Chapter Text
Law's first response upon surfacing at the yet unnamed winter island was to order Bepo to turn around and go to the next one. Unfortunately the log pose had already begun resetting and they were stuck here until it decided where they were headed next.
The Strawhat’s jolly roger mocked him from where the Sunny was docked at the single small port this island seemed to have. He cursed fate and then himself for good measure. Of course those buffoons would be here, now his whole mission was in jeopardy.
He had been tracking down a shadowy offshoot of one of Doflamingo's sub organizations. This wouldn’t be the final destination, he was sure, only one island in a long chain of breadcrumbs. The only reason he had managed to get so close is that they didn't know he was hunting them. With the Strawhats here all attempts at subtlety would be out the window.
He ordered Bepo to bring them around the side of the island and settle the Tang amongst the weeds of a shadowed bay with only the very top poking out of the sea. He needed to keep the bandits unaware of his presence, and the only way to do that was to also stay hidden from the Strawhats.
The only problem of hiding like this was the icy waters crashing against the rock strewn shore would be impossible to approach in any of the skiffs. Unless they wanted to draw attention to themselves by approaching the island in a giant yellow submarine they had very few options for going ashore.
“Bepo!” He called as he walked out of the helm towards the store room where they kept their funds
“Y-yes captain?” Bepo called back as he scurried after Law.
“How long until the log pose sets?” Law asked
Bepo fiddled with it for a moment as Law shambled some bellies into a sack. Finally he found what he was looking for and said “A f-few hours, I think.”
Bepo seemed to struggle for a moment and then hesitantly added on “Sorry”
Law flicked his nose for the needless apology and strode over to the port hole. Bepo was quick to follow him up.
Law glared at the island before him as though the inconvenience it posed him was its own fault rather than that of some great cosmic joke he had yet to be let in on.
“Now, how the fuck are we going to get to shore?” Law pondered aloud. He ran his fingers through the thick fur of his hat, savoring the warmth it put off.
“You know, Captain...” Shachi said as he pulled himself up onto the quickly becoming overcrowded deck “I bet Bepo here could swim that easily.”
Law eyed the distance to shore and had to begrudgingly agree that the polar bear could indeed swim that pretty easily. As for how he would survive it, Law sent a withering glare at Shachi, only to feel it curdle on his face as Penguin stuck his head out the port with a matching conspiratorial grin on his face.
Penguin stumbled over Shachi’s boot as he stood up. He righted himself and slung an arm over one of Law’s shoulders. He glanced at the frozen island and then between him and Bepo before saying “And hey, if you two lost the boiler suit and attitude you would even blend right in round here.”
Law shoved the arm off his shoulder and curled his lip in distaste “Well that would get us to shore. But how would you suggest we resupply and track down that hideout?”
Shachi shrugged and said “It’s a small island, I bet it wouldn't take you two too long to traverse it. I don't see the problem.”
“I'm not taking off my clothes!” Bepo wailed.
Law sagged in relief, Bepo had provided him the perfect alibi.
Right as he was about to chime in to support him, Shachi beat him to the punch and shouted “Oh come on, you have fur!”
Bepo looked aghast. He used a claw to point at a tuft of red hair sticking out of Shachi’s cap and said “ So do you! And you don't see me asking you to run around naked.”
Shachi yanked his leathery hat further down over his hair and yelled “You were just fine hanging out in your birthday suit last week!”
“That was in the tropics, plus it was just you guys. This is different…” Bepo mumbled
Law was about to step in and put a stop to the conversation when Bepo suddenly stood up straight and almost confidently said “You know what? You're right. This mission is too important to sacrifice for a little dignity. I should have seen that sooner, I'm sorry.”
Law paused with his mouth slightly ajar. He snapped it shut when three pairs of eyes turned to him. He grit his teeth under their weight. This idea was half-baked and stupid but it at least had a chance at working. And if shy, anxious Bepo was able to overcome his bashfulness for Law’s mission, what sort of a captain would he be if he was unwilling to do the same?
Law nodded at them sharply and then settled his glare on Penguin “Fine, we’ll do it. But if this goes wrong and even a single one of those scumbags escapes I’m skinning the pair of you and making a new rug for the kitchen.
Penguin’s beady eyes flickered briefly to Shachi before he nervously replied “Aye capt’n.”
Law shrugged his coat off his shoulders and chucked it at Shachi’s face before bending down to yank off his boots. Normally he wouldn’t bother, but if they were going to be out for any extended period of time he would rather not be itchy as fuck.
He dropped his heavy boots down the hatch, relishing in the yelp of one his crewmates too slow to get out of the way, and thrust his Kikoku into Penguin's arms. His jeans would stay, fortunately they were slim and well worn so they shouldn’t be too uncomfortable. He did take a second to pat them down though, to make sure he didn't have anything left in his pockets.
Law stood up just in time to catch sight of a large blur of white fur dumping its orange boiler suit and shoes onto Shachi and then leaping off the side of the Tang to avoid being seen. It was moot though, as Law could just glance over the rail and see the enormous polar bear paddling around below.
He pulled his hat from his head and snapped it sharply into his palm in order to break whatever sea magic fuckery let a fully grown seal skin be tucked up into a completely ordinary, albeit abnormally fuzzy, billed cap.
His pelt unfurled its full length as he pulled it around his shoulders. It tumbled down around to his calves and cut the harsh wind nicely. He took a second to drag a finger across his throat while making eye contact with Shachi and then clamped the sack of bellies in his teeth before tossing up his hood.
He felt a shiver go over him and then a sensation as though he was being squeezed from all sides before he flopped down onto the deck as a small and utterly rotund spotted seal. The only thing that prevented him from snapping at Shachi’s ankles as he scooted by was the fact that he would have to drop the money in order to do so.
