Chapter Text
Law sat with Shachi and Penguin at the bar table. It was crowded that night with civilians and pirates alike, both from his crew and others. The town itself was quite used to travelers of all sorts, taking the view that any paying customer was a customer worth having.
The civilians of the town had proven themselves no strangers to self defense either, as evidenced by the guns and swords strapped to people of all ages and genders. He had already seen someone tossed bodily out a third story window for presumed bad behavior. None of the townsfolk or visitors seemed to pay it much mind.
It was one of few towns where Law felt more or less at ease. Sure, he wouldn’t be letting his guard down, but at least he wouldn’t have to sweat over marines, which meant one less thing on his mind.
He could see his crew was quite enjoying themselves as well, some of them having already made drinking buddies of the locals. They were trading tales over their booze when a phrase overheard at the next table piqued his interest.
“They pulled her out of time!” a man exclaimed. He seemed to be referring to the woman next to him, who he held rather close. “I thought I would have to live without her forever.”
“You’re pulling my leg!” Law’s crewman replied, laughing into his drink.
“Not at all!” he said. “Those people gave me back the love of my life.”
Law was skeptical of the story but decided more information would not go amiss. At worst, it was some scammer and he’d find out for sure in short order. At best… It could be a chance to bring Cora back.
—
After thoroughly cross-examining the poor man and his once-dead wife, Law concluded that either they were telling the truth or were very well and thoroughly duped. Two sides of him warred, both desperate and disbelieving.
He certainly hadn’t heard of every devil fruit that ever existed. Thanks to his experiences in Wano, he knew that time-related devil fruit powers were possible. Not to mention the many strange abilities had by the people of Wano without the use of devil fruit powers. His recent years had exposed him to so many strange things that it would almost be stupid to discount this rumor as only that–a rumor.
The man had told him of the strange band of people working out of an old hospital. The island being not far off, Law thought he might as well check it out. If it did turn out to be a scam operation, he could put a stop to it so no one else got taken in.
The weird part was that the man said they didn’t want any money from him. They simply told him that his happiness was enough. Of course, he couldn’t take that for an answer and he left them with a lot of gold and fine clothing (he was a textile maker by trade).
Happiness he had in abundance, if his tale was to be believed. His wife had died tragically in a shootout on this very island. It was some years ago, he’d said, before the town really had a handle on pirate relations. The woman even deigned to show Law a few of her scars as proof of her accident.
Law had made up his mind to visit the island and began working with Bepo to sort out how they would get there, as it seemed there was no log pose for it. They sought out charts from various island merchants. From their information, and what the man at the bar had told them of its whereabouts, Bepo was able to plot a course.
—
Getting there hadn’t been terribly eventful. Having a submarine meant they were able to pass unnoticed by marines, pirates, and all others along the way. Even sea life seemed to pay them no mind during their four day journey.
They reached the island at night, so Law waited until dawn to approach. He heard they were generous people, so he would at the very least offer the courtesy of a daytime visit.
When the sun was well risen, he ventured onto land with Bepo and Penguin. He left Shachi in charge of the Polar Tang and the crew while he was gone, with instructions to come looking for him if there was no report by nightfall.
The dock there was empty, save for a dinghy. There were a few dozen seabirds squawking and the sound of the sea, but no sight or sound of people as they trudged up the hill inland.
The shore of the island was rocky, and it seemed the same for the rest of the mountainous island. It had three steep peaks, the highest points of which were flecked with snow. It was a cold and windy island, feeling dreary and unwelcome. It wasn’t what Law had pictured from the man’s story, but that wasn’t too surprising given the man’s rosy demeanor.
There was a slight drizzle of rain that must have been ever-present, if the moss covered rocks were anything to go on. They followed the only path, clearly marked with gravel and a nameless sign pointing them to the right and up a climb of switchbacks.
“Captain, you didn’t say there would be a hike,” Penguin whined.
“Yeah, yeah, start hiking,” Law grumbled.
Bepo followed without complaint, feeling refreshed by the cool air. After being in the stuffy submarine for a few days, this was heaven to the mink.
It took them about an hour of hiking before they saw the building.
True to what the man said, it appeared to be an old hospital.
