Look at Me Chapter 4
As the white faded away, Luffy realized that he was frozen in place by haki. He felt cold as he noticed that Sanji and Crocodile were missing, his brown eyes frantically searched for them; and he broke the haki with his own. He needed to make sure that the others were safe, he didn't know how long he was out or what even happened to make him white out. He rushed to the kitchen, he didn't see anyone, he looked behind him to search for any hidden enemies or crew. He then rushed upstairs, no one...the deck...no one...there was no sign of his crew.
Luffy fell to his knees, he had failed his crew...all of them...he squeezed his eyes shut and dug his nails into his scalp. He was weak...he was still weak...he didn't want to be weak, he wanted to protect his crew. He didn't know where his crew was, neither where Crocodile was...he felt helpless...he thought about Zoro, Sanji, Nami, Chopper, Robin, Franky and Brook.
Luffy snapped his head up, staring at the horizon with determination, he needed to find his crew, they needed him, he didn't care how-he would find them. Luffy got up, he went to steer the ship...though, he needed a navigator, he began to steer the ship, hoping for a clue to Crocodile's whereabouts or his crew's.
Zoro cringed, he felt a burning sensation cascading around his body, the burning turned into an annoying itch under his skin. He attempted to scratch the back of his neck, which had begun to itch violently, his eyes flew open when another hand swatted at his. He turned around, yelling out from the painful twinge in his shoulders. His chest tightened, he fell back coughing. Chopper rushed to his side while Zoro clawed at his neck.
"Is he chocking?" Nami asked, trying to hold Zoro's hands down.
"I don't think so...his scars might be affected by the strange atmosphere of this ship...looking at it, his scars are infected." Chopper explained, taking out some anesthetics and bandages. Zoro and Sanji had been imprisoned, away from his crew members due to Crocodile knowing that they were the most dangerous of the Straw Hats, other than Luffy. Nami and Chopper were left in another corridor below the ships deck and Robin was forced to be glued to Crocodile. Robin was stone-faced, she never left Crocodile's side even when he was back to normal after the fight.
'Again he's forced her to abide by his rules, most likely telling her that if she tried anything to help us, he would kill us.' Nami thought, a sickening feeling grew inside of her and she gave Crocodile a sour glare. He stared at her, emotionless, his eyes empty and dull, yet still feral and challenging like a crocodile's. He surveyed the lower deck area before dragging Robin back upstairs with him, she silently followed.
'Why does she not attack him? She's so close to him...no, she needs to silently attack, perhaps with poison or a surprise attack. His trust in her is most likely close to none, she must be careful or else Crocodile will kill her and us...' Nami thought, catching the attention of Chopper.
"Nami, are you alright?" He asked, finally finished wrapping Zoro with ointment bandages. Nami sighed, those coal eyes getting the best of her. She confided in Chopper...
"It...it just sickens me how Crocodile pushes Robin around, taking advantage of her emotions...it is not right..." Nami growled, her hands balling into fists as she sat on her knees in front of Chopper.
"True...though...if I were to make a synopsis, Crocodile is very...unstable." Chopper stated, frankly. Nami almost laughed, the idea of a former Schichibukai being mentally unstable was...ridiculous.
"If he is able to be so cunning and manipulative, then he is far from unstable, Chopper."
"Well...I'm just a doctor of medicine...the mind is very complex compared to the body." Chopper sighed, sitting down, he glanced over to Zoro and felt a twinge of guilt.
"If only I had used the...no...I would have lost control...but...I could have been of use and both Zoro and Sanji...maybe...they would not be so beat up...' Chopper thought. He looked up at Nami.
"Nami...could you help me get Sanji?" Chopper asked. Nami nodded and looked for a way to climb up to the cell Sanji was in high above the ground.
'I need to be careful, one false move and both of us could be injured...or worse.'
Luffy yelled, frustrated...he could find neither land nor ship-he sighed, glaring at the sunset, refusing to give up. He gasped as he heard a sound coming from the kitchen, he rushed to see who was on his ship-no one was on the ship when he checked, and he had not stopped around land, nor seen any land masses where anyone could board his ship. He bust open the door to see a surprised group of people, yelp in alarm.
"Oh-my tea!"
"My cola~!"
"My nose!"
A smile grew on Luffy's face...Brook, Franky and Usopp were somehow on his ship.
"Where did you guys come from? I didn't see you earlier?" Luffy asked, laughing.
"We hid under the floorboards! No one can capture the 'Mighty Usopp'!" Usopp lied, proudly puffing out his chest.
"You were caught, liar-I had to grab you and fling you under the floors!" Franky exclaimed. Luffy, Brook and Franky all laughed as Usopp stuttered and flustered about, emberassed.
"All right! Together, I know we can find the rest of the crew! Let's GO!" Luffy pointed to the horizon.
"Right...cause I know where the ship is..." Franky stated.
"Really? How?" Luffy aksed.
"When we were attacked, I told Franky to put a snail on Zoro, and I put one on Sanji...Usopp put one on Chopper-though, they won't realize it..." Brook explained, cheerfully.
"Why won't they notice?" Luffy asked, confused. Snails were usually fairly large, you would have to be blind not to see one and deaf not to hear one!
"They are special ones that I made!" Franky explained, proudly. "They are prototypes that I designed especially for stealth and are useful for spying and gaining information during kidnappings! They are cyborg snails and each have a bit of my tracking data from my motherboard in them...though very little so that I can still function and feel them."
"WOW!" Luffy exclaimed, starry eyed.
"I'll tell you where they are...for now, let's head West." Franky explained.
"Ok..." Luffy stood in front of the navigation and stared at the horizon.
"You don't know where West is do you, Luffy?" Usopp asked, knowing the answer.
"NOPE!" Luffy barked, frankly.
(End of Chapter 4)