Law wore a lazy smirk on his face, outwardly unperturbed by the armed guards on either side of him. He could feel their suspicious glances towards him every few seconds, as if at any moment he'd go berserk and slaughter every man in sight. Yes, he quite liked how much they feared him, and his grin widened.
His eyes scanned the open hallways, taking in the lavish decor and large windows. They spanned from floor to ceiling, meaning they were at least ten feet across. He was surprised it wasn't considered a weakness to the heavily fortified base.
Underneath them, stretching the length of the entire hall, a deep navy carpet softened their steps. One glance at the walls reminded him that he was indeed inside a Marine base. Portraits of previous commanders and Admirals lined the walls between various doors, the faces painted in soft light, making them look almost angelic. Raising an eyebrow, he found he only recognized a few of the faces.
One of the Marines cleared his throat beside him, directing his gaze towards him. As soon as their eyes locked, the uniformed man looked at the floor. "One more left turn and we'll be almost there."
Law noticed the bead of sweat rolling down the man's forehead. He could've laughed aloud, seeing how much he influenced these lowly Marines. He would be lying if he said it didn't boost his ego, just a little.
The group turned left and continued down the hall, a large set of double doors at the very end facing them. He guessed this was the room they were taking him to.
The pirate could only imagine the state of worry his cremates were in, especially the two mechanics and his first mate. It was a wonder they agreed to let him go alone, if at all. Glancing at the two guards beside him, he decided that there wasn't much to worry about.
'They don't seem to be taking this as seriously as how they made it sound.'
The two Marines approached the doors and opened them before him…
Law frowned immediately. 'Unless they bring in a few Shichibukai…'
Facing him was a lone desk, sitting opposite two chairs. Behind the desk sat a female Marine Law hadn't ever seen before, probably some lower ranking official. Behind her stood Boa Hancock, the most beautiful woman in the world, and…
Law stopped mid-stride, eyes narrowing and fists clenching as he faced the tall, grinning man. Suddenly, the thought of becoming a Shichibukai didn't seem so appealing, though that didn't altogether deter him. The benefits outweighed the drawbacks, he had to tell himself as he locked eyes with Donquixote Doflamingo. The older man chuckled, his shoulders shaking up and down.
"Hello, Law. Long time no see, huh?" Boa Hancock, who stood beside him, glanced towards the man but said nothing. The two Marines who had escorted him inside took positions at the door, effectively blocking any escape.
"Trafalgar Law, Captain of the Heart Pirates, your presence here proves of your acceptance of the title of Shichibukai. Is this correct?" The female Marine spoke, finally making him tear his gaze away from the man he wished to tear apart with every fiber of his body. Swallowing harshly, he nodded.
"Yes." She nodded in return.
"As Head of the Criminal and Piracy Database Division I, Officer Hatoya Maki, hearby move to place you in the position of Shichibukai, filling the last vacant position within the seven available." Her voice was a flat monotone, as if she were reading from a script-she probably was. She shuffled through the hundreds of papers on her desk, apparently looking for one in particular. Law kept his eyes on her, denying Doflamingo of any sign that his presence there caused him stress. He was absolutely sure the pirate already knew, but he wasn't about to concede to it himself.
The Marine grabbed a pen from the table and wrote down several things at the bottom of one of the papers. "The Shichibukai Donquixote Doflamingo and Boa Hancock are here as witnesses to your Oath of Acceptance." Maki glanced towards him, a mixture of indifference and disgust swirling in her eyes. The slight frown coupled with her bristly and strict attitude made it obvious how much she didn't want to be there.
He felt the same way.
Standing, Maki raised a book in her hands. Law assumed it was a bible or some official Marine script. She gestured for him to approach the desk, and he obeyed, conscious of exactly where Doflamingo was at all times. He could feel the twisted smile on his face without looking at it.
"Place your right hand on the cover, please." Her kind word didn't sound so kind in her bored and exasperated tone. He ignored the attitude however, obeying her command without comment.
"To accept the respected title of Shichibukai, respond 'yes' to the following statements." Maki explained, closing her eyes with a small sigh. Law waited for her to start.
Boa Hancock tilted her head, watching Law strangely, and he didn't understand why. Remembering how she had acted so long ago when he'd treated Straw Hat, he assumed it had to do with that.
"Do you swear to obey all laws dictated by the World Government?" Maki began. Law raised an eyebrow.
'At least they're blunt about it.' He thought. Whether he agreed to whatever terms and conditions they had, he was only out for himself and those rallied under his jolly roger. Their rules meant nothing to him.
"Yes."
"Do you swear to act upon the orders of the Fleet Admiral?"
"Yes."
"Do you swear to uphold Safe Passage under any and every circumstance?"
Law rolled his eyes. Only an idiot would break free passage, even a pirate. "Yes."
