Usopp turned his neck slightly at the sound of a shriek from the woman next to him only to see an oncoming mass of marine ships.

'What the hell…? I should have noticed earlier dammit!'

Not that he could do anything about it in his current position and having a dazed Nami by his side didn't make things easier.

Nami, on the other hand, was terrified. Over the years she had learnt to become someone brave. Someone who faced everything together with her captain and nakama by her side as they stood together as a family. She had her moments of fear, sure, but she learnt to get through them like Usopp had. This scenario changed all that… The small fleet coming in from the distant side of the island that was beginning to fire anything and everything at the broken up Strawhat crew was enough to make her nervous. The hundreds of strong pirates allied with Blackbeard all standing behind her was another thing. And she could feel the air shift slightly as bullets pierced the winds followed by who-knows-what-else…!

Luffy felt another burning sensation through his back, a close call from the spine, as he felt another bullet hit. A terrible drowsiness set over him as he felt his body weaken and ready to fall into a sleep. He silently cursed seastone and the jerk who had to go make them into bullets… His thoughts wandered to that time he had lost to Kuma and that moment he had come to believe he had lost his crew. And that time on Omatsuri Island when he had been told his crew had been forever taken from him. As his mind turned fuzzy and past, present and imagination all blurred into a single crazy thing, the thought crossed that perhaps this moment was like one of those moments.

In a moment that his mind focused and he realised the weight of the task at hand he looked over to Jimbei as another plan came to mind.

"Jimbei!"

The fishman swam to the surface of the waters below Luffy at the call. Luffy looked with determination in mind towards Usopp and Nami.

"Take them!" he yelled furiously and Jimbei could hear the desperation as he threw the already-injured navigator and sniper into his arms to carry with him.

Jimbei saw the blood dripping and seeping through the younger man's already-red buttoned-up collared shirt. The dark blue of his pants only contrasted against the black-looking blood that dripped through and around the cuffs and sandals. The desperation was clear.

Luffy faced his bleeding swordsman and first mate.

"Zoro…?"

It had been a while since Luffy last felt the need to fear for his immediate crew and Zoro could see the need for it. It was his job to reassure his captain. The green-haired man pulled out the small cross-sword necklace he had gained from his final battle with Mihawk from around his neck.

"Aye captain." It was all that was said and needed as Luffy quickly held Zoro over to block the onslaught of bullets.

Sparks ignited brightly against the dark clouds and heavy rain. It would have even looked beautiful if circumstances had been different.

Zoro and Luffy continued successfully for mere minutes before a loud clang was heard followed by a scream and loud splashes. The distraction was a praise and gift for the enemy pirates and marines as they took advantage of the moment.

Luffy had focused his attention to Sanji and the others. Nami was safe with Jimbei, Chopper and Usopp but Sanji had fallen into the water several metres ahead with the remaining other two – one of which was a devil fruit user.

"Luffy!" the grunt of a yell came from just behind his shoulder as the swordsman continued to thrust and slice with speedy precision against the oncoming shower of seastone.

More searing pain through the arm holding onto Zoro and he could feel the limb beginning to weaken and retract against his will.

'No…'

Jimbei tried to get to Sanji and the rest of his fallen family as quickly as possible. Turning to Usopp and Nami, he told them to hold their breath and to block Chopper's airways as well as possible as well before diving into the harsh raging waters. Jimbei was a brilliant swimmer and being a fishman truly added to that gift. But he could do nothing about the presences that slowly lessened into nothing as seconds turned to minutes and he knew he had to come up so the others could breathe. He dove down again, deeper this time and faster. The smell of blood thickened through his gills as he came closer to his goal.

A harsh tapping could be felt against his shoulder as Usopp indicated he and the others needed air soon and Jimbei could only try to reach out a little more.

Skin brushed against skin as the fishman felt fingers slip against the tough skin of his wrist. There. He stretched his hand out and used his ability to guide the water to bring the figure he could no longer sense closer towards himself. Grabbing on, he thrust himself out into the surface as quickly as possible while maintaining his hold of the others. The second he reached the top he felt a burning swell inside, just inches away from his heart. The burning continued and pain turned to sharp bursts throughout his entire body. Desperately, he checked if the others were okay. In one arm, he held a tired and gasping Usopp and unconscious Nami. Between them sat a still-limp Chopper with a stiff tanned hand of Usopp's barely away from the tip of his blue nose. His presence, now too, was silent.

