OPOP

Fire bathed the island in a hectic orange glow. It blanketed the forests, and smothered the village. The once peaceful island now stood in turmoil. The sky was not sunny anymore, it was a vast plume of black. It billowed in the gentle wind, and then fell as light ash. It fell beautifully and peacefully. It fluttered down onto the deck of the ship, and back onto the island. And on the the deck of the Going Merry, the crew of the ship stood as one and stared.

Their last hope was disappearing with the smoke.

Nami fell to her knees in despair. She covered her face with her hands as intolerable grief blanketed her as heavily as the fire covered the island. She rocked backwards and foreword, every inch of her keening with agony - how would they save Luffy now?

"Nami! Look!" Usopp yelled from the crow's nest. Nami looked up, almost blinded by tears. She looked to where Usopp was pointing, and saw shadows of people moving frantically around the island. She hurried to her feet,

"Chopper! Stay with Luffy!" She shrieked over the cruel laughter of the flames, "Everyone, let's go! We have to save these people,"

OPOP

Robin's extra arms carried buckets of water from the sea and onto the flaming town centre. The villagers ran past her, frantically trying to save their city. The flames were strong and the air was thick with smoke. The burning smell of fire infiltrated Robin's nostrils. She took in a deep breath of it.

She wanted to punish herself.

The captain who had made her find reason to live was on death's door. The little crew that she had become a part of was the very reason for her being, and Luffy was at the centre of the crew. She saw, in her mind's eye, Luffy. He waved and grinned that crazy, immature grin. But that grin faded and he turned around and faded into black. He faded into the darkness of death. She tried to follow him, and bring him back, but he was gone. He disappeared and left Robin standing in the blackness.

She stopped herself from thinking about it. A butterfly flew past her, it's delicate wings aflame. She watched, transfixed, as the fluttery bug flapped unevenly slowly falling further and further down, a small trail of smoke followed it down, down. She cried out and gripped it, as the flames ate it.

And then there was nothing but ash left in her hand. She stayed still for a moment, before releasing the ash into a soft breeze.

She sighed. Things weren't easy when one had to worry about things.

Then there was an infernal crashing sound, as Zoro released boulders that blocked off the river. Somehow, the island had been sabotaged. Wildfires obviously raged here often, and so the villagers had created an irrigation system, keeping the ground wet and safe from stray fires. But the river had been blocked and so fires had raged once more.

Angry white water now tumbled down the mountain, cutting a path through the flames, and extinguishing all within a large radius of the river.

The villagers cheered loudly as the water freed the flame-bound land.

But all Robin could do was stare at the ash stain on her hand, where the butterfly had burnt to death.

OPOP

Sanji and Zoro began to make their way back to the village, walking beside the river. Sanji eyed the swordsman, wondering if the strong man felt the same feeling as himself. Guilt.

Sanji regretted leaving to buy vegetables. He could've done something for the rubber man if he'd been there, but he'd been fixed on assisting Nami-swan. He'd ignored all of the captain's little signs - the meeting between them all, the slight heavy step he'd taken on, the shock on Luffy's face when Sanji'd asked him about his mother. The more he went over the scene, the more signs he noticed.

Sanji closed his eyes, the guilt flowing through him as strongly as the river which they'd just freed.

They stopped at a carcass of a human, burnt to a crisp. The eyes were open, and they stared, shocked within deep sockets. The skin was pink in areas, and charcoal black in other places. It was impossible to tell if the poor person was female or male. There was no hair left, the mouth was open as though whoever it was had died in agony. Which was not unlikely. Around the person's ankle was a chain attached to a tree. A trap.

The human had drowned in a column of flames, unable to escape.

Like their captain was now drowning in unescapable water.

Sanji couldn't keep his eyes of the sexless body at his feet. He began to breathe unsteadily, his mind replacing the shocked face with that of Luffy's, burnt. Dead. Dead. Dead.

Zoro, noticed the chef's stillness, and pushed him foreword, "Come on, Love Cook," He muttered.

Sanji shut his eyes, and walked foreword, choosing not to look back.

Why is there death all over the island?

