Chapter 4: Corpse Candles and Foxfire

Thank you's to these cutiepie dumplings: LostInTheSilence, Girl-luvs-manga, Alkitty, 10th Squad 3rd Seat, Shiningheart of Thunderclan, SamuraiTater, Mai Kusakabe, Ayakaishi Fei, Guest 13,butterflyfreak, Skittleskat, Sheep, and xXxWolvesInTheNightxXx.

—

methyl nitrate pineapples

hypothesis #4

corpse candles and foxfire

—

Mud squished under her boots as Sophie followed the well-worn trail deeper into the forest. The swamp smelled like earth, rich and strong and musky. Mosquitoes buzzed around her ears, frogs croaked by her feet, and the full moon shone wet silver through the foliage. The trees were huge, unlike anything she'd ever seen. This was the amazing force of nature in the Grand Line. She wished she had enough time to do more research.

Sophie glanced over her shoulder. She was still close enough to see the light of the inn. This should be the place where the will-o'-the-wisp was yesterday…

She squatted down on the edge of the trail and gingerly lowered the lantern to the surface of the muddy waters. Tiny bubbles emerged from the bottom of the swamp—the methane, probably. But the swamp was too shallow in these parts and there wasn't enough decayed material; the methane wouldn't be as abundant. She'd have to wade deeper into the water to…

Her nose wrinkled. "Pineapples."

If there was anything Sophie hated more than the existence of germs, it was those germs getting on her skin. And her clothes had finally dried off, too.

Perhaps the heart of the swamp held more methane than the outskirts.

Squaring her shoulders, Sophie followed the trail deeper into the gloom. The lantern swung loosely by her side, and she wished it held more than a small candle and dripping wax. The night rustled with flashes of movement. The jagged tree bark adopted half-shadowed faces of the dead and every time Sophie looked away, she could hear them crying out to her.

Don't be silly, that stuff isn't real. There's no such thing as haunted swamps—

A loud snap in the quiet made her jump.

She whirled around. "Who's—"

With an ear-piercing shriek, the owl battered her with its wings as it took off into the gloom. "Ow," she muttered, rubbing her head. What, it was just an owl…

Sophie froze mid-step. Her skin crawled. Something… was… scuttling… up… her… leg—

"Noooo!" She flailed about violently until the feeling was gone and braced her hands on her knees, panting. "Guuh… don't give up, Sophie! Even th-though this is t-terrifying…"

This would be the only time she'd be able to see something not generated artificially in her lab. She wanted to observe and… remember why she loved chemistry in the first place. She'd have no more chances once she arrived back at the base; the Vice Admiral would never allow such a thing…

The trail almost tapered to an end. Some distance away, remains of a moss-covered bridge poked out in the swamp; clearly no one had passed beyond for quite some time. Sophie frowned at the still water and then eyed the bridge. There was a good chance decayed matter lay beneath those ruins, beneath all that disgusting swampiness she'd have to cross…

"But I'm a chemist at heart," Sophie muttered, rolling up her sleeves. "Before anything, I'm just a girl who loves chemistry."

With a deep breath, she sloshed into the swamp. The water reached almost mid-thigh and mud slipped down between her toes. Goosebumps popped up her arms. Don't think about it, don't think about it…

As she drew nearer, Sophie lowered the lantern to the surface of the water, which bubbled slightly. She sniffed, but knew it had no point. Methane was colorless and odorless. If only she could see the decaying matter that generated the methane…

Grinning excitedly, she bent closer.

Two black slits stared back.

Sophie distantly heard herself scream before the alligator lashed at her, jaws reaching for her skull. And then she was suffocating, pulled back by the scruff of her shirt and thrown onto the muddy trail. Pain jolted through her shoulder and she inhaled sharply through her nose, what the mangoes was going on—

The snarling growl slowly retreated.

"Alligators are attracted to light," a voice snapped. "For a relatively intelligent person, that was an extremely foolish move."

