-Dominoes-
A One Piece Fanfic by Digitaldreamer
Chapter Eight: Out of the Frying Pan…
Wow…nearly two hundred reviews! Thank you so much, everyone! I'm having a lot of fun writing this, so I'm glad to hear you're all enjoying it as well!
Oh! I must show you all this little comic thing that my dear friend Charlett drew for this fanfic! It's kind of twisted, but it's so horribly amusing. XD You all must go see it!
www. Deviantart .com / view / 28541648 /
You know the drill, just take out the spaces.
When I first thought up the outline for this chapter, I was afraid it would be too short! I'm amazed, it ended up turning out a lot longer than I expected! Hopefully you guys will like it all.
I'm kind of worried about how Ace turned out, since this is only my second time writing him. If he turns out being OOC, please tell me!
Oh, and also, this chapter hasn't been beta'ed because both of my beta readers were missing when I finally finished this and I wanted to go right ahead and post it. (Wish: Then what the Hell am I, chopped liver?) If you spot any mistakes, I apologize!
Anyway, on with the chapter!
---
The galley was dead silent. The only sounds came from the sizzling of bacon that Sanji was cooking, the waves softly slapping the hull, and the seagulls outside. But no one spoke. The air was so thick with tension one could have cut through it with a knife.
Ace stood there in the doorway, his expression unreadable. Finally after a few moments he placed his hand on his hat and walked further into the room, his boots clunking against the wooden floor.
"Ah…well, that's not good," he finally said. He glanced up at all of them, smiling a bit sadly. "I kinda figured there'd be something wrong though. I've had a bad feeling for a few days now. Who got him?"
"Captain Kuro," Nami replied, wrapping a strand of fiery orange hair around her finger absently as she spoke.
Ace rose an eyebrow at this. "Kuro? Hasn't he been dead for years now?"
"He didn't die. He was hiding in my village for three years. I... Luffy stopped him from killing my friend and most of my village. I guess this is his way of getting revenge," Usopp mumbled from the table, looking away.
"I see," Ace murmured, rocking back on his heels as he gazed up at the ceiling. "Keh…I told you guys he was a hand full, didn't I? He needs a lot of looking after." He chuckled, shaking his head.
Nami smiled in spite of herself, but it was Zoro who spoke. "Yeah…he does."
But no one really minded. No matter how much anyone said he or she couldn't stand it, no one ever really minded.
Yes, he was a pain in the neck. But no matter how many times you said that or got mad at him, you never really minded. He was the glue that held them together, after all.
He had brought them all here, on this little ship that bobbed along the waves towards untold adventures. He changed lives with those innocent eyes and that wide grin, with those words that seemed to say that he knew something about you that even you didn't quite know yet.
It was that thing that would make you admire him, even when you insisted that he was an idiot and you couldn't stand him. That was all a part of the package, and no matter how much they would complain, no one really minded. That was what made Luffy who he was, after all.
And everyone could agree on the fact that they all really missed that.
"I can make some extra food, if you plan on staying," Sanji finally said.
Ace smiled. "That'd be great. I'd love to stay. Can't leave my little brother in the hand's of a madman, can I? I told you….having a little brother who's a bit on the slow side makes his older brother worry."
---
"For a guy who came expecting to see his little brother only to find he's missing, you're pretty laid-back," Zoro commented as he and Ace walked through the streets together.
It was another gray day, as if the clouds had been sewn together into a thick blanket that blotted out the sun. The wind carried a strong chill with it, though that and the definite feel that it was going to rain soon wasn't stopping the city dwellers to continue on their way through the streets in their cloaks. Old fallen leaves crunched beneath feet as people walked along, continuing on their way.
There was no laughter in the streets. It was just another dreary, ordinary work day for most people.
Day three of searching. Maybe with Ace today would be the last day.
"Yeah." Ace shrugged, lightly kicking at a stone on the ground and watching it skid ahead of them upon the cobblestone. "I don't think it's worth getting worked up about. I mean, yeah, I'm worried, but freaking out about it isn't going to solve anything."
