Eustass Kidd for Pirate King

Both Kidd and Cora look at Law -calculating- when the both of them return. Law felt he should have been at least a little offended no one gave Killer a second glance, but Killer also came bearing gifts of candy and smokes among other bits for lunch so maybe Law should bring a bribe next time as well.

Corazon looked almost guilty with how fast he snatched up the box of smokes, which the boys were all generous enough to not comment on. Killer tossed Kidd the clothes they'd brought back before setting out the meal he'd snagged for the four of them; Kidd barely looked at them before he was dutifully striping off his clothes right there in the open.  The doctor in Law noted the signs of malnutrition, the tell-tale bumps of improperly healed bones, each vertebra of his spine clearly defined as he was bent over to pull his new pants on. Law forced himself to look away as to try and turn off the mental diagnostics that couldn't help but start to try and list off in his head.

After, the two boys- self described 'Scrap Rats' - spent the lazy afternoon digging through the new trash unearthed by yesterday's storm, separating trash from treasure; although Law could not see much of a difference.

Kidd seemed to have utilized his devil fruit young, finding copper and expensive soft metals inside the concrete and steel. "Voids" he'd said. Non-magnetic pockets in a sea of manipulable metals.

Killer, on the other hand, had an eye for the priceless. Not scrap to melt down, but coins or creations that had value as they currently existed. If you could find a buyer at least. His was the harder job- Who to trust enough to let them know he had such treasures to start with? What would he sell them for? He was getting ripped off regardless, but if he asked for what they were really worth - he'd be more likely gutted and robbed, than walk away with coin. Law wondered just how many caches like the one they'd stopped at today Killer had scattered over the wasteland.

In the morning, Kidd would haul his collection to a shady old man just outside the city wall - a man who would pay coin for weight. Killer would hoard the pricier pieces until he had a buyer. If he played it right, he and Kidd got enough to rent a room with plumbing, heating, and a sturdy door for a few weeks.

All this explained off hand, with a strange comradery that Law was highly suspicions of; His fellow supernova was never so open as far as he could recall, but then finances were laid out like there was no stakes to it. Neither boy looked like they plan on asking Law or Corazon to contribute either.

Part of Law's pride hurt at that, but at 13 he was hardly bigger than 10 year old Kidd; and this far along in amber sickness he must look like death to the other boys. It was a pity that rankled him, but also one oddly sincere, considering the source. A shift in his understanding of the two; maybe under all that bluster and antagonistic ego, there had once been something kind.

Law hated to entertain it. He liked the rivalry he and Kidd had and certainly didn't want to risk it and become some underling to the younger boy. Law was his own Captain, thank you very much.

Sometime as the afternoon sun started it's path down, Killer wandered off again, bag of odds and ends from Kidd slung over one shoulder.

Kidd didn't seem too bothered the older boy was leaving, and instead had commandeered Corazon into assisting him in improving the makeshift shelter from last night, in to a shelter big enough for the tall man to move more comfortably in. The two had seemed to find a strange peace with the other that if Law was still a child, might have been jealous of. A Kidd that seemed to still be seeking the approval of those around him; and a Corazon soft enough to squat down and watch each thing as Kidd explained it too him like it held the secrets to the universe.

Was the this Corazon Law had been too angry as a child to see the first time around, right up until it was too late? The man that cut his own safety net and betrayed both his brother, and the marines that had become his family, because his own growing desperation to not let Law die? The man who burned hospitals down because they were too ignorant or too callous to try and save the life of a child.  A man who once threw Law out a window to try and save his life.

A man who claimed to hate children; but played tea parties with Baby 5 and pretended to fall for even the most obvious of Buffalo's pranks. Everything he did for Law. Letting Kidd dictate where things go, pretending to misunderstand, causing Kidd to laugh and then correct him like Corazon was a silly fool.

Law had to admit he was begrudgingly impressed at the soundness of the whole shelter. For a preteen child- Kidd had a good grasp on structural integrity. Law occasionally helped, but otherwise sat outside in the late sun and let the early evening breeze from the sea wash over him and supervised. The weather was warm compared to last night, and not a cloud in sight. Granted- from what he pieced together- last night had been the same up until the moment it wasn't.

Finally Law couldn't wait any longer, anxious energy making it hard to stay settled. He remembered- even a decade later- how terrible it had been to cut the lead from himself. But he understood his devil fruit so much better now: Every time he'd learned a new technique, he'd reflected on that first surgery and how it could have gone better.

He never entertained the thought he might do it again; it had been just a thought exercise. He was ... almost excited to get to actually try it out.

Should that worry him? His own eagerness to redo a self-surgery that haunted him as a teen?

Ideally, he wanted to wait for Killer to get back and use him as a distraction for Corazon, but it was getting too hard to stay still and wait.

Kidd was explaining something about how he'd fitted the metal plating together for the new ceiling to Corazon, who was rubbing a new bruise from where he'd smacked himself in the face helping the little boy.

Now or never...

"I'm gonna step out for a bit. I'll be back."

