Live On
Okay guys! I am new here on this sight and this is my first time writing fan fiction! So, I will apologize right now if the characters in this fan fiction are a little bit out-of-character, but I tried my best to try to get it right!
I will accept any instructive criticism and use that to help me with future fan fictions (if I find the time to keep writing them). So, I hope this short little story won't be too terrible! (It's really short but I thought I should start off small so here it is!)
The rain pattered hard against the windows of the Thousand Sunny, seeming to mourn just like the crew which it held in it.
Sanji took a drag of his cigarette and let out the smoke from his mouth, a serious expression on his face. The whole crew was gathered in the kitchen of the Thousand Sunny, silence lingering all around them and a heavy atmosphere that was so thick Zoro would have been able to slice it with his katana.
It had been a week since the Straw Hat Captain's death. When the crew had drawn his body from the salty ocean waters and seen Chopper check his pulse and breathing, they didn't want to believe it. Chopper and Nami had cried openly, Usopp had a look of mere shock on his face as he fell on his trembling knees, Robin was silent and Franky and Brook had shed silent tears trying to hide them.
The rest of the crew were also silently shocked by this, not wanting to believe what they saw and what they heard Chopper say,
"H-he's…. he… "Chopper hadn't finished what he wanted to say as the tears had been choking his voice but his nakama had understood what he was trying to say.
A whole week; after a whole week of not knowing fully what to do next and where to go, they were all now gathered in the kitchen of the Thousand Sunny trying to figure out what was to be done next.
Zoro gripped his katana with a shaking hand; he had been furious about what had happened to Luffy. They should have gotten to him sooner! He had been in the water for about half an hour, maybe even longer and they hadn't been able to do anything about it because of the stupid marines that kept coming at them one after another.
It wasn't fully the same without their Captain's warm, happy laughter around and that big silly trademark grin of his.
Though nobody said anything and their faces gave away no sign of any emotions, anyone who looked at them carefully would be able to see that deep pain in their eyes; like something very important was missing.
Nami was the first to break the heavy silence,
"What do we do now…?" Her voice was hoarse and quiet.
"Without Luffy it feels like this crew is…" She trailed off, not wanting to finish her sentence.
"We've already come this far… We can't turn back now…" Usopp put in.
"We shouldn't be mourning," Robin said, "Captain-san wouldn't want us to be sad."
Silence followed after Robin had spoken. Another waft of smoke left Sanji's mouth as he closed his eyes thoughtfully and opened them again, taking another drag of his cigarette. The rain came down in waves upon the Thousand Sunny nonstop, only further dampening their spirits.
"What do you think Luffy would do if he were here?" Sanji asked quietly, his eyes turned towards the window and watching the rain fall loudly onto the deck of the Thousand Sunny.
Brook's quiet "Yohohoho" sounded as he said in sad tone of voice that also had an edge of hope in it,
"Luffy-san would ask us about the next island that we are to arrive on and when we'll get there…"
"He would move onward." Zoro said suddenly in a quiet, yet firm voice. The crew looked over to the first mate and waited expectantly.
"Luffy may be gone, but his dream and our dreams are still unfinished. We have to live on, for his and for our sake. He wouldn't want us to quit just because of him… so let's live on and continue to accomplish what we set out for in the beginning… and we'll reach his dream and our dreams together."
Chopper wiped the tears from his eyes and nodded to what Zoro had said, determination welling up inside of him.
The other crew members nodded in silent agreement as well and Robin managed a small smile.
As the thick, dark clouds above them began to clear and the sun's warmth began to pour down once again, the crew split up and went to do what they all needed to do to prepare for the upcoming island.
Luffy had left a piece of himself in each and everyone of the Straw Hats' hearts; his smile, his courage and his loyalty would never be forgotten as the Thousand Sunny set sail once again off to the next adventure awaiting them. They would all live on, and keep moving forward for their Captain's sake, and for the dreams that he never let die.