OPOP

The village sat in a burnt-out square. L'Isle de Medicin was known for its doctors, much like where Chopper was from. Except these doctors were specialised in treating odd illnesses and diseases. They had the Akuma (A.N. Akuma = devil in Japanese) Doctors that were there purely to treat Devil Fruit users.

The smoke that had scorched the sky had dissipated, almost like a nightmare from which you have woken from. The sun now scorned the Straw-Hat crew with it's happiness-provoking appearance.

The leader of the village was named Hin, and he was praising the Staw-hat pirates with elation. He was put off when they didn't smile at him.

"...I would like to thank you, pirates on behalf of my entire village. Please be at welcome here!" He finished and the village cheered.

Nami's lip trembled, and then she knelt on the floor humbly, "Please, oh mighty town of doctors! Save our captain!" She cried, hot, salty tears spilt over her eyes. The other pirates knelt behind her, some of them grew watery eyed.

Hin was startled, "Erm, what?"

"Our captain is dying. A man named Samil, a previous villager of this island, has poisoned him with liquid kairouseki. She gripped at Hin's robe, and cried, "YOU MUST SAVE HIM!"

Hin immediately straightened, his face becoming angry,

"Do not say that that traitor is a former villager. HE stopped our river. HE caused our island to become like this," His face softened, and he smiled, "I am the best Akuma Doctor in all of L'Isle de Medicin, and I shall help your captain,"

Nami let go of the man's robe, her eyes growing more and more hopeful. The guilt swarming Sanji's stomach abated a little.

"Thank god…" He muttered, which earned a glance from Zoro.

OPOP

Raye kissed Dragon on the mouth passionately. He had been gone from home for a month. Samil was already past six years old, he was at school, learning about the righteousness of Marines. The light porch was beautiful, wide open windows and smooth, marble floors. Monkey Raye was a beautiful partner for a handsome husband, her hair a light blond color. Her slightly heart-shaped face bore not a single blemish, and her eyes were a deep turquoise colour. The kind of colour that changed from green to blue depending on the light.

Raye smiled slyly at Dragon, stroking her stomach.

"Dragon, you'll never guess what," She whispered seductively, her eyes full of secrets.

Dragon stared at her, his eyebrows raised, waiting for her to tell him

"I'm pregnant again!" she cheered, elated.

Dragon stared at her in horror, his tattooed face and long black hair frozen in place. His usual hard appearance was melting into pure horror.

"Kill it," He whispered, his voice hoarse and croaking. His voice was so quiet that Raye didn't hear him properly,

"What did you say honey?" she asked, not looking at his face, but rather her stomach, she stroked it.

"I said Kill it. Kill the thing," He shouted, snatching her hand away from her stomach with one hand and turning her face to him with the other. He stared at her, wild eyed with rage and fear, like a Sea King when it's temper cracks.

And Raye snatched her hand away, turned her face away, "Why do you say such a thing?" She breathed, her voice wavering with fear and confusion.

"That baby will kill you. Dad had the same thing, in exchange for his mother's life, he lived. His mother died when he was five, he's never forgiven himself. It was the same with his father, and that father's father. Dad broke the cycle, and I'm going to keep it broken!" Dragon said, his voice strong and resolved. Raye gazed into his unwavering eyes.

"Is this true?" She whispered, "Having a second son will make me die on his fifth birthday?"

Dragon nodded, his hard mouth settling into a determined line, "I w.." He stopped, catching his breath, "I wont lose you like that. You have to kill it before its heart begins to beat," he reached out a hand and caressed Raye's cheek. For a moment, she let him closing her eyes and leaning into the touch. And then a tear dripped down her cheek and she slapped the hand away.

"Don't say it as though the matter's settled, Monkey D. Dragon," She all but snarled, tears dripping down her face, making tracks in her perfect powdered face "I will not kill my baby, Dragon. I've always dreamed of having two children Dragon. Two. Not one, you got that?"

Dragon stared at her as though she'd slapped him. He made a strangled growl sound, "No, I won't allow it." Stubborness came off him in waves, "It you wish to raise this thing then you will do it. without. me," He growled, stressing the last two words. And with that, he stalked out of the room, like a cat.

