Disclaimer: Don't own One Piece or the front cover.
Warning: M (For Gore and character death)
- Zoro pov -
The feeling was familiar, like I had experienced it from almost every battle. Ragged breathes, torn clothes, bloodied skin. I was no stranger to such things but maybe I wouldn't be familiar with it anymore.
I stood against him, amidst the piles of rubble and cobble piled on one another. The Warlord came after we had just taken one down and I was the only left to stand against him. He asked for our captain's head but as First Mate, it would be disgraceful of me to let such a thing happen. I bowed my head and with resolve, and offered my head.
The silence was deafening and just when I was about to demand him to take my head already, I smelled the familiar scent of smoke and heard someone striding across the floor. He insulted me while glaring daggers as I watched in shock to see what was unfurling in front of me. Sanji stood tall, looming over me as I heard him offer himself for my, no...our crew's sake. I felt two things course through me. Pride in him for standing up for his captain and anger for throwing his life away. Perhaps it was hypocritical coming from me but this was a task only I and I alone could fulfill. I glanced over at Wado solemnly, silently apologizing to her for having to witness this. I reflected my thoughts about her, how I would have to ruin her and I's dream for my captain's sake.
I felt a pounding in my heart, probably her being angry at me for throwing her dream away. I accepted the pain and then glared back up at the cook. I got up with all the strength I had and drove the hilt of my blade in Sanji's side. No words came from my mouth, I knew he would understand. He gripped onto me, flexing his arm to express the anger he was feeling, but it didn't hide his fear. He slowly drifted to the ground after calling me a bastard. He slipped off and fell to the ground, completely unconscious.
I looked back at him and resumed my offer, throwing my swords to the side in the process. I looked down on them, ashamed that I had failed them. Swords deserved to be treated by someone who knew their worth, I had no hope left about fulfilling those sword's dreams anymore. I gave them one last silent prayer before I prepared myself. I hoped that he would be satisfied with just my head and kept his end of the bargain. I stared deep into his robotic eyes as he gave a small sigh. He accepted, and now I had to hold my end of the deal. He slowly trudged over to Luffy, he told me not to worry and that he was a man of his word. I didn't have any choice but to agree, this is the best possible outcome for my crew. I saw him put his palm over Luffy's chest as he hung him in the air. I felt my heart sink when I saw something come out of Luffy's back. It didn't seem to cause any pain but I needed reassurance.
He explained to me that what he just pulled out was Luffy's pain and fatigue from his fight with Moriah. It didn't take long for me to put two and two together. He stroked it a bit and sent one tiny red bubble on my way. The moment I felt contact was the moment I felt my insides being torn apart viciously. Luffy was a rubber man, meaning he could take much more damage than the average human could. The pain travelled to every part of body, searing hot pain was felt all over. I became worried that I was possibly going to die right now but willed myself to stay alive. I had a lot more to go. I had thrown away my pride, my ambition, and my promise. Nothing would be left for me should I survive.
I crumpled to the floor, completely exhausted from such a small amount. I breathed heavily and when he awaited for my answer, I asked him for my final request.
To do this somewhere else.
In front of me stood the giant paw-shaped red bubble of Luffy's pain. It glowed off the floor, the trees, my skin, everywhere. I stared solemnly at it, waiting to catch my breathe and thinking as to how I should go at it. I stared deeply into it, until I saw my own reflection back at me. It looked questioning, asking if I was really strong enough to go through it. I thought about my crew as their faces floated through my head.
Nami, the money-loving witch who burdened me with an endless debt. She was evil, but underneath that cold persona of hers was a girl afraid of getting hurt once more. I suppose I wouldn't be paying it back anytime soon.
Usopp, the cowardly-lying sniper. He was a great guy overall but he was a real pain in the ass back at Water 7. I respected him for being a man at the time but swore should he pull a stunt like that again, I would never forgive him.
Sanji, the shit cook. I hated him, how he would gladly let himself be used by anything in a skirt, but he was a real crewmate. He kept me on my toes and I don't know if it was because I was going to die now and was feeling sentimental all of a sudden, but if there was anyone who was worthy of being called my rival, it was that man.
Chopper, the furry little doctor. I grimly thought back to my times with him, nice peaceful times. I hoped that should he find my body, he would be the last one. I don't want him to falsely hope that he could save me.
Robin, the mysterious woman. I never trusted her, that is until Water 7. I felt sympathetic for her, her life was not for the faint of heart and I hoped that she could find happiness with our crew.
Franky, the cyborg shipwright. He was weird, and I still never forgave him for what he did to Usopp. Such an act was very deserving of punishment but the ship he built for us spoke volumes. I hoped that my crew wouldn't lose another ship, one was too much already.
