Chapter Text
“Hey, Crocodile… why are you after Pluton anyway?”
The pen in Crocodile’s hands stops, mid-writing. He looks at the Den Den Mushi with a nonmoving expression.
“… Well?” Doflamingo’s voice beckons him to answer.
The older man just sighed as he continued on writing. “It should be obvious,” he stated plainly.
“Hmm... Strength, eh? It can't be as simple as that. What are you really after?”
“… If you can’t figure it out then that is your own problem.”
“Come on, Croccy… aren’t we close by now?”
Crocodile didn’t answer him, choosing to finish his paperwork.
There was a soft sigh from the other end. “Can you tell me what you’ll do after you accomplish your goal then?”
Crocodile glanced back at the Den Den Mushi. “The first thing I’ll do is to shut you up for good.”
The snail’s smile widened. Doflamingo was clearly amused. “Fufufufu! I’ll look forward to that!”
Crocodile set the paper aside to work on another. He managed to get a few words written down before Doflamingo called out to him.
“… Crocodile?” The bird’s voice was low. Crocodile could tell that the flamingo was getting tired, after all, it had been hours after when the calls usually ended.
“It’s late. Isn’t it about time for you to hang up?”
“… I… I want to talk a little longer…”
Caught off guard, Crocodile abruptly stopped. A long line of ink stained the paper from where he was writing. There it was again—the odd moments where Doflamingo seems… sentimental. It’s rare but lately, it is becoming more frequent.
“… what’s the matter with you these days?” He was genuinely curious though he was leaning toward the fact that the bird might have been drinking each time it happens.
“What?” A soft chuckle came out from the blonde. “I’m sure you’ll be awake in the next few hours anyway.”
Crocodile glances at the significant pile of paper that needs to be worked on. “… I’ll give you five minutes. That’s all.”
Crocodile stared up at the ceiling of his jail cell, wondering what had gone wrong.
He had spent years building up his organization, Baroque Works, and meticulously planning the downfall of the Alabasta Kingdom. Yet all of his time and efforts vanished in just a single day.
It was all that brat’s fault. What did he say his name was?
“Strawhat Luffy,” Crocodile muttered as he recalled that brat’s face.
He couldn’t believe he was beaten by someone like him. It was quite humiliating as he heard Strawhat’s bounty was only 30 million berries.
He glances down at his hook which was cuffed to his right arm. The cuffs were made of seastone, disabling his fruit abilities.
Crocodile was sure that he had killed him. Not once, but twice. Yet that brat was still alive.
He closes his eyes, sighing.
There was no point in lamenting about it now. He was being kept behind bars in an unknown location. He’s certain that this isn’t the prison he’ll stay in. He had overheard the marines and prison guards discussing transportation.
There was only one prison that he’ll get transported to. That was Impel Down, the World Government’s maximum-security prison.
It was an inescapable prison.
Crocodile finds himself staring back up at the ceiling, slowly drifting to sleep.
~
“Prisoner… 12… wake…. visitor…”
Someone was shouting, disturbing his peaceful sleep. Crocodile’s eyes snap open to see a marine standing in front of the cell.
“Prisoner 1202, wake up! You have a visitor!” the marine yelled out.
As the words rang in his ears, Crocodile shot an annoyed glare at him. “I’m awake.” he snapped.
The marine flinched back but quickly straightened himself. He gulped anxiously before speaking again. “S-Somebody wants to see you.”
Crocodile scowled, his brows furrowing. “Who?”
“I don’t know. Just follow me to the visitation room.” As the marine opened up his cell, Crocodile let out a sigh and stood up.
The marine was fidgeting as he walked alongside Crocodile who was massive in comparison. Marines and prison guards lined the halls, eyeing the prisoner nervously.
