As you read you'll be able to tell I rushed the ending. I hope it's not confusing to you guys as much as I think it will be.
I'll be doing a long epilogue and then the second edition of this book where I'll be taking my time unlike this one. Hope you'll stick around
Also, the video on the side is Usui's theme. Its originally Gaara's from Naruto
_________________________________________

Nami peeked around the corner, narrowing her eyes and whipping her head around to check if anything was going to pop out. She exhaled in relief before beginning to travel down the hallway. She ogled the building, worn but sturdy. Dust and dirt was scattered about and each door had it's own decorative embellishment. One had the letter B and then a 5 hanging from it, another looked like a horrid abstract painting.

"Hm?" Nami reached a door that didn't have any additional ornaments and paused in front of it. She reached out to open it, but it burst open by itself. "Eeeeek!"

Nami fell on her butt and saw, right at her eye level... "Usui!?"

Little Usui paid her no mind and, closing the door, went down the corridor. Nami got to her feet and followed after him.

What's going on? Why is he a kid? Where are we in the first place?

Little Usui yawned and his walk slowed, then he crumpled to the ground, breathing softly.

"Ah!" Nami had walked right through Little Usui. "You fell asleep in the middle of walking?!"

"Wait..." Nami bent down and tried to place a hand on Usui's shoulder. "What?"

"He fell asleep again..." somebody sighed from behind the orange haired woman.

Before Nami could react, they went right through her and picked up Little Usui.

"Law?!" Nami's eyes were popping out of her skull as Law gave Usui a piggyback ride.

"Hey, waste of space," Law said as they headed to an exit. "Where were you born? When's your birthday? If you weren't trapped here, where would you want to go?"

Usui muttered something in his sleep and rubbed his face into Law's shoulder.

"What was it like being a slave? What's it like being a test subject? What torture do you go through when I'm not around?"

Nami wiped away her tears and sniffed, smiling down at Law. "You're such a good older brother, Law."

The navigator remembered back to her own adoptive older sibling she had left back on her home island. While she had been gathering money to free it from Arlong, Nojiko had been her one and only support.

She watched while Law ambled around with Usui on his back, never thinking about laying him down in his own room. It looked to Nami that Law was enjoying whatever time he had left with his ototo.

"So, this is Usui's memory," Nami deduced from a bench she had found in an overgrown garden. "But how is that possible?"

"How, indeed," Nami snapped up her head to see Usopp. "Hey, Nami."

"Usopp!" Nami squealed. He hit him hard on the head. "Where have you been?!"

Usopp clutched at the throbbing before answering. "Same as you! Wandering around, watching Fruit Punch play with Tra-guy!"

"Play?" Nami said as Usopp took a seat next to her. "Usui's been sleeping the entire time."

"Not in the memory I was sent to," Usopp crossed his arms. "I almost felt bad for Tra-guy, miniature Fruit Punch is a lot to handle."

"I was only planning on showing this to Nami..."

Usopp and Nami straightened up at the sound of Usui's far off voice.

"But I guess Usopp can tag along."

Space distorted and they couldn't breathe for a moment before they were dropped hard on cold tile.

"Ii te te te..." Usopp rubbed his bottom remorsefully.

They saw a pair of feet and they looked up to see grown Usui standing above them. "Stand up."

They did so, gawping at Usui. He looked bored with the proceedings. "Look."

Nami and Usopp did look, they looked down from the veranda to see an appalling scene. Whips cracked and there were shouts as men hunted down a little blue haired kid. Usopp ran to the railing and leaned out, his expression furious.

"What are they doing?!" Usopp screamed. He winced when a whip landed its hit against Usui. "Hey, stop it!"

Usui held him back. "You can't do anything, Usopp. Memory, remember?"

"But-"Usopp flinched again as Little Usui screamed from below.

"Just be patient. I didn't send you here for pity," Usui said.

A door to their left busted down and Nami saw Law in the doorway, looking infuriated. Law's blazing eyes landed on a pink feathery mass on the holograms' right.

"Doflamingo!" Law roared. A scream of pain gained Law's attention and he made a move to the edge of the observation room only to be bombarded by hands and kept at bay. "Usui!"

