-Dominoes-
A
fanfic by Digitaldreamer
Chapter Two: Hikemeia
Wow... twenty-one reviews, and I'm only on the first chapter? Wow! Thank you all so much! I'm glad to see that you're all enjoying the fic so far, and I hope I'll be able to meet your expectations!
I apologize for how long this chapter took to get out! I've been so busy lately, and it's really hard to get myself to write. I can once I actually just sit down and do it, but it takes forever to get myself to start!
Hopefully this chapter is worth the wait though…
Right…I'll stop rambling so you can read what you actually came here to read, ne?
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"It's a sign. The apocalypse is neigh." Usopp declared, arms folded over his chest.
"It is?" Chopper gasped, eyes wide. "GAH! I don't want to die!"
Zoro cracked open one eye, deciding feigning sleep at the table was impossible with this new racket. "Usopp, just because Luffy doesn't feel like eating isn't the end of the world."
"It is too!" The sharpshooter shot back, whipping out a rolled up piece of paper from nowhere. He shoved aside several plates of food so he could unravel the thing and slam it onto the table to reveal a quickly drawn diagram. "See? It's all right here! Luffy stops eating the weight of Merry every day, Nami stops loving money…it all starts here! Before you know it, we'll all be floating up in the white, fluffy clouds of heaven…or in the case of some of us writhing in the fires of hell."
"Well, in Nami's case that's true." Zoro interjected, casting an annoyed glance at the navigator. He was still rather unhappy with her and how she kept exploiting his debt to her every time he refused to do something.
Sanji shot a glare at the swordsman. "How dare you say that about sweet Nami-san? Nami-san will be returned to the wonderful, glorious heavens from where she came!"
Zoro snorted, closing his eyes again. "Or rather, the flaming depths from where she crawled out of."
The cook let out a snarl of rage. "You take that back!"
Nami ignored the insult, instead she gazed down at the diagram Usopp had drawn. She rose an eyebrow. "Penguins building an empire in Alabasta? That's what happens in the Apocalypse? And giant ramen noodles attack Rogue Town?" She said, gesturing to the odd drawings.
Chopper's jaw dropped. "Penguins? And ramen noodles?" He gasped, sounding amazed.
Usopp shrugged. "Hey, it could happen."
Zoro sighed, standing up suddenly and scratching his head. "It's impossible to sleep with you idiots yammering." He growled.
"So get out of my kitchen then! No one's asking you to stay here and impede Nami-san's beauty with your mossy head." Sanji snapped.
The swordsman snorted, boots clunking against the wooden planks that made up the floor as he headed for the door. "I was already planning on it, Love Cook." He said over his shoulder as he pushed open the door and left the galley, leaving Sanji's insults and the rest of the crew's yammering about Luffy's strange behavior behind him.
Honestly, what was their problem? So Luffy didn't feel like eating, it wasn't like it was the end of the world. This was probably just another one of their captain's strange quirks. Although Zoro had to admit, he had been with the boy the longest, and had never known him to pass up the opportunity to eat food. The fact that he wasn't, along with his strange actions today, was a bit unsettling…
As soon as he stepped out into the morning sun, Zoro closed his eyes and took a deep breath of salty air, relishing the crisp chill that came with the autumn island that they were nearing. It really was a nice day, chilly, but just warm enough that he should have been able to find a nice, sunny spot to nap in.
So with that thought Zoro climbed down the stairs, stretching his arms over his head as his eyes wandered around the ship, looking for a good spot. Eagle-like eyes trailed along the deck and up to the figurehead, finally resting upon the usual sight of his captain's profile against the horizon.
The swordsman smiled. Well, at least Luffy seemed to be acting normal now. Everything was fine.
However, just as he was about to ignore his captain and go back to looking for a good napping spot, he spotted Luffy swaying dangerously, as though he had suddenly just lost the strength to even sit upright and balance properly. His shoulders sagged and he began to slip off of the round white ram's head…
Zoro's eyes widened. "Luffy!" He cried, charging towards the boy. What was WRONG with him?
The swordsman reached out to try and grab the boys shirt collar but he was too late, and Luffy pitched into the sea like a rag doll. Zoro watched him fall, noting how the boy's eyes suddenly snapped into awareness and he reached out, seemingly to stretch and grab the figurehead and pull himself up. The green-haired man looked a bit relieved, now as soon as the boy got up here he could tell him off for just suddenly doing that….