They both turned - eerily similar expressions as they seemed to be judging if they were accepting his statement at face value.

Law didn't stay for questions.

His skin buzzed -was it Kidd prodding, or his own nervous energy? - and he tried to keep a causal gait as he walked away.

Sterile. Both the room and the blades. A straight razor instead of a scalpel, but Law was confident in his skills that it didn't bother him.

It had been agony the first time. Suicidal perhaps. But he had been so heartbroken back then, what was the pain of cutting open his own flesh in comparison?

Now he could use his fruit to make it painless, bloodless. Instead of cutting chunks of his body out to burn, he was able to isolate only the lead. Before, he had cut any potentially contaminated muscle and flesh away. Now he knew what was a lost cause and what would heal given time once the disease was removed.

The metal formed a pile on the table before him, potentiality contagious in this form, so he would need to find a way to destroy it that wouldn't make Kutzk the South Blue Flevance.

He hadn't realized how much it was weighing him down until he was done. When he released his devil fruit and stood staring at his fatal infection glistening pure white in front of him.

With his mastery of his fruit, there was no slashes to stitch closed, no gaping avulsions to wrap. Smooth skin, no longer hard or lumpy, occasionally broken up with a white patch that no longer threatened to consume him. Instead of lacerations that looked like self harm scars he'd go to hide with black ink- he now wore a passive patchwork of discolored but healthy flesh.

For the second time in his life, he was cured of the Amber lead disease. But for the first time, he felt free of it.

*waves into the void* hi~
so.. its been a few years, hasn't it.
While it feels like I've started to understand Kidd and Killer to write them, Law - and by extension Corazon - just continued to be out of grasp. When I started this story Law's novel was not available in English, but I was able to hunt down a French translation. However, my French is rusty - i haven't used it since 2004, so it was a slow read. And it helped, but i was still stuck and and this just continues to linger on the backburner. I've got an outline built, its just been a struggle to get it filled in.
thank you for everyone patience with this one, and hopeful this chapter is worth the wait. <3

The town was far larger than Law realized, once he had a change to truly look it over. Towering metal buildings spiraling up, backed tightly together to support each other in a claustrophobic jumble. He'd been to large cities before, but none had the people packed so tightly together.

He was eyed suspiciously by a few shop attendees, pulling his hat down to cover his face more, trying to hid his hands in his sleeves. He passed a bakery where the man in charge stood ominously in front of his wares when Law wandered past -the loaves small and pretty like the ones Killer had offered him this morning. Law had a feeling Killer may not had paid for all the breakfast he'd procured for them this morning, judging by the was he was watched as he went.

Red and white stripes finally caught his attention, and as Law approached, Kidd's suggestion finally made sense - the red, blood stained bandages wrapped around a pole to dry. Medical History wasn't really Law's forte- but he did vaguely recall that in some places, barbers were the ones with the sharpest blades, and in those places, surgeries fell under their hands instead of physicians.

A man was getting a close shave for the barber; the shop was well lit, and so clean it sparkled. The man in charge had a small line waiting along the wall - two men with beards and then a third man this heavy bandages around a stump of a leg. The bandages where clean and the man didn't look in pain -Law would hazard he was there for a check up. Despite his initial hang ups, a quick glace confirmed that this place would work. Law could easily break in later that night and work on himself.

He picked his way back the way he'd came, trying not to get to turned around in the confusing unmarked streets and swarms of moving people. Thankfully, with everyone pressed to close together, most people seemed content to keep their hands - and eyes - to themselves, and no one gave Law and his piebald skin a second glance, despite his well earned paranoia.

He was pretty sure he was heading the correct direction when the crowds started to peter out, the shops disappearing from the street levels to give way to windowless walls of warehouses and dark boarded up shells of abandoned hollowed out complexes. He continued to track the sun's position to make sure he was at least heading in the right general direction, just waiting for the buildings to give way to the junk heaps that made up their shorelines.

There was a gang of young men down one alley that Law had to quickly stumble backwards from to avoid being seen in his wandering. The quick glimpse he'd seen had at least two standing watch, four or five tormenting someone deeper in the alley. Law was going to have to back track to try and get around, or to shambles himself on the other side. There was plenty of things across the way that he could substitute himself with, and he probably had one jump at least in him.

"Ya know, you little faggot, when you got away this morning, I really didn't think you'd be so monumentally stupid to try and come back and pull that same shit in my turf a second time in one day."

The ugly word had Law frozen before he'd formed a 'room.' The sound of cracking bones kept him in place, followed by someone's choked whimper of pain.

The voice had paused; when it returned it sounded so smug and gleeful it set Law's teeth on edge, "We wouldn't have to keep playing these games if you'd just pay us your duty tax when you do business in my city. I don't understand why you fight me every time."

"Not your city an' 'm not one of your lackeys" came a mumbled response, "you dun own me."

And Law dropped his head back against the wall he was hiding behind. Killer. Damn it.

"I own you, I own that shit kid you're hiding in the junk pile. I own the bitch you keep sniffing around. Athair's a weak excuse of a boss and he's not gonna be around much longer for you to hide behind." There's a scuffle, grunts and curses, and the sound of someone being hit again. "The quicker you accept that, the less it'll hurt next time."