"Oh, gosh," Nami covered her eyes. "I can't watch this."

"You're going to have to," Usui snapped. "Pay attention."

Nami slowly pried her hands away and looked over to where little Usui was being detained.

"USUI!" Law yelled again, trying to fight back the people holding him back.

The Straw Hats could clearly hear the next words said by the little blue haired boy and Usopp gritted his teeth and Nami let out a sob.

"Law no Aniki..." Little Usui panted. "Help..."

"Watch," Older Usui commanded.

They did and what they saw next made Nami break out of her sadness and lean forward to get a closer look.

"You saw right?" Usui asked, the whole scene freezing like the pause button had been pressed. "Something black forced itself into my eyes."

"The black hole..." Nami whispered. "That means..."

"It exploded," Usui finished for her. "This whole experience is a lingering effect. It was a growing tumor that burst and I am now in complete control."

"That's great!" Usopp slapped Usui on the back in congratulations.

Usui lurched forward and then threw Usopp a glare. "The man who put that into my head is the man with the Equ Equ no mi. Law no Aniki explained its uses to you people beforehand, correct?"

"Yeah."

"You know that that man was also a subject to experimentation," Usui continued. "We all have set backs. My devil fruit had a handicap that restricted me to using certain techniques without using Room. His was that his powers only lasted a certain span of time, although none of them thought that. They wanted to replicate the Hobi Hobi no mi that takes away the very existence of the person. Erasing all memories of them. My memories had been subdued, therefore, when it was released it turned into a black hole of my recollections."

"You found this all out on your own?" Nami asked, eyes expanding.

"Pretty much," Usui shrugged, not caring about how impressive this achievement was. "There wasn't much else to do in my head."

"That's all I wanted to show you," Usui frowned. "But you're all going to forget anyhow, so I don't know why I'm bothering."

"What do you mean we're going to forget?" Usopp asked. "Why are we here in the first place? What's going on, Fruit Punch?"

"Explain more," Nami prodded. "If you're going to show us anything show us weaknesses of the Doflamingo family, the map of Dressrosa, the layout of the palace. We're going to be landing there soon."

Usui's frown deepened as he considered Nami. "You don't think I know that? I'm showing Robin right now. Although, like I said before, you're all going to forget anyway."

The ground from beneath the two vanished and they were sucked into another black hole.

"Wait, Fruit Punch!" Usopp called out, but the light was covered by a dark lid and the pair landed hard in a dark expanse. "I can't believe you, Nami!"

"What?" Nami said. "What did I do?"

"You were being really inconsiderate! Asking for information like that! It was revolting!"

"It's called being resourceful! Now that Usui's okay, we can go to Dressrosa without any problems. What's wrong with gathering data!?"

"Oh, is that Usopp and Nami?" a familiar voice asked.

"I think it is," said another.

"Yeah, probably."

"Oooooiiii! Usopp! Nami!" somebody laughed.

"Nami-swaaaaan!"

"Yo ho ho ho! Nami-san! Usopp-san!"

The pair looked up to see the whole crew running toward them. They stood as they gathered around them.

"Oh, minna!" Usopp grinned as Chopper jumped him.

"Are you hurt anywhere?!" the doctor demanded.

"Ha, ha, I'm fine, Chopper," Usopp chuckled.

"All we're missing is Zoro-san," Brook said after doing a head count.

"He's probably lost," Sanji said.

"Can you get lost in someone else's memories?" Franky mused.

"Apparently," Robin answered.

"You guys were the last ones to arrive, so did you see Fruit Punch?!" Chopper yelled. "We need to talk to him!"

"Believe me," Nami punched her palm. "I have some things to discuss with him too."

"Well, we'll explain the details later, but we need to stop him," Sanji said. "We think he's going to-"

The black area spotted with white and the Straw Hats all started. They gathered together protectively as the darkness shifted into color and value.

"What's going on?!" Luffy exclaimed.

"Is Fruit Punch trying to show us something?!" Franky said.

_

Usui stumbled backwards, clutching his head. He had one eye closed in pain and the other was glaring ahead.

"Damn, him..." he growled. "He's overriding my systems..."