But Luffy wasn't stretching! His arm remained it's usual length. The boy managed a look of surprise before he crashed into the sea.
"Shit!" Zoro cursed, kicking off his boots. "Guys! Luffy fell overboard!" He called over his shoulder, hoping someone would hear him before he sprung up onto the banister and dove into the ocean after his captain.
Diving into the water was like diving into ice water, and the moment Zoro plunged into it he nearly let out the breath he had been holding from the shock of it. However, he managed to keep his jaw clenched tight as he forced his eyes open in the frigid icy water.
He had to hurry and find Luffy! He didn't have time to be concerned with how cold the water was!
But all he could see was murky blue in all directions! No sign of his captain at all! Zoro grit his teeth, kicking furiously as he swam deeper, the salt water was stinging his eyes.
Where was Luffy? How far could he have sunken already? How long could that boy hold his breath, anyway? What if he didn't reach his captain in time?
No. He wouldn't let that happen.
Determination giving him strength, he swam onward, the water growing steadily darker and colder. Nothing but a dark, midnight blue, no sign of- there! A flash of red caught Zoro's eye and he turned to spot Luffy slowly sinking lower, clearly unconscious.
Zoro's lungs began to burn for air as he swam over to the boy, reaching out to snatch the back of his shirt and pull him snugly against his chest. He couldn't risk having his captain slip from his grasp, not now!
He began to kick furiously as he tried to reach the surface, fighting the urge to let out the breath he had been holding. A few bubbles escaped from his lips as he clamped his jaw shut, holding Luffy closer absently.
He had to hurry!
The journey to the surface seemed like an eternity to Zoro, but finally he burst out of water, taking in gulps of sweet air. Breathing heavily, he glanced at Luffy, whom fortunately seemed to be coughing and taking in weak breaths as well.
"Finally!" Sanji's voice could be heard from above, and there was a small splash a rope landed in the water near the two. "Hurry up and grab the rope so we can pull you two shitheads in!"
Zoro reached out to grab the rope, holding his captain close. He glanced at the unconscious, shivering boy as they were slowly dragged up onto the Going Merry, ignoring the pain in his muscles as they were hauled up the side of the ship. Now that he was no longer occupied with thoughts of rescuing the boy, they took a turn to how this had happened.
Luffy hadn't been able to stretch…
…what the hell was going on here?
---
"So Chopper, do you know what's wrong with him?"
"Well….he's got a pretty bad fever, and there's the whole no appetite thing. He's also starting to get a sore throat from the looks of things."
"So it's just a cold, then? That's it?"
"Well…"
Luffy let out a soft groan, trying to force his eyes open. They felt all gummy, kind of like that time when he had gotten his hands stuck together with glue, only this time it was his eyelids. He managed to force them open however, revealing fuzzy shapes of dark brown. The boy blinked a few times and the ceiling of the mens cabin swam into focus, the lamp hanging from the ceiling swinging high above his head.
"I think he's awake." Chopper's face came into view as he leaned over his captain, blue nose twitching.
"Huh?" The rubber pirate mumbled groggily, glancing around. From what he could tell he was laying on the green couch in the men's cabin. "How'd I get here?" He tried to sit up but found he didn't quite have the energy.
Chopper, noticing that Luffy seemed to be trying to rise, put a hoof on the dark-haired teens chest to ease him back. "Stay still, you really need rest." The doctor murmured.
"You fell off the ship, remember?" Nami spoke up next to Chopper, tucking a strand of hair behind her ears as she looked down at her captain with a bit of worry etched on her face.
Luffy's brow furrowed in confusion. "I did?"
"Yeah." Sanji's voice came from somewhere beyond Luffy's vision, along with the striking of a match.
"Sanji! Don't smoke in here!" Chopper squeaked, but the cook pointedly ignored him.
"Marimo here rescued you, don't you remember?" Sanji continued.
Luffy blinked, craning his neck so he could catch the sight of Sanji jerking his thumb at Zoro, whom made a face that didn't seem to mask his look of vague concern very well.
"Really? He did? Gee, thanks Zoro!" Luffy chirped with a weak grin, then gave a harsh cough and fell back onto the couch.
"Ah…it was nothing." Zoro muttered, glancing away.
"Of course he saved you, Zoro's like that. Of course, if I, the Great Captain Usopp had been there, I would have saved you in half the time!" Usopp's proud voice came from the left of Chopper, but anyone could tell that he was worried and was just covering it up.
