Chapter 23. Kindness grows as you grow

Law's memories were hazy. He faintly remembers that someone crashed him through buildings causing destruction. Then, later, the same evildoer blamed him for it.

The evildoer that blamed him, later kidnapped his friend and crewmate, so Law chased the evil man.

But as he chased him, the evil man accused Law, and said that it was all his fault that these events occured.

The accusations are not what made him boil in anger, in fact, normally, he wouldn't care about such accusations...

But the tone the aggressor had, really irked him.

The evildoer spoke with conviction, as if Law had indeed destroyed those buildings and he was in the wrong.... The conviction in his tone, as he lied through his teeth, is what made Law's blood boil.

The shameless bastard actually dared to lie so daringly that even he, Law himself was starting to doubt what had happened.

Later on, he felt so angry that he felt his willpower erupt from him.

At that point, Law felt so powerful, yet, unfamiliar with the power he had touched upon.

But the shameless man didn't stop, he continued infuriating him, so in the end, Law accidentally erupted his willpower again. This time he felt fatigued.

As things seemed to calm down, the shameless man smiled so innocently at him, and asked him the million dollar question "Hey, how about ya join my crew?" He said as if they had been friends for 10 years.

His voice was devoid of guilt and filled with honesty... That's what caused Law's willpower to erupt for the third time.

Next thing he knows is that he is awoken by the cold seawater as he downs.

He was convinced that he was about to die until he saw a man dive into the sea and reach for him.

Law only saw his yellow afro that seemed to defy all laws of physics when it comes to wet hair.

The water seemed to swim around the man's yellow afro as if the man had found a hydrophobic hair gel that would protect his hair from seawater.

Law figured that the man must have intentionally chosen such hair products because he was expecting that he would have to dive into the sea many times in the future.

'But why? Why would a man with yellow afro expect such things.' Law wondered and pondered as his consciousness was fading away.

Maybe it was the fact that Law's brain was lacking oxygen, or maybe it was the fact that the Yellow afro amazed him so much, but that was what was going through Law's head as his sight blurred before he lost consciousness again.

Yennow swam down and caught Law before swimming up again.

"Sorry about that..." Ace said in a chuckle, but his chuckle stopped abruptly as he saw Yennows hair.

It was perfectly dry and his afro had the perfect round form it had before Yennow dived into the sea.

"How...." Even Apoo was amazed at Yennows dry hair.

Yennow smirked, he felt like he had won something in his heart.

Ace frowned...

Seing his captain's frown, Yennow started sweating as he felt like the shameless captain would do something evil to him.

"Erm.. maybe I swam through the water so fast that my hair didn't have the time to get wet?" Yennow said nervously.

"Then what's this?" Spikewards asked as he held up a bottle with large shiny words that said "Hydrophobic hair gel 2000!"

Right beneath that text, was another smaller one that said " perfect for rainy days, or when at the beach, or when fishing, or when your boss forces you to dive into the water all the time even though you spent lots of time perfecting you hairstyle!"

"Oooh that's smart!" Ace said with a thumbs up.

Yennow relaxed when he saw his captain not getting mad, yet he didn't know that behind Ace's kind smile, was evil intentions.

Ace felt like he had lost some battle when he saw Yennows hair all fine and dandy.

*Cough cough* Law woke up as he coughed water.

"He's awake!" Yennow said excitedly.

Looking around, Law felt confused for a second, as he saw so many unfamiliar faces, and Bepo... And the face of a young man... With black hair and freckles... 'Why does he look so familiar?' law questioned himself.

Seing how Law was fine, Ace told everyone to set sail since he had achieved his mission of acquiring a crewmate, forgetting that Law hadn't joined yet.

"Let's set sail!" Ace said with a grin.

"Yes yes, captain!" The crewmates said as they started working.

As for Law, for some reason, he felt very displeased when he heard the voice of the so called "captain"

"Bepo, what's going o" Law asked as he stood up.

"Haaa capt... Crewmate Law! We were kidnapped and forcedly taken in as crewmates by the kind pirate over there!" Bepo said innocently as he pointed at Ace.

As Ace heard that, he turned to them and waved his hand with a big smile.

"I see..." Law said.

"..."

"..."

"..."

Suddenly, all his memories came back and he remembered what had happened up to this point.

"YOU BASTARD I REFUSE TO JOIN YOUR CREW, I'LL KILL YOU AND THEN KILLL YOU AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN!"""" Suddenly Law erupted in anger as he remembered everything.

Ace's nakama halted as they realised that their captain had done it again.

At first they thought that Ace had at least gotten new crewmates in a good manner since Bepo seemed so friendly, but now they understood that there was something wrong with Bepo's head instead.

Everyone had pity in their eyes as they looked at Law.

Law saw their look and felt even angrier.

"The faster you give up, the faster you achieve inner peace." Apoo said in his wise voice, as if he had achieved a higher wisdom.

"NEVER!!!" Law shouted as he pointed at the weird man with weird arms, Apoo.

"It's too late, I already took you, so you belong to my ship!" Ace said happily, as if it is a matter of fact.

"I'll never sail under a bastard like you!" Law said angrily as he was about to use his abilites to shop off Ace's head.

"Then I'll give you one chance." Ace said abruptly, halting Law's motions to use his devil fruit.

Law looked at Ace suspiciously, waiting for him to say what he had to say.

"If you truly don't want to be part of my crew, get out of my ship in 5 minutes. If you're still here in 5 minutes, I'll take it as you voluntarily joining the Demon Ace Pirates" Ace with honesty in his voice.

Every looked aghast at Ace, had they misunderstood him from the beginning? He actually gave Law a chance to not join? Had he become kinder as he aged?

"Sure! I'm out of your sight before you can count to ten." Law said as he was about to escape the ship.

But that's when he realised something and he halted.

When the crewmates saw his behaviour they also came to realisation.

They had set sail in full speed. You could barely see land in the horizon... If Law jumps out of the ship... As a devil fruit user he'll drown.

They all looked at Ace as if he was a devil.

He had indeed become kinder, he gave Law the option to join, but if he didn't, he would have to drown himself.

-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

So I've made a horrible mistake, I wrongly remembered that Law was one of the few people that had conqueror's haki! But I remembered incorrectly, it was Kidd that had it.

But alas, it's too late now, this mistake has left me in so much pain and turmoil, and the only medicine that can relief my mental grief is powerstones.

Sigh, but I'm sure you don't want to give me all your powerstones, so I won't ask for it.... I'll just threaten you instead MWAHAHAHA.

Ehem, hand over your stones or else🔫