_

The Straw Hats all goggled. They were standing in a painfully recognizable building. An auditorium with seats that all faced the stage. People crowded the area with paddles in their hands, dressed in fine garments and jewelry.

"The Human Shop!" some of the pirates said unnecessarily.

"Why are we here?!" Sanji was looking around uncertainly.

"Is this another one of Usui-san's memories?" Brook deliberated.

"Must be..." Usopp breathed.

"Maybe not," Luffy said. "When he was with me, he was able to show me Tra-guy's memories. This may be his."

"It's not," said a stoic voice.

They all rotated around and saw Zoro sleeping in the corner with Law standing beside him.

"It's Usui's," he confirmed.

"Wake up!" Nami kicked Zoro into the air.

"Duhoook!" Zoro hit the ceiling and then crashed to the floor.

Law calmly walked to the congregation of pirates. "It's my turn to hack into his memories."

"What did you do that for?!" Zoro grumbled to Nami.

"You can't be sleeping in Usui's memories! It's rude!"

"You're one to talk, information magpie!" Usopp refuted.

"Didn't you notice him filtering everything," Law asked as they bickered behind him. "If this is his memories, wouldn't his thoughts from that time be attached to them as well? And yet, you never heard them."

"True," Sanji said, his one eye widening a fraction.

Trafalgar! thundered an incensed voice.

The scene began garbling, almost like it was fighting against another will. Zoro, Usopp, and Nami stopped yelling at each other to stare up at the distorting.

"No way..." Usopp's eyebrows furrowed. "Was that Fruit Punch?"

"I've never heard him sound like that," Luffy frowned.

"Now that I think about it," Sanji held his chin in thought. "He seemed bitter and sour when we were talking."

Law disregarded Usui and the twisting in scenery stopped. "I found this one while I was exploring. It was the memory that was most guarded. Let's see what he's been hiding."

Noise reached their ears as the memory played. They were sucked to the backroom where they kept the slaves waiting to be bought and employees were running around, getting them ready.

A weird looking man who seemed to be the boss of the house paused in his examination of the slaves in front of a chained, skeleton of a boy. He opened the cage and grabbed a fistful of the boy's blue hair, forcing his head up.

The Straw Hats and Law all expressed faces of shock.

"Fruit Punch!" Luffy cried, his pupils dilated.

Usui's skin was covered with festering cuts and bruises. His eyes, for some reason, were a dull black. The collar was so tight around his neck that there was some blood trickling down from it and onto the floor.

"What's this shit doing back here?!" the boss, who had periwinkle pigmented hair and star shaped sunglasses shouted, pushing Usui's head back so that he fell off his seat. "I thought we finally got rid of it at the last auction?"

"Yes, sir. But they returned it. Well, actually, it was a donation," one of the workers responded.

"Hmm? Again?" Disco said in exasperation. He kicked Usui in the gut. "Worthless trash!"

He kept kicking Usui until the poor kid began bleeding. Luffy rose in anger and took a step forward, intending to pummel the man to the ground. But his fist went right through Disco, who kept kicking.

Usui crawled onto his hands and knees and sobbed. Nonverbally begging for forgiveness.

Disco spat on him and scoffed. "What did they pay for it last time?"

"25 beli, Disco-sama," someone answered.

Disco stomped on Usui's bowed head, grinding the bottom of his heel into his head. "Useless! Not even enough for a decent meal!"

"Stop it!" Luffy kept trying to punch the owner of the human shop. "Leave him alone!"

The man gave Usui one last kick before rounding on his heel and exiting the cage. "We'll try to sell it one last time and if that doesn't work out, we'll just offer it up as an extra, no charge."

The cage banged shut and Usui lifted himself up, his chains rattling as he looked down at his palms, translucent and scarlet beads dropping down on top of them.

Worthless? What does that mean?

"His thoughts?" Robin asked.

Law nodded.

Franky was crying like a baby in the corner and Chopper had run up to the little boy, trying desperately to wrap bandages around his wounds, but they'd just keep going through Usui.

"They kept calling him 'it'," Sanji snarled. "Those bastards."

I'm trash?

