A/N: this story shot through my head when I was going to LA during Thanksgiving, so yup~ I just started... 10 minutes ago~ Completely forgotten about it since now~ xD


The pain shocked through my body. Involuntarily, a scream of pain bubbled up from my throat, echoing in the destroyed land.

I laid on the floor, panting and gasping, trying to catch my breath. I felt his gaze staring down on me.

"Well?"

I stood up, body shaken from the brief pain.

"Just let me... decide on the location."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

It felt as if my hand was burning. Every muscle, every cell, every pore of my hands up to my wrist felt like it was on fire.

A pained gasp escaped from my throat.

I pushed forward, submerging up to my elbow in that circle of pain. Cuts began to form, dicing through skin as if it was pudding.

I clenched my teeth tightly together.

I took another step forward, this time pushing my whole arms in. Blood flew through the air, splattering my already bloodstained clothes. I cringed at the familiar, coppery smell of my blood.

I kept my knees stiff, afraid I was going to collapse if I didn't.

3 more steps. Now I was completely submerged inside the huge bubble. Excruciating pain shot through every part of me. Bloody gashes crawled up my biceps and thigh, as if there were millions of microscopic blades within the space.

I strained against any sound that might come out of my mouth.

My thoughts flashed back to Luffy. Now I have a clear idea at his pain and fatigue, emotions shot through me: remorse, anger, terror, fright, and... pride.

Remorse for letting the captain, letting MY captain suffer through this pain with nothing I could do to help.

Anger at him for taking this pain silently through every single battle.

Terror for being so completely oblivious to my captain's pain.

Fright for letting myself think that Luffy will always remain the same; bright, cheerful, idiotic... never thinking that perhaps one single battle might change that forever.

And finally... pride... Pride for knowing, knowing that my captain will always pull through. Pride at being his subordinate, being the first mate of this great man, defeating a Shichibukai with all this. Pride at knowing him. Pride at being able to do something for him, relieving him in his stress.

Now, the scars seem more like marks of honor than horror. The agonizing slashes seem to fade away into pricks and twinges.

Perhaps in an unconscious posture for obstinacy and stubbornness, or perhaps it seemed like a reasonable posture to be in, I crossed my arms in front of my chest. I was still well aware of the bloody, one-sided massacre on my part going on, but the bubble was also shrinking by the seconds.

Slowly, just slowly, the pain minimized as the bubble, Luffy's pain, drained away.

I didn't utter a peep.


A/N: So how was that?

Plz r&r to tell me what you think!!!