Rather curious in its location, as the three pirates had not seen any other buildings, even as the trees around them broke to provide a view of the land below. No houses, however humble, had appeared to them at any point so far.
The hospital was just two stories, with a cement exterior that had been cracked with age. Like the surrounding trees and stones, it too was coated with moss. There were faded white double doors at the front, and while most windows appeared unbroken, the ones that had shattered were boarded up to keep the wind and rain out
There was an abundance of warm light emanating from the windows, which made for an assurance that, despite the building's dilapidated exterior, there were people inside.
“Should we knock?” Bepo asked cautiously.
No sooner had he asked, then the door opened and a man stood offering them entry.
“Hello,” said the man, “would you care to come in?”
He was tall and broad, wearing fine, dark clothes. His skin was brown as toasted bread, and his eyes were butter-yellow. The man was entirely bald and without eyebrows. The overall effect might have been intimidating to a lesser man, but Law was undeterred. He sensed no malice from the man and led his crew inside.
“Thank you,” said Law, as they stepped inside.
The three of them were quite damp from the rain and the warmth inside the hospital was most welcome.
The exterior of the building had seemed cold and uninviting, but the inside was finely decorated. Warm, rich lighting revealed carefully carved wood furniture and colorful oil paintings. Law could smell something cooking he could not place, he only knew it was richly spiced.
It seemed more like a mansion than a hospital here.
“I will bring the lady,” the tall man said. “Please make yourselves at home.”
He walked through a swinging door towards the back of the room and left the pirates there to wait.
“This is… weird,” said Penguin.
“Uhuh,” agreed Bepo.
“Don’t let your guard down,” Law reminded them both.
Law studied the decorations further while they waited. Everything was certainly expensive or fancy in some way, but it seemed not everything really went together. Law was by no means an interior decorator, but the different paintings and pieces of furniture seemed like they were chosen by different people.
A very modern metallic sculpture stood at the top of the stairs, not far from a hyper-realistic oil painting. The sofas in the lounge ranged from velvet and brocade to tweed and cotton.
Based on the gifts the textile merchant said he had given, Law wondered if all these beautiful items were gifted as well.
The door swung open, the tall man from before leading the way. A small woman followed behind him and after her trailed another large and imposing figure.
The woman was rather petite with dark hair and a warm smile. Her skin was paper white and a patch at her inner elbow suggested she had just had blood drawn. She wore a silk gown in a deep mustard yellow.
The person behind her was expressionless. Their height was such that they had to duck through the doorway. They had a thick frame, even larger than the man who had shown them in, russet skin, and long, dark hair parted down the middle.
“Hello there,” said the woman. “Welcome to our home. I am Jeanette. This is Pauldron and Greaves.”
She gestured first to the figure behind her, who stared unblinkingly at the trio of pirates, then to the bald man who bowed respectfully.
“I can surely guess why you are here, but why don’t you tell me in your own words?”
The woman sat comfortably onto a velvet armchair, while her two bodyguards-apparent stood looming at either side.
“Sit, if you like,” she invited them after a beat of silence. “I have the kettle on for tea.”
Law sat stiffly on an elaborately carved wooden chair opposite Jeanette. Penguin and Bepo sat together on a nearby couch.
“I heard a tale,” Law began, “from a man who says you can pull someone out of the past.”
The woman’s dark eyes sparkled and she smiled.
“You don’t believe it,” she said. “And you won’t until you see it.”
A sudden thump came from the floor above, followed by a clatter and a loud “SORRY.”
Law jumped from his chair staring upward at the source of the sound.
Jeanette giggled.
“That’ll be Marie,” she explained. “She is one of our nurses. Rather clumsy thing. There are many more of us you haven’t met, so don’t be alarmed.”
Law settled back into the chair reluctantly.
“Now then, I can see you are very skeptical. I won’t waste your time trying to convince you of my ability. The best I can do is explain how it works and we’ll go from there.”
She picked up a small, rectangular book from the coffee table in front of her. It was not much bigger than her own dainty hand. She gave it a quick and satisfying flip with her thumb, the pages rasping.
“Have you seen flipbooks before?”
