𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 ➳ 𝐋𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐀𝐭 𝐒𝐞𝐚 (one piece fanfic)

Chapter 52 ✨✨

"How about, you stop snooping around on my Island?" he proposed, his hand retrieving something from his coat. "Did you think I wouldn't notice?" he asked dangerously, unclenching his hand to reveal a bunch of crumpled butterflies.

Ko didn't flinch. She simply smiled innocently, "Where did you get that from, I wonder..." Internally, she went over all the possibilities of how he discovered that fact, but she still couldn't figure it out. She did feel some disturbances in her butterflies from that Island which is why she came over, but she didn't expect they were found, she had underestimated them.

Doflamingo didn't get the reaction he expected and a sliver of doubt began to grow, still, he continued his enticement. "If you work for me, I can provide you with our whole resources, and put this whole ordeal behind us... and I'm sure you've heard of our new project..." he alluded, referring to his artificial devil fruit creations.

Ko had recently caught wind of it, but it didn't interest her that much, fake powers were bound to be weaker. And in the case, they weren't, the world would change, but she wasn't that adverse to change. Though she would keep an eye on them, after all, butterflies weren't the only animals her papers could mimic.

"I'm not interested in you, Joker, nor in what you have to offer," she replied, staring at him dead in the eye. "Ko can prosper without a need for a fake king and a fallen Noble," she coldly added salt to his wounds. 

Indeed, she had made it so 'Ko' could grow without any other entity, since the beginning, she was a lone figure of the Underworld, without any need for an organization. Perhaps that's what made her even more coveted as they knew she held an immense amount of information—dirt—on everyone, whoever gained her would gain a tremendous advantage.

"Then, you don't mind dying for me, right?" he asked rhetorically, with a mad smirk, violently swiping both of his hands down.

"As if," Ko retorted fearlessly, not a hint of Haki forming on her skin.

Doflamingo frowned, he knew her enough to deduce something was wrong.

Just as the strings were about to collide with the two, they cut smoothly through them, like cutting papers. To his surprise, there was no blood, no screams, nothing but silence as the clones dispersed in the wind. Doflamingo slashed the houses around to no avail, they had disappeared under his nose. 

Meanwhile, Ko and 987 were still running through the streets, soon enough arriving at sea. Wings sprouted from Ko's back as she swiftly flew away from the Island, to 987's delight.

"Alright, do you have somewhere to go back to, 987?" Ko asked gently, after putting 987 in her arms to fly.

987 closed her eyes while frowning, searching her memories deeply, "No... I've been a slave for as long as I can remember."

Ko hummed, patting her head in a semblance of comfort, but she knew no amount of pity could ever heal these scars, "I'll give you a few choices then," she paused to make sure 987 was attentive.

"Firstly, I can give you to a friend of mine, he can take care of you, and train you as well." Well, Dragon wouldn't have much of a choice, it wouldn't be the first child she dumped on him.

"Secondly, I can make sure you're adopted in a nice family," she could easily find some family in a nice corner of the world, far away from troubles.

"Finally, you can stay with me," she smiled at the thinking 987, "your eyes-" she paused, staring at 987's red eyes, where a black symbol twirled, "are very special."

987 nodded, not daring to look anywhere except Ko's face, in fear of seeing too many shadows. They were overwhelming, like a black void of pain surrounding Ko.