Hey everyone! ;) I'm glad you enjoyed the first chapter, crazzyredhead! Thanks for reviewing! Also thank you, SniperKingSogeking, for leaving a review ;) Well to answer your question: There probably isn't going to be a sequel, but that's just because this story will have more chapters than just one ;)
Warning: Character death, angst and stuff like that.
Disclaimer: One Piece belongs to Oda-san! Not mine. –pouts-
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Chapter 2 – Luffy's Sorrow
There, right before him and Ace, was no one else than Garp himself, protecting his grandsons.
"G-GRAAAMPS!" Luffy shouted as loud as he could. His world was falling apart. First his nakama, then his own precious brother and then Gramps–
It was truly the worst thing Luffy could imagine happening. It hurt so much… it made him want to die.
"Luffy?" The teen didn't respond, still watching the sunset before him. Although it was a beautiful and amazing sight, Luffy couldn't find anything positive about it. He couldn't find this sunset beautiful anymore. Since then… since it had happened, Luffy was more like an emotionless machine. What was he without his nakama? Luffy couldn't speak out loud what was obvious… the truth: nothing.
For some outsiders Luffy seemed as the main 'glue' and 'will' for the Straw Hat crew, the one small but unbelievable strong man who carried his nakamas' and his own huge dreams upon his shoulders. Luffy was their guiding light through the dark ocean. He was the hopeless optimist you could always count on, and although many people thought of him as a fool, Luffy had the power to make impossible things possible.
Luffy was the man who saved them from their horrible and sad pasts – the one who gave them reasons to live, the one who made his nakama smile, who gave them courage, a warm place to live and, mostly, love.
Of course it was correct that Luffy was the most important man of the Straw Hat crew, but had anyone thought about what his nakama did for Luffy? Luffy's nakama were the main reason the captain kept on going, kept on fighting. Not only for his dream but also for his friends, his family.
His nakama wouldn't be able to go on without him, and he wouldn't be able to go on without them. The usual proud and strong future pirate king was small and weak without them. He couldn't go on, hadn't the power and will anymore to do so without them.
Only the fight for his brother had seemed to bring a little confidence and willpower back. It had reminded Luffy that there was still someone he cared for, someone he loved from the bottom of his heart. And he got loved back. The rubber boy had been eager and desperate to save Ace. Ironically enough, it was Ace who had to save him.
The Strawhat teen had lost, lost to the man who took his nakama away. He lost to Akainu, who killed his grandfather and almost did the same with Ace. Luffy had lost to the world. He'd known that fact as soon as he felt the warm blood of his brother touching his hands and running down his body. If that hadn't been enough, their own Grandfather died right before his eyes… and it was because of him.
Luffy felt responsible for what had happened back there. He had nightmares about that day every night, over and over again. Ace wished he could do something, anything for his little brother. But there was nothing he could do as long as Luffy himself didn't want to go on anymore.
Luffy's willpower to simply live was gone. He was lost. Empty.
Ace sighed as he slowly neared his little brother. The fire user gazed out at the bloody sky, a deep crimson hue on the sunset horizon. It made Ace shudder and think back to what Luffy had told him after the two of them had been alone for the first time after the war.
"Blood… there was blood everywhere, Ace!"
"Everywhere…"
Ace shook his head. It must've been terrible. He didn't even want to imagine what it had been like. The older D. watched his little brother with sad eyes. Luffy had gone through too much shit. Sure, he himself was terribly sad and upset about the great loss of his father Whitebeard and gramps, but compared to what his brother had lost, it was nothing.
After the war, Luffy and Ace had fallen unconscious. Ace somehow managed to survive, thanks to a certain doctor called Law. This man had saved his and Luffy's lives and brought them to Amazon Lily were they could recover. Their physical wounds healed fast, and soon Ace and Luffy had left the island and docked at another one to rest and be on their own.
Their mental wounds, especially Luffy's, needed time. Those wounds were deep enough to rip him and his nearly unbreakable spirit apart. Ace couldn't help but wonder if his brother would ever heal.
Luffy had told him everything. The whole story of what had happened to him and his crew back at Sabaody Archipelago.
Where should he start? Too many awful things had occurred, and to think that something like that would ever happen to his beloved little brother… Luffy hardly ate anything these days. He hardly showed any emotions, and it was a miracle if he said more than two words a day.
It hurt Ace a lot to see him like this, but who could blame him? Luffy's memories were still too fresh to simply forget or ignore.
Sitting beside his little brother, Ace carefully and gently laid an arm on Luffy's shoulder to show him he was there for him. To show him he was not alone in this world. There was still someone who cared for him and would do everything to make him happy.
Luffy didn't even flinch at the touch. Ace hadn't really expected him to do so.
Luffy's lifeless gaze followed the sun as it set. The infamous Strawhat captain was so skinny, it made Ace wonder where he kept the energy to keep on breathing. To make it simple, Luffy looked terrible. Pale skin, dark circles under his eyes and shaking hands. He looked so weak, so damn weak and helpless. Ace wanted to beat the shit out of those people who made his precious brother like this. And he would. Ace swore to himself he would kill those bastards if he ever met them.