If he didn't have one foot in death's door, wasn't in the body of a sickly 13 year old and with no weapons on hand, 7 wanna-be gangsters wouldn't have stood a chance against him. Still might not, Law was much smarter know than he'd been at 13. But he also didn't know Killer's situation, if he'd be putting the teen in more danger. He needed a plan before he went storming in.

Thankfully, it sounded like the group had had their fun, and Law ducked down and huddled in the trash when the group started past him.

"Oi, I'm not done; fucker stole from my old man." One of them called when the group hovered next to Law's hiding spot.

The apparent leader sighed, and Law could see him now, standing at the mouth of the alley; older teen with an air of superiority that didn't match the patchwork cloths and holey shoes. "Catch up later then, I'm tired of looking at sgudal."

Four of them stalked past Law, the sounds of a struggle picking back up in the alley.

Three on one was better odds. Once he was sure the other four weren't coming back, Law threw himself up to help -

Apparently, Killer also thought three on one was better odds too.

He'd donkey kicked one of them in the groin when they'd gone to pull his jeans down; They'd partially succeeded, the course fabric caught around his thighs. That didn't stop Killer from wrapping the straps of his bag around the neck of the second, and he was one-handedly pulling back the bag for dear life as the last man tried to get him in a head lock, knife aiming for the throat.

Killer was quicker, biting the man's wrist with a spray of blood until nerveless fingers dropped the knife into his own free hand. Then he was stabbing - quick upward strikes, the blade cutting up up up under then man's ribs.

Law watched in stunned awe at the quick brutality of it, before Killer was stabbing the trapped man still tangled his bag, the same quick lethal monitions.

The two bodies slumped to the ground in a pool of red. Killer was painted with it too, hands dropping loosely to his side, the blade just an extension of his arm by then. He took a few steadying breaths, and pulled his jeans up, fixed the buttons back in place. Tried to fix his shirt; just making the blood splatter worse in the end. Then he turned to the last man.

The doctor in Law wanted to tell Killer to stop now. The pirate in Law watched as Killer stood over then last man, still kneeling and gasping on the ground.

He was pleading. The man had been ready to rape a kid, and now he's pleading for mercy. Killer squatted in front of him, eye level.

The man hushed suddenly as Killer raised the knife, causally pointed the wet blade at his face. "It was a loaf of fucking bread jackass. Your old man would have gotten over it. I paid him everything I had, and nicked one loaf."

The man watched the blade. Law watched the blade. Killer watched the blade, as he pressed it against the underside of the man's jaw, forcing his head up.

"And now I'm gonna kill his son, because of a fucking loaf of bread. You're a shit son, to put him through that."

"No no no no," the man started to beg. But then he moved to sit up - or maybe try and disarm Killer, no one will ever know, because Killer surged forward, blade shoved into his head from under his chin.

"Probably still feels better than what you were gonna do to me." Killer sighed, holding him close; the lights already gone from the man's eyes, body twitching uselessly in Killer's embrace.

Killer pulled the knife free, staggering up unsteadily. He stumbled to the second body, moving stiffly before sinking to his knees, adrenaline failing him. He didnt let go of the knife, and his hands shook as he tried to untangle his bag from his assailant, the spilled contents scattered around him. It was torn to the point that it was little more that rags, unable to function as a bag anymore.

He hated to approach Killer like this - but regardless of the body he was in, Law was the adult right now, almost twice his age. And he needed to act it. "Want some help?"

The storm had drifted away and out to sea over the course of the night, letting Corazon greet the day with not yet day-break smoke outside of the makeshift shelter. He was nearly finished with his first one, when he heard Killer shuffling out from under the pile of sleeping children still snuggled together in his boat. Corazon looked back in time to watch him pry a sleeping Kidd's hands off his ripped pantleg, catching Corazon watching him and smiled sheepishly. "Figured I'd go grab breakfast while everyone still out of it... "

Corazon nodded in acknowledgement, as the older teen quietly slipped away, turning back to his smoke to see the ashes had caught on his sleeve. He shook the red hot ciders away before they got worse. Killer hadn't noticed, and the kids in the boat slumbered on, so there was no need to make a show of it.

The sun first started to crest the horizon when he heard the muffled whispers of children - Victoria and Kidd talking quietly in together. Law appeared to still be sleeping, but Corazon was pretty sure the young man was eavesdropping.

Not really a young man, though. Was he not? This time yesterday, his Law was just a baby. Barely a teenager and months away from a premature death. Now. Now he was a man - even if small in stature - who had lived as long a life as Corazon. Earn the title of a Warlord, topped Emperors. Was apparently on the doorstep of Roger's legacy.

Half an hour or so after first slipping away, Killer starting picking his way back down the trashside. Three heads in the boat all perked up as he approached, even if only Corazon could see him from his spot.