"No, it wouldn't," Zoro agreed, nodding.
They walked along in silence for awhile, passing through the crowds. Finally, the swordsman spoke again.
"I'm sorry."
Ace blinked in confusion, glancing over at Zoro. "Huh?"
"I'm sorry for losing your brother," he muttered, glancing down at the ground. He didn't know what compelled him to apologize, he just felt as if he should. It didn't make the heavy weight in his chest feel any lighter, though he had felt sure that it would. "I said I'd take care of him, and now..."
"Eh, don't worry about it. You couldn't have helped it," Ace said with a shrug, stuffing his hands into his pockets as he walked along.
Zoro shook his head. "But I should have-"
Ace suddenly spun around to face Zoro, expression almost frustratingly calm. "Remember how I said freaking out wouldn't help my brother? Pointless guilt won't either."
The swordsman's eyes narrowed a bit at this, the memory of his fight with Sanji still achingly fresh in mind and body. "I know that," he said levelly, beginning to walk again.
"Good. Try relaxing a bit and living with it then. Do you think he'd be happy knowing you were beating yourself up over something you couldn't have changed?" the older of the two inquired as he followed.
"I…no," Zoro muttered with a shake of his head. But even when he knew this, the guilt was still there, weighing him down.
Ace grinned. "Then don't let it beat you up. Let it go. It's not your fault, so why punish yourself for it?"
The swordsman shook his head. "I can't do that. Even if it's not my fault, it's still my responsibility. I can't just let it all go and relax like it's not."
Ace snorted. "I don't mean to tell you to let it all go. I know can't tell you to just relax, because I know how it feels, believe me. It's hard to just relax when someone you care for is in danger. Just stop telling yourself it's your fault, because it's not, and stop dwelling on it. Blaming yourself isn't going to help find him."
Zoro frowned, glancing up at the gray clouds in the sky. Ace did have a point. "Yeah…you're right. I'll try that." Taking someone's advice for a change wouldn't kill him.
"Good. I don't think Luffy would want you blaming it all on yourself. 'Course, he probably wouldn't want us to worry either, but when you're connected to someone, you can't really help it," Ace said with a grin, shoving his hands into his pockets.
"Connected?" Zoro repeated, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah. You, me, the rest of your crew…we're all connected to him. Like, you know how we're searching for him now? A person observing this might say we're wasting our time, that Kuro guy may have already taken him off of the island and may be halfway across the Grand Line right now," the older of the two said with a shrug.
"No. He's here. He's on this island, I know it," the swordsman instantly replied, confidence hanging off of every syllable. He too, had thought of this possibility, but he'd already deemed it wrong. He didn't know why, but something kept tugging at his heart, insisting to him that Luffy was somewhere on this island and that he had to find him.
"I know. You can't explain why, but you know, because you're connected. It's the kind of connection only strong nakama form…but I think maybe those were always there. My brother…he always seemed to know he was going to be someone's nakama, before even they knew. I think that proves it. They were always there…he just came and strengthened them, and now you can feel it too, the bond nakama have…" Ace trailed off, then suddenly chuckled. "That's what I think, anyway."
Zoro smiled in spite of himself. Back before he had met Luffy, if he had heard something like that he wouldn't have believed it, he would have just found it to be a bunch of corny nonsense. But now…he had to admit, it sounded true. "Yeah…I think you're right."
"Yeah…but it all kinda depends on how you're connected. Some people have deeper connections than others," Ace said.
"What do you mean?"
The older brother glanced over at Zoro, a knowing look coming to his eyes. "I can tell. You and he are connected in a different way."
Zoro's brow furrowed. What could Ace mean by that?
Ace chuckled again, pausing to look up at the sky again. "You haven't quite figured it out then. Well…that's all right. I know he trusts you, that's enough for me. You'll be good for him….be there in a way I can't, I guess. He'll need you more than me, when this is over."
The swordsman blinked, looking confused. "What?"
The older of the two smirked, then began walking again, pulling ahead of Zoro. "You'd better get moving, it's gonna rain soon."
