At first, while posting chapter 9, I ended up posting the title and first sentence of chapter 11, because I guess I'm not quite at 100% at 2 am? XD

Anyway someone out there was kind enough to tell me almost immediately that I had fucked up, but told me in a guest review so I couldn't thank them. So if that was you then THANK YOU! XD

Also, I know I said chapter 10 would be the last, but it ended up just a bit longer. I'll have to bring it to eleven, but -since I just got a full time job and have less time to work on finishing this- it might take a hot minute before it's posted.

I will do my best to make it fast, though.

Chapter 10:

Exorcism

"Alright." Corderoy sighed, looking at all the young, nervous faces around him. "We're ready to begin."

Pale, flushed, and sweaty from the heat, Luffy's crew crowded around in a jittery circle.

"Dr. Chopper, would you like to do this?" Corderoy asked.

Chopper sat at Luffy's side, mumbling away about all the damage forcing sea water into Luffy's veins would do, even if it didn't have the same burning affect on him that it did at the moment.

It took him a moment to register that he was being asked a question. And another moment to figure out what he was being asked, before freezing up in fear.

On one hand, he was the crew's doctor. If anyone was going to be doing this to one of them it should be him. But he had caused this in the first place. And if this turned out too badly, he didn't know if he could handle the guilt of destroying his friend's nerve endings. Or crippling his body. Or even killing him.

But it was his job. His role to play.

Just as he was about to walk over and accept his fate, Robin sat beside him and pulled him close.

"You don't have to."

Chopper almost crumbled in relief.

It was very clear to everyone that the pressure of this was not going to fall on the little one's head today.

Corderoy nodded. He pulled an old rag out of his pocket and tied it around his forehead to hold back his long white curls of hair. Dunking a syringe into the water bucket, he filled it up, then wiped the needle clean before dipping it in the rum.

"I won't lie, captain. This is gonna hurt like fire under the skin, and you're going to feel violently ill." He said, holding out an old wrinkled hand for Luffy to place his arm in. "But I'm going to try to flush it out as fast as I can."

Luffy huffed in decision, giving the old man access to his arm and licking his lips in anticipation. "Okay. Have at it."

First he tied a strip of cloth tight around Luffy's arm. Then he poked around a bit for a good vein, and stuck the needle in.

Luffy thought for a moment how the alcohol stung just a bit, then promptly forgot about it, along with everything else around him, when introduced to the intense, explosive pain of the water being pushed into his blood.

It was lava. Molten rock pooling into his arm. Luffy grit his teeth harshly and growled low in his throat from the shock of it.

Corderoy pulled out the needle, and they all watched as the water inside seemed to seep into his meat, burning layers deep and turning the surface red with irritation. What managed to stay in his veins traveled up his arm a ways, the pigmentation of his blood flow turning dark, and unnatural.

He withstood the urge to scream, feeling it crawl up his throat like claws, but holding it in tight. His teeth bit together with a chipping force, and his survival mode was kicking in. His body wanted to get up, run away, far away.

And through the mind numbing pain, he almost did. Then a large, calloused hand flattened itself against his shoulder blade, and a comforting calm brought his mind back in control.

Zoro sat at his side, quiet and composed, but tense. He was on edge. He was sick of being useless like this. Sick of being unable to fight this by Luffy's side. But at least he was here with him. He could at least remind him of that as he battled this thing alone.

Through the next thirty minutes, Luffy stayed more or less under control. Five injections in and he was beginning to get too restless to continue, so they took a break to let him try to settle down.

They started up again about ten minutes later. By that point the water had visibly traveled up his arm and past his shoulder. Dark blood lines crept over the left side of his chest, the entirety of his arm inflamed with deep burns.

The old man was about to express his concern to the rest about having to stop before it reached his heart. Just then they got the results they were hoping for as Luffy pitched to the side, almost throwing up in Zoro's lap on his way to the bucket they had given him.

The old man breathed a sigh of relief, and waited for him to empty what all he could before moving on to the second step.

Luffy took a moment to right himself. For a bit it seemed like he was going to leave his face in his bucket, but then he sat up a little. Still slouching, looking like death warmed over, Luffy eyed all his friends and wiped the black slop from his lips.