Maki cleared her throat, obviously not amused by Law's attitude. "Do you swear to act in times of war or crisis when called upon?"
"Yes."
"Do you understand that any infringement upon the terms of this contract can and will result in the reinstatement of any accumulated bounty and the reinstatement of any status labeling you as a fugitive of law?"
"Yes." He replied sharply, already growing bored of the proceedings. He hoped there weren't too many conditions left to agree to.
He imagined Summer in the same situation, her hand placed upon the book with a look of boredom etched on her face. At each question she repressed the urge to yawn. She'd answer yes, all the while inspecting her fingernails or digging at the wooden desk with her daggers.
"…can and will result in a warrant for your arrest, a trial within the highest court, and a sentence of capital punishment?" Law realized he'd drifted off in his thoughts. Gaze returning to the Officer, he saw she'd opened her eyes, waiting for his answer.
"Yes." He responded finally. She raised an eyebrow, eyes narrowing the barest amount, but enough to be noticed by the pirate. Finally, with a small nod, Maki took back the book and Law let his hand drop down beside him. The blood rushed back into his limb.
"Trafalgar Law, in the presence of the Head of the Criminal and Piracy Database Division and two witness Shichibukai, do you accept the title of Shichibukai and the conditions that accompany it?" Her very business-like voice was slightly raised, and he wondered if she were trying to appear more important.
"I accept the title of Shichibukai." He stated, and she sat down once more.
"I hearby grant you the title of Shichibukai." She wrote something down on a few more papers. Placing several in front of him, she gestured to them. "To finalize this contract, you must write your signature."
She pointed towards the lines he was supposed to sign, then allowed the two witnesses to sign on the necessary lines. While that was going on, Law was eager to leave the premises and return to his ship. The less time spent in the presence of Doflamingo, the better.
After all the papers were signed, Maki stood once more. "You will be escorted back to your ship by two Marines." With that, she left through another door to their right. Boa Hancock and Doflamingo followed her, with the latter grinning smugly at Law, as if he knew something he didn't. He narrowed his eyes.
The two Marines from before came up on either side of him, silently reminding him that he was still inside a Marine base, and that it would be better just to leave as soon as possible. Turning, he walked back the way they had come.
Returning through the maze-like halls of the base, they came back to the front entrance, where more guards stood waiting on either side. Law walked in between the lines of men, walking back outside into the open.
The submarine was docked directly in front of him, Bepo waiting outside for him with arms crossed. Obviously, the bear was uneasy, but at the sight of his captain, his ears perked up quickly.
Crossing the distance as quick as he could, Law boarded his submarine and ordered for them to 'get the hell out of there.' Everyone agreed.
It was only once they had gotten a few kilometers away that the men began to ask questions, but Law found he was too exhausted and angry to answer them. Promising he'd explain what happened in the morning, he retreated to his room and locked the door. Bepo, of course, was an exception and followed him inside. Law stretched out across the comforter, sighing contentedly.
"You're a Shichibukai now, right Captain?" The first mate inquired, to which Law nodded. "So that means we can find Summer more easily now, right?"
Giving a small smirk, Law closed his eyes. "Exactly."
'Don't look afraid.'
Men shouted. Running feet crossed over one way then the other on the deck above. She could hear the creak of the wood, the straining roped that were thrown to the dock below. Viper shouted orders, tossing threats in between just for good measure, in case they were too slow.
'Don't ever let him win.'
The ceaseless movement of the ship over the past month or so finally halted. The salty smell of the ocean wasn't so strong, instead replaced by the unmistakable stale, arctic air. The wind outside seeped through the boards, chilling her cell from the cold.
'Never cry.'
The guard to her cell had gotten up from his seat and had taken up a position openly watching her, letting her know that the slightest movement would be taken for an attempt to escape. With narrow eyes, Summer simply sat cross legged, arms crossed over her chest, staring straight back at the man.
'Never give up.'
After the movements of the men above decreased, Summer heard steps approaching the door. She knew it was Viper. He opened the door, gesturing for her guard to unlock the cell. Doing so, he entered and double checked the cuffs around her wrists, ankles, and neck, securing them just a tad tighter. She winced when they pinched at her skin.
'Don't forget your reason for living.'
She was lead out, though more like pushed out, from below deck by Viper himself. His hand gripped her shoulder, just like it had that day so long ago, when he forced her watch an entire village burn to the ground.
'Never forget your nakama.'
Once outside, she was faced with the blizzard-like landscape of the island. Set farther back from the dock was a large, gray building, spread out along the land. Now, so many years later, it looked a lot smaller than she had remembered, though she was sure the inside still felt as grand and unfamiliar as it had back then.
'Escape, no matter what.'
They had paused after appearing on the deck, but Summer's arm, the one not being held by Viper, was pushed, causing her to stumble forward slightly. She huffed, her breath being taken away from her momentarily, but she obeyed. It would do no good to be injured from being stubborn.