Law remained mute so she stood and passed it to him before sitting back down.
He flipped it a few times. The pages showed a cat leaping and rolling playfully.
“So what?” he said.
“If you were to take out one of the pages, the rest of the animation would continue undisturbed,” she continued, ignoring his sass. “That is what I do. At any time and place, I can pluck someone or something out. The continuum remains undisturbed.”
“So it would still be like he…” Law trailed off. “It wouldn’t change the past.”
“Only the present,” she affirmed. “The moment you pull them out matters, of course. I have an established method that works best.”
Law frowned.
“What do you want in return?”
The woman sighed and slumped in her chair.
“This is always the hardest pill to swallow. I understand, the people who come here are hurting. They have been betrayed by life, their most important person stolen from them. Why would anything be that easy?”
She gestured to the room around them.
“I have many treasures gifted to me over the years. I have requested none of them. Gifts only, not payment. I only want to help people. That is never what anyone believes. I have no ulterior motive, I just want to make people happy.”
Law was not buying it one bit, but he shoved aside the question of payment for now.
“Why the hospital?”
“This is where it gets tricky,” she grimaced. “You see, I have tried it every other way, believe me. The best thing for the person is to be pulled out close to death.”
“Why make them suffer?” Law challenges.
“It is not without purpose,” Jeanette replies with a tired look. “If you take a perfectly happy and healthy person out of their past, they will not understand. No amount of explaining will end well. I have tried. They need to believe they died and the only way is to get them when they’re close.
“I don’t like it, but physical pain is surmountable. The alternative cost is much harder to work through. I do not have the skill for therapy, but we have talented medical staff here.”
“That explains your blood draw,” he gestured to her arm.
“I have a universal blood type,” she smiled. “This is my life’s purpose. I know it is. That’s why I do it.”
In the room beyond, Law could hear the screeching of the kettle.
“At last!” Jeanette stood up excitedly. “That old stove sure took its time. How do you like your tea?”
—
Law did not stay for tea, but said he would return tomorrow. The woman had been gracious, not even pestering them for their names before they left. She likely saw a lot of people come and go, either disbelieving her or changing their minds.
The implications of what she had said meant that certain people could not be recovered. If someone had died of an incurable illness, there was no bringing them back. For some, he imagined, bringing someone back after years may be too painful. After years of grieving, perhaps they were ready to move on and let their loved ones rest in peace.
Law knew that he could save Cora now, if this woman were telling the truth. He had the expertise to heal him from the brink of death. He had built his medical skills over the years and by this point he was confident in his ability. Jeanette alleged that she also had a skilled team that might offer assistance.
It had been so long… but it would only be a moment for Cora. Would he want to come back? He would effectively be time traveling to the present. Law would have so much to tell him. And he was so young when he died, he could have so many years ahead to build a life and be happy. If he wanted, Law would gladly take him on his crew.
He mulled it over in his quarters that evening.
As he returned with Bepo and Penguin he had only talked things over minimally with them.
“Will you bring Cora-san back?” Penguin had asked him.
It seemed he was almost scared to do so. Like the name was forbidden. Law had told his three closest crewmates a long time ago about Cora and all he had done for him. While he never said how much it emotionally destroyed him, Law knew that they knew.
It was obvious how impactful Cora’s sacrifice had been. The tattoos, the jolly roger, the Heart Pirates’ very name.
“I’m not sure,” Law had all but whispered in response.
Even now, laying down to sleep, he wasn’t sure if it was the right call.
—
Law awoke with the light of dawn. Drifting out of sleep, his first thoughts of Cora’s smile, he knew that he would do it.
Cora had to come back to him.
Law tried to justify his selfishness by vowing that no matter what, he would let Cora live the life he wanted. Even if it meant leaving Law behind. He wanted so badly for him to have a second chance at life, without the burden of a sick child or a twisted brother.
Resolved, he started off his day with a hearty breakfast. If he was going to perform surgery, he needed to be in peak condition.
Bepo joined him in the mess hall before much longer.
“Aye,” he greeted. “How are you this morning, captain?”
Law smiled.
“Great. We’re doing it,” he said.
Shachi whooped as he joined them at the table.