As he was being led to the visitation room, he pondered about who his visitor was. Was it Smoker, the marine captain at Alabasta? No, he couldn't understand why the marine would want to face him again. Perhaps it was Sengoku? He was a Warlord for a long time now and now he’s most certainly revoked of the title. But why would the Fleet Admiral come all this way just to tell him he’s stripped of the Warlord title?
It just doesn’t make any sense.
The two went past some sort of gate that was guarded heavily. They stop in front of a metal door with the word “Visitation” engraved in it.
“The visitor had requested maximum hours. Please use the Den Den Mushi when finished and someone will lead you both out.” The marine opened up the metal door, motioning Crocodile in.
As soon as he steps into the room, the metal door shuts behind him and he hears it lock. His eyes went toward the middle of the room where his gaze freezes in place.
His eyes widened in shock, seeing who his visitor was. It has been years since he last saw him in person.
It was that man, the walking disaster of a wardrobe. That blonde still has on that same obnoxious outfit even after eight years since they had last seen each other in person.
He was a Warlord and the broker named Joker in the underworld. It was none other than Donquixote Doflamingo.
Doflamingo’s smile widened as he saw Crocodile come in. He held up an arm as a greeting. “Long time no see, Croccy~” The bird seems quite comfortable, sitting on the top rail of the chair. “I missed you!”
No. He was not dealing with this pink man again and most definitely not when he was about to be locked up forever.
Crocodile looks around the room, trying to locate the Den Den Mushi so he could tell them that they were done.
The blonde holds up a small sleeping snail in his hand. “Looking for this?” he questioned which was followed by a chuckle.
Crocodile cursed under his breath before turning towards the metal door. “Hey, marines! This meeting is over!” he shouted out.
When there was no response, he began to bang on the metal door.
“Don’t bother, this room is soundproof,” Doflamingo gleefully told him. “No one’s going to hear you.”
Crocodile ignored him, continuing to bang on the door. Even if this place was soundproof like the bird says, there has to be somebody on guard behind the door.
After a few more bangs on the metal door, it was clear that no one was coming to his aid. The reptile’s shoulders drop in defeat. “Is there no one behind this door?!” Crocodile muttered angrily.
Bregrudedly, he made his way over to the flamingo and sat across from him. There was only one table in this room and it is the only thing separating him from that man. The distance is far too short for Crocodile’s liking.
“That’s a nice look on you.” Doflamingo pointed at Crocodile’s attire—shabby striped prisoner clothes. His tongue lolled out of his mouth. “It really suits you perfectly, fufufu!”
As the blonde laughed at the older man’s attire, Crocodile glowered at him.
Putting aside the fact that the bird was ridiculing him, Crocodile couldn’t believe that the Marines let someone like him here. Even if Doflamingo was a Warlord, he’s still seen as a notorious pirate by the majority of the Marines. A visit like this should have never been approved. Along with that, there isn’t even a single restraint on his body.
Not a single restraint… His eyes narrowed as realization dawned on him.
“How much did you pay them to see me?”
“Pay?” Doflamingo repeated in an innocent tone as he tilted his head. “What are you on about? They trust me!”
Crocodile scoffed. Trust? The idea of Marines trusting someone like him is laughable. The pink bastard definitely did something.
“Why are you even here?” he growled. “Are you just here to mock me for getting locked up?”
“Can’t I know what happened to my lovely business partner?” Doflamingo asked him. “They told me you were taken down by a Marine captain.”
He must be talking about Smoker. It seems like the government is trying to cover up what really happened in Alabasta. But of course, they’ll do that. Their reputation would plummet if news spread that a pirate was the one who took down another pirate.
“A ridiculous lie,” the blonde continued. “So I decided to come and see for myself.”
Crocodile glared at him. “If I had known it was you, I would have stayed put in my cell.”
Doflamingo let out a sigh. “After ignoring my calls and leaving me in the dark these past years… This is how you’re treating me when I finally get to see you again?”
