The Surgeon of Death

Chapters

Chapter 1 - The Warm Embrace of Death
Chapter 2 - Ope Ope no Mi
Chapter 3 - The Lesser Evil
Chapter 4 - Bonding
Chapter 5 - The Black Tower

Chapter 1 - The Warm Embrace of Death

Pain…

Absolute agony…

Some might say that dying is similar to falling asleep. Such a thing may be true, if one weren’t to pass away due to lacerations and gunshot wounds. The pain always stayed with you, even as you passed on from one life into the next.

Such was the case for Trafalgar D. Water Law; Captain of the Heart pirates, Surgeon of Death, Shichibukai, and a man with a 440 million bounty over his head. None of that mattered to him at the moment as he gazed up at the barrel of a pistol, currently in the hands of his old leader: Donquixote Doflamingo.

Another crack rung out through the area as another bullet lodged itself in his chest. He could barely make out the cries of Straw Hat Luffy off to his right. His attention was directed to the heavenly demon as yet another bullet lodged itself in his body, making him writhe in pain.

Doflamingo laughed as he watched his once promising subordinate squirm on the ground. He licked his lips in sick pleasure, noticing the growing pool of blood beneath the surgeon. Tired of the game, he aimed the pistol at Law’s heart.

“Goodbye, Law.”

Law gasped as the final bullet pierced through the flesh in his chest. He gripped his sword until his knuckles turned white, desperately clinging onto life.

Darkness began to consume his vision, giving way to maniacal laughter, which gave way to silence.

Not many individuals are aware of the existence of Changelings. Books claim that such creatures are escapees from the pits of Tartarus. Others tell of vast underground societies where pony and bug hybrids take shelter. Yet more say that the beings seek out, and devour love from their prey, disguising themselves to blend in.

As it would happen, sources are correct in some regards. While they hardly strolled out from the gates of hell, they do conduct many operations that most would view as ‘immoral’.

For the Changelings, however, this was simply a way of life. The process of disguising as their prey and feasting on their emotions is one that has continued for countless generations. Many Changelings wished this wasn’t the case, but there was no other way. Changelings have tried to start relationships with others from different species, but the end result was always the same. No individual could love the black shelled beasts for what they are, not what they represent.

It’s for this reason that only steeled individuals became infiltrators for the hive. Those who did not have second thoughts about providing for the hive would be chosen from a select few to travel large distances. They would settle down in towns for several decades and make friends, slowly gathering energy for the hive. Occasional trips would be made to deposit emotions back home so the others could eat.

Once the time frame was reached, the disguised infiltrator would declare to any friends it had made that they would be moving away. In reality, the infiltrator would simply return home and deposit the large amounts of love it had gathered over its time. A year later and it would be sent out again in a different part of the world.

Such a complicated life style was hard on the mind, even for those who were specifically selected for such a task. In the hive they were hailed as heroes, and for good reason. Some Changelings didn’t want the praise though, or the benefits of living healthier lives. Some wanted this position for the thrill of heading off into the unknown and the adventure that awaited them.

That was all one particular Changeling wanted as it buzzed its wings, traveling west as it skimmed across the canopy of the Everfree forest. Doppel was an energetic Changeling mare, always looking for excitement in her day to day, boring mundane routines. Even as a young nymph she would always cause problems for others and herself.

When she was old enough to apply for work she was given a list of options to choose from, everything from nursery to mining. Of course, her energetic personality demanded she settle for nothing less than the most exciting of jobs: Infiltration.

It required more studying and learning than she would have liked, but the payout was simply too good to give up. After years of hard schooling she was finally qualified to work as an infiltrator to her Queen’s hive. It was only today that she had finally been given her target location and flew off towards a town called Ponyville.

Doppel hummed happily to herself as she soared through the air, thinking of what she should disguise herself as for the next some odd decades. It was at this moment that she decided to glance down in thought. She was hovering over a small clearing in the forest, a natural spring bubbling up from the earth at the edge.

Doppel’s train of thought halted as she took another look at the ground. She rubbed her eyes with her hooves, wondering if she was hallucinating. She blinked as her mind caught up with her actions. She wasn’t imagining things. Down below on the forest floor lay a prone body, a bipedal creature Doppel had never seen before.

While investigating strange creatures was hardly part of her mission, her adventurous mindset wouldn’t let her ignore the discovery of something new and foreign.

With barely restrained excitement, Doppel descended into the clearing, landing a few yards away from the body. She began to walk towards the creature, one slow step at a time. Up close it was clear to see that this being was wearing some type of clothing. A black coat of some kind hugged its upper body while it’s hind legs were covered with blue cloth. It also wore a puffy, white bowled capped hat.

As she got closer, her nerves began to slip away when the creature showed no signs of movement. It was only until she was a few feet away did she start to notice the red splotches on its chest, as well as the small puddle of blood underneath it.

Dopple’s eyes widened in horror as she took in the mutilated body. It was then that she noticed the large sword gripped in its right forearm, leaving her little to the imagination what kind of being this was.

Inner turmoil plagued Dopple’s mind as she sat on her haunches, considering her options. The safest thing to do would be to leave the being by itself in its weakened state. It was clearly a fighter of some kind if it wielded a sword.

It was such a large sword too.

Part of Dopple’s mind wondered if the creature was overcompensating for something.

The other option would be to help the biped recover until it awoke. This would delay her mission somewhat, but not by much. After all, she had decades to settle down before she was actually required to return home.

With that in mind she settled on option two. The creature was clearly in a lot of pain, but Dopple didn’t know enough healing magic to help it. Even if she did, it could be dangerous to work on a creature one didn’t know about.

She was startled from her thoughts when a cough came from the creature. She blanched as she saw blood spray from its mouth, coating its chest even further with the coppery substance. Her instincts kicked in as she rushed over to the creature's side, speaking softly, “Shh, it’s alright, don’t push yourself.”

The creature seemed to ignore her warning as it tried to lift itself with its arms. The attempt was pathetic at best, and only elicited a small gasp of pain from the figure. When it failed to rise, it tried to open its eyes. The attempt was met with equal amounts of failure as it was forced to immediately shut its eyes due to the streams of blood running down its face.

