A copy of a copy

Those who had first found the artwork in their hands quickly rid themselves of it, passing it over and over, knowing that if the infamous Heavenly Demon were to find them with the artwork, they would sooner be dead, or worse, completely erased without a trace. Even in the Underworld, most knew better than to provoke the man aptly named “Joker”, unpredictable as he is. It was only a week after the events in Dressrosa transpired that the painting, ominous and foreshadowing as it was, started to emerge and gather fame once more. Not just in the circles of underworld traders, but above the surface that usually covered the Underworld’s filth. A painting that had not only shown a mockery of a celestial dragon, fallen as he may be, but rather a prophetic downfall of the man who had desperately tried to find his way back to his holy roots. 

Once the painting had started to gain fame, it has been said that the Five Elder Stars of the Holy Land demanded for the original artwork to be handed over regardless of price. However, the painting has long since gone missing since the day Doflamingo Donquixote had fallen off his throne and into the belly of Impel Down. Up until now, many speculate on its origins, with a few claiming it must have been from one of the Straw Hat Pirates who had been the one to bring the Heavenly Demon down, painting the work as a mockery and a show of arrogance knowing their captain would be the one to bring the man down. A few others, with knowledge of the World Government's sins, claim that the painter is a long lost prophet that had survived a massacre by the World Government.

Having seen this artwork recently, I couldn’t tell you who it was or what they meant when they created this. Did they know what would happen? Were they a citizen of Dressrosa, robed in a pseudonym for anonymity, hoping the painting would ring true someday? Regardless, this was the artwork that drove me to start searching for traces of this mysterious painter. To find the hands that were just as steeped in blood as those they paint.”