A pair of shoes blocked her line of sight. Sophie's eyes rose to the mud-splattered jeans, the yellow-on-black hoodie with the weird smiley face, higher and higher and more despairing… Trafalgar Law met her gaze evenly. A long, black sword lined with white crosses rested over his shoulder.

Sophie slowly got to her feet, forcing herself to keep calm. "I will immediately go review my chemistry books," she mumbled, averting her gaze. "Alligator facts are, of course, what all intelligent people should be aware of. Thank you for the tip." She gave a tree the standard Marine salute. "Goodbye."

The glow from the lantern flickered over the gleam in his grey eyes and the slowly-forming smile. "Is that what you say to the man who saved your life? Any more of that and you're liable to get hurt, Chemist-ya."

Sophie stiffened. How did he—

Don't panic. The only people who knew her name were Nellie and Sid. Pantano Town. Two men in white boiler suits. Sunglasses and Penguin Hat. Trafalgar Law's crew members. They were Heart Pirates. Okay, there, see? She already figured it out. A part of Sophie felt mild anger at her hair—she'd cut it off and dyed it for nothing.

She exhaled quietly. "Um. Why are you here?"

"Ah… research."

That was most lazily-disguised euphemism Sophie had ever heard! He was going to kill her, she knew it!

Dear god, some desperate part of her thought, you should've just left me to the alligator.

Sophie held out the lantern like a weapon. "Research," she repeated, and tried to ignore how badly her hands were shaking. "Alright, I can work with that. I'm also here for research. I was l-l-l-looking for the will-o-the-wisps. I thought I might get a chance to see an incredible chemical r-r-reaction." Sophie swallowed. "S-so, um, if you could lay off the killing, it would be… highly appreciated?"

"I'm not sure if I can agree to that," Law said conversationally. "After what you did to my operating room."

Sophie bristled. "My options were l-l-l-l-limited! You think you got the worse deal? You might remember that you poisoned me!"

His quiet chuckle caught her off guard. "That's right, I did. How's that foot of yours, anyway?"

Oh, that was nothing to be proud of. Jerk.

"Better," Sophie replied swiftly, "no thanks to you."

"Does that mean you can run now?" he inquired, and she heard the subtle, mocking threat beneath his courteous tone.

Well, he could take his fake courtesy and shove them up his apricot. "If you'd like, I'd be willing to try it out," she offered curtly, walking slightly faster, swamp muck squishing between her toes. Law effortlessly matched her pace. Grrr, him and his unreasonably long legs!

"I'd like my repayment," he corrected.

Agitation prickled across her skin. "Sure," she agreed through gritted teeth, "let's just stop by the Marine base and I'll coerce some money from my boss. Though you'd probably end up in Impel Down afterwards."

He laughed softly through his nose. "You're certainly full of it. Have any bite to back up your bark?"

She wanted to punt his sarcastic smile all the way into the New World. Control, she needed control. This little repartee clearly wasn't going in her favor. Sure, the pirate had his weapon. So what? Sophie had her brain. Back in his sub, he'd mentioned something about wanting a higher bounty. He and his crew burned down a Marine base after they already destroyed two battleships—it was obviously to get his name into the papers. Judging by his age, he was a rookie pirate. His crew probably didn't have any bounties yet; they walked freely into Pantano and Gator Town without anyone recognizing them. Sunglasses and Penguin Hat followed Sophie, probably on Law's orders. So that meant they were loyal. And given their determination to set foot on Cat's Eye Island, she didn't think they would be part of a weak man's crew.

"Trafalgar Law, rookie pirate," Sophie said aloud. "I'm guessing your bounty is around forty to seventy million. But you're strong, so you definitely aren't going to settle for that." She sighed. "I was thinking there was no way I could ever hope to beat you… but then as I thought about it… this is a strange turn of events coming from you, Surgeon of Death."

He studied her. "Strange?"

There it was. Sophie pointed at him. "You must lead an incredibly boring life if you're chasing after me."

"…You're underselling yourself."