And Monkey Raye did not follow him.

OPOP

Hin stepped uncertainly across the deck of the Going Merry, wondering how the pirates could step and balance so surely. He was a land-man, if there was such a thing, he didn't trust these wooden boats. The aged man shook his grey head, his silver beard shaking along with it.

He stumbled, only to be caught by Sanji, "Watch your step, ossan," He said, returning the old man to his feet and walking off, one hand in his pocket, the other letting him take a long draught with his cigarette.

Chopper had moved Luffy to his bunk when the others had left. Now he sat by Luffy, wiping the fever sweat from Luffy's brow, and muttering words of comfort. Luffy's heart had stayed beating throughout the other's trip to the island, and on the surface things looked like they were going well - he was breathing easier, and he didn't look quite so strained.

But Luffy had developed inexplicable bruises on his stomach. It looked like he had some internal bleeding but his overall condition was so bad that Chopper couldn't check. All Chopper could do was small and insignificant things. He couldn't save his captain.

What was the point of being a doctor when he couldn't save one of his nakama?

He didn't look up when the others came into the room, and they didn't expect him to they snuck a look at Luffy before showing Hin to him. "This is our doctor, Tony Chopper. Chopper knows all about Luffy's health and habits. Ask as many questions as you..." Nami said, trailing off when she saw Hin's face.

The man stared at the boy on the bed in shock. He rushed to Luffy's side and pulled up his shirt, revealing a black and blue stomach. And more, the area around his heart was also going blue. Then Hin grabbed the boy's hand and examined the fingertips, which looked like they were frostbitten.

"I have never seen someone survive for this long," He murmured to himself, and then to the Straw-hat pirates, "It is amazing that he's alive at all, how long has he been under the influence of the kairouseki?"

Nami, Zoro and Sanji exchanged a glance, counting up the hours, day one when Samil had injected him with the stuff. Day two when they escaped Samil's boat and then half a day's worth of travelling to the island. "Roughly forty hours," said Zoro, frowning.

Hin made a cross symbol on his chest, "Lord almighty," He breathed,

He stood still for a few minutes, as though preparing himself, "Devil Fruit users never fall into the sea for such a long time because, obviously, they drown. So it may not look like it, but the aura of the sea does a lot of external damage. The damage is slow at first, but it speeds and eventually grows to an exponential rate. We only discovered this after prisoners at Impel down spent too long with Kairouseki handcuffs on" He began, taking out a magnifying glass and examining the bruises on Luffy's skin, "The sea's energy would usually erode from the outside in, but…"

"But the kairouseki is within him," Chopper whimpered, putting his furry face in his hooves.

"Correct," Clarifies Hin. Usopp looks from Chopper to Hin and then back again,

"I don't get it, what does it mean?" He asked, agitated at the two. Here he was, worried almost to death (no pun intended) about his captain, and the two of them didn't even have the decency to speak in terms that everyone understood.

"It means that instead of eroding Luffy from the outside, like it's supposed to, the sea's aura is eroding him from the inside," Cries Chopper, suddenly wailing, "This is worse than I thought!"

Hin glances at Chopper, and then back at Luffy's bruised stomach, "It is bad, all right. The only way we can save him is by expelling the kairouseki, and then by letting him heal. But his injuries are bad. The sea's aura is working fast, look,"

He pointed at the edge of Luffy's bluey purple bruise. The crew leant inwards. Robin was the first to spot it.

The bruise was expanding.

As they watched, the bruise took over a rib, "What about the his heart?" Robin asked, afraid of the answer.

Hin shook his head, "I honestly don't know. But it doesn't look good,"

And that was when Luffy began to cough up blood.

OPOP

A.N. It's all getting into motion now, the plot is turning - will they save Luffy? How was Samil involved in the village's fire?

Tune in next time, for chapter 10 of The Place of Luffy's birth, Survival =)

(That sounded like the preview of some american anime, heheh.)

Incidentally, my chapters seem to be getting gradually longer, this one is over 2,700 words! (give it up for the author woo!)