The teen beamed with pride, holding out a battered old backpack for Corazon's inspection, displaying a bounty of three small loaves of bread, a half dozen small oranges and a few bruised apples. "Better get yours first, once Kidd get started you're just out of luck."

Corazon gave him a sincere smile, gesturing with the most recently lit cigarette in hand that he was good. Killer frowned, "That quiet thing you did last night - that was a devil fruit, wasn't it?"

He did nod finally - it would be hard to claim anything else. "So," Killer reiterated, "You gotta eat something. I know that shit takes a lot of energy from you; Kidd's passed out on me enough to know. And, no offense, you're kinda a big guy for us to haul around if you pass out on us. Massively tall."

Kidd is 10. Corazon wasn't surprised at all that a 10 year old with a devil fruit overdid it to the point of fainting. He, however, as much as he wanted to point out to the teen, was not a child, and was perfectly capable of managing his own energy levels. Worryingly though, it had been weaker than his usual calm bubbles, had admittedly been harder to create than it should be. Corazon was willing to blame it on being tired, or being wet with the waves from the storm surge, or the storm itself and the skin crawling nature Victoria had also noticed. But there had been something wrong last night when he'd used his ability.

"Cora-san, eat your breakfast," Law said dryly, smirking back from the dingy between Kidd and Victoria, daring the man to object. His face was pure smug delight, but at least Corazon knew that if he ate, Law couldn't find a reason to pretend he wasn't hungry too. Kidd and Victoria just looked confused by the idea that anyone would turn food away.

Killer's expression wasn't much different, looking down at his bag like maybe he'd some something wrong. Corazon hated that look. He glared at Law briefly before reaching in and pulling out a smaller orange from the pile.

"Bread too," Killer shook the bag, "Got those 'specially for you three for using your fruit."

With a sigh, Corazon took a loaf too, looking back at Law warily. His kid's face was flat, jaw clenched, and he moved to pull the med kit back out from the night before.

Killer held the bag out to him next, and Law hated to wipe that hopeful look off his face. He'd retaken his seat, having slipped on a pair of sterile gloves. "I can't eat bread" was all he said, taking an orange instead. Sure enough, Killer frowned again.

"Oh. 'm sorry, didn't know..."

"How could you," Law bit back, looking away to start pealing his orange, bit back the knee-jerk 'you didn't ask' as he was careful not to let any part of his hand that touched the peel touch the soft flesh inside. "It's not like I told you"

Killer thrust the bag back at him stubbornly, "At least take an apple then," his teeth worrying at his blue-stained lower lip in uncertainty.

"Can't. It was touching the bread." He help up one gloved hand as if to further illustrate the precautions he was taking. He could hopefully deal with any accidental cross-contamination with his devil fruit, but he'd also rather spend that energy cutting the Amber Lead out of himself, preferably at some point today. "Unless you got some clean water hiding around here that I can use to wash them off."

He knew it the moment the words left him mouth - that was the step too far. In the past, some comment like that would have Kidd set off and in his face. But this Kidd didn't have that anger yet, that short fuse and the need to prove that he wasn't some joke. And the Killer Law knew... well, to be honest, Law really didn't know the man. He was Kidd's leash holder for most of the time Law had known the two as adults, and even Law was quick to admit the Killer he'd met in Wano was working though some shit and was unlikely a good representation on the man. This Killer. This Killer was boy only barely older then the child Law was masquerading as. He was 14 - brother and parent, protector and provider, to a 10 year old Kidd and had taken it upon himself to make sure that Law and Corazon - strangers and foreigners - where fed.

Instead of getting upset, Killer's face went completely blank. Empty. If his ability to emote ran on power, Law just pulled the plug. It was like Law found the line Killer had - he refused to be shamed. In another day and age, Law would be contenting with a blade to his throat. Law couldn't see where he was looking because of his bangs, but he feel the stare. Law leaned forward, and carefully took two more oranges. "Thank you for breakfast Killer. We appreciate it." And he did mean that.

"Can I have his bread?" Victoria piped up, reaching for the bag without waiting for an answer, moving the focus off of Law with a practice grace. "Holy shit, Kil' this is fresh! How did you manage that!"

The unease caused by Corazon and Law's wariness with gifted food was gone with a few easy words, and Killer grinned madly at her with pride, his face split between flashed teeth and bangs. Victoria took one of each, before handing the bag off to Kidd. Bread balanced on her knee to save for last, she followed Law's lead and begun to peeled her orange. Killer resumed his perch on the bench next to her, grin still in place as he sat over Law and Kidd.

Law froze in eating his own food when he watched Kidd bite into the last loaf like a rapid dog. The largest bite he could manage, and then shaking his head to rip the piece free. He reached in Killer's bag with his other hand and grabbed one of the apples, shoving it at Killer.

"Nah, ate on the way back," Killer refused, though he did reach in to take out the last orange.

Kidd shrugged, alternating a bite from the apple and his bread. By the time he finished off the first apple - Law watched in horror as he ate it core and all - Killer had unwrapped his orange, flicking the peel over the boat's edge. Kidd's hand was barely empty before Killer was handing off the orange, and Kidd barely paused between bites.