The creature was breathing heavily, each intake of air seemed to bring it some small amount of pain. Doppel attempted to calm it down by rubbing its hand. She forced down her gag reflex as she got blood on her chitin.

The creature tensed as contact was made and it spoke out in a hoarse whisper, “Who are you? Where am I?”

The voice was clearly masculine, and easy to tell that the being wasn’t from around these parts.

“That doesn’t matter right now. Rest, and let me help you,” Doppel cooed softly.

The being had enough energy to frown, clearly against such an action, but his body forced him to accept the offer. Fatigue and loss of blood finally caught up with him as his consciousness once more began to fade away.

Doppel remained by his side until he passed out before she got to work. She had no idea what compelled her to help the stallion, but it was clear enough he wasn’t from around here. Most changelings might frown upon her for offering such aid to one outside her species, but she didn’t care. Her parents raised her better than that, and all life should be considered sacred.

Working quickly, she tore off strips of his jacket, starting at the base and working up. The cloth hung low, almost down to his knees, so she was certain that a few inches off would be an acceptable loss in turn for his life. Once she had enough strips, she carried one over to the spring with her magic, soaking it thoroughly.

Returning to the prone figure, she gently lifted him up with her magic and placed him on a fresh patch of grass. She felt her bile rise in her throat as she took in the large pool of blood, but quickly pushed it down as she got to work.

She needed to work quickly and gently to clean his wounds and bandage them.

For his sake.

Law opened his eyes to the night sky, the stars scattered haphazardly against the black canvas. He remained still as he recollected his thoughts. His memory was fuzzy, and he strained to recall something, anything that may explain why he felt so weak.

His eyes widened as it all came back to him at once. Escaping Doflamingo and Issho at Green Bit, handing Caesar off to the Straw Hats, his fight with the Heavenly Demon on the bridge, and his final moments as Doflamingo executed him in front of the Colosseum.

Executed… he felt his life slip away, the cold embrace of death claim him. How could he possibly still be alive after what he went through? He fought to remember more, but the only thing he could remember was a voice.

A crack jolted him into awareness, the sound all too similar to that of a pistol. He turned his head to the side, finding himself laid next to a small fire. Seated on the other side was some kind of creature he had never seen before. It was hard to fully make out in the dark, but the fangs, blue eyes, and curved horn dominated its features.

He grunted as he forced himself into a sitting position, wincing as he grasped his chest in pain. He could feel the bandages wrapped around his body, and upon closer inspection the material used looked familiar. A quick check and he found his sweatshirt a few inches shorter, much to his annoyance.

He turned his body so he faced the fire. He looked to his side and was pleased to see his sword, Kikoku. He relieved it from the ground and placed it on his lap as he looked across the flames at the creature.

Upon closer inspection, he could pick out a few more details. It seemed to be some sort of horse-bug hybrid. It was covered in black chitin and looked to be diseased ridden if the holes in its legs were anything to go by. The large blue eyes, however, appeared to hold some intelligence, more so than a mindless animal.

He was proven right when it spoke, “Are you feeling alright?”

Law furrowed his brow as the creature spoke to him. It was clearly sapient, but unlike anything he had ever seen before. It was most likely a Zoan type user, but of what he didn’t know.

“I’ve been better,” Law began warily, “but I don’t know where I am. I also don’t know who, or what you are at the moment.”

The insect gave him a, well, what he thought constituted as a grin. The creature introduced itself, “My name is Doppel, and I’m a Changeling. So, what’s your name?”

“Law. Are you the one who helped me?”

Dopple nodded. “I am. You’re lucky to be alive, you know. By the time I found you, you had lost a lot of blood. I tried to dress the wounds, but I didn’t have any bandages, so I had to use your cloths.”

Law scowled as he was reminded of his sweatshirt, the action causing Dopple to flinch in fear. Law forced himself to remain calm, he needed to if he wanted to approach this situation logically.

“Dopple,” the changeling perked an ear, “where exactly am I right now?”

“Well… right now you’re in the Everfree forest, just on the outskirts of the badlands, which is located in the country of Equestria.”

Law sighed as he took in the information. It was clear he was no longer in Dressrosa, but he held some hope that he was on an island he knew. Instead, it would seem he was stranded in the middle of a foreign country, and one he had never heard of as well. Doflamingo is no doubt behind all this, trying to separate himself from the Straw Hats.

He did a damned fine job of it too.

Dopple, for her part, found Law to be amusing. The moment Law started to examine her, she realized that, in all of the excitement, she forgot to transform. She was pleased Law refrained from running away in fear, but it only heightened her curiosity. She could understand not knowing what a Changeling is, but he must be more lost than she thought if he doesn’t even know the name out the forest he’s in, let alone the country.

She cleared her throat to get his attention, “I understand your concern, but you need to rest. You lost a lot of blood and, to be quite honest, I’m amazed you’re even alive right now. Recover your strength before you do anything else.”

Law gave a grunt of defeat, finding the advice to be sound. He lay back upon the ground, closing his eyes and quickly falling asleep as fatigue consumed him once more.

Dopple watched Law slowly drift off to sleep, his breathing slowing in time to the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest. She only just realized she had never asked what species Law was. She shook her head and sighed, the day's events starting to catch up with her.

She lay upon the ground next to the fire as her mind replayed the day’s events. When she signed up to be an infiltrator, she never expected to be helping unknown creatures in the middle of a forest.

She silently scoffed at the strangeness of it all. Nothing could be done about it now, and she owed it to Law to be there for him when he woke up. Besides, it was an interesting experience to speak to another outside her own species that didn’t outright label her a monster. Her accursed desire for excitement always got her into trouble, and this time it seemed no different.

There was nothing to it. She was stuck with Law for the time being and she promised herself she would stick by him until he healed. Who knows, maybe she’ll actually make a friend, one that can tolerate her antics?

With that pleasant thought in mind she closed her eyes and slowly drifted off to sleep.

Chapter 2 - Ope Ope no Mi

Author's Note

A bit of a warning to those who follow One Piece. I'll be bringing up information regarding Law's life and his trials as a child. Possible spoilers ahead if you don't keep up to date with the manga.

