A/N: So, I'd just sneak posting this very late update in between doing my task in my committee, hurray for being in a research committee. Sorry for the long wait so without further ado, here's the update.

I wanted to thank my beta, Beka for adding a very good line and insight here that I overlooked.

Same warning. I own nothing.

I remember the day when we met Doflamingo face to face again. Even though it was just a string puppet of him but seeing Doflamingo with his arrogant and confident smirk plastered on his face made my blood boil in anger. I swore when I saw his real body, I would erase that smirk of his along with his face until nobody could recognize him.

After we part ways with Zoro-ya we continued on our way to where Doflamingo was, facing enemies as the other bunch of weirdos were making are journey into some kind of race. You, the eternal child, refused to be beaten. The little childish part of me was also rooting for you to win, but the more mature part of me was berating you to stop all of this nonsense. I wanted you to be serious and get to Doflamingo already.

"Uuughh, I was sure that I've taken a shortcut but everyone is catching up," you said in frustration. I muffled a groan and just slumped myself on the bull's back. I was getting more and more frustrated with my situation. Those damned shackles were preventing me from doing anything. I triggered this war for fuck's sake and yet I was completely useless.

I looked in your direction, and I could still see the hardened expression you wore when I told you about Cora-san. Ever since I told you about him you were quiet, that was very out of character for you and I wasn't used to it. I was more used to your energetic, loud, and cheeky self. I almost didn't realize that I was clutching the back of your shirt tightly until you turned to look at me with a concerned expression.

"What is it, Traffy?" you asked with very uncharacteristic concern. Then your eyes widened slightly and you reached for my hand that was currently clutching your shirt to encase it on your stronger and more calloused hand. The very same hands that caused so much destruction, and yet they were holding mine with utmost care.

"Don't worry, Traffy. I promise that I will beat Mingo for you and for your Cora-san so please stop making that face," you said as you looked at me with those pain filled eyes. I wondered what expression I was making for you to look at me like that, but before I could ask what you meant you turned away from me again

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"Hey! Stop aiming at Ucy!!" you shouted angrily. With a frown maring my face, I stared at our entwined hands and tried to squeeze it. I jolted when I felt you squeezing back.

"I said stop aiming at Ucy!!" you repeated again as if holding my hand in the middle of a battlefield and making my inside swirl were natural.

"Don't you lay a finger on Straw Hat Luffy, ya pansies!!" someone shouted from behind before hitting the enemies mercilessly.

"Huh?! Who's that?" you asked to no one as the newcomer laughed boisterously.

"Hey, don't act like that!! We fought in the same block! I'm C-Block contestant, Kerry Funk."

Great. Just great. Another weirdo from the coliseum. After the newcomer introduced himself he stated that he was grateful for God Usopp, again with the 'God', and decided to help us out. I had a very bad feeling about it and him in general, but as soon as he stated something about the shortcut you immediately believed him.

"All right. Time to leave cabbage and the others in the dust!!" you said enthusiastically. You may believe what he was telling us but not me, call it a woman's instinct I just didn't feel right about that guy. As you follow his directions, I caught him smirking. I knew it.

"Mugiwara-ya, you shouldn't trust this guy," I warned. My advice was once again ignored. If you just listened to me most of the mess on both Punk Hazard and in Dressrosa could have been avoided, but I guess if you actually followed any of my plans or advice I'd have died of shock.

"We'll be fine, Torao, with this shortcut we'll get to Mingo real soon," you replied. I let out a exasperated sigh. If only I didn't have those shackles restraining me and my ability I would've already dismembered him and attached his limbs on those annoying plateaus. Speaking of my inability to do something, my irritation and frustration grew even more. I snatched my hand from your hold, making you look at me with a questioning frown.

"Oi, Mugiwara-ya. When are we getting these restraints off of me?" I complained. "If we keep this up I might be asking Doflamingo to kill me." Much to my annoyance you just smiled at me nonchalantly.

"Don't worry about that, Torao. It'll work out somehow. Let's just keep going, okay," you said with a smile and tried to reclaim my hand, but I swatted your hands away making you pout.

"Where does that confidence coming from? Head back to the last plateau. We're going to search for the key. We either win this or die. Do you get that?!" I gritted but you just smile brightly and reached to poke the middle of my creased eyebrows. I blinked in surprise before exploding in to a bright red.

"What. The. Fuck. Are. You. Doing?" I questioned angrily, gripping your rubbery wrist. You just shrug and laugh.

"Shishishishi. You should stop frowning like that or else you're going to grow wrinkles just like Dadan," you said with a bright smile before turning your sight on the way again. You tried to reach for my hand again and this time I let you entwine our hands.

"Stop sulking, just trust me and my nakama. If Doflamingo attacks us, then I'm going to protect you," you proclaimed in a cheery voice, but I could hear the slight seriousness on it. I felt you squeeze my hand reassuringly and in that moment my irritation and frustration disappeared replaced with a calm feeling.