After taking a few steadying breaths, he was passed the bucket of water.

"Go ahead and stick a finger in there. See how bad it still burns." Corderoy said patiently.

His eyes were heavy with sympathy. He could remember his crew mates going through this same torture. As he'd ached for them he ached for this young lad just the same. Him and his crew who had to sit helplessly by.

Luffy sighed and did as he was told. Quickly he dunked a finger into the bucket, pulling it back a second later to see how red and irritated it looked. Burnt. But nowhere near as badly as his feet had been, or the inner workings of his arm.

"Don't hurt as bad." Luffy's voice was gravely, almost horse.

"That's good. We can't do injections anymore. The rest you're gunna have to swallow down."

As if the thought alone had another wave of nausea take him over, Luffy threw himself to the side again to plant his face in his bucket.

Zoro carefully passed it over to him for easy reach, hand firm on his back; thumb tracing back and forth in an attempt of small comforts.

Luffy clutched it tight as his body rejected the thick greasy substance growing in his stomach.

"It's the only way, son. You're almost half way done."

Luffy lifted his head. The dark liquid dripped down his chin as he looked Corderoy dead in the face.

"Only half...?"

"Aye. Come on now! I know you ain't gunna give up that easy."

With that said, Luffy groaned. He handed the full bucket of puke off to Zoro who eyed it in disgust, then grabbed for the water bucket.

Zoro rotated his upper half to empty the contents of the bucket into the weeds.

"Don't do that!" The old man shouted.

Zoro and Luffy looked up at him, simultaneously startled.

"You just told me to drink this! Now you're saying I can't?" Luffy griped.

"Not you child, the other one! That swill goes to the river!" He said, motioning for Zoro to go dump it in the water. "It'll surely be dead that way."

Zoro looked less than pleased to be the one to have to do it. Moving away from Luffy was the very last thing he wanted to do at the moment.

Seeing his internal struggle, Usopp stood from his spot, and took the burden off his hands. Zoro nodded his thanks and directed his attention back to his captain.

Luffy hesitated.

"It'll all be over soon, Luffy." Nami said gently, reaching passed Robin and Chopper to softly squeeze his knee.

Zoro followed suit, placing his hand at the back of Luffy's neck.

Moved by a wave of newfound determination, Luffy placed the curve of metal against his lip and downed it as fast as he could.

A few gulps in, and the bucket was about half empty, but he pulled it away with a cry of distress. The water burned every small space of his mouth, and all the way down. He couldn't even taste the salt from how bad the burn hit. But in the pit of his stomach he felt it battle with whatever lay dormant inside.

It hurt worse than a burn. It hurt like claws and teeth digging and gnawing away inside of him. Like an animal desperate to stay in its burrow when being chased out by a predator.

Usopp returned just as their captain doubled over, arms around his waist as he tried to handle the agony of it.

As soon as Usopp set the bucket back in front of him, Luffy snatched it up and wretched like he would expel his organs. Only a little came out, and the frustration of it had him grabbing the water back up and downing some more.

This process went on for hours. Mid day came and went, and eventually the water's sting left nothing more than slight irritation on Luffy's dark tan skin, Corderoy decided then that they had reached the half way point they had needed.

"Alrighty then, Strawhats." He said, hefting himself up on his old legs and straightening his back with a crack. "It's time for the second half of the treatment. Full body submersion."

The old man watched as all the youngsters around him seemed to sit rigidly at the sound of it.

No doubt there would be more complaints.

Three... Two...

"How's he supposed to go through that? He's a devil fruit user." Sanji said, hands in his pockets, but brow narrowed down in a show of his distaste for the idea.

"Yeah!" Nami shouted. "We can't just dump him in the river or the ocean. He'll drown!"

Corderoy sighed heavily. "Follow me."

As he walked passed the crew and on a ways, the rest stayed seated. Only when Corderoy stopped and turned back to them with an impatient, "Hurry up!" did they scramble up and rush to join him.

Luffy struggled to stand, but on his feet immediately lost his balance. He pitched to the side, leaning heavily against Zoro.

Usopp darted over to help support their captain and help him walk, but Zoro beat him to it by scooping him up and carrying him like a sickly bundle of limbs.