Chapter 2 - Ope Ope no Mi

The child put his ear up against the chest, frowning as he strained to hear through the wooden surface. Despite all the reassurance he received, he didn't see how his friend could come out unscathed. He listened as the two adults outside talked, the argument getting tenser by the second. His eyes widened at certain revelations, the ones outside just as surprised as him.

Soon the pressure grew to be too much, and it was released violently. A gun shot filled the silence. The child winced at the sound of a body collapsing upon the chest. Tears began to fill his eyes as he realized what had happened.

He was gone...

"Corazon!"

Law shot up from from the ground, his hand clutching his sword. Nearby Dopple screeched, frightened by the sudden yell. She herself was breathing heavily as she looked over the dead fire to Law. He was sweating profusely, panting as he looked around the forest clearing. The sudden movement caused him pain, and he clutched his chest with a free hand.

Dopple hurriedly got up and moved beside him, rubbing her hoof against his back in an effort to comfort him. "Hey, it's alright, it was just a bad dream. You should lay back down, you're not fully healed yet."

Law closed his eyes as he tried to calm himself, not bothering to push the changeling away. He breathed deeply, steadying his nerves. He turned his head to look at Dopple, his face once more a mask of indifference. "I'm fine, you don't need to fawn over me like I'm some helpless child."

Dopple puffed up her cheeks in indignation, removing her hoof. "Considering the state I found you in, I feel responsible for your safety. Besides, from what you told me you're lost in a land you know nothing about." She gave him a smug grin, "Face it, you need me right now."

Law could only stare into the creature's eyes in agitation, his right eyelid beginning to twitch. Law knew she was right, and that made it all the worse for him. He couldn't afford to push her away until he knew where he was exactly.

Dopple's grin widened with the silence, noticing the annoyance on Law's face. "Yep, you're stuck with me until further notice, and until then I need you to rest."

She placed a hoof on his chest and tried to gently push him down. She backed away when Law gave a grunt of pain, her ears folding. "Sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you!"

Law grit his teeth as he placed his palm on his chest. "It's fine, I need to operate on myself anyway."

Dopple's eyes widened at the words. "O-Operate!? Why do you need to operate? Do you even know what you're doing? Do you even have tools for that!?"

She shut her mouth as Law shot her a glare. "I'm a doctor, I know what I'm doing, and besides, I don't need tools. What I do need, however, is for you to be quiet so I can concentrate."

Dopple sat on her haunches and nodded, keeping her mouth shut.

With the promise of silence, Law went to work on his body. He closed his eyes and focused on his devil fruit powers. A small blue sphere grew outwards from his palm, encompassing his upper body. He heard a small gasp from Dopple, but ignored her.

“Scalpel.”

Law grunted in pain as he removed the bullets from his body. He praised his luck when he discovered that the final shot had missed his heart by mere centimeters. By the time he was done he was clutching several lead bullets. He scowled at the bullets before tossing them off to the side, leaving them discarded in the grass. He was thankful to not have died by the ammo. No doubt Doflamingo wanted to kill him with lead simply out of spite.

The irony certainly wasn't lost on Law.

He turned his head to Dopple, noticing the amazed expression on her face. Realizing that Law was staring at her, Dopple quickly recomposed herself as best she could. "Wh-What was that!? How did you do that? was that some kind of magic?"

Law went through several emotional phases in a span of seconds. First he was annoyed by the questions. Then he was confused as he considered their meaning. Last, he felt a cold trill of fear run down his spine as he looked over what he had previously thought to be a Zoan devil fruit user. Surely she wasn't born the way she was now, right? He'd heard of mythical creatures before, but she looked like something out of a nightmare.

Law shook his head, clearing his thoughts. Now was as good a time as any to ask her questions. Might as well start by answering hers, "That was the power of my devil fruit. I ate the Ope Ope no Mi, allowing me to control anything within my sphere of influence. Whether or not if it's magic, matters little to me."

Dopple tilted her head, thinking on what Law told her. She had never heard of a devil fruit before, she didn't even know what a devil was to begin with. "Hey Law, what's a devil fruit?"

Law's heart stopped for a moment as he gazed at Dopple. He noticed genuine confusion on her face and he felt his brow begin to sweat. "... A devil fruit is a fruit that, when eaten, gives the consumer powers."

Dopple smiled as she thought about that. "Powers? Like super powers!? That's what you have, right? So, does that make you a super stallion!?"

Law's eyelid began to twitch again at the sudden onslaught of questions. The sexual innuendo at the end did not help his mood. He let out an insufferable sigh as he stood up from the ground, stretching to relieve his stiff body from all its kinks.

Dopple gazed up at Law in amazement, having to crane her neck to look up at him. only her horn managed to reach past his waist.

“Wow, you’re a tall one!” Dopple exclaimed with glee.

Law gazed back down at the Changeling, smirking. “Are you sure you’re not just short?”

Dopple scoffed at the notion and rolled her eyes. She suddenly remembered a question she had been meaning to ask Law since last night.

“Hey, Law? I was wondering, what are you?”

The question raised some red flags in Law’s mind. He countered the question with one of his own, “What do you mean?”

Dopple tilted her head in thought. “Well, last night you asked me what I was. I’m a Changeling, but I don’t know what you are!”

Sweat once more began to form along Law’s hairline as he took in the question, and all the implications that came with it.

“Well… I’m a human.”

Dopple smiled in excitement, alleviating some of Law’s worries.

“I've never heard of a human before!”

And just like that all hope immediately plummeted. Law’s stomach tightened as his trepidation rapidly grew. He needed to be absolutely sure of his situation though before he made any irrational decisions.

“Dopple, have you ever heard of the Grand Line?”

“Nope!”

“What about the World Government?”

“There's a government for the world!?”

That morning Law swore an oath to break every bone in Doflamingo’s body.

Dopple watched Law in concern as she sensed his ever growing rage. Even if she didn't have the ability to sense emotions, anyone could see the aneurysm on his forehead.

She had never heard of the locations Law had mentioned, but he seemed so convinced they existed. He was obviously lost, and much worse than Dopple had originally believed. Now she was in a real bind. Should she delay her mission even further to help Law, or leave him to his own devices? She couldn't just travel with the human, she had a responsibility to her hive!