Well, maybe, just a little. But Sophie smiled. "I'm sure you have better things to do… more important people to kill… so save yourself some poison. I'm just—"

"—a chemist working for the World Government, as you had so kindly divulged to me," Law finished. There was about a yard between them, but Sophie still felt the pressure of his gaze. "You don't think I can't see the potential in that?"

Her fingers twitched. She wiped her sweaty palms on the back of her shorts. "Potential?"

"Well, that was an exaggeration," Law admitted after a moment's thought. "There's nothing a chemist can do in this situation, is there? Nothing you try will work, Chemist-ya. So go on and bark all you like. It won't make a difference."

"You—I—" She huffed, equal parts angry and confused. "Be that as it may, at least I am not a pirate!"

"Oh, the sting," he droned with an unmistakable roll of his eyes.

Pineapples, that was a bad choice of words. Sophie felt control slipping from her fingertips. He was right. There was nothing she could do. She watched him lazily stride ahead, and clenched her fists. "And I don't try to kill every unconscious Marine who stray across my path!" she yelled.

He paused. His back glowed orange and shadows curled around every step he took. "Marine or no, it was merely convenient."

"Death," she returned edgily, "is rarely convenient."

"Depends if you're on the giving or receiving end."

"It's problematic on all sides," Sophie muttered, brushing away a mosquito that buzzed too close to her ear. Then, because she refused to fear him: "Your subordinates weren't very inconspicuous when they were following me."

This time, Law looked over his shoulder. "Not subordinates. Crewmates."

"The goons in the boiler suits." Courage taking over, Sophie stepped in front of him. "What do you want from me? I'm broke. I have nothing to give you! And sure, you can kill me, but between us science-minded professionals, I highly doubt you will derive any satisfaction from my death."

His eyes were dark and cold, even while he was smiling. "Perhaps… but that hasn't stopped me before."

All of Sophie's courage instantly vanished.

She mentally ran through possible escape options: Law might take pity on her if she wept and groveled at his feet. If that didn't work, she could always kick him in the nuts really fast, sprint into the swamp, wailing at the top of her lungs, and hope the alligators preferred eating strong and lean over weak and skinny. Her breath came out in short, shallow spurts. Think! Look at your surroundings! What can you use to your advantage?

And that was when Sophie registered something shining in the darkness.

A blue, ghostlike flame flickered briefly just over Law's shoulder. A will-o'-the-wisp.

There was methane nearby.

Sighing hopelessly, Sophie hung her head and buried her face in her hands. "If you wish to end my life," she said in a tired, miserable voice, "at the very least let me finish what I came here to do."

"To see your chemical reaction?"

"I know there's no way out of this," she mumbled, and walked back into the swamp like she was approaching the gallows. "I know how weak I am. I know there's no point trying to struggle. So, please, just let me finish doing what I love best."

Be a good pirate and stay still while I burn your head off, Sophie thought.

She held the lantern close to the surface. Given the pure amount of natural gas in the swamp, the atmospheric quantity of methane might even be above five point one percent. Her hand would get seared in the process, but it would be a small price to pay once she flung an exploding lantern into Law's stupid face. She flexed her mottled fingers. It's not like she'd never been burned before, anyway.

Sophie held the light over the tiny bubbles, keeping an eye out for any will-o'-the-wisps. Methane, CH4, violently reactive with halogens, oxidizers, and heat…

"It's curious."

She didn't look at him, but even so, her stomach churned. "What is?"

"Everything about you."

Sophie was not disconcerted. "Please, I'm about as unfathomable as a puddle of water."

"Between the alligators and me, you'd choose the alligators?"

His voice was impassive, careless, even. It took her a moment to process his meaning.

He thinks I'm going to kill myself.

Sophie bit back a hysterical little giggle. She tightened the grip on the lantern and held it lower, willing it to catch ablaze. "Compared to what you'd do, it'd be an easy death."

"Most likely," Law agreed, and she heard the sounds of water splashing. He was approaching. "But it would also be a waste. I have all my instruments already laid out. And I reattached new leather restraints and sanitized the operating table."

Her eyebrows rose. "G-g-goodness, a whole operating table just for me?"