Crew in tow, Corderoy continued his trek down the river side. "There is a place I know, not far from here. I suspect it was built by who ever was unlucky enough to be stuck here before me."

"What place?" Robin asked, something sounding suspiciously like caution showing in her voice.

"A slab of stone buried in the sand near the shore." He said. "It came in handy a time or two with my crew. If we had known about it sooner, then maybe they could have survived. A few of them at least."

"No offense, sir, but how is a big rock in the sand supposed to help?"

The strange colored forest eventually opened up to the beach as they walked.

"There are stone chains and cuffs tethered to it. To keep people from leaving the water." He explained. "I imagine that's what it was for anyway. Can't think of any other good use for a thing like that."

Up ahead, peeking out of the sand just passed the reach of the waves, was a corner of rock shining in the evening sun. Corderoy hummed and stepped into the water. Then he was bent over, feeling through the sand to find the chains and cuffs he had mentioned before.

"Ah-hah! Here they are!" He laughed as he pulled what looked like carved labradorite chains and cuffs from beneath the sand and water.

Everyone behind him eyed the chains like it was all some horrid torture device.

Well, for what they intended to use it for, they wouldn't be too far off in assuming it was.

Zoro set Luffy's feet on the ground. He hissed as the burnt souls of them touched the hot textured surface of the sand, but once he was on his feet again he stood proud and determined. He still looked deathly ill, though. His fingers squeezed at his stomach, and the bags under his eyes looked like soot on his skin.

Zoro couldn't help keeping an arm up, hovering around him, in case he would keel over like he appeared mere seconds from doing.

"Come here, lad. The quicker the better." Corderoy said, waving him over.

Luffy did so, dragging his feet through the sand, and stepping up onto the lip of stone that protruded from the sand. Another step and small waves were reaching up passed his ankles. Already drained and tired, the added strain of the contact had him collapsing to his knees.

The stone beneath him was mostly blanketed in a layer of wet sand, softening his fall. That was a small blessing. One he didn't have time to think about as his energy was sapped from him, and his legs searing in the sea.

Corderoy came up to crouch beside him, taking one of his arms from his lap and fixing the rock around his wrist. Luffy was too tired to mind. The old man moved to the other side and did the same to it, letting it fall into the water after.

The pain had lessened, but the water still felt uncomfortably hot to the touch. A cold shiver trailed from the back of his neck down his spine, making Luffy tremble slightly where he kneeled.

"What happens now?" Nami asked, stepping closer to Corderoy. Her rum colored eyes never left her captain's form, nor did anyone else's.

"We wait for the tide. When it comes in it will smoke the sickness out of him, so to say."

"Wait for the tide? Wait for the tide?" Usopp shouted. "Are you crazy? Those things are going to eat us all when night comes!"

"Not if we're in the water." Zoro hummed.

"Um. Did you forget about the two other devil fruit users we have here? How are they supposed to be safe in the water?" Sanji asked snidely.

"Are you suggesting Robin is too heavy for you to carry, Sanji?" Zoro snipped back.

Robin smirked, quirking a brow at him as Sanji blushed, hurrying to defend his new official position as Robin's holder.

"Of course not! My sweet, elegant Robin is virtually weightless in my arms!"

"Great. It's settled then."

Zoro dropped his swords into the beach, and walked away from the group and towards the tide.

"Who's going to carry me?" Chopper chirped worriedly.

"Come'ere little guy." Nami said, lifting the little reindeer up.

Zoro stepped into the water. He could feel it seeping into his boots and soaking his socks. Without a thought, he sunk down beside his friend, sitting with his legs crossed in the sand.

"How you doin', captain?"

Luffy was a little slow to respond, and his sluggishness hung heavy in his voice.

"Been better..."

Zoro huffed a laugh. "That's for sure."

They sat quietly for a moment.

"You're gettin' all wet..." Luffy drawled.

"I don't give a damn."

What was a cool refresher from being in the sweltering heat of the island for Zoro, was more like being boiled alive while having your soul sucked out for Luffy right now. Being a little wet was a small price to pay to be there beside him at a time like this.

A hand, weighed down by a drastic lack of energy and the poison in his veins, sifted through the water and sand to brush fingers over the back of his first mate's. Zoro turned his hand and grasped at the digits lightly.

