. I'm the one who operated on you, after all."
"Really? So you saved my life, huh? I really owe you one!" Luffy swiveled his head from side to side to take a good look at the room around him. "You must be the doctor of this Traffy's ship. Hey, now that I think about it, I should get a doctor for my crew too." Luffy squirmed under the blankets, biting his lip to stop himself from cringing in pain. He couldn't understand why it hurt so much to move. "Sorry, but I can't stay lying around like this. I've got a dream I've been waiting too long for. My name's Monkey D. Luffy, and I'm going to become the Pirate King!"
The stranger stared, unfazed as he idly spun Luffy's straw hat on his finger. He had taken it from the bedside table without even moving; how did he manage that? Magic? "Moving will not be required for what I'll be needing from you next, East-Blue man. Listen here closely, do you know where you are right now?"
"A pirate ship."
"My name's Trafalgar Law, and I'm the Captain of the Heart Pirates. We picked you up on our travels and kept you alive here for over a week."
"A week?!" Luffy jolted upwards, then immediately regretted it afterwards when searing pain shot through his entire body. "Dammit, I can't believe I wasted so much time lying around like a vegetable. I've gotta hurry up and get to the Grand Line!"
"We're already there."
Luffy stared blankly. "Huh?"
"This ship is sailing in the waters of the Grand Line as we speak."
Luffy almost couldn't believe what he had just heard. "Wha - you're kidding, right? Oh hell no! You gotta take me back!" He demanded. There was no point in sailing the Grand Line if he didn't get there on his own efforts.
"And why should I do that? You're in no position to order me around." Law spoke coldly, emotion dead in his eyes. "You'll find that on this ship, your demands are as good as they would be in the ocean's abyss, that is to say - it amounts to nothing. Of course, if you'd rather take your chances with the ocean, I can arrange that." Despite being Luffy's saviour, there was no sympathy in this man's eyes.
"Just hear me out -"
Law cut him off. "Do not get ahead of yourself, East-Blue man. I think you're forgetting the fact that you're aboard a pirate ship. While I am the Captain of this ship, you are just an outsider, thus my words are the only ones that matter. Right now, my words to you are - I refuse to let you leave."
Luffy grit his teeth. "Damn, you're stubborn...! Even if you did save my life..." He huffed. "Fine. If you can't take me back, then at least drop me off at the nearest island. I can get back by myself. I wonder if I can get a ship there to sail back to East Blue...would I be alright in a rowboat again? Ooh, maybe I'll find a crew member!"
Law's stern voice snapped him out of his ramblings. "I believe you're severely misunderstanding your position. You see, I'm not so inclined to let you go after I worked so hard to save you. There'll be a need of compensation from you, as it's only fair trade."
"Oh. Right! I guess I kind of am in your debt..." Luffy hummed as he contemplated his situation, weighing out his urgency and the apparent need for compensation. "Okay! I'll owe you one. I can't really afford to lose any more time right now, so I promise to pay you back - whatever you need - in the future. Pinky promise."
"No," Law refused flat out.
Luffy was getting really frustrated now; air was blowing visibly from his flared nostrils. "I said pinky promise! For real! You can trust me. I'm not a man who goes back on his word."
"In this world we live in, a man has no use for words."
Luffy held up an index finger, using every ounce of his strength just to do so. "One week. That's as long as I'm willing to stay. If you've got a favour you want from me, it'll have to be within that time." He didn't think he could move at the moment anyways, even if he wanted to.
Law rose from his seat at the end of the bed to hover over Luffy's bedridden body, placing one hand on the mattress to support himself. "You're still not understanding clearly enough, so let me get this through your thick skull. You, East-Blue man, are currently my prisoner. You make no demands from me, you do not try to negotiate with me, and until I see fit to free you, you'll be remaining under my command for the rest of your meagerly life." With his other hand, he began playing idly with the IV tube attached to the patient's arm. "Whether I wish to dispose of you or sell you, your fate belongs in my hands now."
Luffy was utterly gobsmacked by this declaration. He quickly forgot all feelings of gratitude and displayed as much defiance as he could on his weakened face. "Not happening! I absolutely refuse to be your prisoner!" Luffy stuck out his tongue and started thrashing feebly under the sheets, trying to land a blow on Law, but his body was sucked of all his strength. He growled in frustration. If only he wasn't in this state, he could easily fight his way out of the ship. "It's not fair!" He yelled.
"Not fair?" Law's eyes narrowed. "That's classic thinking from a naive newbie like you. I am your enemy, never forget it or doubt it, I have no obligations towards you. If you were unprepared for the risk, maybe you shouldn't have left home too early. The strong survive and don't get to choose their fate, East-Blue man, that's the law of this world. The moment I saved your life, it was forfeited to me."
"I HAVE A PROMISE TO KEEP!" Luffy cried hoarsely. "I'M GOING TO BE KING OF THE PIRATES! I AIN'T GIVING ANY BIT OF MY LIFE TO YOU."
Law gazed down darkly at the lone pirate. Slowly, efficiently, he raised his hand and muttered, "Room." With that spoken move, the space around them changed to a darker shade of colour.
One moment, Luffy was looking up at Law's open outstretched hand; then in the blink of an eye, a translucent block encasing a red, still-beating organ appeared at his fingertips.
Luffy couldn't hold back his strangled gasp - half from surprise and half from the tormenting pain burning through his body. "Is that a heart...?"
"That's correct. Your heart, to be more exact." He tossed the organ up in the air and caught it again like a baseball. "You said you weren't giving any bit of your life, but with this in my possession, you've already given up all of it to me. See here -"
Law squeezed the heart and Luffy, reacting as if it were his own, bucked up with a strangled, agonizing cry.
It was only until Law let up his grip on the cubed heart that his pain started to subside. "That was just a demonstration of what would happen, in case you had any ideas of escaping from this ship on your own."
Luffy was too busy choking on his own saliva to give a proper retort, but his eyes displayed all the anger he felt.
"I recommend you don't do anything rash," he said, reading Luffy's thoughts. "With my powers, I can easily keep you alive and immobilized for the remainder of your life. You're still young, so choose wisely and don't attempt anything too foolish, or I may be taking away your legs next." Law stared coldly at the unfaltering defiance from his injured prisoner.
Even when immobilized and wrapped in blood-stained bandages with drool dribbling down his chin, Luffy continued to radiate a most intimidating presence.
Pocketing Luffy's straw hat and heart - his two most valuable possessions, Law towered over him with complete domination. "From this day forth, you'll be a member the Heart Pirates. I suggest you get used to the idea of submitting to another pirate, East-Blue man. As long as I'm around, your freedom no longer exists."