He slipped under the rail and plunged down into the ocean. Just like anybody else who had ever eaten a devil fruit he had been robbed of his ability to swim, even when he was seal. However unlike most other devil fruit users he could hold his breath for ages and his thick layer of blubber meant that sooner or later he would bob up to the surface. He still couldn't swim, and would be a nice snack for any passing sharks, but at least he wasn’t at risk of drowning.
He broke the surface and sucked in a small breath through his nose before a wave crashed over his head and sent him tumbling down below. Before he could bob up again he felt a slight pinch on the back of his neck as Bepo grabbed him by the scruff.
It was embarrassing to be carried around like a disobedient pup, but after much experimentation they had found that it truly was the most efficient way to carry him around in the water. His thick layer of blubber and tough pelt meant that it didn’t hurt him at all.
It took a few minutes for them to make it to the rocky shore. Bepo had to try a couple different approaches before he found a rock that was large enough for him to pull them both out.
Bepo dropped him and shook off the water in his fur before dropping down onto all fours. After taking a moment to wipe the bashful look off his face and adopt something more suited to a wild animal, Bepo was indistinguishable from any other polar bear.
Law dropped the money sack and said “let's resupply first. We can head inland to track down the smugglers later.”
“Alright, captain. But how are we gonna go into town like this?” Bepo asked nervously
“I’ll just take off my pelt and slip in real quick. If I'm fast enough I doubt anybody will notice me.” Law replied, already flopping his way up the shore in the direction he remembered the port being.
“O-ok.” Bepo replied.
Law could hear him trundling after him and barley managed to reach the money sack to snag it before Bepo caught up and picked him up by the scruff again. Law dangled indignantly with his rear flippers dragging in the snow.
It didn't take long to get into range of the town. As soon as it came into view Law bade Bepo stop and they huddled behind some trees to get a covert look at the place. The Thousand Sunny was dark and quiet from what he could see. It didn’t surprise him, it was still early morning so they were likely just rousing.
Once he was reasonably sure the coast was clear he shimmied out of his pelt and dashed the short way into town. The snow was cold under his bare feet, but as a selkie he ran warm enough that it was tolerable for a short period of time.
He got a few odd looks for wearing nothing but a pair of pants and cloak in the middle of winter but in the end he managed to get all the provisions they needed and make it back to Bepo without running into any trouble.
On the way back, Law rode on Bepo’s back with the sack of supplies clamped in the polar bear's mouth instead. It was bumpy and unwieldy and he slipped off many times but eventually they made it back to the cove the Tang was hidden in to stash the supplies under a fallen tree to be retrieved later.
Now it was time to hunt the vermin that thought they would be able to get away with working for Doflamingo in a past life. It took them multiple hours scouring the icy slopes to find the hideout. But when they finally did it was easy enough to take out. They didn't even have to break character as wild animals. Bepo simply mauled the lone lookout with his claws.
They snooped around for a bit, it didn't seem like anybody else was there but they did find signs of multiple people habitating the place so they would have to be quick. Law found information confirming the main group had indeed headed to the next island in the chain and mention of a few more names for him to add to his shitlist.
As soon as they had what they were looking for they headed out back to the Tang. The sooner they got off this Strawhat infested island the better. They managed to get most of the way down the mountain and were within spitting distance of the Tang when trouble finally caught up to them.
“Oh no!” A familiar high pitch voice cried. “Nami look! That polar bear is trying to eat that poor little seal!”
Bepo froze. Law felt a shudder of dread go down his spine as he looked in the direction of the voice. Standing there swaddled in winter coats were three strawhats. The speaker, Chopper, along with Nami and Zoro.
“Bepo, run!” Law hissed under his breath.
Bepo immediately turned and fled back up the mountain. Hopefully his white fur would let him blend in with the snow and they would be able to lose them. In an instant Zoro appeared in front of them with one sword drawn partially from a sheath.
“Oi witch!” Zoro called, “You think that captain would want me to catch ‘em for dinner?”
Bepo started trembling. Law slapped his snout with a flipper to try and get him to stop and act more like a normal polar bear. Bepo must have gotten the message because he let out a small growl that sounded painfully meek to Law’s ears.
Chopper ran around to stand next to Zoro panting a little from having to slog through the snow and cooed “Poor thing, it looks terrified”
Law thought he was referring to Bepo, who was still trembling in terror, but after seeing the angle of his gaze Law realized Chopper was in fact referring to him. How embarrassing.
He cracked his neck, and squirmed around until Bepo dropped him. He was a warlord of the sea, he had beaten Doflamingo at his own game and ripped the hearts out of hundreds of pirates with his bare hands. He could deal with a trio of Strawhats.
He shared a look with Bepo hoping he would catch on and then barked at him to move. Then he scrambled off back down the mountain. His slick fur allowed him to pick up speed. He made sure to leap up and slap Nami in the face with a flipper as he slipped by to encourage them to chase him rather than Bepo.
Her howl of rage behind him made him think he had succeeded. He couldn’t keep the grin off his face as he veered off the path into a steeper slope covered in trees. It was all he could do to keep from slamming into any of them.
He heard the trio of footsteps slowly fall behind and began to slow down thinking he was in the clear. It was only because of this lax in awareness that he failed to see the drop right in front of him before he went barreling over it.
Time seemed to slow as he hung in the air. In front of him was a thick tree that he would surely crash into, beneath him was a wide awestruck grin of a certain rubbery idiot that Law had been hellbent on avoiding.
He was so preoccupied panicking as he made eye contact with Strawhat that he didn’t even remember to use Haki before he slammed face first into the trunk and flopped to the ground in a boneless heap.