Part 2! There's one more after this one. I really hope I'm showing how stressed Chopper is and making people feel sympathetic. I'm also hoping I made Luffy really really sick to add to the angsty drama. Enjoy~
Part 2
The next morning, Luffy was brought a bowl of applesauce for breakfast from Robin when he woke up. As she fed him, she had a feeling that there was no way he'd be full by the applesauce, but Luffy surprised her by getting full before he even finished the bowl. He was given a bottle of water so he didn't spill anything on himself again. Chopper had been sleeping from the time Luffy had fallen asleep to a half hour before the sick captain awoke and was now in the kitchen. Nami and Usopp walked in, having wanted to see him for what felt like a long time, trading places with Robin.
Usopp was happy Luffy's eyes lit up when he saw him, only to have his mood plummet when Luffy said hi to him as Ace.
"Ace. I missed you," he slurred and reached for his hand. Usopp looked at Nami with pain across his face, wondering what he should do. She moved her head towards Luffy, so Usopp took his hand. Nami didn't take it personally that Luffy didn't acknowledge her once he saw "Ace".
"How's - cough - the old man?" Usopp and Nami had no idea who "old man" was supposed to be. Usopp asked who it was, causing Luffy to frown. Ace didn't know who old man was? It was obvious.
"Whitebeard," he said, his eyes starting to close but he forced them open again. Nami was surprised he mentioned Whitebeard. Did he meet him? But Whitebeard was dead… he died at the War of the Best.
"Why'd you - cough - sto- stop running?" Luffy asked Usopp, who was now thoroughly confused. Suddenly Luffy looked extremely confused and pulled his hand away from Usopp.
"Where'd Ace go?" he asked, looking around the room. Usopp looked at him heartbreakingly. Luffy continued to look around the room, moving his head slowly. He didn't look like Luffy while he was like this. Luffy was strong. Now he was weaker than weak, and not just in physical strength. Everything about him from his eyes to his posture were weak.
"He had to go see Whitebeard," Usopp lied softly, trying harder to make it more believable than any lie he'd ever told.
"Oh ok," Luffy said and leaned back against the pillow. He had started to ask where Chopper was when in the middle of the sentence he began to seize. Nami cried out in panic as Luffy's body shook, rattling the whole bed. Usopp ran out of the door, almost tripping on his way out, to get Chopper, who was in the kitchen eating with Sanji at the counter while the others of the crew sat quietly against the wall, or in Zoro's case, hunched over sitting at the table with his head in his hands, absolutely miserable.
Surprisingly, Sanji hadn't picked a fight with Zoro yet. It felt wrong for them to do their usual squabbles when Luffy was sleeping.
"Chopper, Luffy is shaking!" Usopp shouted in a panic. Chopper put his napkin down and looked at the table.
"There's nothing I can do to help him," he said miserably. "I'm supposed to cure every disease in the world and I can't even help him with a stupid mushroom."
Sanji spoke from the kitchen. "Did Doctrine say there was no cure?"
Chopper froze for a moment. "Well, yes," he answered.
"Isn't she an amazing doctor? Better than you? If she said there was no cure, then there is no cure as of now. Maybe if we had gotten a sample of the mushroom, you could have, but we didn't. So please stop beating yourself up. You're doing the best you can right? You're helping him with the pain. That's more than enough right now," Sanji finished, his words making Chopper feel a little less useless.
"So, can you go help him right now?" Usopp demanded, a little frustrated and irritated that no one seemed to care. Chopper nodded and the two ran back to where Luffy was.
Luffy continued to seize as Nami held his hand. He was frowning in irritation more than pain and discomfort. After a few minutes, he finally stilled. "Sleep…" he slurred, his head lolling. He looked at Nami, scaring her because of how horrible he looked. His eyes had dark circles under them, his lips were chapped, his whole body was very pale and the veins seen through all of him. He looked like he was truly dying or even already dead.
"Bon-chan?" he asked Nami. Nothing he had been saying made any sense to her. Whitebeard, Ace not running from something, and now Bon Clay?
Luffy laughed as he looked at Nami, like she'd said something funny. "Hah you got the minotaur. Why were you Zoro?" he laughed again, which turned into coughs. "You're right... Hancock was... bath… beam..." Every word was more slurred and then he spontaneously, a bit weakly and quietly, started crying, concerning Nami deeply. It was then that Chopper and Usopp came in. Chopper saw Luffy crying and assumed the worst. That he was close to dying already.
"What happened?! Luffy, do you hurt somewhere?!" he asked in a panic.
"Bon-chan died," he said with a shaking voice through his tears and again started to seize. This time was worse because his eyes rolled back and drool started to fall out of his open mouth while tears continued to fall. The three watched Luffy shake in horror. How long was he going to be like this? It's already day two out of four and Luffy was just getting worse.