"You're not trash, Usui-san," Brook crouched down in front of the little boy. "I promise you're not."

Why am I here? I don't understand.

Usui stopped crying and his dead eyes stared passed his hands.

Who am I?

Sanji lit a cigarette as Luffy walked over to Brook, Chopper, and little Usui. He bent down and tried to grab Usui's hand, but once again, it went right through.

"You didn't tell us he was a slave, Tra-guy," Zoro said.

"I knew he was, but I didn't know he went through all this," Law was overcome.

Nami recalled when she had been in a happier memory of Usui's. How Law asked his sleeping form what it had felt like being a slave. Now he knew.

They followed Usui as he was taken to the stage. They stuck to him as he was presented for all to see. After Disco had made him appear as desirable as he could there was dead silence.

Ah... that's right...

"Somebody bid!" Sanji shouted at the audience. "Anybody!"

I know what it means now.

"Come on! Bid!" Usopp pleaded.

I'm...

"Please!" Nami couldn't stand it.

"Anybody!" Franky repeated urgently.

Luffy never wanted somebody to participate in buying a human as much as he did then. "Bid, dammit!"

...Worthless...

"I'll take him for ten beli," yelled an amused voice.

Little Usui's head popped up, his eyes widening in wonder. The pirates all turned to the voice, relief turning into hatred.

"Doflamingo!" the pirates growled.

Disco almost peed his pants in excitement. "Doflamingo-sama! O-of course you may take him! But wouldn't you want something better in quality? We have fabulous women in the back."

"No, I'm fine with the one," the warlord smirked.

Little Usui's face split into a smile. Here was someone who actually wanted him. Here was his savior.

Enough!

The darkness won and the scene vanished. The pirates were left dumbstruck as they saw Usui and Law standing across from each other in a separate space. When they approached, an invisible force, threw them back.

Law stared passively at Usui's livid appearance, his scarlet eyes opposing Law's golden ones.

"You had no right!" Usui roared. "That was private!"

"You were the one that invited us into your memories," Law said calmly.

Usui's lip curled into a frightening smirk. "As patronizing as ever, Trafalgar D. Water Law."

Law sneered. "Missed me?"

Usui winced and his hand flew to his head. "As if," he spat.

"What's going on?" Nami said as Luffy flew at the undistinguishable barrier repeatedly.

"Is this his real personality?" Robin thought out loud.

"No! It's not!" Chopper sobbed. "Fruit Punch is kind and helpful and fun and caring and and..."

"You're right, Chopper," Usopp agreed with the doctor. "He's just under a lot of stress is all."

"Let's hope so," Zoro said. "Otherwise, he'll be our enemy from here on out."

Law's mouth creased into a frown, all playfulness gone. "Why were you showing this to them?"

Usui's head was pounding, his ears were ringing. He didn't have enough time. "I was having a little fun."

"Don't lie to me, Usui," Law said. "Now that the Equ Equ no mi's effects are gone, it should all go back to normal. So why are you going through all this trouble?"

Usui's eyes enlarged and he quickly covered his mouth, scarlet stampeded up his throat and showered down.

Chopper gasped. "Fruit Punch!"

"Usui!" Law made a move to run to him.

"DON'T MOVE!" Usui bellowed, coughing out more blood and freezing Law in his place. Usui clawed at his chest, breathing hoarsely. "Law no Aniki... you still... have that nodachi?"

Law gripped his sword. "Yes."

Usui lifted his head up, looking like it weighed tons. "Did you know it was a cursed sword? Corazon didn't want to get it for you but I insisted. Do you think it's because of that weapon everything happened to us? That because I wanted you to have it that Cora-san died..."

"Are you an idiot? Of course it's not your fault," Law said, impatient. "It's that damned Joker's fault, Usui."

Usui smiled a bloody grin. "That's reassuring, but if you can... could you show me the blade?"

His cells were screaming at him to stop. The darkness that had festered inside of him stirred, knowing what he was trying to do. Law did as he asked and unsheathed the sword.

Zoro hit realization first. "Wait-"

Usui snapped his head to look at the swordsman and the darkness took action, wrapping around his mouth.