After the Rain Powder incident, the flamingo’s calls were back on schedule. Crocodile answered them—he couldn’t help himself. As the years went by, his plan to take over Alabasta was beginning to be set in motion.
He can't afford to get distracted with nonsense, especially not when Pluton was within his grasp. So he got a new Den Den Mushi, making sure that only the people working for him receive it.
The past four years were purely dedicated to his grand plan. And so Doflamingo had quietly slipped out of his mind.
Until today.
“I was busy,” Crocodile answered flatly. “Is that all the questions you have for this visit?”
When there wasn’t any response from the bird, Crocodile stood up from his seat. His eyes went down to the Den Den Mushi placed on the table in front of him and then fell on Doflamingo. He stepped forward, cautiously reaching for the snail as he kept his eyes on the blonde. He pauses a few inches away from the sleeping snail.
Doflamingo hasn’t moved a muscle. Although Crocodile couldn’t see his eyes, he could feel him watching his every movement.
In a quick motion, he snatches the snail up in his hand and swiftly pulls back.
Still, nothing had happened.
It was strange. He had expected strings to appear, for Doflamingo to stop him in place. It was unlike that feathered bastard to be this well-behaved.
His eyes narrowed as he watched the blonde trying to figure him out. His shades obscured his eyes, making it very difficult to do so. Though he thinks even without them, he’d still have a hard time figuring out what that flamingo is thinking anyway.
It’s a bit off-putting, to say the least…
“What's the matter, flamingo?” Crocodile asked him with a smirk. “Cat got your tongue?”
Doflamingo abruptly jumped down from his chair and made his way over to him. Crocodile takes a few steps back, holding onto the Den Den Mushi protectively.
A hand stretched out—reaching for him. Crocodile flinched. There was nowhere he could run in this room and he couldn’t use his Devil Fruit either. His movement was restricted, his two arms cuffed together. He was trapped here. Crocodile gritted his teeth as he braced himself to lash out—when those fingers were to wrap around his throat.
Doflamingo’s hand continued towards him and Crocodile was ready to attack. The hand suddenly lifted, brushing the side of Crocodile’s cheek. The older man froze as Doflamingo brushed aside a strand of hair, tucking it back in place behind the ear.
Crocodile’s eyes were wide, dumbstruck by what just happened.
“I’ve missed you, Croccy…” Doflamingo murmured as he began to comb the sleek black hair back. “I had to drop everything just to come here… yet you can’t even say that you missed me?”
Although the glasses hide most of his emotions, he couldn’t hide the tone. It was an undeniable somber tone. Now that the blonde was closer, Crocodile could see the dejected smile on the bird’s face.
Only after a few moments, he was able to break out of his shock. He quickly shoved Doflamingo’s arm away with a deep frown.
“What are you doing!?” he hissed as his face began to grow red. His eyes darted to the ceiling where the small Surveillance Den Den Mushi is. If word of this interaction gets around, there are going to be rumors floating around. He won’t be able to live it down if people get wind of it.
To his surprise, the snail on the ceiling was sleeping, indicating that no one was watching this room.
He couldn’t believe it. Just how much power does that bird hold over the World Government?
The blonde noticed what Crocodile was looking at. “Don’t worry, I asked them nicely not to spy on us during the visit,” he explained, chuckling. “Our partnership is kept between the both of us.”
“Partnership?” Crocodile scowled. “You put it simply but what kind of partnership do we have?”
“What do you think?”
“Obviously we… we’re…“ Crocodile’s words trail off.
This partnership, for the lack of a better word, had only begun due to Crocodile needing information about Pluton. After that, it was Rain Powder. Both of which he exchanged his own body for. And both events that he can’t get out of his mind no matter how hard he tries.
Hearing that man’s voice every night before he slept didn’t help the matter either. Besides the several gaps in between years, their communication had been consistent. He considers him a nuisance, especially during the earlier times. The flamingo had somehow become more tolerable as time passed—more mellowed out. Crocodile was even able to hold conversations with him without getting annoyed at his antics or taunts.