"You peel his oranges for him?" Law mocked, peeling his second orange, the rinds following Killer's example.

"He will eat the peel. And I personally do not want to watch that again. It's more for my sake then his," Killer mussed. That stillness from before was completely gone thank's to Victoria, and Killer regarded Law no differently than before he'd made his clean water comment. Killer reached around Kidd to put the last apple from the bag in his hand newly freed now that the bread was gone.

Law finished off his last orange, gloves carefully pulled off and discarded before studying the hard white patches on his arms. He wasn't really keen on trying to cut it out of himself again outside of a nice sterile room to being with, but it would be better to tackle this sooner rather than later.

Kidd stuck his fingers in his mouth, Law made a face at how utterly gross that was, licking the juice away as he rummaged though Killer's bag like he expected more food to magically appear. No one missed the angry grumble of stomach still demanding more.

Victoria tore her loaf in half, tossing one piece to Kidd before tearing off little bite sized pieces for herself. Kidd's piece was gone before he even had a chance to thank her for it. Corazon passed Law the last half of his own orange.

"Well," Victoria said, brushing the crumbs off her lap outside the dingy as she climbed out, "I really should get back to the girls. Being gone all night probably has everyone worried over nothing."

Killer looked up when she stood, but her focus as on Law and Corazon, "Doc, Hearts. I appreciate you sheltering us for the night. If you stick around, hopefully we can meet up again. Otherwise, enjoy our shitpile of paradise'

"Thanks," Law said dryly, and Corazon nodded politely, "It's our pleasure, Victoria."

Killer took his bag from Kidd, who was picking crumbs out, "I'll walk you back."

She frowned, but Killer was already moving around where Kidd and Law were sat, "Gotta get something real for Mini-Doc to eat anyway."

"What? no, I'm fine," Law lied. Kidd was looking at Killer suspiciously as well.

Killer grinned back as the two teens stepped in to the sun, "Not even remotely true," Killer called Law out, " 'sides, i still owe ya for fixing me up last night, don't worry, food's on me. Just no bread, right?"

"No umeboshi either," Law nodded, even as his frown deepened.

"Hey, Hearts-san, can I leave Kidd with you for a little bit?"

"What, hey, I don't need a babysiter, Killer!" Kidd interjected.

Corazon just flashed Killer a thumbs up, muffling his own snickers, the man finding his own perverse delight in the indignation of the two young - still actually quite hungry - devil fruit user's faces. "I'll look for some smokes for you while I'm at it," Killer called back, "No promises though!"

Law's body ached from the Amber Lead disease still lingering in his body, and the repetitive use of his Fruit on an empty stomach, the hours sat hunched over his patient in the wet chill settling over the shelter. Said patient had done an admirable job keeping still and calm for Law, while Corazon and the two other kids had fallen quiet, watching as he'd worked under the faint light of the lantern Corazon held up over him to illuminate his area. He was only lucky they were as stocked for supplies as they were, in his own never ending battle in patching Corazon up. He was not the biggest fan of field surgery, missing terribly the clean sterile theatre of the Tang right now, but when needs must.

Once he's been satisfied with his work, last stitch in place, he'd dropped the Room. Slumped exhausted in the boat, he let his head flop back, staring upside down out into the storm, letting himself zone out for a bit. To shift out of doctor mode.

Finally, he broke the silence, "Is this normal for this area?" he finally asked to other two kids, gesturing outside.

"Storms, yeah" the girl said, "Storms that look like that? No"

"What's different about it?"

"Its cold. and ... black" the boy - who was most definitely Eustass Kidd - answers, wandering out of his line of sight. "The lightning is... wrong." He moved over next to Corazon who was carefully looking for somewhere to set the lantern.

"If a storm could be malicious, that one is." the girl added.

There was a clatter, a sheepish curse, and Law lifted himself up to see Kidd standing beside the boat, /holding/ the lantern's metal base awkwardly against his palm, having only just caught it from smashing against the legs of the three in the wooden vessel. He'd used his fruit ability after it had slipped from Corazon's hold, and was now frowning deeply at his reflection in the metal surface. Law leaned forward and tried to take it from him, only for Kidd to turn bright red as he tried to unstick himself. The girl came over to help him, and the two wrestled on the sideline with the lantern for a moment, the flickering flame dancing wildly around the little shelter.

Once she'd freed him, the girl held the light steady for a moment, letting the little wick adjust and strengthen its glow.

Corazon and the teen-who-was-absolutely-Killer looked a him curiously. "What do you know about the storm?" the other boy prompted him. Judging by Corazon's face, he had the same question, before he looked away, carefully checking over Law's work on the young man next to him now that his hands were free.

"I think it's from a devil fruit," Law said finally, "or a couple devil fruits. I think I might have caused part of it."

The girl didn't look convinced, but the other three waited to hear him out.

"This isn't a dream, is it?"

Corazon shook his head.

"We're in the South Blue, aren't we?"

Corazon looked surprised, but the trio of local kids nodded.