"Mph!" Zoro clawed at the gag, his eyes screaming at Usui to stop.

Usui smiled kindly at him. I'm appreciative of your concern, Zoro.

"Mmph!"

"Zoro-san? What's the matter?" Brook asked.

Zoro pointed at the gag but they didn't see it.

"Have you gone crazy, Zoro?" Nami said.

"Mmphph!" Zoro said in agitation.

Usui turned back to Law, he took a shaking step forward. "Do you remember all those times I almost killed you?"

"How could I forget?" Law said, unaware of Usui's intentions.

"And it was this sword that kept me from succeeding," Usui was getting closer to Law. "Do you know how happy that made me?"

This time it was Robin, Usopp, and Sanji who comprehended what was happening. The darkness muffled their voices as well.

Usui was now right in front of Law and his sword. He reached down and grabbed the blade positioning it right over where his heart would be. Law was horrorstruck, unable to move the sword, unable to let go either.

"Usui!" Luffy pounded his fists against the obstruction.

The weapon sunk into Usui's chest and came out from his back. Blood trickled down his chin. Law stared in terror as Usui pulled out of the sword again with a sickening sound.

With this... Usui smirked, a waterfall of blood escaping his mouth. You won't be able to use me against Law no Aniki any longer, Joker.

_

The compacted heart in Doflamingo's hands shattered and nothing remained. He glared down at his empty hand for a moment before a laugh rumbled in his throat.

"Nicely played, brat," Doflamingo lowered his hand to his side. "You figured if you released the Equ Equ no mi's power, it would break the hold on your mind, but the heart was a different story. The heart is indeed the remote and you can always fix the connection between controller and object. All that effort would've been for naught."

The warlord gazed out of the big bay windows at his kingdom.

"There was no way out. It was a complete, everlasting loop. But you also deduced that when the connection broke, it would start repairing itself immediately, just like how cells go to work protecting the body whenever it takes a blow. That is where the heart would be most vulnerable, right there is when it's connected to its body again, trying frantically to repair the link. Just like how germs invade a body's immune system through a wound, Law's nodachi went through yours and took over the stronghold."

Doflamingo chuckled. "I'll give you this victory, Vellane."

_

Usui fell to his knees and began to fall forward, Law ran and caught him just in time. Usui's blood was soaking into Law's clothes, his rattling, weak breathing filled his ears.

Luffy stared in horror at the pair, hurtfully reminded of him and Ace. The barrier broke, its user not having enough energy to keep it up.

"CHOPPER!" Luffy yelled, breaking the reindeer out of his dread. "Do something! Please do something!"

Chopper gulped and, gaining feeling back in his legs, ran to Law and Usui with the others on his heels.

"Ne... Law no Aniki..." Usui whispered, his warm breath on Law's ear. "I... I caught up..."

Law was numb. He couldn't move, he couldn't breathe. "Usui..."

"C-cora-san..." Usui shuddered, grasping at his bleeding chest. "Cora-san... didn't... didn't want you to avenge him..."

Law forced himself to move. "Usui! Don't talk! Chopper-ya will help and-!"

"He wanted you... to be free..."

Law took in a sharp breath.

Just let him go! He's free!

"And I do too..." Usui took in a huge breath, smelling his brother's scent, enjoying the feeling of his brother's arms around him. His grip delicate, like even the slightest pressure would break his little brother.

"I... was wrong..." Usui smiled, his chin resting on Law's shoulder, his arm wrapped around the other. Law saw the Straw Hat pirates running toward them, Usui's blue hair tickled his face as he leaned on him. "Doflamingo wasn't my savior... you were..."

Law's voice was stuck in his throat. He wanted to scream, he wanted to kick and punch until he couldn't feel anymore. How could he have let this happen? All over again...

"Law no Aniki..."

"Don't say my name like that..." Law beseeched. "I don't want to hear it like that..."

"Because of you..." Usui's scarlet eyes filled with tears. "I'm worth more than 10 beli..."

Usui slumped on Law and he took one last rattling breath. He was weightless for the first time in thirteen years. The bloodthirsty monster inside of him had left, leaving his head his own once more. Usui's scarlet eyes dulled and all light left them.