"Fluffed the pillows as well."

"You take great care in making your patients comfortable, doctor."

"Only for those who have escaped me once. It never happened again, oddly enough."

Sophie supposed the pillows must've strangled them. "And they tell me I was born under a bad sign."

"Well," Law conceded, "you did meet me."

Her fingernails dug into her skin. Burn, burn, burn, please burn…

The lantern stayed frustratingly whole. There was too much air, too much dilution, and too little methane. Now she just looked like an idiot, standing there in the middle of a swamp, awaiting her death. Perhaps this really would be the end of Strangways Sophie. But still… she'd die screaming and biting and clawing before giving him the chance to operate on her again. Better make it a quick one.

"Get rid of the light," Law said suddenly.

Sophie broke out in cold sweat. Did he realize? "Ah, what?"

"The candle. Blow it out." His lips barely moved. "I don't enjoy repeating myself."

"No, I think I'll—"

He was next to her in two steps and gripped her wrist. Shrieking, Sophie abandoned the lantern and wrenched her arm from his grasp, sloshing backwards into a tree. The flame vanished. Night shrouded everything and for one wild moment Sophie half-expected a sword to come swinging against her neck. When the touch of cold steel never appeared, she cracked an eye open.

Ever so slowly, something green and glowing unfurled through the darkness. Little specks of light clung to trees and shone like luminescent jellyfish, like a web of fireflies and stars. Cool green washed over Sophie and she drank in the sight in amazement. Will-o'-the-wisps? No. They weren't nearly as beautiful.

"You're rather jumpy," Law said, breaking the silence. Half his face was cloaked by shadows, but the look he sent her was no less amused.

Sophie hoped it was still dark enough for her blush to go unnoticed. "What is this?"

"Bioluminescent fungi—or foxfire, as they're commonly called. They're normally present on decayed wood; I thought I could find some in this swamp." He idly examined a particularly large, radiant, mushroom-shaped plant. It illuminated the dark shadows under his eyes.

Sophie tapped her fingers against her thigh and asked finally, "This is what you were researching?"

"Fungi have medicinal properties," he said, by way of explanation.

Antiviral. Anti-inflammatory. Vitamin D. It wasn't really her interest, but she'd heard of it.

Tensing, Sophie watched Law draw out his nodachi. He looked almost ungainly handling a weapon so long, and she held her breath… perhaps he wasn't a good swordsman… perhaps she could outrun him after all…

With a quick flick of his wrist, the plant tumbled from the side of the tree and into his palm. She exhaled and slumped in defeat. Ugh. Pineapples.

A frog croaked pityingly. Sophie glared and muttered, "Don't look at me like that."

"Miss," Law said.

Sophie flinched and barely caught the shining plant. It was wet and squishy, but cool to the touch. "W-what?"

He nodded toward the small will-o'-the-wisps rising over the swamp. Oh… the methane. Was he offering some sort of peace treaty? Sophie scowled suspiciously, but edged closer to the gas bubbles. No matter what he said or how polite he was, she would not let her guard down. If Law made any funny moves, she'd bonk him with the fungus.

Sophie raised the plant over the water. The green light shimmered over rotten leaves, algae, and dead moss. A large catfish swam leisurely around her legs. She lightly pressed the tip of her boot in the muck and a multitude of bubbles emerged, effervescing at the surface.

Then they bloomed out of the swamp, little orbs of blue fire.

"Hitodama," Sophie whispered.

Law chuckled. "That's surprising. Does the woman of science believe in lost spirits?"

"It's not that I necessarily believe… it's just… how did you put it? There are so many possibilities… in this world…" So many she wouldn't ever be able to see, once she went back to G-13. She shook her head. "Of course, speaking scientifically, the will-o-the-wisps are produced by a complex anaerobic process—"

"—that methanogens use to produce methane as a metabolic byproduct," he continued.

"Which results from the breakdown of fats, proteins, and cellulose in the sediment on the swamp floor," Sophie finished quickly.

"Correct. Impressive."