The blonde watches him closely, seeing Crocodile deep in thought.
That brings up the question… Just what is Doflamingo to him?
Silence filled the room. Crocodile stares off in the distance while Doflamingo keeps his gaze on him.
He couldn’t come up with an answer.
“Crocodile…” Doflamingo spoke, breaking the silence. His voice was soft and quiet. “…I heard that you’re going to be taken to Impel Down... Is that true?”
Impel Down… Hearing it spoken by another person only confirms what he already knew. It was practically a death sentence.
“Of course,” Crocodile replied. “What other prison can hold me?”
There was a slight pause before Doflamingo spoke again.
“You don’t seem all that upset even after failing and getting arrested.”
Doflamingo was right.
For fourteen years… fourteen whole years, he had worked tirelessly on his plan. When everything was finally in place, he was able to carry out his plan. For the last four years, it was all going smoothly—perfectly as it should be. Until a brat came along and ruined everything.
He expected himself to be outraged. Miserable. Resentful. Livid. He thought he’ll curse out the one that brought him down, and wished the worst of the worst would happen to him, his family, his friends, and those around him.
Instead, he felt nothing. No anger. No fear. No sadness.
Nothing.
Crocodile let out a sigh. “…What exactly did you come here for, Doflamingo?”
When the blonde didn’t respond, his brows furrowed in irritation. He holds up the Den Den Mushi. “If you have nothing else to say then I’ll—.”
“Don’t you want to get out?” Doflamingo cut in. “To escape?”
Crocodile frowned. He couldn’t understand what Doflamingo was saying.
He had devoted his whole life to finding Pluton–traveling aimlessly, just hoping he’ll get a lead on the Ancient Weapon. It was long and exhausting, seeking something that he didn’t know where to start. He knew it was somewhere but at the same time, it felt like he was trying to track down something nonexistent. When he was finally given the opportunity for a lead on Pluton, he even traded his own body.
It was all for Pluton.
But in the end, he had failed miserably.
What good would it bring if he was able to walk free? Just what is there in store for him in the outside world?
“Nothing…” Crocodile said, his voice barely above a whisper. “There is nothing…”
“... What do you mean?”
“What is there for me?” he continued. “Even if I get out of here, what do I do then?”
“Don’t be like that Crocodile. If you get taken to Impel Down then–”
“Then what ?!” Crocodile suddenly cut in with a snarl. “What’s the difference?”
Doflamingo seems confused, his smile fading away. “Difference? Of course, there’s a difference! If you break out, you’ll be free–you can do whatever you wish to!”
“You… don’t understand…” Crocodile’s voice was shaking.
Doflamingo’s confusion was quickly taken over by anger. He gritted his teeth as he reached out and grabbed him by the shoulders, his fingers gripping the fabric of the prison shirt tightly.
“What do you mean, Crocodile?! Just say that you want to get out of here and I—”
“ Nothing !” Crocodile suddenly snapped, causing the blonde man to flinch back at the harsh tone of his voice. “I have nothing , I lost everything! Do you understand? There is nothing for me out there!”
His words hung in the air as Doflamingo‘s expression froze. The two look at each other—one with narrowed eyes, filled with fury and the other with eyes hidden behind the lens, his mouth slightly open.
They were like that for a few seconds until Doflamingo’s face darkened. Veins began to bulge out of his forehead as his teeth bared into a vicious snarl. His grip tightened, his nails digging into the older pirate’s skin. Crocodile felt his body tense up as murderous rage emanated from the man in front of him.
Doflamingo releases his right hand, his fingers contorting. Crocodile could see the light reflecting off a string, attached to one of Doflamingo’s fingers.
A single thought crossed his mind—that Doflamingo was going to kill him right there.
At that moment, time seemed to slow down and his mind raced through his memories. He suddenly was able to remember the conversations that they had over the Den Den Mushi to the most mundane ones to the odd emotional moments.
