Luffy hissed annoyed as he was placed in a waiting room on a bench, as if he was some kind of a trouble making child.
On the other side of the door, several people were talking, and Luffy knew very well they were talking about him. It was Teach in there and.. urgh! That man had come.
"Is it really that bad?"
"He is acting up, we had hoped you could make him calm down."
"How long has this been going on?"
"A couple of days, ever since his friend, another patient, were removed for his own protection."
Luffy gritted his teethes, he could hear every-thing as clearly as they stood beside him.
At last the door was opened, and Luffy looked up to look defiantly at Teach.
Teach in return looked at Luffy with squinted eyes. "Your grandfather is here to see you." He at last told. "Why don't you come in?"
At that Luffy pouted sourly as he stood up, and slowly walked in, to have the door smack behind him.
Luffy refused to look up and meet the eyes of that man whom claimed to be his grandfather, this white-haired, broud-shouldered man, with his white coat and beard. Garp.
"Luffy." Garp sighed deeply as he shook his head. "Why do you have to be so difficult, you were just getting better."
At that Luffy looked up as he hissed. "Where's Usopp?" he asked.
"He is some-where where people can help him, same way as you are here to be helped." Garp tried patiently.
"LIAR!" Luffy yelled. "Give me Usopp, I need him."
"Luffy." Garp sighed as he placed two big hands on Luffys shoulders. "It's for his own protection, you know that right?" he asked. "Like you, I had to agree to let you be here, for your own sake."
"My sake!?" Luffy asked. "Why on earth would I need to be in here?"
Confused Garp looked at Teach.
"Some-times, patients such as Luffy can have a laps in memory." Teach told in a shrug. "He is filling it in with the explanation he creates, probably the same explanation he used to even try and do it the first time around."
Luffy blinked. "What?" he asked. "I didn't do any-thing that justify this!"
"Luffy you nearly died!" Garp exclaimed, burying his fingers harshly into Luffy's shoulder, so Luffy gasped in pain. "I know you want to make me into the villain for putting you here, but I couldn't just let you die! And I weren't able to keep my eyes on your every single moment."
"Died?" Luffy echoed. "What from?" he asked honestly confused.. he was not ill, he was sure of that, he had no major injuries.. then what.
Garps fingers crew limp as he closed his eyes and sighed deeply, looking down. "You almost drowned." He told. "I barely managed to save you, I swore that must never happen again." He told silently.
Luffy swallowed. "But that doesn't explain why Usopp needs to be in such a place, what did he ever do!?" he asked.
Teach sighed deeply. "You don't remember?" he asked as he tried not to roll his eyes. "He went up against an entire gang of mobsters, armed only with a slingshot, proclaiming they had stolen his money, supposedly an entire suit-case of money no one had ever seen, and he was sure that he was some kind of a hero, whom could beat them up himself. It's a wonder he have no means after all of those injuries." He told, making Luffy swallow. "Usopp is a danger to himself, that's why he is here where we can keep an eye on him. That's why you are here."
Then Luffy turned back to Garp. "I don't understand.." he tried to tell.
At that Garp sighed as he stood up and let go of Luffy. "Luffy, I would never have taken you here, if it wasn't because I felt like I was out of options." He told. "You and your brother, you always liked to play pretend after your mother died, it seemed so innocent, your dad wasn't there, so it was just the three of us, what could I do? But after Ace.." at that Garps voice broke.
A pain shot through Luffys head. "Ace.." he whispered, as it tugged in his heart, and out of no-where, Luffys throat tightened together.
"Luffy, we what happened to Ace was tragic, it broke all of us." Garp swallowed. "I let you grieve in your own way, playing even bigger pretend, but when you start thinking the pretend world is fantasy, then you are in danger." He told. "I just don't wish to loose you to." He told.
"I don't have to listen to any of this!" Luffy sniffed as he wiped away his tears with his arm. "I didn't ask for it! So just leave me alone gramps!" he hissed as he bit his lips.
