Chapter 26

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"Hahaha... Now we sit and wait." Doflamingo went and sat down in a chair, watching the 'game' he came up with unfold.

I grimaced at the sight. Civilians being forced to fight to survive and few, along with marines, were being forced to cut their allies down from his strings.

"Trebol..." I look away from the screen, seeing Doflamingo was talking through a snail.

"Doffy?"

"Diamanté, good. I didn't realize you were there too." Taking this moment, I glanced around the room, seeing if there was any weapons nearby. I saw nothing and mentally groaned to myself.

"Uh, yeah..."

"Doffy, I got some bad news-"

I felt my body moving on its own again, reminding me that Doflamingo had full control of me. "Both of you, come back to the palace at once, we'll talk details later, alright?"

Click.

He glanced at me with a smirk. Sometimes I really wish he would lose the sunglasses, it's hard to decipher his motives with those damn things on. "You are going to be the ace up my sleeve in this game."

I rose an eyebrow, wondering what the hell he was talking about. "You seriously think I would help you?"

He chuckled amused. "Yes I do, and you know why? It's because I have complete control over you, so you have no choice here."

I let out a 'tch', grinding my teeth. He right. Because of his damn strings, all I can do it whatever he wants.

Purupurupuru

Purupurupuru

Purupurupuru

Shit, I forgot I had my snail on me. I gulped as his smirk left his face. My hand moved towards where I held the snail, pulling it out and placing it in his hand. "Oh? And what do we have here, Huh?" He glanced at the snail as it continued to ring.

Purupurupuru

Purupurupuru

Purupurupuru

"Now be a good girl and don't say a word, if you do, I'll kill everyone on this island... you got that?" He-He can't be serious! All I could do was stare at the man, who had the most serious expression. He's not joking... I hesitantly nodded,."Good."

———

The members of the Donquixote family and several foot soldiers showed up, one bringing what appeared to be wine and glasses. He explained to everyone what we were after, or to better put it, our main objective... the SMILE Factory, and they were to stop us at all costs.

"So, they're all after the SMILE, right?" Diamanté asked

"Yeah, Doffy I don't get it... don't we need to protect the factory?" Trebol added.

"They won't get by the doors, they are Sea Prism Stone, after all. Besides, I have the keys right here..." a string sliced the keys he held in his hand, confusing the rest of them.

"I don't owe them a drop of hope..." He swirled the glass of wine in his hands, smirking as if he's already won. He then placed an arm around my shoulders. "Plus, I have something of theirs and I'm sure they will want to get it back."

I tried to back away, not able to go far as I was trapped in his lap, caged in by the arm around my shoulders.

"Trebol, your useless. I can't believe babysitting was that challenging for you..." I look over, seeing it was the old man. He looked down to the unconscious girl on the table, then towards Trebol. "Goon."

"Your the goon! Besides old man, she's not really a kid. Hey, hey Doffy! I'm sorry about Sugar, please don't get mad at me!" I looked from Trebol, to the girl on the table. Sugar... so she was the one turning everyone into toys. "That guy had his arms and legs bound, I didn't think he'd pull off a trick like that! I really messed that up, huh?"

"I too goofed, my bad..." Diamanté spoke up, throwing a peace sign in the air. "I didn't think I'd have to deal with the Revolutionary Army's Second in command all the sudden. We just weren't ready..."

"Ha! Quit making excuses, it's gross." The old man exclaimed, striking a pose. "And that's with a capital... G!" What the hell is he doing?

"It's in the past as far as I'm concerned. We can't turn back time, and blaming you won't do me any good." Doflamingo spoke up, reassuring the others of their mishaps. "Actually, we can turn back time, isn't that right? (Y/N)..."

I felt shivers spread throughout my whole body at the mention of my name. "I-I won't do it..."

"Doffy, what are you talking about?" Diamanté asked, confused.

"(Y/N) here will be our trump card, with her ability we will wake Sugar up." I furrowed my eyebrows together. Wake her up with my ability? Can't they just wake her up normally? "And she'll serve as bait."

"Bait?" Baby 5 asked, blowing smoke from her cigarette.

"Yeah, bait. With an ability like hers, there's no way Straw Hat will let it be taken from him. The ability to reverse time on a persons body and to save someone on the brink of death..." He grabbed hold of my chin, lifting my head up, "What better pawn for one who aims to reach the top?"

I swallowed hard as he chuckled darkly, throat feeling like it was closing up. Was he telling the truth? Is that the only thing people see me as... just a pawn in someone's game? "There's no doubt in my mind he will come to get her back."

I felt his grip on my chin loosen, allowing my head to drop forward. I let it hang there loosely as I took in what he said. It's not true...

"Y-You're wrong..." I whispered out, stuttering.

"Hm? You say something? I don't think I quite heard you." I heard Doflamingo's laughter die off, before taunting me.

"I said your wrong." I repeated myself, this time a little louder.

"Wrong? Do enlighten me what I'm wrong about." He replied, challenging me to say what he was wrong about.

I tilited my head up slightly, locking my gaze on him. "Your wrong. He isn't the kind of person to do that." I'm being stupid, Luffy considers all of us his friends.

Doflamingo placed a hand on his head, letting out a laugh. "Is that what you think?" He then grabbed hold of my hair, yanking my head up harshly to pull my full attention towards him.

"You think he actually cares about you? That is where you're wrong. Trust me, the only reason you are around is because of your powers, just like before." He smirked devilishly at me.

I widened my eyes slightly as I thought back to Moria and the hell I went through all for his plans. How the hell does he know about that? "T-That's not-"

"And you couldn't even save his brother." I felt as though I just received a blow to the stomach. Ace's death and when Luffy woke up from his coma flashed in my head over and over again.

"I-..." I couldn't say anything. I know he told me he didn't blame me, but deep down... I still feel like it was all my fault. Doflamingo's right, if I just ignored Ace and kept going... he'd be the one here, not me.

I felt numb, void of any emotion as I sat there limply in his lap. Seeming to notice my surrender, he smirked and got close to my ear, breath fanning my ear and neck as he whispered. "And you're never getting away from me." I felt one of his fingers poke my chest, before a sharp pain erupted. "You're mine."

I refused to show him any emotion, so I sat through the pain with a blank face. He reeled back and diverted his attention back to the others. As they discussed of their plan, I let everything sink in, a single tear rolling down my cheek as I placed a hand over the spot on my chest where the pain radiates.

Sorry, Captain... but I don't think I can get out of this one.

———
Published: 07/17/2022
Updated: 09/29/2023

Gomen... CaptainWhere stories live. Discover now