They descended the large ramp leading to the dock, their steps pounding against the thick wood. Standing there, in front of dozens of medical staff, was the Doctor himself to greet her.
He looked older than she remembered, though it had been almost ten years since her escape. His eyes, that's what she had remembered most, but now they just looked…tired…and…
…Desperate.
She watched as his gaze swept her up and down, as if inspecting her for damage, like she was some good to be bought. It didn't help her mood. A flicker of relief crossed his eyes, so quick she almost missed it, but his face returned to the same neutral mask he had always worn.
The Doctor glanced to another of the staff, who was holding a large briefcase, and nodded. The man stepped forward, opening the case and revealing the stacks of beli inside.
"As promised, the rest of your reward for her return." The Doctor said, not batting an eyelash as Viper dropped Summer's arm and snatched the case from the man's hand. Viper's face broke out in a malicious smile.
"Well, it's been a pleasure doing business with you, Doc." He turned back towards his ship, giving the men holding Summer a brief nod. At the gesture, they pushed her forward, none too gently, into the grips of the waiting medical staff. Turning back towards her former captors, she watched them ascend the wooden ramp.
Viper stopped, turning back to look at her. "Don't hesitate to call if you need anything else from us, Doc. We're always here to safeguard assets." He laughed, walking the rest of the way up the walkway before ordering the men to raise the ramp.
Should she feel relief? Anger? Sadness, sorrow, hatred? She wasn't sure. Released from one prison and put in another. There was no end to it.
Everyone stood and watched as the ship slowly set off away from the island, getting smaller and smaller as time passed. Then, the Doctor turned around and set off towards the lab.
"Get her room ready, and give her a shower. We must prepare for the next steps. Waste no time." He said, leading the staff back towards the building. The man and woman holding onto her arms followed as well, forcing her to keep pace with their brisk walk. The shackles on her feet didn't help in the slightest.
The flurry of being passed from one person to the next, put through several different basic medical tests-drawing blood, taking blood pressure, checking all of her extremities for injury, checking her pulse-she felt like she was back in the submarine's infirmary, where Law conducted the majority of his work. It reminded her of the first day she'd awoken on the little yellow vessel, of how it had smelled so sterile and how he'd smelled like the woods…
She was taken to a completely white room, fitted with curtains, where two nurses undressed her, took off her chains, and washed her body. It was humiliating, but Summer endured the treatment. After drying her off, they put her into a white shirt and white pants. She was a straight jacket away from looking fit to be in an asylum. They sat her on a chair and combed out her hair, blowdrying it straight down her back.
Neither woman attempted to strike up a conversation, though Summer wasn't really in the mood to talk anyway. Nor did she wish to make friends. She was simply another number on a paper to them. Another experiment.
Information.
Once they'd finished getting her clean and fresh, two doctors escorted her to her room. As soon as they'd reached the door, she recognized the small chip on the lower right-hand side of the baseboards.
It was her old room.
"I remember this place."
They didn't seem to notice her hesitation, and quickly unlocked the door. Pushing her inside, they shut it behind her, leaving her to stare at the small, familiar space.
Now that she was older and bigger, it seemed so small compared to what the younger her had seen. She could walk the length of the room in six or seven steps. Taking in the same white-sheeted bed in the corner and the simple square mirror on the wall, she sighed before walking over to them.
She looked in the mirror. Her skin was so pale, almost the color of the garments she wore. Her eyes looked sunken, similar to what a skeleton would look like, and she almost gasped aloud. Slowly raising her hand to touch her face, she noticed the split, cracked lips. The way they were barely distinguishable from her skin. They'd lost all color, all definition. The hand she'd raised had a circle of cracked blisters and bruises surrounding her wrist. Looking at them both fully, she saw the damage the shackles had done.
Her hair was thin, split ends riddling her head. An image of herself looking in the mirror after escaping Impel Down came to mind, and she closed her eyes at the thought. Turning away from the mirror, she collapsed onto the sheets, hugging her knees and curling up into a ball.
"As you thought before, do not cry. Tears will not aid in your escape."
She choked back the sobs that threatened to escape her lips, burying her face deep into the pillow.
"Subject number 711-A549," The intercom in the corner of her room shouted, causing her to jump, "you have been placed under maximum security." Summer sat up from the bed, eyes drooping from lack of sleep.
"You will have an escort with you at all times you are outside of this room. There are four cameras monitoring this room at all times."
Summer was only half listening, recognizing the voice of the Doctor over the intercom. All she wanted to do was sleep…
"The treatment of your illness will continue tomorrow morning." Her eyes widened slightly at what he said.
'They don't know that I know what's inside me…'
"The lights inside this room will remain on at all times, but try to get some rest. Sleep is essential for an accurate test result.
"And," The Doctor continued, "Welcome back, Subject 711-A549."
ns 15.158.61.54da2