"Luffy." Garp tried as he stepped closer with an out-stretched hand.
"I SAID LEAVE ME ALONE!" Luffy shouted as he turned around and stormed out-side.
"LUFFY WAIT!" he could hear Garp calling from behind, looking over his shoulder he noticed that Teach had stopped Garp, lightly shaking his head… probably telling the old man that the wards would take care of Luffy.. good riddance.
There weren't many places for Luffy to go, thus he ended up back in the shared living room, where he pressed his back up against a corner, and slowly sank down, trying to hide the tears that was now forming in his eyes.. fighting the head-ache in his head. "Arghh." Luffy grunted as he pressed both his hands towards his head. "Stop it, stop it." He hissed. "Why does my head have to hurt this much?" she asked in a groan. How could this day possible be getting any worse?
Glancing up at the room, Luffy looked at the people around, hoping he hadn't gained himself to much attention, and then suddenly.. Luffy gaped. Right there in front of him on the couch.
The person had his back to Luffy, but that hair! Black and curled.
Luffys lips twisted upwards as he smiled. "Usopp!" he gladly exclaimed as he stood up, and jumped for the person. "Usopp you're back." Luffy grinned as he turned Usopp around. "I.." Luffy halted.
Indeed it was Usopp there, longnosed and tanned as ever, but he didn't lighten up by the sight of Luffy, neither did he cover or jump in shock.. Usopp didn't do any-thing.
He was weirdly limp under Luffys hands, his eyes glazed and none-seeing, a slight drool coming out of his mouth.
Usopp could might as well have been sleeping, except he didn't look like a person whom was sleeping at all, instead he looked like some kind of an empty shell.
"Usopp?" Luffy questioned as he held both the hands of his friend. "Usopp are you all-right?"
Usopp's eyes didn't move as much as a millimetre, instead he just starred out into nothingness without responding.
"Usopp answer me!" Luffy exclaimed now starting to shake Usopp. "Usopp wake up! WAKE UP!" he yelled shaking Usopp.
"That's enough."
A firm hand was laid on Luffys shoulders.. Teach's hand, so they had followed him any-way.
With tears in his eyes Luffy turned to the man. "What did you do to him?" he asked in a swallow. "He was fine just a few days ago, what did you do?"
"It's for his own good." Teach said.
"THAT'S WHAT YOU ALWAYS SAY!" Luffy roared.
"Luffy please!" Garp stepped in. "I'm sure your friend, Usopp was his name? Is fine, just give him some time to come around."
"No." Luffy whispered then turned around to look at the two men with angry eyes. "You did some-thing to him." He whispered. "To keep him away from me, I wont forgive you for this!" he hissed as he stamped in the ground.
"Luffy." Tried.
"Let it go." Teach exhaled clearly out of patience. "He wont listen right now, can I offer you some tea? Maybe a coffee."
"No." Garp shook his head. "I erh.. I'll be staying at the hotel doing the night, then I'll see you first thing tomorrow Luffy." He told Luffy.
Luffy how-ever, didn't answer, but just sat on his knee in front of Usopp, whom still didn't look like he saw a thing.
"Very well." Garp exhaled. "I'll see you tomorrow Luffy." He told, before he left, with hung shoulder, closely followed by Teach.
As they were gone, Luffy lightly touched Usopp's limp fingers. "Usopp.." he whispered. "I'm so sorry I let them take you." He told trying to hold back his tears.
"The weather is cloud free and sunny, perfect for all of those fishermen and yacht owners out there."
Luffy lifted his eyes, to where he could see the orange haired weathergirl in the television speaking.
"A vacation by the ocean, sounds very ideal right now." She told in a smile.
"The ocean." Luffy whispered as he turned back to Usopp. "That's it, it'll take you to the ocean, you'll be all-right then Usopp." He told. "And not a moment later than necessary, tonight, we'll break out of here Usopp! We'll go and see the ocean!"
