So this is my first romance fanfic, so I don't know if it's any good until the end which is really cute imo. It's Zolu (amazing! your prayers have been answered!) ZoroxLuffy. I'm gonna try and make chapters longer because I myself don't like super short chapters and then have to wait for the next one (like I did in my first fanfic I posted... I'm sorry). It's supernatural, but screw vampires and werewolves (wrote a fic about vampires and werewolves #hypocrite). All of the super natural fanfics I've come across is those two. You could also say the story is paranormal if you want. Anyways, I hope I did well. Please review!
I don't own One Piece and I don't really want to cause I'd be perpetually pissed that the anime has terrible animation. WHAT ARE YOU DOING TOEI?!
Enjoy~
At the local national park park running through a certain city, a small car was decimated by a large truck that had a drunk driver behind the wheel, sending the car tumbling over and over into the trees, killing both parents and two of the three children in it. The family driving said car were almost all killed instantly. One was thrown through the window and bled out of the pavement a few yards from where the car ended up stopping. His family had all moved on to wherever you go after death, but the small teenager got lost. He didn't know where to go. Had he been with his family, maybe he'd have found where to go, but he wasn't that lucky. He saw their dead bodies, all bloody and broken in the crunched up car resting on its side.
The lonely teen's name was Luffy, and that's all he can remember about himself. He recognized that the car's passengers were his family, but he didn't remember anything about them, who he was, or his past. He had nowhere to go. So he stayed in that park, sometimes wandering around, having memorized his home, but most times he sat on the lawn at the entrance of the park, hoping someday he'd find out where to go. That was fifty years ago.
It didn't feel that long to Luffy. Time flew by, even though every day was lonely. He waited on that lawn, watching people go by, through the decades seeing style and technology change. How people treated each other changed as well. The park visitors became ruder and more disrespectful, being mean to each other and ignoring their friends as they looked at the shiny boxes carried in their hands. It was strange, but fascinating at the same time.
He had learned long ago no one could see or hear him, and he'd walk right through them. That first day was terrifying. Not only was his family dead, but none of the onlookers or medical people answered his questions. He thought they were ignoring him until his hand passed through one of the medics, causing pain to race through his hand. He didn't run. He wanted to, but he was afraid he'd get lost. So he stayed on that lawn and watched as the accident was cleaned up. He had seen his own body, as bloody and broken as the rest of his family. The glass was stuck in his skin, and blood pooled around the still body. His plain black shirt and red shorts were torn to shreds. He was glad he didn't look like that as a ghost forever. He was clean, the only thing out of place was his messy black hair.
Luffy didn't like to think of himself as a ghost, but that's what he was. But they were always seen as scary. Luffy didn't see himself as scary. He never did anything to anyone. He'd just watch and wait for however long it would take to be led somewhere by something, to the afterlife he liked to think of. He wasn't a very religious person but there weren't any other people like him, invisible and lonely. Surely if it had happened to others, there'd be more like him. He would have been able to tell because he glowed faintly. Not too brightly, but enough to be a bit different by those who were still alive. It could only be seen at night.
He wanted food desperately, and though he couldn't physically get hungry or thirsty, he craved to devour the picnic baskets that were brought with couples or friends and family on their blankets.
He also longed to touch dogs. They pranced and ran right next to him, but he was unable to interact with them. There were certain people he recognized, the ones that came to the park routinely. They were runners, or dog walkers. Some came to read, others had gatherings with their friends. They did homework or just talked. He wished he could go to school.
Now that he was dead and alone, he couldn't remember the last time he smiled or laughed. Or spoke for that matter. He hummed sometimes when he looked at the stars at night, but he'd not spoken a word in a very long time. There was no one to talk to after all.
Zoro had just moved to a new city. He didn't really like it much. It was too big. There were too many people in the public areas. The only thing he liked about the place was the state park that ran through the middle of the city. He had never been there before, but it was summer and he wanted to go swimming. The park was quite big and had a creek running through it. There was even a giant concrete pool built at the end of the creek that you could go swimming in.