Well... What if she dropped him off at her hive? The other changelings could help him and she would be free to start her mission.

Dopple smiled at Law as he forced himself to calm down.

"I've come to a decision, Law. I'm going to help you! I'll take you back to my hive, I'm sure one of the scholars there know about the locations you're talking about!"

Law grimaced as he looked down at the changeling. While the idea itself was fine, he wasn't so inclined to travel with the mare.

"Thank you, but all you need to do is point me in the right direction and I can head there myself."

Dopple shook her head, smiling. "Nope, I'm coming with you! I still feel responsible for your safety!"

Law glared at the bug, hoping he could scare her off. All it did, however, was cause her to giggle.

"That's not gonna work! I know you won't hurt me for two reasons. One, you're too nice, and two, you actually need me to vouch for you to get into the city."

Law let out a sigh of annoyance, beginning to understand his position. "Fine. Let's head out now then, the sooner we get there the better."

Dopple squealed in excitement as she began running east into the forest. "This is so exciting! It's like an adventure within an adventure!"

Law realized why he found the bug to be annoying, she reminded him of Straw Hat and his antics.

"Oi, slow down!"

Hours later and the strange duo continued to traverse the large forest. Law found himself growing irritable while Dopple managed to remain in good spirit. Over the past several hours Dopple had not remained silent for more then ten minutes. Question after question was tossed Law's way, and only the reminder that he needed the changeling later helped stay his hand from taking action.

It was during one of these Q&A's when Law sensed the presence of multiple beings surrounding them. Law stopped and scanned the trees, his eyes narrowed.

Dopple noticed law had stopped, and was scanning the trees with narrowed eyes. She hurried to his side and asked him, "Hey, something the matter?"

"We're being followed," Law responded simply, drawing his sword as he did so, holding the blade in his right hand while he held its sheath in the other.

Dopple's eyes shifted between the surrounding woods and the large blade. Every time her eyes made contact with the weapon she felt a shiver of fear run through her body. There was something terribly wrong with Law's sword.

She was torn from her inner thoughts when Law spoke out, "I highly suggest you show yourself, else I end up killing an innocent."

Dopple found herself shivering once more, but for a different reason. The idea of death wasn't foreign to her, it wasn't to anyone. But, to speak so casually about taking a life. It sent chills down her spine.

The hidden individuals must have sensed the threat as much as she did. The bushes rustled and, much to Dopple's woe, several large Diamond Dogs appeared, five of them in all. Each of them were armed with crude spears.

Dopple looked between the Diamond Dogs and Law, concerned for her new human friend. One of them was bad enough, but with five here things weren't looking good for the swordsman and herself. She's heard the horror stories where Diamond Dogs capture ponies and any other species, forcing them to work in their mines as slaves.

She was just about to warn Law about the danger they were in when the lead dog started to speak.

"Look like us got bug pony and a... err... somethin," the leader tilted his head as he looked at Law in confusion, "don't matter. You still fit for mine. Make you pull cart or somethin."

Law, meanwhile, was still trying to get over the fact that a mutt was actually talking to him. His surprise turned to fury as the implication's of what it said hit him. Slavers, the lot of them. It reminded him of the poor kids in Caesar's lab, which in turn reminded him of what Doflamingo originally planned to use him for.

Beneath his calm exterior was a storm of rage. One he needed to release.

Law spoke in a dead voice, "So, you're planning on enslaving us then?"

Each of the dogs nodded dumbly.

Law gave them a cold smile. "In that case, I personally have no qualms killing you here and now."

The dogs looked to each other before bursting into a fit of laughter and howls, highly amused by Law's implication. Their laughter quickly died out at what happened next.

"Room."

The five Diamond Dogs, as well as Dopple, watched as a blue sphere began to surrounded them. Using his opponents confusion to his advantage, Law went for the easy win. He slashed his sword horizontally, the group of dogs an easy target.

Dopple's jaw dropped in horror at what happened next. Immediately after Law slashed his sword, all of the heads of the Diamond Dogs popped off. Her horror only grew as each of the severed heads began screaming in fear.

Law controlled the bodies and heads with his powers, coordinating their movement with his hands.

"Shambles."

The bodies of the Diamond Dogs immediately fell to the ground, pinned by some unknown force while the heads began flying towards a nearby tree. The heads of the Diamond Dogs made contact with the bark, and stuck to the surface like glue. Each of them were stacked upon another, forming a morbid pole.

Law lowered his hands as he walked over to still howling heads.

Dopple remained behind, still numb from what Law had done. In all her life, even as a changeling, she had never seen something so morbid. She fought to contain her bile as she looked between the prone bodies and the severed heads.

"Shut it."

The dogs immediately complied with the pirate's wishes. Each of them were crying, their eyes wide in horror as they looked between their lifeless bodies and the monster before them.

Law himself was unsure how to proceed. He needed to get back to Dressrosa as soon as possible, but the idea that these dogs kept slaves left a foul taste in his mouth. As much as he hated to admit it, the Straw Hat crew really changed his mind on some things.

"... Tell me which way your mine is and I'll let you live," Law stated sourly.

The lead dog would have nodded his head if he could have. "It north of here, near big tree! Tree is good landmark! Mine entrance in nearby hill! Please, don't kill me!"

Law didn't say another word as he retrieved his scabbard and began walking north. He glanced back at Dopple. "Dopple, we're taking a short detour, come on."

Dopple was ripped from her trance as Law called out to her, and she found herself hurrying after him. She kept her head low to avoid looking at the bodies. Once the dogs were out of sight she looked up and asked him, "Law... you're still going to let them live, right?"

Law glanced down at her before looking ahead once more. "Sure."

Still within the fringe of his Room, Law focused on the bodies of the dogs behind him. Without turning to look, he exchanged each of the heads with the insides of a tree.

Neither Law nor Dopple heard the dogs scream as they slowly suffocated to death.

Chapter 3 - The Lesser Evil

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Chapter 4 - Bonding

Law threw another piece of wood onto the fire, the hungry flames eagerly lapping at the dry wood. Dopple sat across from the inferno, looking into the orange flames intently as the fire continued to gain power.