"Usopp? Shut up." The swordsman growled, and the sharpshooter quickly complied with a nervous glance at Zoro's swords.
Chopper glanced back at Luffy. "So you don't remember anything?" The reindeer questioned. "Try thinking back."
Luffy's brow furrowed as he tried to recall the events that had lead up to this. "Um…..well I got into my row boat that I used all my money to buy and I was all set to go on my big adventure and become King of Pirates-"
"Not that far back you idiot!" Nami snapped.
"Oh, right. I was sitting on my special seat…and I was looking at the water…and then everything got kinda swirly and I felt really dizzy…and I guess I just kind of fell." Luffy said.
Nami frowned in confusion. "So you just…fell? Shouldn't you have been able to stretch and catch yourself?"
The rubber pirate nodded. "Yeah, I tried! But I…couldn't stretch…" The boy suddenly blinked, looking a bit confused as he recalled how he had tried to reach out and grab Merry, but had failed and fallen into the ocean instead.
Sanji rose an eyebrow. "You couldn't stretch?" He repeated.
Luffy shook his head. "Nope. And I can't remember anything after that."
This earned looks from the crew varying from shocked to confused.
"Maybe he was just tired?" Usopp suggested, sounding even more worried. "I mean, he was dizzy when he fell, right? Maybe he was just too dizzy or tired to stretch?" Really he hoped it just meant Luffy was tired, this whole day was turning out to be a bit too weird even for the Straw Hat crew.
Robin shook her head from her spot against the wall, finally speaking. "I don't think so, Sniper-san." She gazed at their Captain with knowing blue eyes, tapping her fingers upon her folded arms.
Chopper glanced at their eldest crew member, gasping. "You don't think?"
The archeologist gave a small nod, taking the book she had tucked under her arm and holding it out in front of her. "Captain-san, try stretching your arm to touch this, would you?"
Luffy sat up a little in spite of Chopper's protests, blinking the exhaustion from his eyes. "Huh? Why?"
"Just try it." Robin said simply. "We need to see something."
"Oh…well, okay." Luffy mumbled, reaching out with an outstretched hand for the book at the middle of the room, where Robin stood. He could barely seem to lift his arm, and sweat began to bead on his forehead as he strained himself to try and stretch. His face scrunched up in concentration, but no matter how hard he tried his arm just wouldn't seem to stretch!
"It's okay Luffy, don't strain yourself!" Chopper squeaked, gently pushing Luffy's arm back to his side. The captain didn't seem to have much strength with which to deny Chopper's request, so he allowed himself to rest.
"I thought so…" Robin murmured, returning the book to her folded arms.
Chopper nodded. "It's Hikemeia, isn't it? You recognize the symptoms?"
The archeologist nodded. "I've had it before."
Nami's brow furrowed. "Hikemeia?" She repeated. "Wait…I think I've heard of that. I remember reading somewhere that it was a virus that attacks Devil Fruit Users, it makes them as weak as if they were always in the sea and it takes away their power completely until it wears off. But it's just a myth, isn't it?"
Robin nodded. "That's what most people say. Then again, most people also say the fruits themselves are myths, and we've certainly proved that wrong." She said, gesturing to herself and nodding at Chopper and Luffy.
Zoro frowned. "So you think Luffy has it?"
"Fairly sure, yes. I recall the symptoms from when I had it myself. Anyone who consumes a Devil Fruit contracts the virus at some point, though after they've had it they will never have it again." Robin explained.
"So it's like the chicken pox for Devil Fruit users?" Usopp suggested. "Sounds pretty fishy to me. How can we be sure Luffy here even has it?"
"Well…there's one last symptom." Chopper said thoughtfully before transforming into his human form, causing Usopp to yelp in surprise and back away.
"Warn us when you do that, will you?" Usopp snapped, but Chopper ignored him as he gently hauled their captain into a sitting position. Luffy, whom seemed to have spaced out while everyone had been talking about him, didn't give any protest.
Nami frowned. "What are you doing?" She asked as she watched Chopper quickly undo the yellow buttons of Luffy's vest and pull it back.
"Checking something…" Chopper replied as he glanced at the rubber pirates now exposed back. He sighed. "Thought so…"
"What?" Nami asked, craning her neck to try and get a view of whatever it was that was on her captains back. Sanji leaned in to try and see, and Usopp crept back over to look. Zoro too looked curious, though Robin remained where she was.