He relived the times when they had fucked back at Rain Dinners and the hotel, both events overlapping one another. There was the smell of sex, sweat, and blood and the sound of heavy panting as Crocodile remembers gazing up at Doflamingo's face. His eyes were hidden behind the lens and a tongue hung out from his mouth.
His memories continue to backtrack and soon he finds himself recalling the early days with the blonde bothering him. He can hear Doflamingo’s laughter echoing in his mind as his memories go back further and further… Until it was back on that fateful day. It was the first time they had met each other—their gazes unintentionally meeting one another.
And then the memories vanished, replaced by feelings of disbelief and shock. Despite not being on the friendliest of terms, they had known each other for about twenty years.
Am I truly going to be killed by him of all people?
His eyes focused on a single string, the finger that it was attached to now looms over him.
The finger twitched, the string now moving.
Before it could do anything else, it suddenly snapped in two.
The homicidal tendency dissipated just as fast as it appeared. It all happened in an instant that Crocodile questioned if he had really felt Doflamingo’s murderous urge.
The blonde lowered his hand and released his hold on Crocodile’s shoulder. “Nothing…?” he muttered in a quiet and still tone.
Doflamingo was smiling though Crocodile wouldn’t consider it one. It was forced, emitting a sense of exasperation, anger, and hurt.
“Nothing?” he repeated, his voice gradually getting louder. “ Nothing ?!” His face was twisted with several emotions that Crocodile couldn’t identify.
The younger man suddenly erupted in laughter and Crocodile watched in stunned silence. The laughter came to a slow stop before Doflamingo turned his attention back to the older man. By now the smile had vanished completely.
“I think I understand now.” Without warning, he grabs Crocodile’s chains and yanks the other’s arms towards him. Before Crocodile could do anything, Doflamingo had swiped the Den Den Mushi out from his hand.
Doflamingo began to head for the metal door. The Den Den Mushi stirred in his palm after a few rings. “We’re done here,” he spoke, coldly. “Open the door.”
“Understood,” came a short reply from the snail before it went back to sleep.
He glances back at Crocodile. “It looks like I was wasting my time here,” he said, lacing each of his words with bitterness. Crocodile could feel the piercing glare under the lens.
The metal door opened in front of him but he kept his gaze on the older man.
“Perhaps Impel Down will be a good place for you.”
Doflamingo turned around and left. Crocodile watches the pink feathered coat ahead of him, becoming smaller with each step. Eventually, it left his line of sight and then he realized that he was alone, left by himself in the visitation room.
With the visitation being over, Crocodile began making his way back to his cell, guided by a marine.
The metal cell door shut behind him with a loud clang. He walked over to the wall, slumping down with his back against the wall. While he stared absently at the ceiling, he replayed Doflamingo’s visit in his mind.
He can feel the lingering touch of Doflamingo’s hands brushing against his face and his fingers running through his hair. He recalled how enraged that man had become, his shoulder still aching from the vicious grip. And then it all disappeared—along with Doflamingo leaving him.
There was this strange, aching twist in his chest as he realized how quiet it was in his cell. Crocodile hasn’t noticed it before and the silence becomes much more apparent...
The sea was refreshing.
Crocodile’s arms were hanging over the railings of a boat. He holds a bottle in one hand and a glass cup in another. He pours himself a drink while humming quietly.
“Hey.”
Crocodile turned and saw Doflamingo beside him, holding a glass cup towards him.
“Pour me some too.”
Crocodile obliged, pouring him a cup as well.
The two stood there, looking out at the sea in silence. Crocodile couldn’t help but glance at the blonde who was leaning over the railings with a wide smile on his face.
The man was too relaxed, too carefree. How could he act like nothing had happened? How can he be so nonchalant after everything?
I don’t get it. I don’t get it at all.
“What do you not get, Crocodile?” Crocodile noticed Doflamingo had faced him.