The two companions had traveled for six hours, moving at a steady pace the entire time. Half way in Dopple was forced to rest, but Law, wanting to continue onward, simply picked her up and held her under his arm. Dopple had spent the first ten minutes after that blushing as she felt his arm wrap around her waist, her body being pulled close to hers.

When Law finally reached the edge of the forest, he was surprised to find not badlands, as the name of the location may imply, but a desert. Even stranger was that the two biomes seemed to almost start and end at a single point. Several meters past the treeline and the grass slowly began to change to sand. Still, it wasn't the strangest change in nature he's ever seen; Punk Hazard's climate was a nightmare.

Dopple had said it would take anywhere from nine to ten hours to reach her hive. Since they had been traveling for six hours straight, that only left another four more hours of walking at most. However, night was beginning to fall upon them, and nocturnal creatures were beginning to stir. Law had decided they would spend the night at the fringe of the forest and resume traveling at dawn. The desert landscape would be much cooler in the early hours, and he would rather arrive at the hive during the day, rather than at night.

So, for the remainder of the daylight they had, Law and Dopple collected wood and bark to use as tinder for a fire.

It had grown late now, and darkness had started to roll in. Silence had begun to settle between the two, driving Dopple insane with a need for conversation. She looked up from the fire to Law, watching him prod the burning wood with a stick. For little over a day now she had been by the human's side, and yet she knew nothing about him. All she knew was that he had some sort of magic she'd never seen before, and incredible mastery with a sword.

Besides that the man was an enigma. She knew nothing of his past, his friends, family or even where he came from! However, there was one lead she had. She remembered something Law had yelled yesterday.

Dopple squirmed as she gathered her courage to ask the question. "Law, can I ask you a question?"

Law grunted in permission to continue.

"Well... I don't really know much about you, and you don't really know much about me. Since you consider us friends, I was thinking we could share some stuff between each other."

Law looked over the fire at Dopple with a raised eyebrow. "What kind of stuff?"

"Personal things, like from our past perhaps. I mean, I figured you either lost or miss someone from your past, and it might help to share."

Law's fingers tightened around his stick. "What makes you think I lost someone?"

Dopple could hear the warning in Law's tone, but she pressed on, "Yesterday morning you woke up and screamed 'Corazon'. I'm guessing that's a name?"

The stick in Law's hand suddenly snapped in two. Dopple jumped in her seat, and looked at Law nervously, wondering if she crossed some forbidden line. Law had his eyes closed while he breathed deeply, trying to control his growing anger. Dopple wisely retracted the question, "O-On second thought, never mind! How about I tell you a bit about myself first, alright?"

Not waiting for an answer from Law, she began her story. "I was born roughly twenty years ago when the hive was relatively strong. My mother was just an average worker drone, and my father was a soldier in the Queen's army. They never told me exactly how they met, but they said it was 'love at first sight'."

Both Law and Dopple snorted in unison.

"So they paired together and soon after my mother got filled with his egg." Dopple noticed Law's confusion so she elaborated, "Oh, right, you don't know much about us. I'll be sure to describe the city to you tomorrow on the way there. Anyway, changelings reproduce through eggs, with every female drone having the capacity to mate. Still, it's usually the Queen who sires the most offspring, and she can incubate several dozen eggs at a time if needed."

"So getting back to my story, my mother was now pregnant with me, but unlike other species, we don't let the mares rest. As long as nothing serious happens, pregnant changeling mares can still work due to our strong exoskeleton. It's only a week before the birth do we let the mares relax for the coming delivery. During that time my father remained in the guard, and continued to serve the hive. Due to their schedules, they were only able to see each other a few times within the year. That all changed, however, the day I was born."

"According to my mother, my father left the guard within the month after my birth, and chose a job as a worker drone. The two asked the Queen for private quarters, and due to my fathers service, she granted the request."

"Is such an occurrence uncommon?" Law interrupted.

"It is. Most changeling's remain within the same field of work until the day they die. Furthermore, it's normally the nobles and higher ranking officials that receive private chambers. Most changelings sleep together as a community."

"So I was born in a comfortable environment and had the honor of knowing both my parents through my childhood, something else that's rather uncommon. Of course, nothing good lasts forever I suppose."

Dopple sighed and began to make shapes in the ground with her hoof, her eyes growing distant. "I think I was six or seven at the time that it happened. A neighboring Diamond Dog clan raided the hive, and they brought larger numbers of soldiers than they usually do. The militia posted at the entrance to the hive was overwhelmed, and the dogs rushed forth, looting and killing all in their path. My father had the day off, and he was showing me around his old barracks. We heard the commotion, and my father reverted to his old ways in an instant. I was thrown into a small cubbyhole while my father took a sword from a soldier's locker. I never saw what happened, but I could hear it."

Dopple shivered and scooted closer to the fire. "Yells, screams, and the sounds of death. Hard to forget something like that when you're just a child. I must have remained hidden for hours until it was finally quiet, and the first thing I saw upon exiting... was my father's still body. I screamed and passed out. I later woke up in my room with my mother crying while she held me..."

Law closed his eyes. "I'm sorry for your loss."

Dopple smiled sadly into the fire. "Thanks. It was hard after dad died and mom took it especially hard. For weeks she refused to have me removed from her eyesight. We both got through it though, and we grew stronger from it. Besides, looking back on it now that I'm older, I'm proud of my father. Apparently before he died he managed to take down several Diamond Dogs alone."

She looked up from the fire at Law. "Well, that's a bit about my past, albeit, the hard part. Judging from your reaction before, I'm guessing you also lost someone close to you. I just want you to know... I understand the pain of loss."

Law's eyes snapped open and he glared at the changeling. "While I'm sorry for your loss, you know nothing of true pain. I have suffered so much in my life it's a miracle I'm even alive right now."

Dopple recoiled at the harsh words, but steeled herself to continue, "Well then... why don't you tell me what actually happened."

Law's gaze was cold as stared at her from across the fire. "I am the sole survivor of a dead country."