When he stopped, Chopper again immediately made him swallow the pills and drink the water, desperately trying to get it done before he started to seize again. This had become routine. Chopper told Usopp and Nami they could leave now since they were both shaking at what they'd just witnessed.
Chopper had come to terms with Luffy's death last night as he slept. He had a dream where Luffy was laughing and playing with him. Then he woke up to him like this. It was clear he wasn't Luffy at the moment, and Chopper's Luffy might be gone already. But he couldn't say goodbye to Luffy, because that would tell Luffy he was going to die for sure. Chopper didn't know how Luffy'd handle that.
"I'll stay with him now. Go get some food," the reindeer doctor said to them. They hurried out of the room and walked into the galley, still shaken.
Robin looked up, and noticing their expressions, put down her book and asked very seriously, "What happened?" as she sat against the wall next to Brook, who had been quiet through everything. It was bringing back terrible memories for him. Why did both of his captains have to be fatally poisoned? It was cruel irony.
"His hallucinations are getting worse," Nami said sadly. "He thought Usopp was Ace and, for some reason, that I was Bon Clay. Then he brought up Whitebeard, Boa Hancock and told Usopp, or "Ace", that he had stopped running. He also brought up a minotaur and that Bon Clay had been Zoro." When Zoro looked at her like she was crazy, she added, "I'm not the one who said it!"
Zoro had sat quietly when Usopp ran in wanting Chopper to help Luffy. It pained him to hear Chopper could do nothing to stop the seizures and that Zoro couldn't do anything to help either.
"He had a nightmare last night about Impel Down. He said Magellan, ten years, poison, and someone named Iva-chan. I think he's hallucinating about the war. Whitebeard had been at the war, so it's not a surprise he might have met him," Robin concluded.
"But what about Impel Down and Magellan?" Usopp asked.
Franky spoke next. "Ceasar mentioned Magellan. He was a poison man. Is that how Luffy got his immunity to poison?! He went to Impel Down?!" Franky had had nightmares about that place and how Tom had been sent there for years.
"I still want to know why he said I was Bon Clay. I don't even look like him and I definitely wasn't with him after our separation," Zoro said grumpily.
"Iva-chan…" Sanji muttered to himself. He could only think of one person who was at the war with the name Iva. He spoke a bit louder, "Iva-chan could be Ivankov from the Revolutionary Army. He was locked in Impel Down until before the war."
"I think it's safe to say Luffy went to Impel Down. I still don't know what he meant when he said 'ten years'. It doesn't sound good," Robin finished.
"Well, I found out Luffy had a second brother," Zoro said. When everyone looked confused, he added, "That's who 'Sabo' was. Apparently he's dead."
"Poor Luffy-san. It's like the sickness is bringing all his bad memories back," Brook said for the first time. "But at least he has gotten to see his brothers again, even if they're not really with him."
"He's not getting better. It's like he's getting worse. I think his seizures have gotten more violent. I want this to be over!" Usopp wailed. Nobody said anything since it was obvious they all agreed. The room was quiet. No one could bring themselves to say that he'll be fine. It was looking like that wasn't true. Robin frowned at the others and Usopp's words felt like a slap to the face. If what Chopper said was true, it would only be over once Luffy passed.
Chopper cried by himself in the infirmary as he watched over Luffy, who was sleeping deeply. The heart monitor had been fine except during his seizures and he felt using the oxygen mask was a good call. He could do nothing to help Luffy but give him sedatives and if he needed them, some pain medication. He didn't want to do that unless Luffy was truly in terrible pain. He didn't know how that type of medication would mix with the poison. He didn't want to risk it unless he had to.
Brook wanted to go see Luffy himself. He hadn't visited, he and Franky the only ones who hadn't gone to see him. Zoro had said it might scare Luffy that a walking skeleton and a giant robot looking man could come in. He also said since Sanji wasn't recognized and scared him, if he didn't remember who Brook was, he might panic and get frightened, which would do no good.
Sanji did not like being reminded he was the only one so far who Luffy hadn't known who he was. Why did Luffy forget him? You'd think he'd remember someone who cooks his meals and snacks every single day. Truth be told, it hurt that Luffy couldn't recognize him. And then Luffy had spilled hot soup on himself and blamed Sanji for it! Typical Luffy, stupid and dense.
The crew sat in silence for quite a while before they spoke of whether they should drop anchor or continue to follow the log Luffy had chosen. They had no one to captain them. For once, everyone was irritated Luffy hadn't made a first mate. No one volunteered; Luffy was captain. But eventually, Robin made the call for them, that they'd continue to sail. Everyone agreed since Robin has proven herself just by taking care of herself on her own for twenty years. She had also proven her loyalty.
Since Chopper knew there wasn't anything he could do at the moment, he just took out and prepared the liquid sedatives to inject since it was getting difficult to have Luffy take the pills. He really hadn't wanted to use injections because Luffy didn't like needles, but drastic times call for drastic measures.