"There's the shortcut, Straw Hat, head on inside. We'll stay here and guard the entrance," the Kerry-guy shouted and you thanked him. I really don't like him. His face screams suspicious.

The two hitchhikers at the back were so busy shouting praise at him that they didn't notice the high pillar and hit their heads, resulting in them falling down. You and I stared at them with a incredulous look.

"They fell off... What were they even after?" the two of us said in unison. There was a moment of silence before we continued our way.

"Right!! Let's keep on going without them!! Go, Ucy!" you shouted at the bull and as if the bull could understand you it answered back.

"Onward to the Sunflower Field." I glance back and saw the poor two trying to catch up on us. However, the bull was going faster, and they were left behind

'Purupurupuru.' There's a familiar ringing that resonates through the wall.

"Hey, Torao that's your Den-Den Mushi." I reached for the snail in my pocket with my free hand and gave it to you.

"Here, answer it." The snail was snatched from me and it made a familiar 'ka-chunk' noise indicating that the call connected.

"Hello? This is Luffy! The man who's going to be the Pirate King." I look at you with a mixed of disbelief and amusement at the way you answered the snail phone. You are the only one I knew that answered the phone like that. I chuckled silently.

"Hello, Luffy. It's me." At the familiar voice I straightened my position.

"Robin!" you shouted in shock.

"We're at the plateau you left behind a while ago. Where are you?" the voice from the den-den mushi asks.

"Right now? We're on the first level of the mountain, but we're heading straight for the Sunflower Field," you answered

"The Sunflower Field? That's the fourth level. Viola found the keys to Traffy-chan' s restraints!" I flinched in surprise as my eyes widened. Finally. I could finally remove those annoying restraints.

"Nico-ya Get them here at once! What do you need me to do?" I shouted desperately. Knowing that I can finally be free I felt impatient. The voice that answered back didn't belong to Nico-ya.

"Hello, Everyone. This is Leo of Tontatta Tribe. I'm going to take Rebecca-sama, the big chicken human and Robiland to you as fast as I can."

'Tontatta? That's right those are the believed fairies of the people from Dressrosa,' I thought.

"Let's meet up soon in the Sunflower Field." It was Nico-ya's voice again but before I could inquire about the keys again, you spoke again. I tried not to growl in frustration, instead I tried to claim back my hand, but your grip tightened keeping our hands together.

"How are you guys going to catch up with us?" you asked curiously.

"Explanations can wait, we'll see you there." It was the Tontatta's voice again and with that the line was cut off and the snail begun to sleep.

"You see? It worked out. You should just put your trust in us more and everything's going to be fine," you said cheerily as you stroke my hand with your thumb.

"That's pure coincidence," I said looking away. This group never ceased to amaze me. They kept making miracles. Then suddenly I noticed the state of the place where in.

"More to the point, look at this place." I said suspiciously, in turn you scanned the area as well.

"Huh? It's a complete dead end! And what's with the water?" you asked to no one. My eyes narrowed in suspicion. It must be the work of that Kerry-guy.

"There's no more than a slanted well. Did you really think that there will be a shortcut to the top?" At the newcomer's voice my head turned to the side sharply as well as yours and there, standing was Doflamingo.

"Mingo!" you growled his name with so much venom leaking at the tone.

"Looks like the weaklings have started to work together... Doflamingo!!" I growled between gritted teeth.

"Fufufufu. Looks like your handcuffs will be coming off, eh, Law?" Doflamingo questioned rhetorically in amusement which just made more furious.

"Damn you, Doflamingo." Balling up my free hand into a fist is the only thing I could do for now, and it left a bitter taste in my mouth. I was useless in that situation.

"What are you doing here?" you asked angrily as you stretched your arm to attack Doflamingo, but it didn't hit him as he stopped it with his own hand.

"I'm here to help you, I don't know how you managed to fall for such a pathetic trap. You call this a shortcut?" Doflamingo mocked, amusement still clear on his face. He raised his other hand flick his point finger. "Tamaito" and aimed for the bull.

"UCCYY!!" you screamed at Ucy in worry as the bull started to tip off.

"Forget the bull, Mugiwara-ya." I screamed as you fall in the water with a pain grunt, while I still remain on the bull's back

"You're not taking this seriously at all, Straw Hat," Doflamingo said as he walked slowly toward us, the clicking from the heel of his shoes were loud in the closed well.

"Pathetic! At this rate, anyone could kill you idiots off!" At every insult he throw to us my anger just intensified, my anger at him and at my pathetic state as well.

"Hang in there, Ucy," you panted weekly beside my ear. I realized that the water here was from the sea that's why you were getting weak. Damn it kept ringing in my head.