The swordsman stared blankly at Ace's retreating back, completely baffled. Where had that come from? He made a face before finally shaking his head and jogging a bit to catch up. "You were the one that stopped!" he grunted. "Geez, you're too much like your damn brother!"
Ace just laughed.
---
Hot. It was far too hot.
Well, that wasn't entirely true. The room itself was just as cold as it had been since he had awoken, though he wasn't entirely sure how long ago that was. But he, on the other hand, was hot. He could feel the heat coming off of his body, warming the air around him.
Sweat covered his body, though it didn't seem to do anything to cool him. It trickled down his forehead, got in his eyes, made his entire body feel sticky as he panted for breath, shaking involuntarily.
And then suddenly the heat would all seem to rush down to his toes, leaving him shivering as if he'd just been plunged in ice water even as it felt as if his toes were on fire.
They would come in waves, two extremes with no real sort of relief in between them. Luffy didn't know how long it had been going on; he had no sense of time anymore. He just knew at some point in this darkness the heat had reached an unbearable level.
Everything hurt. The wounds upon his back still hurt, and with every breath they protested the slight movement with a sharp pinprick of pain. His entire body ached from weariness, exhaustion burning in his limbs so they hurt even when they weren't moving.
He was tired. So very tired, so very weak. He couldn't stand it, the feeling of being completely and utterly helpless. He didn't have the strength to life a finger, to even open his eyes.
But that was okay, since everything seemed to spin whenever Luffy managed to get his eyes open anyway. Or at least, the darkness around him seemed to spin. He couldn't see anything…someone had turned off the light in the room, leaving everything completely dark.
It was almost as if his senses had been turned off. He couldn't see anything, there were no sounds save for the sound of his breathing, no smells save for the sweet scent of his own sweat and blood mixing together.
He was alone. Completely and utterly alone. There was one thing Monkey D. Luffy truly feared, and that was it. The mere idea of it was horrible, to be completely alone, with no one to speak to, to laugh with, to share dreams with, to just be near.
That was what he longed for at this moment. He wanted someone, anyone near him, just to know that he wouldn't be alone anymore.
He knew that he wasn't entirely alone. His nakama were out there, somewhere. They would save him, there was no doubt in his mind about that. But he was alone now, and it hurt so much more than any of the agonies Kuro had inflicted on him did.
He was too tired to keep the feeling of loneliness away.
Luffy wanted to sleep. He was so exhausted and in so much pain... all he wanted was to rest, just for a little awhile. To slip into dreams, where the pain went away and he wasn't lonely anymore.
But he couldn't seem to sleep, and whenever he would begin to nod off, once again the wings carved into his back would flare with pain and send the boy into spasms of agony.
He wasn't entirely sure how long he'd been hanging here, how long it had been going on. How long had it been since he had first woken up in this stupid room, how long ago since he'd sat with Zoro on the figurehead….how long ago had that been? Hours? Days? Weeks?
Luffy couldn't remember. Everything was too fuzzy, hazed over with fever and pain.
And even as he struggled to remember, things were fading again…the room was fading…
"Oi, Luffy, back off! That's Nami-san's, I made it specially for her!"
"But Saaaaaanji, I'm hungry!"
"You had your share, idiot! Now here, Robin-chan, have some wine…"
"Hmmph, fine!"
"LUFFY! THAT WAS MINE!"
"Mmmmm!"
"LUFFY!"
WHAM!
"OWWWWWWW!"
"IDIOT! Stop stealing other people's food! Here Nami-san, let me get you another one…"
"So there I was, my disguise exposed right in the center of the Mary Sue tribe!"
"OH NO! What did you do?"
"Well I- LUFFY, HANDS OFF!"
"Awwww…"
"Oi. That's mine."
"But I'm still hungry!"
"You always are."
"Ohhhh, PLEASE Zoro?"
"…gah, fine."
"YOSH! THANK YOU, ZORO!"
The usual chaos aboard the Going Merry at meal times, filled with laughter.
Luffy loved it all.