"Luffy… I love you," Ace whispered almost inaudibly, but Luffy caught it. There was no reply, as usual. It had been like that for the past week since they had woken up.
Ace sighed again and closed his eyes, but suddenly they shot open again as he felt something grab his hand. Ace looked down to see it was Luffy. Luffy's weak, thin and trembling hand was in his own. A small smile spread across Ace's lips. That was one small step towards recovery! It made him more than happy to get a response from his little bro.
Ace gently squeezed Luffy's hand, and the other weakly squeezed back. That gave Ace hope. So Luffy was still there! Somewhere under that endless coat of sorrow and despair, Luffy's strong will was still there!
Luffy gulped quietly. This sky only reminded him of what had happened that day… back then, the last thing he'd seen was the sunset and its horrible bloody colors. Luffy still remembered it like it had happened yesterday.
*Flashback, before Whitebeard war – Sabaody Archipelago*
"NOOOO! DAMN IT, STOP THAT ALREADY YOU ASSHOLE!" Luffy shouted, his eyes widened in pure horror. The day had started so peacefully and now there he was, screaming at this marine bastard to stop killing his crew.
Why had he been so damn slow? He should have been able to save Zoro, he was the captain damn it! It all happened so fast, and there hadn't been time for anyone to react! But he should have been there to protect his wounded first mate.
Luffy knew he had failed badly, but he didn't want to believe it. He couldn't. What could he do without his first mate? Without Zoro? The world would never be the same without him! Luffy wanted to break down right now and there and just cry his unbelievable pain and sadness out, but there were still precious people he needed to protect. People who needed him now: His crew.
The marine guy, Luffy was sure that was an admiral, had just appeared out of nowhere and killed Zoro by shooting light rays at him that pierced the first mate three times right through his heart.
Zoro couldn't react in time to dodge or even shout. As soon as the rays pierced him, his eyes widened as he fell back to the ground, motionless – all the life in his eyes was gone.
Luffy and the rest of the crew had watched in shock and horror.
The captain of the Mugiwara pirates gaped, clutching the grass on the ground tightly as he stared at the dead body of his first mate, his close friend. What had… just happened? Oh God, please let it all be just some kind of terrible nightmare! He wanted to wake up NOW!
Rayleigh had been too late, and somehow more strong guys showed up and began to fight him.
Luffy was so confused and shocked he couldn't think straight anymore. His dazed mind tried to understand, tried to register what was going on. Zoro's cold, dead eyes seemed to pierce through Luffy's heart. The captain shuddered and he gasped.
The awful word 'dead' was repeating itself over and over again in his mind. Dead. Dead. Dead. Zoro was dead, no longer alive.
It was truth, no nightmare, no imagination.
A horrible shudder went through Luffy's body and he let out a heart-wrenching cry.
"Zoro! ZOOROO! YOU PROMISED TO BECOME THE WORLD'S GREATEST SWORDSMAN, DIDN'T YOU? ZOROO!" Luffy cried out, tears in his eyes as he bit his lip so hard that blood tripped to the ground.
Most of his crew was shocked to no end, covering their mouths in disbelief at the horror. Why? Why did this happen?
And all this marine bastard did was just look a little bored. The moment Luffy looked into the bored face of Zoro's murderer, he felt an impossible anger arise inside him. And for the first time in his life, Luffy truly wanted to kill someone.
With a desperate battle cry Luffy jumped to his trembling feet, and although his tears blocked most of his sight, he still knew where Kizaru was… right beside the lifeless body of his swordsman.
"UWAAAAAAH!" Luffy cried out. He couldn't let that man live. Not after he did that to him and his crew! Zoro was more than a first mate, he was also an awesome swordsman and an amazing friend, like an older brother!
"Oh God… no… Zoro!" Nami sobbed uncontrollably, eyes wide. She watched as Luffy raced towards the man who did this horrible crime and dared to call himself 'marine'.
As Luffy was about to smash his fist into that man's jaw, he felt an awful pain inside his stomach that took his breath away. Luffy grasped his now bleeding stomach, falling to the ground in pain right beside Zoro.
Panting hard, Luffy forced himself to look away from the horrible sight of the dead body and looked up at the murderer. Kizaru looked down with no pity in his eyes. How could someone be so cruel and do things like that? Just how? Where was this so-called justice?
Suddenly Kizaru was gone, and the next moment Luffy heard a dreadful cry. Moving his head in a slow way, Luffy paled even more upon seeing Kizaru coldly murdering his nakama one after another as if they were nothing but trash.
Weren't all humans even? There weren't any differences between them! No one was right if he said only marines are good guys and no pirate should be allowed to live! That was just so deadly wrong it made Luffy want to scream.
Just because they were pirates didn't mean they were evil, right? Kizaru didn't see the difference between them and bloody murderers who kidnapped men and raped women.