"Nice sunset..."

"Yeah."

.

.

.

The tide was beginning to rise even though the sin hadn't fully set yet. The water reached far into the beach, and rose up to Luffy's shoulders. A small wave every now and then would crash over his head, and honestly, it was a little terrifying for them to watch.

Luffy had no strength. It was taking everything in him to stay upright, and not slouch into the water. Let it sap the last of his life from his bones.

He felt hollow.

He'd fallen into the sea countless times before, but never had it been so drawn out. So painstakingly long lasting that his worry wasn't of drowning, it was having the energy siphoned from him slowly. To have the air leave his lungs and being unable to draw it back in not because of water obstruction, but because they didn't have the power to.

To have his heart simply stop beating.

He imagined this was what bleeding out felt like. Pain, and the slow creeping of your very spirit leaking out of you.

He blinked slow, eyes squinted and hazy. Another wave crashed over him. Eyes shut tight, and black hair flattened and dripping against his face, Luffy spit out the water in his mouth, and his burning lungs drew in what breath he could.

The sky was red, orange and gold. The sun danced in the middle of it all, delighted to light the sky in fire.

By now, Luffy was a little fed up with fire. After having the impression of it searing through his veins and the unnatural heat of the water frying him alive, he'd had about enough of the idea of fire today.

But it sure was beautiful.

"How you holdin' up?"

A voice. Who's voice?

"Luffy?"

Zoro's.

"'M fine..."

He realized just then he'd let himself slump down. The water touched his chin, and he straightened himself sluggishly.

"How much... longer?"

His words were slow. None of his typical vitality to be found.

Zoro reached for him.

"I don't know. Until the last of that snake in you comes out."

Calloused fingers pushed sopping wet hair from Luffy's face. His thumb brushed at the boy's temple affectionately.

"I don't know... how much longer I can... hold out..."

"Keep holdin' on, Luffy." He said, breathing deep to keep himself together, willing strength into his captain from his touch. "You're gunna be alright."

Another larger wave came rolling in. It crashed into him, pushing his upper half backwards.

Once it receded Luffy gasped for air.

He coughed as hard as he could to expel the water from his lungs. Given he'd spent the majority of the day in contact with something that drained his life force, there wasn't much energy at all behind it.

In an effort to save itself from death, Luffy's body rocked with a heave and he wretched toward the water, but nothing came out.

Luffy let out a pitiful sound of frustration and physical strain. Everyone else stood by, not knowing what to do to help.

It wasn't guaranteed Luffy would be better and ready to go by the end of this treatment. They were all still skeptical that this would even work, and wary to keep an eye on him in fear he couldn't handle such drawn out contact with the sea.

They prayed he would recover soon, though, as the slinking forms of shadows began to cluster in the shade of the foliage.

The crew was getting nervous. It would be dark soon and they were wide open. They were afraid they might have to cut it short. Give Luffy the night to recover, and retreat to the cave for safety.

The sun was dipping passed the horizon now.

"Uh, guys!" Usopp hollered, watching as daylight faded fast, and dark inky forms were starting to file onto the beach.

Zoro knelt down beside their captain, careful not to get water in the sheaths of his swords, and said to him urgently.

"If you're gunna spit this thing out, Luffy, it better be now."

Hazy brown eyes shifted toward him.

"...I ...don't-"

Everything was fuzzy. His head pounded like a beating drum, and when his eyes moved everything tilted unusually. Suddenly the heat plaguing him all day drained away, and Luffy felt cold settle in his flesh as deeply as the ache in his muscles.

Zoro watched as the color in his face melted away, leaving Luffy ghostly pale, before his eyes rolled back and his body quit on him.

"Luffy?"

His head went under for just a second, but Zoro pulled him back up. He was startled and on the verge of panic.

"Luffy!"

"What's wrong?" Sanji asked sharply.

"Old man, get over here and unchain him!" Zoro shouted, holding onto his captain for dear life.

"In the water!" Nami shouted as she ran towards the sea, snatching up Chopper on her way.

The crew all joined them in the waves, close to dry land, but deep enough in to be safe.

Monsters crept closer, stopping just at the point where the sand stayed damp.