He must have said his thoughts out loud.
He let out a heavy sigh. “I… don’t understand you,” he told him. “I… I just can’t… Why are you here…?”
“Why?” Doflamingo repeated before letting out a laugh. “Am I not allowed to hang out with you?”
There was a pause as the younger man took a sip of his drink. “If you need to know, Crocodile… I–”
Doflamingo’s lips began to move but no words came out. Crocodile scowled, feeling that something had gone amiss. He realized that he couldn’t hear any sounds at all. There was no water splashing against the boat, no sound of waves hitting one another, nor the distant sound of seagulls squawking.
He opened his mouth to speak–to tell Doflamingo that something was wrong but nothing came out. He went to set down the bottle and cup but nothing was in his hands. Instead, his left hand was missing–severed at the wrist. Blood seeped down, dripping down to the waters. He felt something trickling down his face. When he reached up to touch his face with his right hand, he saw that it was blood.
The waters began to turn a bright, bloody red. He frantically turned back to Doflamingo. He held a wide smile across his face, blood seeping down from under his glasses.
Blood water was rushing onto the boat, slowly sinking it. Doflamingo doesn’t seem to be bothered, still standing and smiling in place.
Something was horribly wrong.
Crocodile looks around for a means to escape. He went through the entire boat, searching for something, anything that he and Doflamingo could get on. No matter how hard he looked, there was nothing. It was an empty boat.
When he went back to the deck, Doflamingo was nowhere to be found. By now, the boat was dangerously tilting at an angle. Crocodile used the railings to climb upwards, scanning the area to try and find him. All he could see was the empty skies. He stares down at the waters, realizing that Doflamingo may have been thrown overboard.
He made his way to the lower end of the sunken boat, wrapping his left arm around the rails to ensure he didn't slip in the water. His right hand went into the red sea while his mouth opened to call out Doflamingo’s name.
No words came out and he didn’t feel anything underwater.
He pauses, seeing his reflection in the red waters. His eyes widened as he was suddenly reminded of Devil Fruits. How could he have possibly forgotten that he and Doflamingo were Devil Fruit users? Doflamingo must have sunk like a hammer, he wouldn’t be anywhere near the surface.
Crocodile was slowly sliding down the deck as the boat continued to tilt. He attempted to find a better footing but his feet slipped and his body slammed into the deck. Inadvertently, his arm let go of the railing and began to slide down the deck. He tried to stop but it was too late, plunging right into the bloody waters.
There was nothing he could do when he began to sink. Panic begins to set in as the light on the surface of the waters begins to stray further and further away.
Out of the corner of his eyes, he spots something familiar. Looking down, Crocodile can see the familiar feathered coat far below him, swaying in the waters.
Doflamingo…?
Doflamingo doesn’t seem to be responsive, his body slowly descending to the deepest part of the waters.
Crocodile knows very well that he’d join the flamingo’s body on the ocean’s floor.
In an attempt to delay the inevitable, he clamped his hand over his mouth. His body was protesting, urging him to take a deep breath. He fought against it, pressing his hand harder against his mouth and nose.
He began to wonder how deep the ocean was. How deep will he and Doflamingo go before their bodies finally hit the seabed?
Crocodile can feel the need to take a breath become more urgent with each passing second. He could barely see now, unsure if he was slowly slipping into unconsciousness or if he was so deep in the murky waters that there was barely any light.
The need to breathe was so overwhelming. Crocodile couldn’t hold his breath any longer, his body forcing him to open his mouth and take a deep breath–
Crocodile’s eyes flew open as he gasped out for air, abruptly sitting upright. His eyes darted around, seeing the stone walls and metal bars all around him. His body began to relax, seeing that he was still in Impel Down. He took a couple more deep breaths, relieved that it was only a bad dream.
“Another one…” he muttered. “Of course, that bird’s in there again.”