Suddenly the galley faded away, like water slipping through his cupped fingers, leaving the boy laying sprawled out on the deck at night. He gazed up at the shimmering stars above, a content smile upon his face as he listened to the sea. He belonged here, out on the sea with nakama he cared for, slowly pushing onward towards his dream. This was what he had wanted all his life, and now at last he was here.
He was so happy.
"Shouldn't you be going to bed?"
Luffy blinked, craning his neck to glace over at Zoro, whom was standing beside him.
"Oh, hey Zoro." He said, sitting up. "Nah…not yet. I wanted to watch the stars."
The swordsman rose an eyebrow, glancing up at the stars for a moment before shrugging. "Ah. Mind if I join you?"
"Nah."
Zoro sat down beside the boy, stretching out his legs. "All right then."
The sky stretched out above them, the sea below them, creating a surreal world made of shadows and hues of dark blue. The stars shined above them, the full moon reflecting upon the shimmering surface of the water. The Going Merry's old, beaten boards would occasionally creak and the waves would lap against the ship, but save for that all was quiet.
They stayed like that for awhile, sitting side by side on the deck, gazing up at the stars in companionable silence. They didn't need words.
Finally, Luffy broke the silence with a loud yawn and leaned his head upon Zoro's shoulder.
"If you're tired, then you should go to sleep," Zoro said, glancing at the boy and giving him a sort of scolding look.
Luffy shook his head. "Noooo…I'm not-" he was cut off by another yawn, "-tired."
The swordsman snorted. "You should get to bed."
"No. I wanna stay with you," Luffy declared stubbornly, latching onto Zoro's arm. He pouted for a few seconds, then shivered as a cool wind passed over the deck. His vest didn't do much to keep him warm.
Zoro stared at the boy for a moment before, without warning, scooping the boy up and pulling him onto his lap.
"Wha? Zoro?" Luffy yelped in surprise as he was suddenly deposited upon the swordsman's lap, his head cradled against Zoro's chest.
"You were shivering. Again," Zoro muttered, looking down at Luffy. "If you're so damn tired and cold and don't want to do anything about it, I figured I might as well do something."
"Oh."
The swordsman's eyes met Luffy's as the boy looked up at him, wide innocent orbs of dark chocolate once again meeting hard, eagle-like ones. The boy shivered again, but this time he knew it wasn't from the cold.
His heart was beating in his chest at an impossibly fast rate and everything seemed to have faded around him, or combined together to form some sort of weird feeling that came to rest within his chest. This feeling was just beckoning him even closer to Zoro, demanding that he crane his head back even more…
Luffy arched back as bit as Zoro leaned downward, their faces mere centimeters apart. Zoro's breath came out warm against his face, sending the hairs on the back of the boy's neck on end as his eyes fluttered closed and he drew closer…
And suddenly his knees came into contact with harsh, cold concrete, jolting the boy awake. He glanced around blearily, noting that he was once again back in the room. However, someone had turned the light overhead on, and his chains had been lowered so he was in a kneeling position, though his hands were still tied above him.
He was back in the room again. Back in the dark.
Alone.
Why did he have to wake up? Why couldn't that dream have been real? Why couldn't he be back on the Going Merry? He knew this couldn't last forever. He knew it wouldn't. His nakama would save him, he trusted they would. But…
He was so sick of being alone. He wanted someone to be near him…anyone…like Zoro, at the end of the dream…
…what had been up with that, anyway?
Before Luffy could take any time to ponder over this, he heard the rusted hinges of a door swinging open, followed by footsteps echoing through the room. But what really caught his attention was the smell.
Food!
The boy immediately sat up, eyes widening as his stomach growled loudly. He couldn't remember how long ago it had been since he'd eaten or drank anything.
Kuro stepped in front of him, the lenses of his glasses reflecting in the light, a smirk upon his face as he gazed down at his bloody, beaten, and dying captive. "Well, now here is as things should be, with you kneeling before me."
Luffy didn't seem to be paying any attention to him, his bloodshot eyes were focused upon the plate in the Kuroneko pirate's hand. All it had placed on it was a slice of bread, a piece of cheese, and a bit of meat.