In his other hand, however, was the limp arm of Sanji as he lay bent over, moving with the harsh waves alongside the rest of them, many waves going over and refusing to give the others breath. Franky and Brook were nowhere to be seen.

Cheering is heard from the marines side and all that were awake among the Strawhat Pirates could only glower in response.

"Jimbei! Keep going!" the voice of the captain would always ring louder to Jimbei than any others', no matter how strong the storm.

He could hear the tender care in the man's voice. The man that stood the King of the Pirates. The man who only wanted so for freedom. Jimbei could also feel the pain from earlier begin to subside into a dull numbing sensation that would soon render him completely useless. He turned his eyes to Usopp who was the only one able to return his gaze.

Usopp could see the question in the Jimbei's eyes. The willingness to put the captain before the rest of the crew was something each crewmember shared equally. They knew the potential costs of becoming a pirate and each had proven themselves ready to pay that price at least once, so long as it were for their captain or another one of the people they had come to call brothers and sisters. Nakama. So Usopp knew that his own life, as well as Nami's and Chopper's had to be given for this that their captain could continue to live even if he hated them forever for it. With his nod, the fishman let out the tears that pooled in his eyes in such overpowering grief before letting go of the three.

As Usopp slipped into the water and he briefly looked towards his fellow-fallen nakama, he allowed his mind to wander to all the moments he had come to cherish between himself and the rest of the crew. How proud his father would be to know that he did everything he could to protect his captain. And with a smile on his face, his consciousness drifted to a blissful black, feeling warm arms wrap around his soul as his mother welcomed him with open arms.

OPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOP

A deep never-ceasing pain spread from deep inside Luffy's heart as he cried openly for the lost presences of his fallen family members. Eyes stung terribly and all he could do was waver in the air as he tried to steady himself and Zoro in order to keep going.

Zoro fought on, mind switching between bursts of rage and incredible sorrow and grief for his family. Sanji had come to be the closest to him aside from Luffy and though the two still fought regularly, the two would always be willing to fight anyone who tried to attack the other man's pride. Tears stung the corners of his eyes as he silently sobbed and his heart retched with pain. He continued only for the care of his captain and for the current vengeful rage that urged the small sword in his hand onwards.

Jimbei stops to look over to Luffy. Luffy knows what he's done but he isn't angry with him for his inability to protect the others.

"Luffy-kun! It has been an honour to fight alongside you and to be part of this family! I thank you!" And his head twists to face the oncoming navy ships.

"Jimbei! Please! Please don-"

"I hope to protect you this one last time. Please! Be there for my brothers back at my old home!"

Jimbei's expression is set firm. Tears threaten to fall but he will allow them to only when he has earned it.

Luffy's own tears stop as he takes in the courage and determination of the man who had travelled with him the least yet stood equally loyal as any other of the crew.

"Jimbei," his voice comes through softer than before but audible enough for the man beneath and his eyes close. "Thank you."

And his head lowers in a motion to that of a bow. Jimbei knew that, had the pain been less, had his captain not been running and had his arms not been full, he would have lowered himself to the floor in his bow of thanks.

Tears once again pool in the fishman's eyes as he lowers his head in return before swimming directly towards the fleet of ships.

Jimbei knew he couldn't take on all of them. He couldn't even protect three people in the crew. But he could protect his captain and hope with all his heart that the man would escape. Determination set in his mind with such clarity and focus as he used an oncoming wave to elevate himself to the deck of one of the smaller ships.

The marines all froze in place on deck as they took in the sight of their bleeding intruder. Bleeding and dying but he would give them one hell of a fight.

OPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOP

Only Luffy and Zoro were left. Too far to be hit by those on land while the marines on their ships were plenty filled with the task of getting rid of the intruder. The sounds of explosions and clashes replayed over and over again in the mind of the captain of the fallen Strawhat Pirates with the scenes of his crew slowly dying.