Brook, the musician that Luffy finally got. I respected him highly, I don't know if I could handle being in his position for fifty years. I hoped he could entertain them for as long as he lived.
Luffy, my captain. I never would've gotten here if it wasn't for him. Perhaps it was destiny, and perhaps it was fate that I would willingly die for him. I recalled how he first recruited me and how I reluctantly agreed. I grit my teeth and blamed myself.
'Sorry Luffy, you're going to lose a crewmember today. I hope you can forgive me one day,'
And so I drove my hands deep into the bubble. It was like sticking them in lava, the bubble began to absord itself in my arms and spread across my body. Blood poured out from my skin as it exploded from sudden pain. It gushed and streaked everywhere around the area around me. The pain was so unbearable that I found myself screaming blood. Blood clogged my throat, muffling my screams. I felt myself die, but I thought about Luffy. Thinking about him gave me renewed strength and I used it to fully submerge myself within the bubble.
And I experienced true hell
Nothing could compare to this pain. I felt everything, from my bones breaking apart and my skin being torn to shreds. I shook frantically and then everything went black. The last I felt was the feeling of my body exploding.
But the last thing I remembered, was my crew.
- Sanji Pov -
I heaved as I ran with the little strength I had. I remembered waking up and finding myself on a bed of cobblestone. Luffy was jumping with energy and everyone was awake and present.
Except for HIM.
I remembered faintly how the bastard knocked me out before continuing on with god knows what. I told myself that there was no way in hell that everyone would be able to get out of that unscathed. I slid along a long piece of debris and kept running, continuing my search. Damn him, damn him to hell for doing such an act. My heart began to pound against my ears but I didn't feel pain in my ears, only my heart. I refused to think about the worst possible outcome, something would be so absurd especially on a man like Zoro who could quite literally get lost on his way to death.
I began to grow faint but then I stopped suddenly and caught a strong whiff of blood. It was to be expected but as morbid as it was, it gave me hope. Hope that he was still here. I turned and saw his body standing proudly in the sunlight. Back completely exposed and his clothes torn to shreds. Blood seeped through his skin and clothes and I could even make out a bit of bone sticking out. I felt waves of relief wash over me and I called out to him, that is until I saw the area around him to be completely soaked in blood. I felt rage, but not at him. I yelled at him, asking him what the fuck he was thinking about doing this and if he was even alive.
No reply
I felt my blood freeze and hesitantly pointed out a finger to touch him. He looked to be in so much pain that even an act as harmless as this would hurt him. It would mean giving him a reaction right? A flinch or a shiver at least?
Wrong
I slapped his back, it was loud and I found him only move forward to fall. I caught him and looked into his eyes.
Nothing
His eyes were completely empty. I bit back the sudden cry forming in my throat. Life wouldn't be so cruel to let him die right?
WRONG
I held his collapsed figure on my shoulder and weeped quietly into it. I shivered and groaned, I couldn't believe it. The idiot probably didn't care about what the rest of the crew would think if he died. He had done this all for the crew, but at the same time he had hurt them. None of us stopped him, not even I when I was the only other one conscious at the time. I felt pain and guilt rise inside me, how could I have been so careless as to let him die when I was awake. My hands trembled on his back, staining them. I held him tight, afraid that this would be the only time I could see him again. He was nothing now, only a trace of what he was. A husk, a piece of human being that he once was.
Roronoa Zoro is Dead.
- Luffy Pov -
I didn't want to believe it. I found Sanji slowly walking back, a very injured Zoro on his shoulder. As soon as I saw him, I wasn't filled with the happiness I was expecting. I was filled with dread and guilt and I found myself asking why.
I called for Chopper but when he suddenly pulse-checked Zoro, he began to cry. I saw Chopper cry and it seemed to be a confirmation of something. The world around me darkened and I found myself questioning everything. Why? What happened? What did Zoro do to get himself killed!? I found myself blaming everyone, from Chopper to Sanji to me. Blame that I had failed as a captain. There was no excuse for me to let a crewmate die, unconscious or not. I curled myself up and I felt the urge to kill when Chopper said it.
"Zoro is...'sniff' Z~Zo~ro is...'sniff' Zoro is...DEAD!!!" He screamed to the world. At that point, I knew what to blame. It was this world that caused his death, but the fault was still mine I just knew it. Nami covered her mouth with her hands and Sanji looked away. I stared hard at Sanji, almost accusingly. He found my gaze and welcomed it.
"Sanji...what happened," I said through gritted teeth. He bit back a cry before looking at everyone else. He sat down before he began to tell everyone, a captain deserved to know about his crewmate's death, his First Mate especially.
--
He explained the whole situation from start to finish, apologizing countless times in the process.
As if that would bring him back.