To Luffy, whom had not eaten in days, it seemed like a feast. He licked his dry, chapped lips, though his tongue was completely dry so there really wasn't a point to it.
"Ah…well, I assume with how long you've been with us, you must be hungry. I was told by my dear doctor that this food would be good for you..." Kuro trailed off, smirking as he held the plate at Luffy's eye level, as one would taunt a dog with a table scrap.
Luffy followed the meager amount of food with his eyes, swallowing as his stomach growled again. He was so hungry…
"However, I'm afraid in order for you to eat; you must do something for me first." He held out one of his dusty, black-and-white striped shoes out, sticking the sole in front of Luffy's face. "Lick my shoes."
"What?" Luffy cried, though with his throat so dry it came out rather weak.
"You heard me. Lick my shoes," Kuro said calmly.
The boy's eyes narrowed, flashing with anger. "Go to Hell! I am not going to lick your shoes!" he snarled.
Kuro gazed down at Luffy expressionlessly for a moment before, without warning, pulling back his leg and sending that shoe into Luffy's gut. The boy let out a choked cry, but as he was restrained by the ropes and chains above him, he couldn't double over. He hung there, gasping for air as his vision swam.
His captor watched him groan in agony for a moment before taking the slice of bread and dangling it in front of the boy. "See what you've lost, then." He drawled before breaking the slice of bread in half. Several crumbs fell to the floor at Luffy's knees as Kuro took a bite of the bread, slowly chewing and swallowing as Luffy watched, still gasping from pain.
He finished the entire thing before once again holding his shoe before the boys face. "Once again, lick my shoes. If you don't, you will starve. It's that simple."
Luffy bit his lip, glaring up at Kuro. His stomach hurt so badly…he was so hungry…but he couldn't do it. He couldn't. "I won't."
This time Kuro sent the kick into Luffy's chest, the sound of already cracked ribs crunching with the force of the blow, along with the boy's cry of pain, echoing through the room.
The boy hung there, panting and shuddering, as Kuro stood before him, dangling the piece of cheese before his nose. "I suppose you don't like cheese very much. Very well, then."
Again, slowly, the morsel of food was eaten while Luffy watched, his broken ribs now joining his stomach in its singsong cries of agony.
"Well then…we're down to your last chance. Submit to me. Lick my shoes and prove it, and you will have food." For a third time the dusty black bottom of Kuro's shoe was thrust before the boys face.
Luffy stared at it for a moment before glancing up at Kuro, entire body shaking. His head was starting to spin again, whether it was from pain, hunger, or fever he wasn't entirely sure. Maybe it was all three. Every breath sent sharp splinters of pain throughout his ribcage, and his stomach felt like it was ingesting itself.
If he licked that man's shoe, he would get to eat. It wouldn't be much…but meat had always been able to restore at least a bit of his strength, hadn't it? Maybe then he could get out…
...but what would his nakama think if they knew he had done that? If they knew he had licked this monster's shoes?
He wouldn't do that. He trusted his nakama would be here. He didn't know how long it would be, but he would not be alone forever. He would not starve forever. He wouldn't give in.
Luffy's face twisted into a sneer of defiance, and he spat upon the shoe.
Kuro's eyes narrowed, face twitching for a moment before becoming eerily calm. "Idiot," he hissed.
The first blow caught him in the side, causing Luffy to gasp for air just before a second one struck him in the stomach and knocked that air from his lungs. The third was strong enough to send the boy sliding back a foot or so on the harsh concrete, his bare knees scraping the concentrate as his bonds tugged him back to his original position. The fourth blow hit him in the jaw, stars exploding behind his eyelids as his head was thrown backward.
Finally this stopped and Luffy hung there once again, gasping for breath as blood streamed from his mouth where he had bit his lip. He let out a harsh, barking cough, blood splattering upon the concrete before him.
The smell of meat came to his nostrils and Luffy cracked open one bleary eye to see the food dangling in front of him. His mouth watered as he watched Kuro slowly take it and tear it into small pieces, placing each piece into his mouth and eating it with painful slowness.