Based on Law's demeanor, Dopple had prepared herself for an incredibly sad story about how one of his parents had died in a terrible accident. She would then proceed to offer him words of encouragement while the normally stoic individual broke down into tears as he was forced to remember said horrible event.

She was not prepared for what came out of Law's mouth.

The implications alone made her sob story sound like a stroll through a field of daisies. What could she possibly say to make him feel better about a situation like that!? She imagined what it might be like to be the last survivor of her hive. All her friends dead, her mother gone, and her home left in ruins. Her mind couldn't even begin to comprehend the destruction Law must have witnessed. She couldn't see how it could possibly be worse for him.

"I was ten years old," Law stated dispassionately.

Dopple didn't waste another second. She flew around the campfire and barreled into Law's chest, wrapping all four legs around his chest. unprepared for the sudden assault Law was forced to endure the mare's hug.

"I'm so-so-so-so sorry I brought that up for you! It must have been horrible for you and you didn't want to talk about it, but I had to force you to talk about it, and I thought talking about it would help you, but then you told me, and I-" Dopple's apology was halted when a hand clamped down on her muzzle. She glanced up into the annoyed stare of Law.

"Dopple, let go of me," commanded Law.

Dopple shook her head in defiance and pushed her muzzle into Law's chest. The pirate closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. If he had known the changeling would react in such a way he would of kept his mouth shut. He lifted a hand and created a room, encompassing the area around them. With a silent command Law exchanged the clingy mare for some sand.

Dopple yelped in surprise as she tumbled face first into the desert. She lifted her head to glare at Law, spitting sand out of her mouth. "What was that for!? I'm only trying to help!"

Law brushed the sand off of his clothes while he glared at the changeling. "I don't need nor want your help in this regard. My past is my own and what little I told you was more than I've told most others. I've come to terms with my life and how I live, and I would appreciate it if you leave well enough alone."

Dopple opened her mouth to argue, but it devolved into a sigh of defeat. "Fine, I won't push it."

Law nodded and laid back upon the cold sand. "Good, and keep what information you have to yourself. It's private and I don't want others to know. Now, go to sleep, we have a fair amount of walking to do tomorrow."

Dopple shook her head as she laid next to the fire, observing the still form of Law. How could a being with such a tragic past just want to ignore it all? There was something more to it, that Dopple was sure of. With a final sigh she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep, the fire following soon after as darkness settled over the arid landscape.

Author's Note

The manga listed Law's age at ten years old when he first went to Doflamingo. Chances are he was either ten or nine when he fled his dying country. Also, as far as he knows, he is the only survivor, as we have yet to meet any other survivors in the manga (I think).

Chapter 5 - The Black Tower

Insects form colonies, usually creating tunnels that lead deep into the earth, or use existing locations as the foundation for an abode. Law expected to find some form of open hole in the ground as the entrance to Dopple's hive. What he saw upon cresting the next sand due left him bemused. Regardless, he still found his breath taken from him as he beheld the sight.

A single, black tower rose from the sand, piercing the sky.

Dopple looked at Law with no small amount of pride as she noticed his shocked expression. She returned her gaze to home and lifted a hoof, announcing their destination, "The Black Tower."

Any pride she held died when Law snorted at the unoriginal name. He smiled when he noticed Dopple's sour expression. Law chuckled and began to walk towards the large spire, Dopple close by his side.

"So," Law began, "Is that where you live exactly? How many floors is there to it?"

Dopple shook her head. "Actually, there aren't any floors to it. It's mostly a solid structure."

Law looked at her in confusion, and so she elaborated, "You see, we changelings have a city, but many consider it to be more of a colony. The spire is used as a landmark so wayward changelings know the way back home. It's useful for those who either aren't connected to the hivemind, or have little experience interacting with it. Underneath the spire is where all of the changelings live. Our 'city' is actually a multitude of tunnels which lead to different areas that serve a function. We have a meeting hall, sleeping hall, dinning hall, nursery, bathing area, and so on. There are tens of thousands of changelings present, so we need a system such as that to keep everyone together. All of the areas are set up, however, that if new space is needed, we can easily expand to accommodate greater numbers."

Law nodded and took note of what Dopple said. If the size of the place was as large as he imagined it to be, then he was not looking forward to the long walks from one point to another.

"Near the top of the city closest to the entrance of the hive, the base of the spire, is the barracks. There are always several guards stationed there to oversee the entrance and exit of changeling workers. With most of the guard there, it will allow them to quickly mobilize against any invading enemy forces. Furthermore, due to the single entryway, a decent size platoon of soldiers could easily defend it until more forces arrive."

As they drew closer Law could pick out one or two changelings that seemed to shimmer in the sunlight. He squinted his eyes to get a better look, and realized that the changelings were wearing black plated armor.

"At the next layer, the middle layer, we have most of the recreational areas as well as the sleeping areas for drones such as myself. This is where you and I will most likely be spending our time together unless we are needed further down the chain of command."

Law watched as a few changelings buzzed around the entrance to the tower. He saw a few of them point hooves in their direction, the soldier's eyes following their limbs. Some of the soldiers remained still while a few more rushed into the tower, no doubt in order to call for back up. Unfortunately, Dopple was unaware of this as she continued to educate Law on the layout of the changeling city.

"The lowest level is where most of our important areas are located. Down below you'll find the nursery, the labs, the bathing areas, and the Queens throne room. While the bathing area is open to everyone, it's located so far down because the natural warmth of the desert helps heat the water below. there's actually a natural spring there and plenty of space for most of the hive to enjoy themselves in their free time. Since it's usually considered impolite to walk directly into a lower level without reason, multiple side tunnels have been created which lead from the middle layer directly to the springs."

Dopple hummed to herself carefully, looking up at Law. "Well, that's more or less all the basics you should know regarding the city. Do you have any questions?"

Law nodded, still looking ahead. "I do. Does your hive have a feeding ground or a dungeon to house dangerous individuals?"

Dopple frowned at the question. "Well... yes, but it's a bit complicated. The feeding area is located on the middle layer as it's free to use by everyone, and the dungeon is on the upper layer, near the barracks. Why do you ask?"

Law pointed ahead of him. "Because I think I'm about to become either food for you hive, or thrown in prison."