He could go anywhere he wanted. His parents weren't very involved in his life. He rarely saw them even though they lived in the same house. He didnt come out of his room much and none of them ate at the dinner table. It wasn't a bad thing. Zoro liked alone time and freedom to do whatever the hell he wanted.
He was unpacking his new room, listening to music when his dog, Chopper, came in. He was dragging the leash in his mouth. Well, Zoro had been cooped up in the room full of boxes for a few hours, so why not visit the park? He hooked the leash on and picked up his phone, using GPS to find his way there. The two walked down the stairs and left the two story house. It was much larger than their old house, and he didn't know if he liked the extra space yet. He locked the door behind him and clipped his keys to his belt loop and he and the dog went on their way.
When he reached the park, he was surprised how little people were hanging out there. Maybe they all went deeper into the park to the creek. He hadn't brought any swim trunks; he was just going for a walk. There was only a few people out on the lawn, one of them being up on the branch of a large tree. He wondered how the kid had climbed up so high. As he passed the lawn, he noticed the kid leap off the branch, which was at least 15 feet high, and landed on his feet without a sound. It was impressive. The kid was short and had black hair. He looked miserable as he walked over and sat against the tree and pulled his knees up. Zoro felt strangely sorry for him, but walked on with Chopper and spent a few hours exploring the park.
When he came back, the black haired teen was still there, this time sitting next to a group of teenagers. He seemed to be trying to look at their books laid out around them. They completely ignored him as he craned his neck to look the text books.
Well at least he seemed to have friends. Chopper was tired, so Zoro picked him up. The dog wasn't very big. Just a brown terrier. The two left the park and went back home for the rest of the day and Zoro continued to unpack.
Luffy leaned over the laps of the group of laughing teenagers to try and see the interesting looking textbooks. He tried his best to not pass through any of them. It was a cold feeling he didn't particularly like. He stood up and away a few feet from the group as they packed their things and left. He went back to his tree and waited until the park cleared to go back onto the lawn and watch the stars. When you had endless time on your hands, you can name every star, even if they're not correct. He named them whatever he wanted.
Luffy was glad no one was allowed in the park at night. It was nice and quiet, excluding the sounds of frogs and crickets. Luffy heard something and sat up. He looked around before seeing a bobcat walking through the trees. It was strange it was so far into the city. He hoped it went away and no one saw it so it wouldn't get shot. He'd seen that a couple years ago and it was hard to watch. Seeing the blood on the pavement reminded him too much of what his own body looked like laying there. Sometimes he could still see the blood stains if he looked hard enough. Maybe it was just in his head, but he saw it.
The bobcat slunked away and back into the trees. Luffy decided to follow it. He could see fine in the dark. His own glow made enough light at night for him to see things around him easily. He walked through the leaves, not disturbing any of them. He could interact with stationary objects, like the tree, ground and bench, but he never moved the grass when he walked across the lawn, or the leaves when he passed through them as he walked.
The feline caught a rabbit and ran off right when Luffy caught up to it. He reached the creek and looked down at the water. He couldn't go in, he could only walk across the top. He'd tried to get in, attempting to stick his hand through the surface, but that never worked. It was like a solid barrier that his hand would hit and not penetrate it at all. He walked across the water and sat down on the surface to watch the fish below him. Luffy was glad that if he had to die, it was somewhere nice, not in the middle of the bustling city where he'd constantly be plagued with people walking through him all day.
Even if people didn't see Luffy, he wished animals did. Or even bugs. He missed eye contact. When he was alive, he craved attention and company, and when he suddenly became rid of it, it hurt. He physically felt sick from the loneliness sometimes, although he couldn't get sick like this. He had felt like he was going to throw up, but he guessed it was just mentally.
After a few hours of walking around the park, he went back to the lawn and closed his eyes. He couldn't sleep, something that he had always hated. He was awake 24/7.
He waited for the sun to come up and start another boring and endless day.