"I'm the chemist here; I should be the one impressed!" She broke off, sighing. "You know… ah, whatever." Sophie held up the plant. "This fungus is pretty amazing, though. I couldn't see anything with the lantern, but with this…"

"When luciferin reacts with oxygen in the presence of a luciferase enzyme, the products are water and one photon of light," Law summarized. "That's where you get foxfire."

"That's fascinating," Sophie murmured. She looked at him earnestly. "Really, it is."

His lips quirked up, too small for a smile, but too… not-murderous for a bloodthirsty grin. "That's nature."

Not only was the pirate scary strong, he was also rather intelligent… which was never a good combination. She wondered what Hippo would think, if he ever met Trafalgar Law. The thought was both humorous and incredibly appalling…

Lily pads floated over her reflection. Sophie almost didn't recognize herself. Her face was streaked with mud and those golden curls she'd taken care of for so long were black and wet and hideous. Worst of all… the reflection was smiling. A little part of Sophie shriveled and her tiny smile abruptly morphed into a grimace. She splashed the water and her reflection disappeared in wave of ripples and lily pads. Still disgruntled, Sophie turned around.

Law was standing right behind her.

"Holy mangos!" she gasped, instinctively raising the fungus like a cleaver. He caught her wrist in an instant, fingers pressed right over her fluttering pulse. The fungus slipped from her hand and fell with a splash. She tried to pull away. "Don't touch—"

His grip tightened. "You've seen your chemical reaction," he said, clipped and business-like. "Are you prepared now?"

Sophie's mind puttered to a blank stop and she abruptly realized: 1) Law hadn't made a move to kill her this whole time just because she wanted to investigate the will-o'-the-wisps, and 2) That was a disgustingly efficient way to lull her into a sense of false security!

Calm down and think this through. You're scared, not stupid.

"Y-y-you said I had to compensate what I took," Sophie said, allowing him to walk her backwards. A wall of trees and shrubbery lay behind them. "One l-l-life is surely w-worth more than a box of heart medication, a broken door, and an a-a-atropine pill."

His smirk was easygoing, even when he looked about an inch away from killing her where she stood. "That's certainly true. I was thinking more of a small item. A foot. Or a few fingers. Or an ear. I'm not a fastidious man."

Sophie clenched a sharp branch that poked into her back. "A-a-and you're gonna get it n-no matter wh-what?"

He gripped her chin. She flinched at the contact—he must've felt her tremors, but there was no amusement in the way he regarded at her. Intent flowed through every pore of his being… and for the briefest instant, Sophie wasn't sure if she could look away. Law leaned just close enough so his breath puffed against her lips.

"I'm a pirate, Miss. What do you think?"

She stared up at him, mouth agape. And slowly, all her shock… turned to wrath.

"And I am a chemist!" Sophie shot back fiercely, because how dare he say that to her, she who had lost everything in the war, who had lost Hippo, and he was the only person who'd ever mattered. What the hell kind of reason was that? "We have s-something called balanced equations. You tried to take my life, and I t-took it back! I don't o-owe you a-anything!"

Law raised one hand. "That's where you'd be wrong."

Sophie gritted her teeth, snapping the branch with a sharp jerk—

Suddenly, he froze. Law glanced up at something above them with a strange expression, almost in disbelief. Hardly believing it herself, Sophie touched her neck as if to make sure her head was still attached to her body, and also looked up. A soft light glowed faintly over the trees, dusting the sky with orange and hazy grey.

Sophie frowned. "It shouldn't be dawn ye—"

"Quiet."

Her mouth snapped shut, more out of reflex than anything else. Out of the silence, she heard crickets chirping and frogs croaking and the quiet rustle of wings. A shrieking hoot came somewhere from the canopy above. Sophie became more confused. Law stared intently at the brightening sky. What was he listening for? There wasn't any—

She smelled it, rather than heard it.

Smoke. Kerosene. Singed flesh. Burning wood.

"Gator Town," Sophie breathed.

Law narrowed his eyes. "Pirates."