"I got... I got ambushed. By the Yami Yami no Mi, and the Gura Gura no Mi. I tried to use my own fruit to escape and I think the three of them caused.... that. And it dumped me out here. This time, this place. I don't know why, or how. I don't know why I look like this again, I don't knew why you're here now with me." He added, looking apologetically to Corazon, "That parts beyond me."

"Was that was your devil fruit, then?" the girl asked, "What you did to Killer?"

Law nodded, "Some of it, yeah"

"And that was you during the trash slide, too. Moving everyone off the spill." Kidd piped up, now unencumbered by the lantern and climbing over the side of the dingy to heave himself up into the space across from Corazon and next to Law. Corazon's inspection of teen's arm had lead him to looking over the teen's hands, his frown a deep contradiction to his painted smile, as he looked over the older injuries that Law could do little about now. "Killer? That's your name?"

"That's what the older boys said I was good at," the boy shrugged, unbothered by the questions Corazon didn't ask. "It's as good a name as anything else they used to call me."

"It's way cooler than Kidd" Kidd voiced nonchalantly, reaching across to pull at the tear in Killer's blood-soaked pants so he could better scrutinize the carefully stitched cut underneath. Law had also taken the time to meticulously eradicate the strains of Clostridium tetani that had been introduced to Killer's system with the cuts. Kidd still looked uneasy at the injury. Law wondered how many people the trio'd watch die from tetanus, living in the scrap heap like they appeared to. "Is that your name, then, kid?" Corazon asked the young boy.

"I'm Estuass' Kid. At least until I get a better name. Like. King or something."

"You can't name yourself," the girl interjected, "and you definitely can not name yourself King. You're gonna get beaten up again, and by someone who hits way harder than me." She looked over him at Law for sympathy, arms crossed on the boat's gunwale as she leaned against its hull, dangling the lantern inside from her fingertips. "He's been trying to get people to call him King ever since he heard one of the drunks singing that old pirate king shanty. Its *so* stupid."

"It is not," Kidd interjected, glaring at her, his hand still resting on Killer's stitches. Corazon exchanged a look of amusement with the older boy who shook his head in an over exaggerated motion of rolling his eyes. "I Will be the Pirate King, just you wait. And I'm not gonna let you on my crew, Victoria. You're gonna have to join someone else's crew."

"Fine!" she shot back, "I'll form my own crew, and I'll be the Pirate King first. And I'll take Killer as my first mate and you'll have to sail all by yourself!"

"Hey now," Killer interjected.

"So you must be Victoria?" Corazon attempted to derail what was sounding to be a regular, and tired if based of Killer's expression, fight. Kidd just scoffed, sitting back harshly, jostling Law as he did.

"Yes. I'm Victoria. the Victorious. Because that's what I am. I've won every fight I've started, and every fight those two dumb-asses caught me up in." Kidd was making a face, mouthing along to what he felt was clearly a rehearsed schpeal.

"AND!" she added smugly, "I've beaten both of their asses."

The look Kidd gave her was all the proof she needed for her point, and even Killer slouched in on himself.

"Must of been quite the fight" Law prodded. Victoria gave Kidd a look daring him to object.

"Wasn't a fight." Killer said faintly, kicking Kidd's foot good-naturedly. "It was an ass whooping through-and-through. I can admit it."

Kidd just sulked. Arms crossed, hunched down, face pouting. Capital 'S' Sulk.

"What about you?" Victoria asked, "Mr. Mini-Doctor and Mr. Feathers?"

"I'm Trafalgar Law. And this is my savior, Corazon."

"I thought you were a doctor," Kidd said, head cocked, all hints of his displeasure at Victoria gone in a flash, "Why do they call you Law?"

Law just shrugged, "That's just what my parents called me, I dunno. My sister's name was Lami." He offered, trying to justify his parent's naming choices.

"Lambie? Like the little baa-baas?" Kidd questioned.

"Why," Victoria teased, "does the goat boy want a lamb friend?"

"Your parents named you?" Killer asked softly, question almost missed in the newest fight about to break out with Kidd and Victoria. The boy sounded... distant. Law nodded to his question. "You don't have to keep their name, you know. If you don't want."

A lot about the Kid Pirates fell into place right then. The three of them couldn't be that far away from Law's physical age. When was the last time they had an actual adult looking out for them? Kidd had kept his family name from what it sounded like, but the other two had clearly dropped those ties at some point. From what Law could recall about later crew Kidd would collect, the name convention held up.

"It's okay," he assured Killer, "I don't mind having their name. I just wish I could have had them around longer." The implication that his parents had passed on was not missed by Killer, who simply nodded, letting the conversation drop there. Law was beginning to think Kidd might have kept his own for similar reasons.

"Hey, what's Corazon mean?" Kidd asked, derailing the argument he was clearing loosing with Victoria.

"It means heart," Corazon said, and was about to explain the deck of card theme in his own defense, but Kidd simply looked at Law accusingly.

"Why is his name 'Heart' instead of you? That sounds like a much better name for a doctor."

Law just shook his head in disbelief. "Why, because it's an organ? What are you, 5?"

