A Cook, A Doctor, A Ghost and A Ronin.

Old Man's Advice

Law disappeared from the mansion after he lost the fight against Doflamingo. He threw a little pebble far away from the mansion and teleported himself. He went to seek shelter on the rainforest, far from the Corps Grove or anyone. He wants to be alone for now with his thoughts.

He traverse the silent rainforest alone. Until he found a evergreen oak, and lean on the trunk of the oak tree. He didn't know what he was doing right now. Why is he here? He didn't know. He's in a state of anger, denial and sadness. His eyes are wet from the tears.

He's full of hate, so much that that its suffocating himself. All those hate are not because of how much he hated Doffy. The hate is directed to himself. After all that he'd went through, he still couldn't beat Doffy by himself. Always need to rely on someone else.

Is he too weak? Why did he lose? He thought after all this time, he'd gone stronger enough. But he didn't take one thing as a possibility. And that is Doffy mastering Ryuo. For months, Doffy didn't stand still like he always did. He strive to become stronger.

He's weak. He's always weak. He can't get his revenge and kill Doflamingo at all. He felt pathetic. He can't avenge Corazon, it make him wonder if he's pretty much useless. He missed Corazon from the bottom of his heart. The man had done everything he could in order to cure him of his disease.

Law is having a breakdown. He felt useless. He thought that it's better if he died instead of Corazon. The feeling of guilt caught up to him. Why? Why am I so useless? I can't even defeat Doflamingo by myself because I'm so weak. After everything, I'm still weak!

"Excuse me for bothering you, but what are you doing here?" A tall figure, that wears a pure white kimono, with triangle-shaped headband and two arrows stuck in his body - an appearance befitting of a ghost, interrupted his monologue with his mind. Law wipe his tears.

It was Brook, who also happen to wander around this forest.  Brook greeted the doctor as he happen to saw him earlier. Brook wonder what is Law doing in the middle of the forest. He could tell something had happened because Law had wiped off his tears.

"Nothing happened. What are you doing here, Bone-ya?" He tells Brook that nothing had happened and tried to change the topic immediately. He didn't want to look weak. Crying is for the weak.

"Me? Oh, I'm just exploring the woods. I feel like some fresh air would be quite nice before I took a sleep." Brook said that he wanted some fresh air before he sleep. 

"I'm sorry about what happened to you. It must've been hard on you. That snake face is quite insensitive huh?" Law expressed his pity for Brook and how insensitive Iguro could be.. Brook shakes his head.

"It's okay. Past cannot be changed. I've accepted it that the Rumbar Pirates are long gone from this world. That doesn't mean I've forgotten about them. As long as I live, I will always remember them in my heart." Brook told Law that it's okay. It is a bitter memory that he wishes that he could forgot.

But the past can't be changed at all. All that he could do right now, is to honor the memories of the dead and remember them. They might have gone, but the traces and the impact that they've done could be seen until now. Brook is living proof.

"However, I'm dead! But how could I hold onto their memories if I am already dead?! I didn't have any heart! Yo-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho!" Brook cracked one of his skull joke. Law just sighed. Still cracking one of his crappy jokes eh?

"What about you, then Law-san? What are you doing here?" It Brook's turn to ask some questions. Ah shit. Law thought that he had successfully diverted the topic.

"You tried to hide it. Something definitely happened before. Is it Doflamingo-san?" Brook could tell. No one could ever make Law like this except Doflamingo. He's the one he hated the most. Law is stunned at how accurate Brook was.

Law didn't say anything. Brook took that reaction as yes. Brook sits beside Law, who is twice as tall as Law. He could tell why Law came to this forest. Law come to seek shelter and comfort in silence. He understood that well.

"Doflamingo did something right?" Law didn't face Brook. He hide his face from Brook as he cover his face with his soft fluffy hat.

"Look, I didn't know what happened but it must've connected to your past, isn't it?" Brook didn't know about Law's past, but he knew both of them have a deep history with themselves. He only knew a tiny bit. Law only nod.

"I knew it's not my place to say anything. This might be hard, but it's better to forgive than to behold a grudge." Brook says that it's better to forgive. Something in Law snapped.

*Grab*

"What do you know about me?! What do you know about losing someone close to you?! You don't know how it feels!" Law grab Brook by his collar and pulls him closer to his face. He was enraged. Only after that, he realized what he just said.

"I-I'm sorry. I'm sorry for snapping in front of you." Law apologizes as he let's go of Brook and backs away. He felt guilty for doing such thing. He forgot that Brook is the same as him, lost his dearest and everyone around him.

"No, its my fault. I should not bring the topic in front of you." Brook instead apologizes.

"Forgiveness doesn't change the past, but it will change the future. To forgive is to set the prisoner free, and it you." Brook started to give the doctor an advice. Law just sit and listen.

"Revenge won't get you nowhere. It will only weighs you down. It affects everyone around you, too. You will never feel even a little bit of inner piece in your mind. Holding a grudge doesn't get you anywhere. You will only feel bitter." Brook told Law how revenge could affected everyone around him as well.

"Forgiveness doesn't mean that you are weak. The weak could never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong. It takes courage to face and overcome such powerful emotions." Brook stare at the beautiful stars.

"Forgive him not because he really deserves it, but because you deserve peace. Forgiveness is a gift that to yourself. Forgiveness doesn't excuse his wrongdoings, it prevents their behaviors from destroying your heart. Let no man pull you low enough to hate him." Brook continued.

"When you haven't forgiven those who've hurt you, you turn your back against the future. When you do forgive, you start walking forward. It takes a strong person to say sorry, and an even stronger person to forgive." Brook's right. Law has been stuck in his own past for 13 years.

"Forgiving a sin does not mean excusing it. When we forgive a sin, we neither say it is okay nor that payment will be required. Rather, forgiveness allows us to turn both the final judgement of guilt and the full payment of the debt away."

"Forgiveness is better than revenge, for forgiveness is the sign of a gentle nature, but revenge is the sign of a savage nature. Without forgiveness, life is governed by an endless cycle of resentment and retaliation. There is a nobility in compassion, a beauty in empathy, a grace in forgiveness." Brook ended his advice.

"I knew it's hard to forgive, but that doesn't mean you can't. You could try slowly to forgive him." Brook smiled.

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"All right, I'm getting sleepy. See you again, Law-san." Brook left Law alone with his thoughts. Law gaze the sky. Tonight is a starry night. He didn't know what to do now.