—

Everything was on fire.

The wind carried the flames from the port and pushed them northward, ravaging through the market and the gambling houses, encroaching upon the fringes of the town where the inn stood. Sophie slammed through the doors, but the dining area and the kitchen were both empty. She raced up the stairs of the inn, grabbed her satchel, stuffed The Tale of Apolleon into it after a moment's consideration, and dashed back down, hollering, "Nellie-san! Where are you? Nellie-san?"

When it was clear the inn owner had gone, she grabbed her bike and pedaled into town in a crazed frenzy. Houses were crumbling. People everywhere made a run for it through the blaze, dragging along children, clothes, money. Complete chaos.

Sophie grabbed the nearest person and bellowed, "Where's Nellie-san?"

"I-I don't know! Haven't seen her!" the man cried, and wrestled free. He dashed away, shouting over his shoulder, "Best leave right now! Before the pirates come!"

She pressed onward, dodging around the fleeing townspeople.

"Daddy! Mommy, help!" a voice pleaded over the din.

Sophie doubled back. A little girl clawed weakly at the air, trapped between burning pillars. She leaped off her bike—nearly tripping herself in the process—and wrapped her hands with the old Marine shirt she'd kept in the satchel. The fire roared and hissed, a dragon incarnate, but Sophie already had so many burn scars, what were a few more to her?

Wheezing from the smoke, she heaved aside one pillar and snatched the girl out of the way before the others fell. The fire gobbled up the house just as they hit the dirt. Hissing, Sophie tore the smoldering Marine shirt off her hands. The little girl sobbed, calling for her parents.

Sophie seized her by the collar. "Have you seen Nellie-san? Manette Nellie!"

She flinched. "N-no—"

"Rika! Let's go!" a man screamed, and she was dragged out of Sophie's grip.

Nellie probably already left with the majority of the town. That was all she could hope for.

Sophie kicked up her bike and held the handlebars gingerly as she started pedaling again. Law had taken an alternate route on the way back to Gator Town, and all she could hope for him was for his submarine was docked directly in the path of the fire.

She tried to stay out of the crowd's way as they swarmed down the southern road. The worst of the conflagration was in front of the port, so escaping on a ship was impossible. The horizon burned, sea and sky melting together in a haze of blood red.

"Like all of heaven was on fire," Sophie whispered, remembering.

And then the crackle of flames turned into the snap of lightning. Thunder pounded over her head. Explosions rang in her ears, dull and heavy. Marines were everywhere and her hands were streaked in—

Sophie struggled to drown out the screams. This isn't Vira this isn't Vira this isn't Vira…

Flames spread through the market. One moment she was coughing out soot, and the next she was sprinting through a smoky battlefield as bullets whizzed past her ears—Sophie jolted violently, clutching her chest and panting, like she had really just been running for her life. Pineapples, it wasn't enough she was going crazy, but she was also hearing violins?

She listened hard. Wait…

Sophie evaded scorching stalls until she found the source of the music. The bike screeched to a halt. Her jaw dropped.

Right in the middle of the flames, smack-dab in the center of all the bedlam, people were dancing.

The apple vendor jumped from one foot to the other, his violin in hand. Arm-in-arm, the dancers twirled beneath smoke and blazing houses. With a jolt, Sophie realized they all looked as panicked as she felt; some were crying and pleading for it to stop. Stop? Stop what? What were they—

Battering rams slammed inside her skull. Sophie would've been screaming from the pain, had her throat not been seared raw.

Carbon monoxide poisoning, she thought faintly. She'd inhaled too much smoke.

"Get away, girl!" the apple vendor hissed. He was still jumping like the ground was scorching his feet. "Get away before it's too late!"

"What's going on?" Sophie rasped. "Let me help—ffleghh!"

She coughed, nearly choking on a pink feather.

Pink feather?

There was something she hadn't noticed before in the middle of all those dancers… she'd thought it was just an odd-looking pile of blackened timber, but now that lump moved. The large figure stood up on the pile of scorched wood; the awkward shape was because of all those feathers… like a bird… or maybe a giant pink jacket…

Sophie's eyes widened in recognition.