"…Oh…" Nami gasped.
Various spots on the tan skin of Luffy's back had turned a soft pink the spots forming together into the faint mark of a pair of wings, placed just upon his shoulder blades.
"That's the mark of Hikemeia." Chopper explained. "There's no scientific explanation for it, but for some reason when a Devil Fruit user gets the virus, that mark appears on their back. It just itches at first, but then it slowly starts to darken and become more painful as the virus gets worse, and then after awhile it eventually gets lighter until it disappears completely. Because of this mark, Hikemeia is often referred to as 'Angel's Judgment', the other consequence that you receive after eating a fruit of the Devil."
"…Hn…it itches…" Luffy mumbled, trying to reach back and scratch at the markings. Chopper shook his head, lowering the rubber pirate back into a lying position before returning to his regular form.
"You can't scratch it Luffy, alright? Just try and rest right now." Chopper insisted.
"…kay." Luffy murmured, eyes falling shut again.
There was silence in the men's cabin for a few moments.
"So, what now?" Sanji asked, breathing out a cloud of smoke.
"There's nothing we really can do." Chopper replied, shaking his head. "All I can do is give him a few antibiotics, and we have to try and keep him from being too active, the virus could get worse if he tries to get up and move around too much. Other than that, just try and stick with him I guess. It should clear up within a week, if we're lucky."
Nami nodded, quick to take charge. "So we'll just take turns watching him, then? Make sure he stays put and his fever doesn't get much worse, things like that?"
Chopper gave a small nod, closing his medical bag and hopping off of the stool. "I guess so…there's really not much else I can do." He said, a bit of sadness in his tone. He looked back at Luffy, looking worried.
Nami nodded. "Okay then." She turned to Usopp. "Usopp, could you go get a bowl of cold water and some cloth for his fever?"
"Huh? Oh right!" The sharpshooter nodded, heading for the ladder before pausing and glancing back at Chopper. He frowned, noting the youngest crew members sad look on his face. I have to cheer him up somehow…
"Don't worry, Chopper. He'll be better before you know it!" Usopp chirped, trying to bring some cheer back into the unsettling atmosphere that had fallen over the crew.
Chopper glanced back at Usopp. "…You think so?"
"Yeah! With us all here, Luffy'll be back to normal soon! Especially with you taking care of him!" Usopp said with a grin.
"Really?" Chopper asked, blinking.
"You bet! Why, as the replacement captain while Luffy is sick, I'm counting on you, Great Doctor Chopper!" The sharpshooter declared, beaming at Chopper.
"R-right!" Chopper said with a smile. "You can count on me, Captain Usopp!"
"Good! Then come and lend me a hand in the most important task of the retrieval of the bowl of water and the cloth!" Usopp commanded.
"Right!"
With that, both boys raced up the ladder.
Sanji shook his head, heading for the ladder after the two. "I'll get started on lunch, Nami-san. I will prepare something extra special and filled with love for your wonderful self to enjoy, as well as something good for the moron here."
Nami smiled. "Thank you, Sanji-kun."
"AHHH, Nami-san smiled at me with her amazing face!" The cook gasped. "I shall depart to do as my wonderful Goddess has asked of me!" With that, he rushed up the ladder.
Robin followed, glancing back at Nami. "You should come as well, Navigator-san. We still have to make sure we're on the right course, after all."
Nami nodded. "Right." She looked back at Zoro, whom had left his place against the wall without her noticing and now stood at his captain's side, gazing down wordlessly at his sleeping form. "You can watch him, right?"
The swordsman nodded, eyes not leaving Luffy. "Yeah, sure."
The navigator smiled, then turned and headed up the ladder, leaving Luffy and Zoro alone.
Zoro glanced down at Luffy, brow furrowed in concern as he watched the boy shiver in his sleep, his breathing shallow.
"..This is going to be a long week." He murmured, pulling up a chair.
---
To Be Continued…
Ugh…that was terrible. . I apologize for the crappiness of this chapter! It'll get better, I swear! I'm also worried that the characters came off OOC….were they alright? Please tell me if they were!
Crits and comments are greatly appreciated! Come on, leave me a review and tell me what you thought!
I also swear that I'm going to update this more often. I'm going to start setting deadlines for myself. Thus, the next chapter shall be up two weeks from now!
…yay?
