x
Everything went black. Rena had fainted from the poison coursing through her veins, for the second time. She felt herself floating in darkness, swimming in nothingness like before. Just as she was about to surrender to the void, a memory began to play.
“Serena… I…”
No. Please, not this memory. She pleaded with her own mind to stop. She didn’t want to remember this. Not this memory.
“…I love you,” he whispered as he leaned in, leaving a chaste kiss on her stunned lips.
“I…” she tried to speak, but the words wouldn’t come out. He covered her lips with one of his fingers.
“No, please,” he said as his own tears started to fall. “I… I don’t want you to say anything. It’d make it hard for me to leave, and if I don’t… I have to do this… to protect you. So please, wait till I come back.” He quickly stood up and wiped the tears from his cheeks.
“Come on, let’s get you home before your grandma comes for my head,” he chuckled as he reached his hand down to help Rena up, but she didn’t take it.
“I… I want to stay here for a while. Just… just go…” she said as tears began to fall.
“Ree…”
“Just go, Clark. Please,” she pleaded, turning her face to the lake.
He pulled his hand back and turned to go to the house.
Clark took a few steps away from her before he turned his head back, “Three years. I promise I’ll be back.” And then he walked away.
Rena couldn’t stop the tears from falling. That was the last thing she heard her childhood friend, her first love, say to her. He left that same night, and she didn’t see him again. He said he would be back after graduation, but he didn’t come back. She waited for him, but he never showed up. He must have forgotten about her when he left.
Rena sat up, wiping the tears from her cheeks. Looking around, she realized she was in the infirmary of Sy’s lab. She looked over towards Law, who was sitting there with his arms crossed and a frown on his face. An idea popped into Rena’s head.
“Who are you?” she asked. Law’s eyes went wide in shock until Rena started to giggle.
Law relaxed a little, but the frown came back to his face. “Not funny, Rena-ya.”
“Oh come on, lighten up a little, will ya? Your frowning face isn’t cute,” Rena giggled.
“I’m not here to be cute,” Law groaned.
“Right, right.” Rena said as her face then turned serious. “Law…”
“Hmm?” Law was a little surprised she called him by his name instead of ‘Doc’. She had seemed to only call him that nickname since her memories came back along with her personality.
“It’s Sy. Something is off,” she said, looking up to meet his stare. “I know for a fact you removed the poison completely the first time, so how did it get back in my system suddenly?”
“I was thinking the same thing,” Law replied.
“Yeah… but there’s something else. When I was fighting that bastard Ryker, I lost all contact with Sy before he stabbed me. Visual and audio, it was all cut off. I’m positive about that. In fact, it’s what distracted me enough for him to injure me.”
“So what are you suggesting?” Law asked.
“If I lost all contact, then how did Sy know I was poisoned and tossed in a portal?” she questioned.
“How?” his eyebrows raised in curiosity.
“Simple… That’s not Sy,” Rena said with an intense glare.
“Hm. That makes sense. What do you want to do then?”
“I’m not sure yet. I need a little more confirmation before I make a move. But you’re very observant and definitely a smart man. Would you keep an eye on her for me?”
“And what makes you think I plan on staying?” he said flatly.
“Because I haven’t repaid you for saving my life, multiple times now…”
“True. You sure are racking up the invoice. Any ideas on how you plan to repay me?” He smirked.
Rena sat quiet for a moment, thinking. Then she remembered something the doctor had said.
“This is the Straw Hats’ ship.”
“Oh, it’s not your ship? I thought you were the Captain.”
“I am a Captain. Captain of the Heart Pirates.”
“So we’re not on your ship then?”
Law’s face turned dark, and he looked away. “No.”
“Where’s your ship?.. If you don’t mind me asking?”
Law’s face went dark again, and he turned his back to Rena. “It’s… gone.”
Rena looked up to Law, not sure if she should pry, but she had an idea.
“What… what happened to your ship?” she asked softly. She wasn’t sure if he would actually answer. She could tell there was something heavy weighing on him, and that question could break him. But if something had happened to his ship, and to his crew, maybe… just maybe she could do something for him. To repay him for his kindness.
Law looked down, his hat covering his eyes, his smirk replaced with a frown. He didn’t want to talk about it. The incident was still fresh, a fresh scar on his heart. Even still, he found himself wanting to tell this woman. He needed to get it off his chest, and she was a better option than any of the crazy Straw Hats.
“We were attacked by Blackbeard. He wanted our copies of the Road Poneglyphs and my devil fruit, or more specifically one of the abilities my devil fruit is capable of, but of course I wasn’t going to give it to him. We were overpowered, and I lost both my submarine and my crew. Bepo pulled me to safety and took us to that island. We were there a week before you fell from the sky.”
“So you don’t know if they are alive? Your crew?”
“No,” he said flatly. “Bepo tries to reassure me that they are strong and are alive somewhere, but I have my doubts. The attack was brutal, and Blackbeard isn’t the merciful type. It may have been me he was after, but I wouldn’t put it past him to hurt my crew.”
Rena paused for a moment, thinking to herself.
Hey V? You there, can I ask you something? Privately? So like don’t manifest or whatever.
What is it, Rena?
Do you think Bob would tell us if someone from another world has passed on?
Are you going to ask him if the Doctor’s crew is still alive?
Yes.
I suppose it couldn’t hurt to ask, but what if the answer isn’t what you want?
That’s just it though, V, an answer is better than no answer. He can either move on or find something to hold on to. It’s the least we can do for him. Right?
You do have a point.
Law peeked up from under his hat. Rena was awfully silent, just what was going through her mind. Suddenly she spoke up.
“If… if you had confirmation on their status… would that ease your mind?” Rena asked cautiously.
Law froze. Would it? Would it ease his mind if he knew his crew was alive? It would give him a reason to keep living. But what if they weren’t? Would he stumble back onto the path of revenge? Ultimately dragging himself down to the dark place he was before he accomplished taking down Doflamingo and Kaido, with the help of the Straw Hats, of course.
“I suppose it would, yes,” he finally said.
Rena gave a small smile. “Let me make a call really quick.”
ns 15.158.61.8da2