“Great news!”
“I’m excited for you, captain,” Penguin followed shortly, overhearing the news.
“We’ll go soon,” Law said. “Eat well, I want all three of you with me today.”
The men were excited to be included and to see Law so enthusiastic.
They all ate heartily and were seen off by the rest of the crew who cheered their departure.
—
Hiking up the mountain was much the same as yesterday, but this time Shachi joined Penguin in his complaining. Penguin was worse off feeling a little sore still from the day before.
Their rabble could not bring down Law’s optimistic mood, however. He was cataloging all information he thought could be useful to Jeanette, based on what he had learned so far.
The time, date, and precise location of Cora’s death. His wounds, which young Law had tried not to look too closely at, but were forever burned into his mind. He thought of how he would treat him. Jeanette said she was a universal donor, so not knowing Cora’s blood type wouldn’t be a problem.
This time, Law’s group let themselves into the building. Jeanette seemed to be waiting for them. She was knitting in the same velvet chair she sat in yesterday.
“Welcome back,” she greeted, as pleasant as ever. “And welcome to you, newcomer,” she said to Shachi.
“My name is Trafalgar Law,” Law finally introduced himself. “This is Shachi, Bepo, and Penguin. They will be with me today.”
“Very good,” Jeanette said. “Let me show you to our operating room.”
“Operating room?”
He followed her upstairs as she explained, with the crewmen trailing behind.
“Since we are pulling your loved one in the midst of trauma, we must begin operation right away,” she said. “The room is prepped, but there are a few unknowns.”
The operating room seemed to have everything Law would need. Trays of sterilized equipment, IV drips of pain medication, blood standing by for transfusion.
“The table is… a bit short,” he said nothing else of the room, for there was little to criticise.
Jeanette seemed surprised.
“How tall?”
“He’s 290cm or so.”
“Oh my,” she said. “Quite tall. I believe we have a table that size, though.”
She called for the nurse, Marie, who poked her head in through the door almost immediately. She had short, brown hair and fair skin, and wore a simple nurse’s dress.
“Yes, miss?”
“Marie, please take this table out and fetch the three meter operating table,” Jeanette instructed.
“Right away, miss,” the young woman replied.
In preparation, Law told Jeanette everything he could remember about the day that seemed relevant. She seemed quite impressed with his detail.
“Will you be assisting with the operation?” she asked.
“I will be conducting it,” he said firmly.
“So the ‘Surgeon of Death’ is not just a frightening nickname?”
At his bewildered expression, she continued.
“Oh, please,” she rolled her eyes. “We know who you are. Our people vet everyone who walks through these doors. A former Warlord would certainly not escape our notice.”
“Tch, I suppose,” Law said. “That won’t be a problem for you?”
“We have worked with pirates, marines, and… others,” she said. “Your case is not an unusual one.”
“Alright, then. Let’s do it.”
Although she had walked him through her process and what to expect, it was still startling to see her work.
Jeanette’s power was opening a window to the past. From there, she could pluck out anything or anyone in a single “frame” of sorts, leaving the rest of the frames as they were. This enabled her to leave the past and the existing timeline undisturbed.
The window was quite literal. A frame opened in a perfect square in which she overlooked the setting described to her by Law on Minion Island. It took some fine tuning of the time and it was hard to watch her scan through, moment by moment, freezing and rewinding, looking for the right frame to pull out Cora.
“Here. Ready, Law?”
“Yes,” he answered firmly.
He was looking a little pale, but his resolve was strong. He was prepared to activate his Room for surgery immediately.
“Marie, ready?” she asked the nurse as well.
“Yes!”
“Alright, now then.”
The woman reached through the frame and grabbed him by the underarms. She pulled up and lifted his body, still apparently frozen in time, as though it were weightless. That was until Cora made it through the frame. He sputtered, incoherent but alive.
On that cue, Shachi, Penguin, and Bepo assisted in setting Cora onto the operating table. Cora weakly protested, clearly disoriented.
Law made quick work of his sleeves, allowing access to veins for IV anesthesia and blood transfusion which Marie administered quickly.
In moments, Cora stilled, relaxed into unconsciousness and the operation began.