A few let their grotesque maws fall open to hiss lowly at them. A show of intimidation that had Usopp's knees trembling. That didn't stop him from using one of the buckets from earlier to scoop up some water and fling it at them from where he stood.

He'd managed to douse a couple, which screeched and cried as the one crumpled apart in the sand. The other writhed where it lay, half its body deteriorated beneath it.

Few of them startled back in surprise, while others dared to set foot onto the wet sand in their desperate desire to attack.

Corderoy rushed toward the captain and first mate as quickly as his legs could carry him.

While he worked to unchain Luffy, Zoro stepped up, pulling a sheathed sword from his waist. He held it tight and moved it through the water just right to splash a calculated wave at the daring few who came too close. They too fell apart and screamed in their agony.

"Okay." Usopp said, breathing fast. "We can do this. We can keep this up. No problem."

The moment Luffy's restraints were undone, Zoro was at his side again, hauling him up out of the water.

"We need to get back to the cave!" Robin said from her place on Sanji's back.

"What about the ship?" Usopp squawked.

"The cave is safe! Who knows how many of these things are hiding on the ship waiting for us!" Nami argued.

Fingers like claws swept out at her, and she knocked it into the waves with her staff. It shrieked and grabbed at her legs as it disintegrated into the tide.

"We'll stay there 'till morning, and figure everything else out later."

In agreement, they all made their way down the ocean side, to the opening of the river. Usopp and Corderoy kept throwing water on the twisted forms that came in too close to the water's edge.

The light faded fast. The night sky seemed pitch dark, like the stars were dead and the moon had gone missing. Fighting their way up stream was a small chore, only made worse by the sounds of roars and screams coming in from all directions. They blended into the night, making it harder for the crew to see how close any of them were getting.

Reaching the waterfall felt like a damn blessing.

Finally escaping the hissing and waling ringing in their ears; even more so.

Only after the door was shut and locked behind them did they take the barest of moments to relax. Then they watched on as Zoro carried Luffy passed rows and rows of bookshelves to a cot near the back of the cave. Corderoy followed a moment later.

When everyone else stood or stretched from where they'd slumped to the ground, to go with him, he waved them off.

"You all rest. This has been a stressful day." He said.

"But, what about-"

"Don't worry about your boy. I'll take care of him." He insisted, cutting Usopp off.

Then he went to the back to see what damage had been done, and what progress they had made.

The tall, built form of the greenette stood in the dark, looking down at the bed in the corner like a body in a casket.

Corderoy circled around him to light a lantern, illuminating the corner to uncover the sickly, pale looking child from the shadows.

Heaving a shaky sigh, the old man reached towards him, fingers pressing into oddly textured, cursed flesh of his neck to feel for a pulse.

After a long second of cautious panic, a weak sluggish beat thrummed his fear away.

"He gonna be alright?"

The old man hummed. "It's hard to say. The sea has really taken it's toll on 'im."

"But he'll... get better." Zoro insisted. "Some sleep to get all that energy back and he'll be good as new."

"Aye, that's the problem. He wouldn't be. That thing inside 'im hasn't been completely drowned out." Corderoy said, stretching his back as he went on. "It's weak now. They both are. But when the boy gets better, that monster will be gettin' stronger too."

The old man huffed. "Then we'd have to do all this over again. Sounds pleasant, don't it?"

Sanji poked his head out passed the bookshelves. "Sir, could I take a look at your food stores? If you're willing to let me, I'd love to make something special for everyone."

"Of course, my boy! After today you must all be starvin'." Corderoy hollered back. "Ill be over in a minute!"

With that Sanji was going back to the group, and Zoro stood alone with Luffy and the old man.

Zoro shook his head. He sighed deep, and ran a hand over green locks. "I... I'd better tell the others."

Corderoy smiled up at him sympathetically. "You stay with him. I'll tell them over dinner. Maybe we can all brainstorm how we're going to fix this little dilemma."

After a moment of locking eyes, a deep seated understanding passed between the two, and Zoro nodded in agreement. Corderoy hobbled away passed the bookshelves toward the front of the cave, and the swordsman sank down to sit on the cot at Luffy's feet.

"I don't know about you... but I'm gettin' real tired of you not bein' around, Captain."