It was a long five hours for everyone. Robin passed the time reading; Nami and Usopp played hangman halfheartedly; Sanji tried cooking a lot of liquid foods for Luffy other than broth and apple sauce, but wasn't having much luck; Zoro was in the crow's nest working out, continuously dropping the weights from distraction, something that never happens; Franky and Brook were trying to compose a song, but it wasn't very good. But Chopper had the hardest time.
For five hours, he watched Luffy sadly, tears streaming down his face almost the entire time. Luffy was going to die. He would miss him terribly. Would he continue to sail with the rest? Would any of them continue? Luffy was the heart of the crew, and things would feel wrong without him annoying or protecting his friends.
"Luffy… why did you have to eat that mushroom?" he whispered miserably.
Luffy woke up after the pills had worn off. He became terrified when he realized he couldn't move or feel his body. He couldn't really tell if anyone was in the room by sight because he couldn't turn his head to the side, but he used his haki as well as he could, which surprisingly hadn't faded all the way. There was someone small in the room.
"Chopper?" he croaked. He sounded like he was thinking clearly for the moment.
"I'm here Luffy," his voice came from Luffy's side. "How are you feeling?"
"I… can't feel my body… or move." Chopper's face contorted back into that miserable and self-loathing expression. He wasn't surprised. Then Luffy made him feel worse by whispering simply, "I don't want to die." Chopper was silent. "Chopper, am I going to die?"
Chopper didn't answer for a moment. "I - I don't know Luffy," Chopper lied. He couldn't bring himself to tell him it was over! "You're not getting any better. And there's nothing I can do but let you sleep. Are you in pain?"
"Not right now. I can't feel anything. Please tell me I won't be paralyzed," he almost begged.
"If you get better, you should not be paralyzed permanently..."
"I hope not…" Luffy's eyes unfocused and he stared and smiled at the ceiling. "Oh Ace you're back! Where'd you go? Usopp said you had to go see Whitebeard," he said, sounding happy, as if he had just forgotten what he and Chopper were talking about while he talked to the air above him. Chopper couldn't take it anymore and had to leave the room, just for a moment. He walked out onto the deck and sat against the infirmary door and sobbed.
Out of everybody, Robin heard his cries first and walked out onto the deck and saw Chopper sobbing against the door. She immediately thought Luffy had gone.
"Chopper, what happened?" she asked, and held him to herself. Chopper couldn't answer for a few moments, crying and letting all his stress and despair out.
Finally, he could speak again. "He - he can't move or feel his body. Then - then he said he didn't want to die! He was coherent and serious and then all of the sudden he thought Ace was back! It's like he had dementia! He's not getting better… Robin, this isn't good! He's just getting worse and hallucinating more." Chopper tok a few deep breaths and said, "I have injectable sedatives in case things get bad. But I don't want to put him back to sleep yet. I'm gonna let him have time with what he thinks is Ace."
"Chopper, is it time to tell Luffy? So he can say goodbye to the others?" Robin asked gently, but frowned when Chopper shook his head vehemently. She sighed. "Then If he's truly not going to make it, don't you think we should make the rest of his time nice? Brook and Franky haven't seen him yet," she said softly and kindly. Chopper couldn't bear to go back in, so Robin set him down and opened the door, walking over to Luffy, who was laughing and joking with "Ace".
"Robin, is that you?" Luffy asked, his haki still working a bit. She said yes and gently turned his head to the side so he could see her and was facing the door.
"Hey, you haven't met Ace yet," he said happily, his eyes a bit out of focus and looking to the left of Robin. "Ace, this is Robin. We met her at Alabasta after you left. She was a bad guy but now she's my friend and she's really smart." Then he paused as if listening for an answer. "Yeah, I knew you'd think so too."
Robin pursed her lips, trying not to cry as Luffy continued to compliment her as he talked to his imaginary dead brother. She approached the subject as best as she was able while he was like this, and asked the empty air, with her voice tight, "Ace, would you like to meet the crew members you haven't met yet?"
"Yeah, Ace you should meet Franky and Brook!" but raising his voice caused him to cough violently. He started to seize as he laughed. He was losing his mind. It was obvious and painfully heartbreaking for Robin. And it was happening so fast.
"I'll go get them, Luffy," she said after his seizures stopped. She walked out and closed the door behind her as Luffy laughed happily.
She and Chopper walked to the galley and they all saw Chopper's wet fur and Robin biting her lip. They were all filled with dread.
"Franky and Brook, Luffy wants you to meet Ace. Just - just play along. And don't react if he starts to seize. It's quite obvious that he's losing his mind." She didn't want to tell them about him being paralyzed, but Chopper felt he needed to.