"10." Kidd corrected, sounding a little peeved. "Are you a doctor too, Mr. Heart?"

"I am not," Corazon shook his head, but offered no job back. Seeing as they had been transported to the other side of the globe, he now knew why this island wasn't on his map - but the trash pile suggested this island was not part of the World Government, and fessing up to being a marine, that apparently *Law knew about already!,* was unlikely to go over well with this small group of delinquents.

Unless Oda decides to come back and flesh out their back story, I've taken creative liberties to fill out Kidd, Killer & Victoria's story for myself based on the crumbs he's left us. it will be... loosely baseAges:
Kidd: 10
Law: (13 Physically | 26 Mentally)
Killer: 14
Victoria: 15
Corazon: 26
The shanty Victoria mentions is "Oh, better far to live and die" from The Pirates of Penzance by Arthur Sullivan and W. S. Gilbert. You can blame that, and Treasure Island, for my long time love of all things Pirate. Personally, I think Tim Curry was the best Pirate King that I've heard, even if I've only ever found a copy of him singing the one song and not the rest of the play with him.d on the bits he's given. example - the Udon Beatdown has already happened, but instead of the trio never talking again ("last thing you told us was to drop dead!"), this storm shows up and she came back looking for them. they will remain somewhat antagonistic friends - especially her and Kidd, but that's just Kidd's specialty- getting under your skin in the most aggravating (said affectionately) way he can. They still hate curry udon noodles. She did kick their asses over it after all.
chapter title was the story's original title when i wrote the majority of this in a manic state last month. some of those darker themes are starting to be implied, but still just implied.

It's black.

As far as he can see, as far as he can feel. Nothing but numb black.

He's pretty sure he's sinking. It feels like the ocean is closing around him, but no water touches his lips yet when he gasps for air, even if it feels like nothing enters his lungs. In a panic, he summons a 'Room,' the comforting bubble encircling him even if it does nothing to save him from the dark. There's no where to go, nothing to cling too, but his mind blanks on everything else, and he flings himself though space on a prayer, hoping he can 'shamble' himself out of the void.

*

It's raining.

Its a light rain, warm fresh water splashing his face, the edge of a tropic storm building on the horizon. It picks at his memory, like a forgotten dream, a lullaby from the few calm points of his childhood; a point of peace where he knew he was going to die, but that was okay. He's thirteen again, and his world is ending, but it's okay, because he wasn't alone anymore.

Corazon is standing at the front of their tiny ship, staring out at the storm with a look of worry. He was just as Law remembered him, large and imposing as equal as soft and kind.

It was a nice dream to die in, Law supposed.

A rain drop hit him dead in the eye and he jerked upright in annoyance. He rubbed his eye fruitlessly, Corazon's soft chuckles drawing a glare from him.

"We should head for that island before the storm gets worse," Cozaron contemplated, a dark silhouette on the horizon, "it's not on my map," Cora mused, "so it's not a marine or pirate haven. We should be okay for the night."

When he'd originally sailed with Corazon in the man's one track mission to get Law to a competent doctor, they'd avoided inhabited islands as much as possible when not actually seeking out the hospitals. But this dream was changing the rules it seemed, the rough storm clouds cracking with the dark memory of Blackbeard's devil fruit. Law didn't know the rules to his dreamscape yet, but really didn't want to see if they'd both sink should the waves capsize them.

When he was little, he could fish Corazon out of the ocean. Would the dream remember that, or was he still bound by his fruit?

"This doesn't make sense" Corazon was muttering as they headed island-ward, their battered map in one had, blue sea compass in the other. Law ducked under his arm, Corazon shifting and showing him the compass. Instead of laying flat and spinning, the south end was dragging on the compass face. The north end directed them away from the storm, before occasionally dragging itself around to point at the island. Then it would drag back to the starting point.

They both looked at each other, slightly baffled. "It's almost like the island treating the compass like a log post" Law mused. Corazon gave him an odd look.

"You know about log posts?" he asked, sounding slightly surprised. Law looked back up at him, surprised that his own imagination is surprised. How was he to explain to a dream that yeah ... The man in front of him died more than a decade ago and Law's been using a log post so much he's nearly circumnavigated the globe.

"Yeah," he settles on finally, "Kinda hard to sail the Grand Line without one."

Corazon just stares at him, and Law stares back, unsure what it is his subconscious is driving at. "When..." Corazon starts, but stops himself. "I have some.. questions," the man finally settles on, "but I think I will need to wait until we've gotten settled on land."

Law nods in awkward agreement; the wind has started to pick up, and the two work in easy tandem to pull their small boat to the island.

If it could be called that. As they get closer, the water is oil slick and contaminated, dead fish floating in the trash around the shore. The shore itself is just more trash, rusty scrap metal congregating as far as the eye can see. Law isn't even sure they've *reached* the actual shore, not an island of land, but one of garbage.

Law had heard about these, had seen one from the distance long ago, before he'd tried to join the Doflamingo Family. An island the rest of the area had turned into their own personal dump. What Flevance might be, once people stopped being afraid of the fake plague said to have come from it.