Zoro was starting to like the new city, but only because of the park. He had gone there everyday for the past week and had enjoyed it. But he noticed that teenager was there every day. Didn't he ever go any place else? He'd hang upside down off his tall tree branch or lay on the lawn, frowning the whole time. It was strange to Zoro.
Today, he was surprised to see the black haired boy wasn't on the lawn or tree branch. He was partly glad he had found something else to do. As Zoro walked further into the park, going about the trails, he saw the boy sitting near the edge of the water watching a group of people swim. He didn't touch the water or interact with the swimmers.
Zoro watched as his face lit up when he saw a bunny hopping right towards him. He waved his hand in front of the rabbit's face, but it wasn't fazed at all. It just turned around and went back hopping into the underbrush, obviously disappointing the seemingly lonely person. He stood up and walked back up another trail quietly, away from the swimmers. Zoro felt like following him for some reason, so he did.
The lonely boy walked along trail after trail, obviously knowing where he was going. He walked eerily quiet, like he was just gliding across the ground. He made sure not to touch anything. He didn't touch any leaves or branches. Zoro finally lost him when he climbed up a large clump of steep rocks expertly and Zoro couldn't keep up with his impressive climbing abilities. He didn't slip once and was soon out of Zoro's sight. He ran his hand through his green hair and turned around and failed at trying to find his way back to the paved road. He wandered around for a while.
Luffy hadn't noticed the green haired guy he'd seen multiple times following him. Why would he? No one could see him. It was a coincidence. He climbed higher and higher up the rocks to the other side where there was a hollow cave next to the creek. No one was ever over here, and there was never any trash left over, so he wondered if anyone else had found this place. His glow illuminated the cave and gave it a pretty blue-green shimmery hue.
Luffy had decided to explore the park for a few days instead of staying on the lawn. There was a large gathering placed there for a few days. Some fundraising stuff. He still went over there at night, but during the day, he just wanted some quiet. He watched people in the creek for a while, but never for too long. He knew every inch of the park, and he knew where every trail led to. He found he liked exploring very much, even though he knew most of the park like the back of his hand.
After a while of relaxing behind the stream, he got up and walked straight through the water without getting wet. He walked alone the surface of the creek, looking below him as he did so.
He wandered around for a couple more hours before he headed to the tallest tree he was able to climb. He could see almost the whole park from the giant plant. It had been around thousands of years. It took over and hour to climb. Sometimes he wished he could just fly. It'd be so much easier for some things.
When he reached the top, he walked out along the highest branch and sat down. Even if he fell, it wouldn't hurt. He couldn't feel pain anymore. Not physically. He swung around the branch until he was upside down with his legs hooked over the top. He watched the hawks fly around in the sky and the people on the paved road that goes through the middle walk by. It was getting later, and people were leaving the park as the sun started setting. Soon the place would be completely quiet. He had a good view of the sky up here, so he decided to hang out on this branch for the night.
Well, until a bunch of birds landed on it. There were so many, and it was like a ton of tiny needles going through him. He scooched further away from the birds, thoroughly irritated. It had taken so long to get up here! He stood up and walked to the edge of the branch and leaped to the next tree, a tad shorter than the one he was just on. It was late evening, and would soon be dark out, so Luffy's slight glow could be visibly seen. He was like a glow stick as he walked along the branches, illuminating the space around him.
He crouched on one of the thick branches and watched a family of birds settle themselves in a hole on the trunk of the tree. A sudden pair of squirrels got in a fight on the branch, startling Luffy and knocking him off balance. He stumbled off the tree, huffing angrily at the stupid animals. It had taken him forever to get up there!
The fall wasn't scary or unpleasant. It was actually kind of nice. Even though the wind didn't ruffle his hair or clothes, he could still feel it against his skin. The fall only lasted maybe ten seconds, but it wasn't too bad. He landed lithely on his feet, not making a sound or impression on the ground.
