He was Almost Absorbed by the System

Chapter Eighty Six - Law and Luck

The first time that Law came to realise that there was something odd about him and his brother was when he was just three years old.  Unlike Luck, who was a system in his true incarnation, he was used to the odd aches and unexplainable pains that came with having a human body.  He also never really thought about the tiny bruises that would occasionally appear on his fair skin.  He simply thought that this body was a little delicate.

He had been toddling down one of the corridors having successfully escaped from his cabin, Luck had been nervously plodding after him.  The boys were seriously overprotected by the crew of the Sabine, their room was a cave of soft toys and cushions.  All other toys were made of unbreakable plastics and rubbers and there was not a single sharp edge to be found anywhere; anything even resembling a corner had been filed down to a curve, wherever possible.  But Law, having been an adult several times, felt the crew were too overbearing and how were they supposed to investigate anything in this galaxy if they were stuck in a small cabin?  He really wanted to return to Warren as soon as possible, even if Yang had assured him that time was flowing different there and the boy likely would not even notice he had gone.  He had noticed, that was sufficient!

They hadn't managed to get far, when suddenly a shot of pain had burst across his elbow.  Luck had burst into tears and rubbed the bone he had smacked against the wall in a rush to catch up with his older brother.  Crybaby Luck was a clumsy kid and loud as well.  The tears quickly attracted Sly, who had been making his way to his own cabin after taking the twilight shift on the bridge.  He came and fussed over the tearful toddler and also extended his sympathies to Law, who was still rubbing his own elbow.  Identical bruises appeared on both boys.  Although this event did not completely open Law's eyes, it did raise his awareness.

It didn't take long to realise that he shared Luck's pain, Luck fell and bumped himself at least once a day.  Through little experiments, he found that if Luck held something warm, he would feel heat in his palms and if he touched something cold, Luck would feel the chill.  Overtime, they learnt they knew how the other felt, where other was and if the distance between them was too great, they would suffer odd pains in their chest, until they came to be side by side once more. Being this his first incarnation as a human, Luck had nothing to compare this existence too so was more accepting, it took Law longer to adapt. It took even longer for the crew to lighten their embrace.

When the Captain first allowed them to join the crew in pillaging from the rich as they flew across the stars in a sleek, slimline and top of the line ship, they were giddy with excitement. Their best friend, a ragamuffin that Swab had picked up off of a poverty stricken mudball when they had just turned four, had already joined the raiding team a couple of times and was quick to show off.

"Look, guys!" Zyre held a gold stud up to his ear that happened to be in the shape of a 'Z', which also happened to be the lazy nickname of the boy.  He was three years older than they were, his voice cracking in between the high notes of a child and the baritone of a young man.  When Swab had found him, a man was trying to sell the underweight, seven year old him as a slave.  Swab detested slavers or anyone who dabbled in human trafficking.  When confronted by those he considered the lowest forms of existence, he would rapidly lose his sunny persona and resemble closer a black hearted Pirate cliche.  According to Zee, he revealed this once he had opened up to the two boys, Swab had nutted the man, shattering his nose then kicked him in the balls.  There was blood everywhere!  Swab had then gently picked up the weak him and carried him to the ship, where he told the Captain he'd decided to adopt!

"It suits you," Luck told him, earnestly.  Luck hadn't learnt to lie and could still be considered very innocent.  Law was barely giving either of them his attention.  From the corner of his eye, he noticed the intense stare coming from the man that Zee had just robbed.  It made him nervous, especially for Zee, who seemed the target of the glare.