It’s been several weeks since he transferred to Impel Down. Ever since then, he had been having recurring nightmares.
All of which has that stupid flamingo involved.
“Perhaps it's due to the lack of a bed to sleep in these cells….”
There was a sound of boots approaching his cell. Sure enough, a prison guard stops right in front of his cell.
Crocodile looks at the guard with a smug expression. “Oh good. I was about to call someone over,” he told the guard. “I’m in need of a bed here, just a pillow and blanket will do fine.”
The prison guard ignored his request. “Someone wants to speak to you,” he informed him. He glanced at the other cells surrounding them. “Privately.”
Crocodile’s brows furrowed as his face twisted with contempt. He doesn’t need to question who it was that requested a chat with him. He could hardly believe that man could visit him in Impel Down. Whatever it is that he holds over the World Government, it was clearly something that they do not want out there.
What does he want now?
“I’m not going anywhere,” Crocodile growled. “Tell that flamingo bastard he can screw off.”
The prison guard had expected Crocodile to comply as the cell keys were already in his hand. He seems unsure of what to do next.
“…I can’t disobey the orders of the warden, just come with me.”
Annoyance flashed across Crocodile’s face. It looks like he can’t avoid seeing that bird again. If that was the case then the least he could do is to make use of it.
“Fetch me a pillow and a blanket and I’ll happily meet that flamingo.”
The prison guard let out a sigh. “I’ll be back,” he told him before heading off.
While Crocodile sat in wait, he began to wonder what it was that Doflamingo wanted to talk about. After their last encounter, he thought he would never see that man again, let alone think about him. However, that bird had been like a plague, appearing in every one of his dreams.
Most of the time, they were nightmares that left him waking up in cold sweat, but occasionally they were oddly pleasant, and that only made things worse.
Somehow that flamingo managed to cause trouble for him even without any contact.
There was the sound of metal creaking. Crocodile looks up to see his cell door open followed by a blanket and pillow being tossed in.
“I brought you what you wanted, now come on out,” the prison guard grumbled.
Crocodile stood up with a smirk. “Can’t you bring a thicker blanket?” he questioned, his words dripping with sarcasm as exited his cell. “Are your funds running out?”
“Be grateful that I gave you anything at all,” the guard retorted. “Just follow me and don’t try anything funny.”
He followed the prison guard and he felt dozens of eyes on him as he passed by several prison cells.
“Hey, where are you going, Crocodile?” a voice rang out from one of the cells. “Didn’t you say you chose to be here?”
“Did they decide to execute you instead?”
“You’re going to leave the rest of us down here?!” another voice called out. “That is not fair to us!”
More prisoners joined in, their voices all combining into one noisy bunch and loud guffaws.
“Quiet down!” the prison guard shouted out, his command getting lost as the prisoners’ voices and laughs only grew louder.
“I’m off to see a bastard,” Crocodile explained to his prison mates. “He’s a real pain to deal with.”
“A visitor?!”
“Who is he, Crocodile?! Let us in on the information!”
The floor erupted with questions that Crocodile chose to ignore. The prison guard had given up trying to control the prisoners, picking up his pace towards the lift at the end of the floor. The two left the chaos behind them, stepping into the lift which had more prison guards awaiting them. One of them nodded and the lift began to ascend–much slower than what Crocodile expected.
This does give him some time to think about what Doflamingo was here for. He knows that it couldn’t be good. Perhaps the blonde wanted to see how Impel Down had treated him and to laugh at him. The more Crocodile thought about it, the more believable it sounded.
Impel Down wasn’t as bad as the rumors said it was. He adapted to his new lifestyle within days, surprised at just how different it was from rumors. He spent most of his time in his cell just listening to conversations and occasionally joining them as well. What Crocodile finds lacking was entertainment down at his level, with the very few sources being infightings.
He’ll make sure that bird knows that Impel Down hasn't fazed him in the slightest.