Yes, they were pirates, but they were not trash. Kizaru had no right to do this to them! He had no fucking right to take Luffy's crew away!
Sanji's body fell to the ground. Usopp's and Brook's followed close behind.
"No. No! No! NOOOO!" Luffy was only left to scream in despair and he pushed himself to his feet again, ignoring the painful throbbing of his wound. The terrible aching in his heart gave him enough reason to stand up and fight for his nakama.
Dashing to the three as fast as he could, he was deadly pale as he looked at them. They didn't move and Luffy's heart stopped. Not Sanji, Usopp, and Brook too!
"NOOO!" Luffy cried out, becoming deaf to his surroundings.
The cook and his sniper were bleeding from their stomachs and were no longer breathing. Brook's skull was crushed into thousands of pieces and Luffy put a hand over his mouth to not throw up. More tears began to sting in his eyes and this time he let them freely fall down his face. He kneeled down and sobbed quietly for a few seconds, completely forgetting about Kizaru and his wound for a moment. It was a mistake he would regret for the rest of his life.
Just as Luffy was crying over his three nakama's bodies, Kizaru seized his chance and shot over to Nami and Franky who froze immediately.
"No!" Nami managed to gasp weakly. They had been so happy this morning, and now… was this really the end of the infamous Strawhat crew? They had fought great enemies, hadn't they? They went through so much, through so many dangerous adventures! And now… would it all end abruptly just because of this man?
Franky protectively threw himself before Nami as the deadly ray shot him dead within seconds. But the ray went through him and met the poor navigator too. Both of them screamed in terror, pain and shock and Franky collapsed, dead before he hit the ground. Nami fell to her knees, grasping her side in pain.
The orange-haired beauty looked up slowly with fear in her eyes as Kizaru lifted his finger to shoot again. Luffy noticed this and forced his legs to move towards his navigator, his friend. He needed to save her!
Nami noticed this and stretched her hand out, tears dwelling in her eyes as she screamed his name out. Luffy yelled back and just when their fingertips were about to touch, Kizaru shot and another precious life was taken away forever. Luffy gasped loudly and fell to the ground, grabbing the shoulders of his navigator to shake her awake.
She was dead and would never wake up again. But he didn't want it to be true. He would rather it be him who was dead. The hot tears were uncontrollably falling onto Nami's pale face and Luffy couldn't speak, even if he was trying. Why was he such a terrible, fucking pathetic captain? He shouldn't have let that happen, not at all!
And Kizaru didn't stop his brutal murdering. Chopper was the next one, and even though he was in his monster form, he was no match for the beams. Luffy didn't have the strength to cry out anymore as he could only watch.
Now only Robin was left, and the archaeologist made a run for it. It was pointless to run away from a man who was as fast as the light itself, but Robin did what she always did when she was scared. She ran away as fast as her legs would allow her to.
Luffy gently laid Nami back to the grass and jumped up. Not his last nakama! Not Robin too! Luffy let out a roar of despair and sorrow.
"Luffy! Help me!" she yelled and the captain could see the fear in the woman's eyes. He dashed forward and tried to attack the bastard, but the marine admiral was quicker. Luffy gasped, and he slumped to the grassy ground, crying.
His body was trembling all over and he didn't want to believe it. This all… was too terrible! Luffy cried loudly, not bothering that there were still people around. He could care less. He'd just lost his entire crew. He had failed miserably, not only as the captain but also as a friend. He should have been able to protect them, and yet he had to watch everyone's life being taken away.
All his willpower was gone in an instant and Luffy only wanted one thing so badly: to die. Luffy silently prayed that this asshole would step over to him and just sent a beam through his heart. Maybe he would see his precious nakama again that way.
Sobbing and trembling uncontrollably, Luffy grabbed his hair and began to pull it out. The tears were running down his face. He felt broken. And there was this horrible, painful emptiness inside him he wanted to go away. It was too much for him to bear at once.
Looking up with red eyes and a deadly pale face, his hands still shivering, he saw a strange man before him who looked a lot like a bear. The man said something to him, but Luffy was deaf to the world. His vision started to blur. The last thing he saw was the sky. It was bloody crimson as the sun began to set.
It was beginning to get dark. A new night would start soon. But for Luffy, for Luffy a whole world had been destroyed.
*End Flashback*
A sob escaped Luffy's mouth, and the Strawhat teen felt tears sting in his eyes at the memory he wanted to forget. It was too painful, but he couldn't help it. Ace gently stroked his back and tried to reassure him with gentle words, but again Luffy's dazed mind didn't register them.
The last rays of the sun were shining into both brothers' faces. It was truly a breathtaking sight. But not for Luffy.
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Well, I hope this chapter helped to clear the confusing and answered a few questions. If there are more questions or complaints, feel free to tell me!
Damn…believe me, this was the most depressing thing I've ever written! And it truly wasn't easy! Poor Luffy! But even though I hope you liked reading, please let me know if you did so.
Reviews are always greatly appreciated =3