"Luffy has lost all feeling and control of his whole body… he's become paralyzed." Everyone in the room looked like they were filled with despair. Even Zoro pulled at his hair in hopelessness. It was his fault. If he had kept better watch of the idiot captain, he would be fine now! Even Sanji saw it, that he was to blame.
Nami, Usopp and Franky were visibly crying while Brook had no expression on his skull. Sanji bit into his cigarette and clenched his hands on the counter. Did Luffy still not know who he was?
Brook got up and walked out the door, followed by Robin and Chopper, and after a few moments, Franky as well. They walked to the door and inside as Luffy was laughing while violently seizing. His head was still turned towards the door. "Oh hey, Ace, this is Brook and Franky. Franky's a cyborg and Brook's a skeleton. Interesting right?" his body collapsed down and turned limp after his body calmed. His arm flopped off the side of the bed, but he didn't notice.
Franky tried his best to smile, but it was pained. Luffy didn't notice thankfully.
"It's very nice to finally meet you Ace-san. Luffy-san has spoken highly of you," Brook said kindly, looking to where Luffy was looking. He laughed between coughing fits and began to tell "Ace" about Franky's inventions before he fell silent and looked extremely confused and horrified.
"What happened?" he asked seriously. He seemed to have come back from his hallucinations. His face fell as he seemed to realize what was happening to him. "Am I crazy?" he asked himself. The others couldn't bring themselves to tell him he was. He took their silence as a confirmation and took a deep, shuddering breath through the oxygen mask. "Can you get the rest of the crew? While I'm still... sane," he quickly and desperately said, thoroughly panicking now. He knew he was going crazy now. He could all but feel himself fading out. Ace wasn't really here. Sabo wasn't either.
Robin nodded and quickly ran to the galley, shouting for everyone to come now. Nami, Usopp and even Sanji and Zoro sprinted out and into the infirmary.
"Hi guys," Luffy said sadly. "Before I go again, I want to thank you. It's been fun. I'll beat this," he said halfheartedly, more like he was trying to convince himself but was failing to do so. There was pure terror on his face. "I just had to go an eat a poisonous mushroom," he said with a forced and feeble laugh.
"I wanted to become the pirate king so much… thanks for helping me. And Sanji -" he began to say, but his eyes unexpectedly unfocused and he started laughing that Ace thought they were all pretty funny. The seizures were becoming a constant thing as he shook, still laughing maniacally before he spit up a bit of blood. Chopper screamed for all of them to get out as he ran to Luffy's side. To say the crew was destroyed was an understatement.
They stumbled out of the door and began to cry. Even Sanji and Zoro had some tears. The more emotional ones were sobbing. Sanji seemed to be the worse off, though he tried to hide it. Luffy had remembered him and was going to say something and then he was gone. He truly was losing his mind.
Robin had her eyes closed at she bloomed an eye and ear on the infirmary wall. She watched as Chopper begged Luffy to stop laughing so he could help him, but Luffy wouldn't stop. Finally, tearfully, he injected the sedative into Luffy's inner elbow. Luffy's eyelids drooped and he fell asleep. Chopper saw what had happened to Luffy, gasped and then cried. Robin made the eye and ear disappear as she sat against the wall of the Sunny.
Chopper saw what had caused the blood. Luffy's blood vessels all popped. There was red bruising under the skin at almost every artery. He looked like he had a terrible rash across his body. Even his face had gotten the red bruising. He gasped when he opened Luffy's robe. His chest was bright red. Chopper regretted putting Luffy to sleep. He could die any moment and he didn't even get to say goodbye to anyone, or say any final words. He had put around an hours' worth in that syringe. If he could last another hour, he could say his final words. Chopper didn't know how long it would take for him to die from the broken vessels.
There was no mistake to the others. Luffy was going to die, and based on the sobbing they heard through the door, they knew whatever had happened was bad.
Chopper wiped his eyes with his arm and closed Luffy's robe and then pulled a blanket over Luffy's body. He didn't want to see those red bruises. It was bad enough to see them on his face, but he couldn't stand seeing it everywhere else. He ran his hoof through Luffy's oily hair. He hadn't had a shower or bath in days. Luffy looked so peaceful when he was asleep. He was glad Luffy felt no real pain through all of this. Chopper thanked his rubber body for being different, and even thanked the fact Luffy's body had gone numb.
Chopper left the room, needing comfort from his crew, his family. This was the worst thing that had ever happened to him. It was hard when his father died, but he had died fighting for a cause he believed in. Here, the strong, 19 year old, 400 million beri bounty pirate captain was quickly becoming insane and dying because he ate something he wasn't supposed to. And Chopper could do nothing to stop it. No one could stop it.
He walked out, looking for Robin, and saw her up against the wall with her knees bent and her head hidden in his arms. He walked to her and hugged her, his own tears dripping onto her blouse.
Ta-dah! Review!