As Zoro finally left the park, he looked up at the birds flying around the tallest tree. It was massive Then he noticed slight movement on the tree. Something was swinging on a tall branch. His jaw opened in shock and disbelief as he saw it was the kid he was following around today swinging off the branch. Did he have a death wish?! Zoro couldn't stop watching as the mysterious kid walked from tree branch to tree branch before stopping on one of them. He watched in horror as he stumbled and fell off the giant tree.
Zoro took off running in the direction of the tree, nicking his arms as he ran through the trees and branches. He was convinced he'd find a dead body, everything broken and twisted. But he didn't call the police. He was too stunned and pumping too much adrenaline.
It was dark out by now and Zoro had to wonder if the crazy kid was homeless. He seemed to live in the park, but didn't have anything with him. No backpack or sleeping bag. Just him, wearing a black shirt and red shorts.
Finally, Zoro reached the group of massive trees, panting, and came across the area he'd seen the person fall off. There was no body! Zoro looked around desperately, circling the trees but still found no body! There was no way anyone could survive a fall like that! He looked up but couldn't see Luffy climbing up it once again. He could vaguely make out something glowing that was sliding up the trees. But it was dark out and the branches of the other trees were getting in the way. He stood there, watching the glowing thing get higher and higher for at least ten minutes, until it stopped and moves perpendicular to the tree, not that far up compared to how high the mysterious teen had been hanging on.
Luffy looked up at the tree, smiling for once. The fall was really fun. For as long he'd been here, why hadn't this ever happened before? He could do this all night long. It beats walking around with nothing to do. So he climbed up again, but only until he reached a lower branch. He didn't want to spend too much time getting back up. He got to a branch with a satisfying height and walked along it and then leaping straight off. He actually laughed as he fell. It was true and sincere laughter.
He hit the ground and actually stumbled, falling on his butt, still laughing as he made to climb up again. He didn't notice a shocked living person standing behind him as he gripped onto the trunk again.
Zoro watched as the glowing thing came falling off the branch with the sound of laughter. The glowing thing was a blur until it landed on the ground in front of him, facing away. It was the kid! He was laughing like he hadn't just leaped off a fifty foot branch! The glowing person didn't acknowledge Zoro behind him as he walked back to the tree.
"How the hell did you survive that?!" he shouted when he recovered from his shock. The teen stopped dead in his tracks and turned around. He looked around until he pointed to himself, as if asking if Zoro was talking to someone else.
"Yes you! How are you alive?!" Zoro demanded.
"Y- you can see me?" the other asked in disbelief. His eyes were wide before he gave a huge smile. "You can see me!" he said and jumped up and down in joy.
"What are you talking about?" Zoro questioned.
"No one can see me! But you can? Why?!" the other said continuing to jump up and down.
"I- I don't know. Why wouldn't I be able to?"
"I'm Luffy!" Luffy exclaimed loudly and excitedly, not answering Zoro's question. "Who're you?"
"Z- Zoro. But what are you talking about? And why are you glowing?" Zoro loked him up and down. He looked normal, besides of beautiful blue colored glow emanating off him. The light moved fluidly, not in the same shape all the time, but still surrounding Luffy evenly.
"I'm dead so no one can see me," Luffy said happily, as if dying was a load of fun. Luffy felt all his loneliness and depression flow away as he spoke to Zoro, who frowned. Nothing was making sense. Was Luffy a ghost or something? "I don't know why I can glow, though."
"So you're a ghost or something?" Zoro asked, still a bit shocked but now extremely intrigued. Luffy just shrugged still smiling. Just when he was going to ask more questions, someone came out from behind one of the trees.
"Kid, you're not supposed to be here after sunset," the park ranger said, completely ignoring Luffy. Luffy's smile was wiped off his face as the man ignored him. He knew it wasn't the park ranger's fault he couldn't see him. It was no ones fault. Zoro stuttered out "I was just leaving" when the man asked him if there was anyone else out here because he had heard Zoro's shouting.