It was my only solution left, I couldn't let this happen. I found his swords and swallowed the giant lump of guilt that formed in my throat. It was almost the seal that proved everything. Zoro would never throw away his swords, especially the white one. I stared back at his defeated lifeless body. Nami crying on top of him and Chopper on the other side. Franky bawled tears whilst claiming that he was the manliest man of all. Sanji saif that he wasn't going to tell the crew if he lived. His reason was because knowing Zoro, it would only causenproblems between him and I. Since that is no longer the case, he told all of us. I excused myself and took a stroll through Thriller Bark. I was trying to look for it. I walked all over the place, I didn't run because the area around him in his last moments became sacred ground. I stopped walking when I found it. The brown dried up blood that covered it. There were two spots in the middle of the dried up lake of blood and I made them out to be the spot where he was standing.
I slowly walked towards it, placing a finger on the ground and moved it across. It left a little mark on my fingertip and I did the same thing with my other finger. Once my fingers were covered, I lifted my hat and looked at the top of it. My hat was suddenly looking very plain and bland and I wanted to decorate it a bit. I placed a finger at the top and slowly but forcefully drew my finger across, leaving a dark red slanted line. I did the same with my other hand and at the top of my hat, was a dark red x made out of Zoro's blood.
"Zoro~" I coraked out. I had held it in for their sake, but not anymore. I needed to release all the emotions that were bottled up inside me for so long. I fell to my knees, tears thretening to spill on Zoro's ground. They fell anyway, maybe it was a way to cleanse Zoro's tortured soul for my sake. Maybe tears could wash away his pain.
But not my tears.
My tears would only be an offense if I ever let them fall for his sake. He died for my sake, I couldn't do anything but accept it. It hurt, hurt so much. I clutched my heart and my eyes grew red from forcing the tears back. As it turned out, I wouldn't be able to stop myself from crying. I had left, quickly so my tears wouldn't stain the area. I got up too quickly as I watched in slow motion, a single tear drop to the center of where he stood proudly.
"Zoro...I'm...sorry~!!" I screamed before letting my sadness consume me.
--
I had returned and the crew seemed to have shed tears, even Sanji.
"Everyone...please stop crying. Zoro wouldn't want this," I tried to explain but I was cut off.
"Luffy...how can you expect us not to cry? He was the first member and stayed on this crew as long as you have!! You two were the first people who changed me!" Nami screamed. I gritted my teeth and looked back at her with my puffy eyes.
"You think I don't know that! Zoro is my best friend, he was like a brother to me, but he wouldn't want his death to hinder us. He knew that the crew wouldn't be able to go on and he died all for my sake! DON'T YOU DARE SAY ANYTHING LIKE THAT TO ME!!" I screamed back at her. She began to cry again but I noticed Sanji didn't come to her aid. Sanji looked so desperate, like he wanted to help her but he knew deep down that he wouldn't be able to fill the void of a loyal crewmate's death.
--
I looked back at his body, Franky had made a coffin and even managed to decorate it with his blades. This would be the last time I would ever be able to see Zoro again. He was, along with everyone else, the most important thing to me.
'Eh?! You mean?!' He said pointing a finger at me and himself.
'Luffy, I will never lose again!!!' He yelled to the world.
'Don't fall apart now. If you do, who else can we turn to?' He said gravely.
My memories of him flashed through my head and I suddenly clutched onto the coffin.
"NO! I REFUSE TO LET HIM GO!!" I yelled. I seethed as I turned to look at my crewmate's who I knew would surely try and stop me.
No one moved.
I felt the tears streak from my face and looked at each of their faces, each showing a face of understanding.
"Luffy...you have to let go," Sanji said solemnly. My vision blurred and my head was pounding. I silently let go and watched as Franky and Sanji slowly started to pile the dirt back on.
"ZOROOOOOO!!!" I shouted with force. My voice cracked and went broken from crying and screaming too much for one day. I would have to get used to this feeling since I knew it wouldn't be the last time.
They continued on and when they finished, I was curled up into a ball and shivering.
'Don't fall apart now, who else do we turn to if you do?' His voice rang in my head. It took all my willpower and a bit of his to make me stand up. I wiped my face and slowly turned to my nakama, all waiting for my orders.
"Everyone...stay strong. We'll set sail in a couple of days.
- Narrator Pov -
The Straw Hats had grieved that day. They grieved on the following days as well for their crewmember. The loss of life is always something people are afraid but it was inevitable.
Especially if you were a pirate.
Many nights, there was always at least 3 people crying themselves to sleep. Moving on from a death like Zoro's was impossible for them. The problem wasn't about moving on, it was instead to accept it.
Something they wouldn't be able to do anytime soon.
Roronoa Zoro, saved the Straw Hats on this day.
Fin