Dopple followed Law's finger and her eyes dilated at what she saw. A small contingent of guards was approaching their position, a total of ten in all. Her fear grew when she noticed Law grip his sword a bit tighter. Dopple desperately hoped that everything would turn out all right in the end. The last thing she wanted was for a fight to break out.

It would make it a lot harder for Law to be welcomed into the city if he killed ten guards.

When the guard was several yards from their position, Law paused, allowing the changelings to approach. Realizing that the individual wasn't initiating a fight, the leader of the group gave orders to his troops. Law watched in silence as the guards surrounded them in a circle, cutting them off each and every way.

Dopple shivered nervously as the changelings lowered their spears, and she found herself hugging the human's leg. Law looked down at her unamused before returning to address the guards, "Is there anything we can help you with?"

The leader of the group, a sergeant most likely, stepped forward and confronted Law, "Yes, you can start by releasing the changeling mare that you're currently holding hostage."

Law raised an eyebrow and looked down, noticing Dopple had yet to remove herself from his leg. He looked back at the sergeant in amusement. "Are you sure it's her that's being held hostage?"

The sergeant glanced between the shaking changeling and the strange creature, unamused by the joke. "Yes, I do. I have never seen a creature like you before and as such I will assume the worst of the situation. Couple that with the fact that the mare seems terrified, I have reason to believe that you previously threatened her, and forced her into performing the charade."

Law let out a cold laugh, the sound causing everyone around to shiver. Law pried Dopple from his leg, eliciting a squeak from the startled creature. He held her in both hands, holding her out like a stuffed doll to the sergeant. "Here, you can have her. I don't know how much longer I can stand the chatterbox anyway."

The sergeant and the rest of the guards blinked in surprise. Dopple's jaw dropped at the statement and she pried herself from Law's grasp, flying up into his face. "Chatterbox!? I thought you liked talking to me, how could you say such a thing, do you even know what manners are, didn't last night mean anything to you, I thought we had a special connection going on, but no instead I've been demoted to 'chatterbox', well I'll have you know-"

"Enough!"

The sergeant's shout ended Dopple's rant, and the changeling mare fell to the floor with a sheepish smile. The surrounding guards looked much less sure of themselves after the outburst, wondering if this creature was really a threat to begin with. The sergeant was convinced of the fact, for only a warrior would carry a sword, and the fact that it was so large told of its true strength. With the conclusion that the changeling mare was hardly a hostage of the creature, however, the sergeant was at a loss of what to do. He needed more information.

"Changeling, state your occupation."

Dopple stood up strait. "Dopple, infiltrator of the hive, current mission: Ponyville."

The sergeant blinked in surprise before he furrowed his brow in confusion. "An infiltrator? If so, what are you doing with this creature then? Your mission is important, and through you the hive can hope to survive. I hope you have a good reason for going against that."

Dopple nodded in excitement. "Actually, I do. Law here is lost, and he told me where he came from. The only thing is, I've never heard of the locations he's mentioned. So I thought I would bring him to the hive, and perhaps a scholar would know the direction of his home. Better yet, if we don't have any operatives out there, we could use Law as a compass to find this land, giving us additional areas to feed off of."

Before the sergeant could speak, Dopple cut him off, "In addition, if you haven't noticed, none of us are transformed and Law has no fear or bias against us. If the rest of his people are like that then maybe we could actually start relationships with a species that will accept us for who we are!"

Law blinked in surprise at the conclusion while all the guards had dropped their jaws. The sergeant made to speak, but he was cut off once more, from a private no less, "'Accept us for who we are?' Just how delusional are you? Do you really think the-"

"Silence!"

The private shut his mouth and stood at attention, nervously looking ahead to escape meeting his sergeant's gaze. The sergeant huffed and looked between Dopple and Law. Despite the insubordination, his private did have a point. He doubted any creature could love them for what they are, regardless of the species. Of course, he could always just ask the being himself.

"Creature, I-"

Law cut him off, "My name is Trafalgar Law. Please refer to me as Law."

The sergeant closed his eyes and took in a shaky breath. When he had calmed down, he spoke once more through gritted teeth, "Law, while a single voice has little to say in the matter, do you believe others of your species could accept us for what, and who, we are?"

Law had to think on the question. While it might help him now to lie and say yes, it could come back to bite him later. "... It depends on the individual. I personally can think of a few individuals who would be more than happy to call you friends, and just as many more who would shun you. There will no doubt be a large range of reactions should you reveal yourself. There will be some who will hunt you, some who will enslave you, and yet others who would go so far as to extend their love. I've seen stranger things then you changelings, and that goes for a good number of humans as well."

The sergeant thought on what Law said. If changelings could form actual relationships with others, the amount of love they could collect would reach all new highs. In addition, since the changeling would be free to engage in sexual activities, the amount would only continue to grow. Even if they made the occasional trip to deposit their love, they would always have a welcome home back with their mate.

It would be a dream come true.

The sergeant didn't have the authority to make such a decision on the spot, but if Law was truly the gateway to a better life, surely the higher ups would grant him amnesty? He closed his eyes and reached into his connection with the hive mind. He sent several signals through it, the destination reaching the one individual who could make such a decision.

Queen Chrysalis sat upon her throne, bored out of her mind. Her court was completely empty save for a few guards posted at the entryway. She was growing restless, and wished for something, anything exciting to happen. She would get her wish.

The doors to the throne room opened and a single changeling walked through. Chrysalis perked up as she saw the individual, recognizing him as the lead scientist of research and development. Not too long ago Chrysalis had asked the scientists to begin work on a little project of hers, one she hoped would yield success, and bring prosperity to her hive.

The changeling stood before his Queen and bowed to her, rising a few seconds later. "My Queen, I come to bring you some interesting finds we have discovered. We have experimented on the strange crystals as you asked, and we-"

He stopped when he noticed his Queen's posture: stiff and un-moving. The changeling stepped back a pace as the guards near the door rushed forward in worry. Several seconds of silence and the Queen blinked, snapping out of her trance. She shook her head and removed herself from her throne, making her way towards the doors. "I apologize, but I'm currently needed elsewhere. An emergency signal had just been sent out, and I'm required at the entrance to the hive. I'm still curious of the progress on the crystals, but continue your work and fill me in when this situation has been sorted out."