"Usui..." Law whispered, scared. Scared out of his wits. "Usui...?"

Usui's body didn't respond.

"Usui...? Please... don't do this to me..." Law's bottom lip trembled and he gritted his teeth. "I came back... because you promised you'd always be there..."

"This wasn't what you promised me, Cora-san! You said he wouldn't kill you!"

Law met Usui's fist with his and Usui beamed up at him, giddy with happiness.

"Na... Usui...?" Law held onto a diminishing hope. "I promised to show you snow. I wanted you to really meet my crew. Usui...?"

Law shook his little brother softly but Usui's body didn't answer. The Straw Hats finally reached Law and Nami covered her mouth with her hand at the sight of Usui. His eyes were still open, staring blankly ahead, blood drying on his chin.

Sanji clenched his fist and, not being able to take it any longer, bent down on one knee and closed Usui's eyes, making him look like he was sleeping. Luffy shook his head, unable to accept it.

_

"But you forgot something, Little Sin," Doflamingo sneered.

_

The Straw Hats all cried out as the black area rumbled and cracked. The floor ceased to exist.

_

"Black Holes suck in whatever's to their liking. And since all your memories are gone..."

_

"Usui!" Law's fingers were an inch away from Usui when the boy's body disappeared and he himself began falling.

_ _ _

Luffy jumped off the deck of the Sunny Go and chuckled. He straightened and threw his hands into the air.

"We made it! Dressrosa!" Luffy cheered.

"I said you're too loud, Luffy!" Usopp said, looking around cautiously. "We're in their territory now!"

"Da ha ha ha ha!" Luffy kept laughing.

"Geez..." Usopp sweatdropped.

Franky dropped onto land himself. "Ow! This week, I'm Suppperrr!" he posed. "I'm going to find the factory right away and Ka-boom!"

"I said you guys are being too loud!" Usopp hissed.

Chopper climbed down the ladder carefully and Law walked up to Zoro and Luffy.

"We should just go into town right?" Luffy asked him.

"Yeah..." Law felt like he was forgetting something. "Listen, don't let your guard down. If we fail to destroy the factory, it'll mess up our whole plan."

"Oh, yeah!" Luffy said, remembering something. He ran toward Momonosuke. "I just had a great idea! Momo!"

"Che..." Law decided it wasn't worth the trouble and just walked away.

"Duuuwaaa!" the dragon said in surprise and agony.

"Alright, go Momo! To the town without stopping!" Luffy said, riding on top of the pink reptile. "Fly!"

"You're too heavy! Get off of me! I can't fly and I'm not entering the island!" Momo yelled at Luffy. "My father told me not to!"

"You can't fly?! What're you talking about?! I saw you flying!"

"I don't know what you're talking about! I said I can't!"

Luffy turned to the others. "I really saw him flying!"

"Even though he doesn't have wings?" Robin observed.

"Hmm..." Luffy crossed his arms.

Chopper hopped over to Law and tugged on his pants leg. "Ne, ne, Tra-guy."

"What is it, Chopper-ya?"

"Isn't this yours?" Chopper held up an intricate pendant. Tra-guy blinked down at it.

"It's not."

"Really?" Chopper opened it and showed it to him. "Isn't this you?"

Law accepted the pendant and he raised an eyebrow. That was him, but who was the kid next to him. He seemed strangely familiar.

"Can I hold onto this, Chopper-ya?" Law asked.

Chopper tilted his head to the side. "Sure. It wasn't mine in the first place."

Law stared at the boy in the picture a bit more before he shoved the locket into his pocket.

Luffy looked around at everyone, having finished his brawl with Momonosuke. "Are we missing someone?"

"Huh?" Sanji glanced around. "No, everyone's here, Luffy."

"Really?" Luffy cocked his head to the side. "That's weird."

_

"It'll take their memory of you," Doflamingo chuckled, holding a little crystal between his thumb and pointer finger. The pigment as thick as blood. "I wonder what Law would sacrifice to get this."

_

Usui smirked. He was sitting in an armchair, his legs crossed and he was leaning his head on his hand, his elbow propped.

"I'm aware of the consequences, Joker."