The lift came to a stop. The prison guard lead the way and Crocodile followed suit. Eventually, they reached a door at the end of the corridor with a prison guard on either side. His guide stops there, motioning Crocodile to step forward.
Crocodile finds himself hesitating, staring at the door in front of him. Doflamingo must be waiting behind the door. Waiting for him.
He can already imagine the man in there–perched up on a chair or table with that smile of his. As soon as Crocodile entered the doorway, that bird’s smile would grow bigger as he greeted him or maybe he’ll begin to laugh. He can see it all playing like a tape in his head.
The door opened and one of the guards pushed him in.
Crocodile stumbled into the room, finding it to be a small room with just two seats and a table. His eyes fall on the man sitting across the table in front of him. As soon as he saw who it was, he froze.
In what was supposed to be Doflamingo’s seat, instead sat Hannyabal, the Vice Warden of Impel Down. He had his head against the table with a bored expression. As soon as he saw Crocodile, Hannyabal perked up and raised his head.
“Finally!” he exclaimed. “I have been waiting for so long! I was starting to worry that I was going to be late for my lunch break.”
Crocodile looked around. Doflamingo wasn’t anywhere in this room. “Where… where is he?”
“Huh?” Hannyabal paused.
“Doflamingo,” Crocodile said, quietly. “Where is he?”
“Oh right… It was quite strange,” Hannayal answered. “He told us he wanted someone to bring you here and then he suddenly said he changed his mind! After I had already sent someone out to get you, can you believe that?”
“...So he’s not here?”
“Nope. He left a couple of minutes ago.”
Crocodile falls into silence. There was this sense of… dissatisfaction as he realized he wouldn't get to see Doflamingo.
No. Crocodile tells himself. He should be glad that the flamingo changed his mind. He won’t have to deal with the nonsense that the man would bring up.
“He did want me to give you this though,” Hannayal added, sliding a box across the table. A wide smile spread across his face. “If you get caught with these, I’ll be able to blame it on the Chief Warden.” His eyes widened as he realized a fatal error in his thinking. “Ah! Don’t tell anyone that you got it from me!”
Crocodile scowled, reaching out his arms to use his hand to open the box. He peers inside, seeing that it was a box of cigars. His eyes widened as they lit up in recognition. He picked one up, feeling it between his fingers. It was thick. He can feel how smooth the outer layer was, showing just how delicately and carefully it was rolled. He let it go, dropping it back in the box.
No doubt about it. It was his favorite brand of cigar.
His eyes began to wander, searching for a certain item. When he realized what was missing, a slow grin crept on his face. He let out a chuckle, his shoulders shaking slightly as he continued to chuckle to himself which slowly increased in volume.
Suddenly, he threw his head back and then burst out laughing.
Hannayal was taken aback, bewildered at what was taking place. “A-are you alright?! What’s so funny about a box of cigars? I examined them, they’re just cigars!”
The Vice Warden was right. It was just cigars. That confirmation only made Crocodile laugh harder, tears beginning to form in the corner of his eyes.
Hannayal stared at Crocodile like he was a madman. His laugh went on for a few minutes until he was able to calm himself, a grin still plastered on his face.
Crocodile couldn’t remember the last time he laughed this hard to the point of tears. Doflamingo had gone out of his way to fetch him his favorite brand of cigars yet at the same time, he provided no lighter or match for Crocodile to use. He has no doubts that the flamingo bastard had done it on purpose.
Perhaps Impel Down was slowly getting to him which led him to find this situation hilarious. Whatever the case was, Crocodile felt lighter, energized, and more alive than he had in a while.
He looked back down at his gift, chuckling again. “Kuhahaha… that bastard…” Before he knew it, he started to laugh all over again. Hannayal was looking as if Crocodile really lost his mind, becoming more concerned with each second.
“That bastard!” Crocodile repeated in between laughter. His laugh now echoed through the room, loud and uninhibited.