The scientist gave her retreating Queen a small bow. "Yes, Queen Chrysalis."

He remained bowed until the doors closed behind her.

Law and Dopple sat next to each other on the sandy ground near the entrance of the spire, waiting for permission to enter the city. When the sergeant had told them he had alerted Queen Chrysalis, Dopple had immediately began to hyperventilate while Law wondered if he would come to blows with her. Given his history, it certainly wasn't unlikely.

With the eventual presence of the Queen imminent, the guard attempted, politely, to disarm Law of his weapon. Several minutes in and they had yet to successfully do so.

"I told you, you can't be armed while in the presence of the Queen! Her safety comes before all else, and I am unsure of your skill with a blade. Hand it over before I have to forcibly remove it from you."

Law looked bored at the sergeants order. "If you try to take my sword from me, you'll die."

The sergeant's eye twitched in annoyance and he stepped forward. "Are you threatening a soldier of the Queen's army!?"

Law shed a brief smile. "No, I'm giving you a warning. If you take my weapon, you, or someone near you, will most likely die."

The sergeant growled and took another step forward. "And what exactly is that supposed to mean!? Do you honestly think I-"

"Is this the problem I was told about? Surely you don't need me to help you disarm a creature of its weapon, sergeant?"

The sergeant's eyes bugged out at the voice and he quickly spun around and bowed. "Q-Queen Chrysalis! I apologize, the individual known as Law has been most uncooperative!"

Chrysalis looked down at her soldier in amusement while several high ranking guards behind her frowned at the sergeant, unhappy he had been unable to ensure the Queen's safety.

Law stood up from the ground, Dopple rushing to beat him as she fell into a bow. When she noticed that Law was simply staring at her Queen instead of bowing, she hissed at him, "Law, bow already!"

Law glanced at Dopple before returning his gaze to the still amused Queen. "No."

Most of the surrounding changeling's jaws dropped at the blunt response. Chrysalis, however, found it more amusing than anything else, and began to laugh softly.

"Oh, I like you. Something tells me you're more of a free spirit, aren't you?"

Law smiled. "Something like that."

"Well, I can understand why my guards might have had a hard time with you then. We don't usually get visitors, and even if we do, they tend to be raiding parties from neighboring Diamond Dog clans."

Law nodded in understanding. "I had a run in with a Diamond Dog clan not too long ago. You might know of them, their mine was located beneath a large oak tree."

Chrysalis scowled in recognition. "Yes, I know of that particular clan. That clan is one of the more aggressive of the bunch. What's worse is that the Alpha has his dogs work as much as his slaves, using it for both productivity and as a means to grow stronger. I've lost many guards to his warriors."

Law shook his head. "I'm sorry to hear that, but I'm pleased to tell you that you won't be bothered by that clan in the future."

Chrysalis frowned in confusion as Dopple looked up at Law in alarm. Still, she didn't dare interrupt the conversation, knowing she could be punished much more severely than one who has earned the Queen's favor. She held her breath waiting for the inevitable announcement.

"And why won't they be a problem for us anymore? Were they wiped out by another clan?" Chrysalis asked.

Law smirked. "No, a clan didn't wipe them out. I heard they were holding slaves, and decided to investigate the matter. When I learned that they indeed used slave labor, I politely asked them to free the slaves and abandon the practice. They refused, so I killed them all."

The silence which followed was supplemented by the horror on each of the changelings faces. Only two had different reactions: Dopple and Chrysalis.

Chrysalis was stunned and horrified by such a claim, but she did not readily buy into it. To kill a patrol of dogs alone would be a feat in itself, but an entire clan? Someone only of Chrysalis' power could hope to accomplish such a feat, and the only reason she didn't was because she couldn't afford to be away from her hive too long. Worse yet, if she wiped out a clan, she could run the risk of uniting the other dogs to march against her.

Yet this being claims to have disposed of an entire clan on his own, and judging by the aura of confidence, she was almost inclined to believe him.

Almost.

Chrysalis looked down at the changeling besides Law. If she had heard through the connection correctly, the creature had been accompanied by a changeling mare. Chrysalis addressed the mare directly, "infiltrator Dopple, were you with Law when he attacked the Diamond Dogs?" A nod from Dopple prompted Chrysalis to continue, "And can you confirm that Law had indeed disposed of the clan?"

Dopple looked back and forth between her Queen and human friend. She sighed and nodded once more. "Yes... Law killed the entire clan. I wasn't there with him in the mine, but I could sense the life forces of the dogs vanishing one by one."

Law spoke up, "After I killed their leader in a one on one duel, I offered them the option of surrendering. Some young idiot thought that would be the perfect chance to 'claim role of Alpha' as he put it. His dreams died with him."

Chrysalis bit her lip, considering her options. Before her was a being with as much strength as herself, and with less of an inhibition towards violence. From the hive mind, she had garnered that this creature could be the 'gateway to a better future', but after hearing such a story she wasn't so sure.

She looked to Dopple once more, relying on her advice. "Dopple, you have been with Law the longest, and from the sounds of it have experienced horrific things. Regardless, do you believe that Law is a threat to us?"

Dopple immediately shook her head. "Law might be a strong fighter, but I still trust him! He even shared some of his history with me last night and he's had the most tragic past I've ever heard! He was-"

Law's eye began twitching. "What happened to promising to keep that a secret!"

Dopple puffed her cheeks as she turned to Law. "I'm just telling her a little of your history so she knows you better."

"That's still breaking a promise you made!"

"Well excuse me for wanting to help you get home!"

"Why you insufferable little bug!"

"You're just jealous cause you know I'm right."

Chrysalis watched the two banter in amusement. While an answer to her question would have sufficed, the verbal argument was more than enough proof that the two shared some connection. When the argument seemed to begin to die off, she coughed, getting both her attention. Dopple turned to her Queen with a blush and Law snorted in amusement.

Queen Chrysalis stepped forward and extended her hoof.

"Trafalgar Law, welcome to the Changeling Hive."