"Dance, everyone!" he roared, wild and ecstatic, arms flung wide open. "Make merry, have fun, and you, play the violin louder! More, more!"

Royal Shichibukai Donquixote Doflamingo.

"Go!" the apple vendor shouted.

But Sophie was too bewildered to even move. Why was a Shichibukai here? Why were so many people dancing? Was this a hallucination? Had all the chemical asphyxiates in the air finally gone to her head? Why was he laughing and… walking towards her and��� oh, pineapples…

Several heads taller than her, Doflamingo bent down to look Sophie square in the eye.

"This is odd," he said with a leer. "You don't seem like you're having fun." His purple sunglasses reflected her frightened, dirt-streaked face… she looked like she was about to pass out…

"I… I work for the World G-Government, stationed at G-13." Her voice got stronger. The Shichibukai were good pirates, he could save her and this town, and he could capture the criminals who'd started the fire. "My name is Strangways Sophie! I can help you stop this mess! Just tell m-me what to do!"

"World Government? Oh my, that's a problem." He stroked his chin and tilted his head back and forth, unsmiling. "What should I do? This is going to be a pain now that someone from G-13 saw me here. Oh my, my, what should I do?"

"Wha… what are you talking abou…"

The building next to Sophie suddenly crumbled with a roar. Flames licked at her ankles and the sparks singed her arms. She eeped a little and cringed back.

Doflamingo's smile widened. "Fuffuffuffu… don't like fire, do you?"

Sophie hesitantly shook her head.

"You like water?"

Short, rapid nods. He could help! She knew Shichibukai were good…

"Good. You're going to swim to the bottom of the ocean, and you're going to stay there," Doflamingo said cheerfully.

Sophie smiled blankly. "What?"

"Poor little marine. Drowned while trying to escape Crawfish Island. Cause of death: accidental. Once the Marines find your body—and they surely will—they won't have any reason to stick their noses into this fire. Sounds pretty authentic, right? I am nothing if not thorough."

Even as he was spoke, Sophie's feet began pedaling, turning the bike around. "Wait—wait, no, stop it!" This has to be a joke, this has to be a joke… "Why are you d-doing this? You're a Shichibukai! You w-work for the W-World Government!"

Doflamingo reclined back on his lump of wood and tilted her head at her. His gleeful smile seemed even more malevolent than Trafalgar Law's.

"And they gave me two orders: light this disgusting, backwater island on fire and retain ambiguity." He looked terribly entertained at her stunned expression. "Ironic, wouldn't you say? The very organization you serve is playing a role in your unfortunate demise." Doflamingo flicked a hand at her, fingers moving like he was controlling a marionette. "Well, don't take it to heart! No one in this world would weep for the deaths of a few ants!"

Before she could even register her actions, Sophie was pedaling furiously through the flames. She seemed like any other escaping townsperson, except she was heading in the complete opposite direction.

"Help!" Sophie screamed painfully. "I can't stop this stupid bike! Please, anyone!" She coughed. "Someone, help me!"

But no one heard her above the fire.

The horizon beyond was dark and enigmatic. She wondered if Cat's Eye could see the fire, if any of Nellie's family over there could see it. Maybe if Khanwari truly was a righteous king, he might send help. Maybe… maybe…

The satchel beat against her hip. So she'd saved the storybook for nothing.

Sophie barreled straight into the breaking tide. She shrieked as icy seawater splashed over her burns and filled her ears with the sound of thunder. The ocean flung the bike away from her feet and dragged her down, farther and farther away from the moon spinning lazily in the night sky.

Her final words… she had to make them meaningful…

"Damned pirates," Sophie gasped, before she submerged.

to be continued

trivia

corpse candles and foxfire: two ways of describing will-o-wisps, which are themselves symbolically 'a delusive or misleading hope'.

doflamingo's appearance: i wrote this years before the dressrosa arc, so NOW I JUST HAVE TO FUCKING RUN WITH IT.