And like that island of long ago - this one also shared one gut twisting realization. Despite the awful conditions - the certain death the island presented - there was always people still there. Law could see them picking though the rusty outcroppings, most heading inland under the threat of the storm, but others disappearing down under the metal, scurrying into burrows that would shelter them just as easily as crush them.

Corazon spotted one such hollow, and they pulled the dingy ashore, every step on red metal setting Law's teeth on edge. This was a tetanus nightmare. All it would take is one little stumble... "Please get back in the boat," Law said finally, looking between them and the shelter still higher above them.

"Law?"

"We shouldn't risk walking on this." Law gestured to the aging jagged metal edges around them.

"It would be worse to stay on the boat," Corazon hedged, voice failing when Law held out a hand, pulling a 'room' into existence with a devil fruit Corazon never lived long enough to originally have seen Law master.

Mindful of his timing, Law 'shambled' the dingy, with Corazon inside, with a raindrop at the impromptu shelter's entrance, and shoved the small craft under the rain shelter. Law figured as long as they staying in the boat, the need for emergency tetanus shots could be mitigated.

Between the oncoming night and the incoming storm, it would get dark fast after that. Law sat in Corazon's lap, his coat pulled around them both as they watched the storm roll in, rain and lightning keeping them company as the night began. Law wondered how much the rusty surface of the trash pile would deter the lighting if hit directly.

Corazon, chin resting on Law's head, finally broke the silence. "When did you eat a devil's fruit?"

The question caught Law by surprise, the horrible memories of Corazon death hit him full force and it took Law a moment to answer, biting back tears. "Right before you died," he whispered. He was afraid if he voiced it, if he acknowledged that Corazon couldn't really be there, then the dream would catch up and he would lose the man all over again.

Corazon was so quiet, Law was afraid he was gone, and the little boy hunched over, fist trying to push the tears back. But then Corazon tightened his hold on him, voice concerned, "Law, what do you mean?"

"It was a long time ago" Law cried, frustrated as sobs threatened him again.  "Gods, Cora-san, it still hurts though," he admitted, trying to force the sob into a chuckle with little success. "It's nice though, to get to see you again though. Even though I'm pretty sure I'm dead now too."

Corazon seemed to mull over that, before prompting him again, "How.. how long ago?"

"Thir.... thirteen years." Law admitted, "half a lifetime now. I don't think I ever really got over it. And with everything after Dressrosa and talking to Sengoku. It's like it just happened."

Corazon pulled away then, turning Law around harshly to stare at him in the growing darkness, "Law, how do you know.. what.. Dressrosa?!"  he sounded almost panicked, Law wasn't sure he'd ever seen Corazon look so uncertain.

Law wasn't sure what to make of the man's panic. "Vergo was Doffy's plant. He intercepted your message. I'm so sorry. I messed up, I didn't know. But Strawhat and I dealt with Dressrosa. Its.. it's okay now. Or it will be okay." Corazon still looked so distress, "I'm sorry," Law tried again.

"You.. you spoke to Sengoku?"

"After the fight, yeah. We ah.. We talked about you actually. I don't think we're gonna be friendly anytime soon, what with me being a pirate and everything, but, we parted on.. okay terms."

"Law, you are not a pirate." Corazon said, voice firm. Like this was the one universal fact in his world.

"Three way tie for the highest bounty of my generation," Law supplied with a small shrug. The tears had eased up; he felt like he could breath again. "Was a warlord for a little bit too actually, but they dismantled that system recently from what I understand."

Corazon did not look as proud as Law hoped, more dumbfounded more than anything. His head was cocked to the side, regarding Law in a new light. "Law....how.. old are you right now?"

Law slumped against him, no longer wanting to hold his gaze, "26," he admitted, "the same you were..." It was like admitting a failure. "I did actually want to live, in the end. I didn't think so a few months ago. Cora-san, I didn't want to outlive you. But then Dressrosa and Zou and Wano... I thought.. I thought it would be okay." The tears threatened again, "I got my crew back, and we helped Wano, and being with Strawhat and Eustass, I thought maybe it would be okay to outlive you. I could actually find the One Piece, for real. We really were so close. I ... I didn't want to die this time."

Corazon ran his long fingers though the short hair at the back of Law's neck and held him close.  "The year then?"

"1522"

Corazon didn't pause, but Law could feel him shaking his head, "Law, it's 1509."

"It's just a dream," Law assured him, the tears and the storm and the warmth of Corazon making his thoughts heavy, "but its a good last one, yeah?"

This is from a collection on open ending ramblings that I've typed up in the last month. I have a very vague idea onwhat my end game is for this, but it's not set in stone, or with any game plan of getting there. Other stories will go up in this series that may reference each other but are not set in the same story.
THE WARNINGS WILL CHANGE AS THE STORY GOES ON! I don't know for sure how dark some of this might get, but it will have more adult themes and I need you to keep that in mind if you plan on sticking around. please mind updated tags with new chapters.
The last time I wrote for One piece it was 2007, so be kind?