"Everyone is terrified to die…."
Luffy's breath was ragged as he glared at the offending enemy. Who knew, that even after all of his adventures, his training, after every single one of his fights, that beating Blackbeard would be so damn hard? The slimy bastard just didn't know when to quit! (But then again, neither did he)
His nakama were facing their own foes, their own battles, fighting. Fighting for him, because they were so close- so close!- to achieving their dream. Because by now, even he knew that him becoming Pirate King was no longer just his dream. It was all of his nakamas, (all to them) and by god he wouldn't fail them just because some dirty traitor was able to cheat his way to the top.
"Zehahahaha! Foolish brat! There's no way you could defeat my Yami Yami fruit- the ultimate fruit! All I need to do is get rid of you pathetic Strawhats, and then One Piece is mine! ZehahaHAHA!" Blackbeard cackled.
Luffy grit his teeth. "Shut UP! I'm going to beat you and become Pirate King! So shut your trap and fight me like a man, you COWARD!" Blackbeard glanced at him, who was hunched on his knees, preparing for another attack, and then he chuckled lowly. "Zeha, I may be a coward, but that doesn't matter now! For you will be dead in a matter of seconds!"
Luffy focused on Blackbeard, aiming his fist to deliver a deadly Pistol to the gut. "Gomu gomu no….. PIS-"
No. No-! NO! He can't- he can't die now! But the black tendril running straight through his chest said otherwise.
"…so they pray to live."
"LUFFY!"
He wasn't sure who it was that screamed out his name, he barely heard it anyways. The tendril of darkness dug deeper into his chest, but, but he continued to stand. This was not the end! He refused to die here, not when he was so close-
"And stay down!"
The punch to his head was powered by Ace's old mans Devil Fruit, the one that bastard stole, somehow. Luffy was thrown back to the ground, and he was certain that a huge crater had enveloped him, if the sound of cracking and rumbling beneath him was any indication. (or maybe that was just his skull?)
"LUFFY- CHOPPER, YOU'VE GOT TO-" His ears rang horribly, and he couldn't hear anything except for the bells crashing in his head. Was he… Was he really going to die? Like this? Beaten by that- that- that pathetic man who killed his brother? (Indirectly, but it killed him all the same)
"But why?"
His head hurt. It hurt real bad. Was he dying? He couldn't tell anymore. Couldn't feel anymore. Not even that hole in his chest (like that old man, like Ace). Then he tried- he tried real hard, but he couldn't get up. And when that failed, he tried to at least put a smile on his face like a real D, but, but he couldn't. He was just so tired, and he wanted to sleep-
"Why live…"
What? Wha- Who was that? Was he just imagining things? Hearing voices? Because that was definitely not any of his nakama. 'Why live'? The hell was that supposed to mean? He…. He had to live so then he could become Pirate King and beat Blackbeard and protect his nakama and give Shanks his hat back- but the pain, the pain came back now, and he suddenly couldn't remember what he was just thinking…?
"…when it is so much easier…"
So much easier to what? Come on, mystery voice! His head hurt- no, his chest hurt- no, his- everything hurt, and he wanted the voice to get on with it so he could get back up and save his nakama!
Yes… Yes! That is what he had- has to do! Save his namakakaka, and, and then go- make? no, uhh, was it, treasure?- Yeah! He has to go make the pirate treasure into a piece of straw, and then shank a mustache with it!…? No, that didn't sound right.. but… it hurt to think… and he didn't like thinking, he liked…. Ah, what was it he liked? Right! He liked hats. And sleep. Yeah, sleep sounds pretty good right about now...
"…to die?"