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"All those people outside were desperately trying to take my head. It's impressive you managed to gain so many allies in a situation like this." He was standing and looking down at us.

"I've had my eye on that special ability of yours ever since the ultimate war. But what's the use when you yourself are an idiot? Why did you choose this boy, Law? You were meant for so much than this." I clicked my tongue angrily, knowing where this was going. It was my past that I desperately tried to forget. My past that Cora-san desperately tried to save me from. When I could feel nothing except for the loathing at the world.

"Even as a child you were more ruthless, more cunning. Do you deny it?" Doflamingo continued. I could feel your worried and surprised eyes on me but I couldn't meet yours as I focus my glare at Doflamingo as his next words anger me more.

"Who turned you into such a soft, worthless mess?"

"Shut up! I have no intention of becoming like you! I was saved!" I told him, but Doflamingo only laughed.

"By my little brother, Corazon, you mean? If you haven't gone soft then why are you still dying here in such a pathetic way? If you haven't went with that idiot little brother of mine, then you wouldn't be in this pathetic situation," Doflamingo said still with that annoying mocking voice of his.

"STOP MOCKING CORA-SAN. HE IS NOTHING LIKE YOU! YOU DEVIL!" I screamed angrily at him. I could feel the veins in my forehead throbbing in my rage. No one insults Cora-san in front of me.

"Traffy..." I heard you calling my name weakly. I suppressed the pathetic sob that tried to come out my mouth. That was not the time to show my weakness.

"Fufufufufu." Doflamingo laughed without a care and raised his hand again, "Pathetic. You and Corazon are both pathetic. I will end your miserable life here just like what I did to your beloved Cora-san, Law." Before he could flick his finger someone stab him from behind preventing him from attacking me. It was the two hitchhikers from before. The attack seems nothing to Doflamingo and started to laugh as his body turned into strings.

"Just a double," I muttered angrily. Of course that man won't waste his time to personally go to us. That damn man was probably treating us like weaklings that don't deserve his presence.

"I don't really get what's going on but let's pull them out," the pair said as they pulled you out first, but when they turn to me to help me back on my feet you stop them.

"Don't touch her," You said in a calm voice as you regain your energy back. You kneeled beside me and held my shoulder to pull me up carefully then lift me up on your shoulder. I let out a surprised squeak as I flailed my arms in protest

"What the hell are you doing, Mugiwara-ya?" I asked in both surprised and anger. I didn't find these sudden whims of yours funny anymore. We had more serious matters at hand.

"Thanks for helping us," you said at the two instead of answering me. They started to squeal like idiots before noticing the lower body asking if they actually took Doflamingo out.

"Oi, Mugiwara-ya, put me down." Not liking being ignored I started to struggle at your hold, but you kept a firm hold on my back, instead I lashed out directing my frustration at the two in front of us.

"And you two fools there, that was a fake; it wasn't the real Doflamingo. Did you come here to laugh at us?" As soon as I finished my question, they quickly denied it and told us what really happened outside. That Kerry-guy tricked us, I knew it, and then suddenly Doflamingo appeared and attacked him.

'Serves him right. If I ever saw him I will personally kill him for cornering us here.' I thought.

"Anyways Straw Hat, Trafalgar. You two have fallen behind; the others are already at the second level." The two said. You growled angrily and hoisted me up on your back.

"Traffy, are you calm now?" You turned to me, the growl from before not present, but your tone was the same one you used when we were talking about Cora-san.

"Mugiwara-ya..." Before I could finish what I'm saying you shake your head.

"Not now, Traffy. Tell me everything when we finally beat Doflamingo, okay," you said with a small smile as you bumped the side of your head with mine gently. I nodded my head.

"Alright. This shortcut was meant to take us to the Sunflower Field ahead of them all. If there's no way out here then I can just make a way. Up, right?" you said with a glint of mischievousness in your eyes.

You turn at the two and said, "Take care of Ucy for me." The two nodded, happy that you trust them to take care of the bull then you stretch your arm to pick my Kikoku up on the ground.

"Hold on tight Traffy." With that you blew on your thumb and your hand got bigger before covering it with armament haki. Using your 'Gomu Gomu no Elephant Gun' you destroyed the ceiling.

"It really turned into a shortcut," the two said in surprise, eyes bulging out of their sockets.

"We're going ahead." And with that you jumped up to the hole you just created. Outside was chaos, enemies are everywhere, the citizens are running in fear and the weirdos from the coliseum were scattered, fighting enemies.

"Mingo!! I'm coming for you got that!" you growled angrily at the direction where Doflamingo is.

As we started to go to the top my mind wandered at what I have agreed with you. How could I ever tell you that Cora-san was not just a father figure?

A/N: My once a week update will resume when my freaking requirement is done. It's an IMC competition, a class effort against other class section. Wish us luuuucccckk!!!!