"I was on the phone," Zoro lied. The man squinted his eyes in suspicion, but then let Zoro leave. Luffy walked a little bit in front of Zoro as he led the the living person to the exit of the park. Once the park ranger was out of earshot, Zoro started talking to Luffy again.
"Do you live here? How long have you been dead?" he asked, thoroughly interested.
"I stay here. I don't go anywhere else because this is where I died," Luffy answered, walking backwards, going straight through the bushes and branches as he spoke to Zoro.
"Did you die falling off a tree?"
"No, my family was hit by a car," Luffy said casually. "What year is it?" Luffy asked with his finger on his chin, as he continued to pass right through small foliage. Zoro answered that it was 2018.
"I died in 1967," Luffy said simply. It had been over 50 years? It felt so much shorter, but in the same way so much longer.
"You've been here for fifty years?" Zoro asked. He could do math, but he couldn't believe someone could stay in a park alone for over fifty years. Luffy nodded somewhat solemnly. "Where is the rest of your family?" Zoro asked softly.
"I think they passed on to wherever dead people are supposed to go next," Luffy answered, finally turning around to face forward. "I don't know why I'm still here…" he said softly.
Zoro changed the subject away from his family and asked another question. "How old were you when you died?" The ghost looked really young. He looked about a few inches shorter than Zoro.
"Seventeen. Ah, we're almost to the entrance," Luffy mentioned as they left the trail and walked onto the paved road, close to the exit and entrance. Zoro was surprised Luffy was only a year younger than him. The two walked side by side until they reached the gates, which were already closed.
"Come see me again tomorrow," Luffy said desperately. Zoro nodded with a smile as he walked away, waving once before he was out of Luffy's sight. Luffy happily skipped away and headed back to the giant trees. He started to cry on his way, but didn't stop running. After fifty years, he had talked to someone. Someone had made eye contact with him and expressed concern for his safety. Luffy was so happy. He had thought he'd be alone forever.
As he sat in the tree, overlooking the park, he thought about what he would be doing tomorrow. Would Zoro really come? Oh he hoped so.
Zoro was in shock on his way back to his new house. He'd talked to a ghost. A ghost boy from the 60's. He couldn't believe it. Like it was a dream. He was definitely going back to see Luffy tomorrow. He felt sad for the kid. Alone in a park with no one to talk to for fifty years. How awful. He wondered why Luffy stayed in the park only. He wondered if he could touch Luffy, since he seemed to walk through most objects.
Zoro was exhausted. It had been a long and tiring day. He wasn't unfit, but running through the park and up steep ground was a bit tiring. The first thing he did when he entered the house was make a bowl of cereal for dinner and go upstairs. He ignored the boxes on his bed and pulled out his laptop. He googled the park name and "car crash in 1967". Apparently it was bad, because a whole list of articles about the crash popped up. There were even pictures, though they were black and white.
The car that was hit was mangled beyond comprehension. He was surprised to find a picture of one of the bodies on google images. Luffy's body was covered in blood with glass sticking out of almost every part of his body. There was a puddle of blood on the pavement under and around him. Zoro gasped. Some of his limbs were twisted around. He laid on his back, with his mouth open. There were no pictures of the family, but there were blood splatters on the interior of the car.
Someone took graphic pictures of the scene. There was no way any place professional, like the police department, would put these photos up. He read more about the crash and learned that everyone in the car died instantly, while the middle child had been alive for a few moments after being thrown through the windshield. That image made Zoro feel sick. His cereal wasn't so appetizing anymore after his little research.
Zoro was excited for tomorrow. He couldn't wait to find out more about Luffy and what it is like to be a ghost. He wasn't going to say it so blatantly, since it probably sucked being a ghost, but he was very curious about what he could do. He had a nice smile. It was also interesting that he could glow.
He had trouble falling asleep he was so excited and buzzing with questions he wanted to learn about him.
A/N: I don't have Luffy act like he's from the 60's, but I wanted him to have been there for 50 years. Helps with the plot. Review please!