He could feel Zoro's aura slowly weaken and the blood soak from the swordsman's torso into his own shoulder and back. His own blood continued to pool at his back and drip into the waters underneath.

There were no seakings to call in this weather and the rain alone allowed the pair's blood to flow more freely into the waters below; not giving it the time it needed in order to clot effectively.

The skywalk technique was becoming more and more tiring. Rain made the world look truly hazy and sounds slowly became deaf to him. All was left were the constant regretful mumblings of the wind and waters.

A quiet thud was heard as the sounds of metal against metal halted. Luffy felt a slumping of a body against his shoulder and neck. Arms splayed out behind his back as the final presence seemed to evaporate into the air.

"O-oi, Z-Zoro…"

Smaller and faster ships made way from the larger marine vessels and more weapons were directed towards him.

Luffy was the King of the Pirates. He had been so for almost a complete year since turning twenty-one. He was the freest in the world! He had met with the man he had come to idolise and respect since he was seven. He had been with his completed family for a good two years. And it all seemed to cut so short…

He held firmly onto Zoro's lifeless body as he staggered through the air, occasionally falling closely to the surface of the ocean. The sky seemed to scream and it was as though the stars themselves pierced through the clouds though it honestly could be his ever-fading consciousness.

Luffy had learned to live life without regrets through his oldest brother and later, through his crew. Shanks had said he was a great pirate – the greatest pirate – and that Ace would have been proud. He didn't think so though… What great pirate would lose his crew like that…? What- What kind of person was he for not being strong enough? It started since losing Ace. It worsened two years later as battles became harder and the prices of losing became too great. And now, what more could he lose as his crew all died around him?

A small weight was removed from Luffy's neck as the thin familiar string of his straw hat came loose. He watched helplessly, carrying the dead weight of his last friend, as the blood-dirtied hat blew from his back into the ocean depths. It sat at the top for moments before the pressure of the rain became too much for the worn hat to withhold as it sank.

'Of course,' he thought bitterly.

And as his broken-down legs continued to strain and fight without meaning, and his arms tried uselessly to carry his closest friend and first mate, the small, motored boats loaded with a couple men with guns came closer in. That final bullet to the back of his left knee was all it took to bring him crashing from the sky to the waters he had come to love.

His eyes continued to gaze over his swordsman whom had fallen into the waters with him. Luffy was at least grateful that Zoro hadn't had to see him fail like this so soon after they had been so sure they would all get out together like usual.

Bitter and painful grief shattered him at his core, stronger than all the pressure of the terrible seawater combined. It tore through his mind and spirit like a rake made from a twisted version of Zoro's swords and the only words that crossed his mind before it numbed entirely was a horrible water-muffled silent scream of 'I'm sorry!'

OPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOP

It was black and empty. Neither hot nor cold. Completely silent but and yet… were those… waves…? It seemed as though whispers were being carried out with a gentle rocking of water – a beautiful calm in comparison to the earlier storm.

Luffy could hear heavy repeating sounds of… something. Rain? Oh, so the storm was still there then. It just felt so… quiet.

Snippets of words and phrases mixed in with the resounding droplets of rain against an even larger body of water. Small words of "sorry"s and "couldn't warn" played a bit, like broken up apologies being recycled and regurgitated back out into the system as it continued.

"wa..n't… meant to hap..n" "learn"

"good l..ck.." "go home"

"it's …k..y"

"it will be okay, Luffy"

And the constant pulsing in his ears died as his heartbeat slowed to a stop that perhaps would have been more painful had he brought himself to care.

OPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPOP

Smells of old trees and dirt caused his mind to do a painful summersault. Warmth bathed his skin in places as well as certain shadow. What had happened? Luffy paused to reflect on the last few moments. He had been with his crew and… did he fall asleep? He could vaguely recollect a thick scent of salt and fish-infested water as well as-

Blood.

Light pierced through eyes scrunched closed and a shiver passed through him despite the cloaking of warmth from the sun. Memories painfully loaded his mind and clouded every sense as he was forced to remember the last twenty-four hours.

"Luffy?" a deep familiar and concerned voice reached his ears and Luffy froze in fear as he looked up into the eyes of Akainu.