When the deed was done, Kuro gazed down at Luffy icily for a moment. The boy stared back at him defiantly, blood staining his chin. Finally, the man spoke. "Fool. You are dying. Do you not understand that? That food could have helped you, but you choose to be foolish and not take my offers when I give them to you."
Silence.
"Is it because you still believe you will be saved? Your nakama aren't coming for you. You say they will, but no one can last forever. Your determination is wavering, and you know it. Even now, you can't help but wonder how long you've been down here. When will they get here? Sooner or later, those thoughts of wondering 'when' they will get here will change to 'if'..."
He reached down to grab a fistful of the boy's raven-colored hair, eliciting a cry from the boy as he hauled him up to his eye level. "You will break. I will see to that. You just wait. Soon, you will regret not taking my offer when you had the chance," he drawled.
Luffy gave no reply, he didn't have the strength to. He just stared at Kuro with narrowed eyes, pain visible beneath his fiery defiance. His stomach growled of its own accord, betraying the hope the boy had of fooling the Kuroneko captain into believing that the exchange hadn't effected him.
Kuro smirked before releasing the younger pirate's head, allowing Luffy to fall to his knees again. "You will submit. You will be begging to lick my shoes, soon enough." With that, he turned and stalked away.
Once again, the chains drew Luffy up so he hung from the ceiling. As the sound of the chains clinking against each other echoed through the room, the lights were turned off.
Again, Luffy was alone in the dark. There was nothing he could do. He was starving, and all he could do was close his eyes and try not to think about it. All he could do was try and go back to the dream, where he wasn't hungry or in pain or lonely. He knew it wasn't real, but he needed it. He needed it desperately, it was the only thing he had to hold on to at the moment.
The pain of being completely and utterly alone was becoming too much for him to bare.
---
It was when the Straw Hats and Ace finally came back to the ship that evening that they found it. It sat upon the very center of the deck, sticking out so well that it would have been impossible to miss.
"So…what do you make of it, Navigator-san?"
Nami frowned as she held the object in front of her, a pure black video Den Den Mushi with the Kuroneko pirate symbol painted upon the side. "Well… I'm not entirely sure…"
"Whatever you do, don't turn it on! I've heard stories about this, there's probably some sort of curse on it so if you turn it on we'll all be poisoned and have to venture to some mountain to find a cure!" Usopp exclaimed.
"REALLY?" Chopper gasped, eyes wide.
"That doesn't happen in real life, moron," Sanji muttered.
"How would you know?" Usopp pointed out.
"How do you know such things actually happen?" the cook countered.
"Just play the damn thing." Zoro grunted, finally speaking up for the first time.
"B-but, the curse!" Chopper yelped.
"I doubt there's a curse, Chopper. It's just a regular Video Den Den Mushi," Ace spoke up.
"Oh…phew…"
"Well then…shall we play it?" Robin spoke up. "It came from Captain-san's captor. It may hold valuable information, perhaps clues to finding him."
Nami nodded. "Right…let's see what's on this thing." With that, she pressed the button on the snails shell and set it upon the floor.
The snails eyes popped open with a small 'ping'! Both of them glowed white for a moment before light shined from them onto the nearest wall, forming a sort of screen on it. There was static for a moment as the white screen went black, the date appearing in the bottom right corner informing them that this had been recorded the night before.
After a few moments things lightened a bit to show the image of an old dock at nighttime, the sea and stars stretching out into view beyond that. But really, no one cared about that.
The sight of Luffy's shivering form, looking frail and white in the low lighting, was a bit more attention-catching. He was sprawled out upon the deck in a pool of water, dripping from head to toe as he wheezed for breath, lithe shoulders shaking. He didn't seem to have the energy to lift his head, so all one could see was his messy black hair hanging limply from it. Bruises covered his small frame, the skin where his bonds had clearly been chafing his wrists was raw and bleeding.
But what really caught your eyes was his back. It was covered with long, thin gashes, obvious whip marks which were only just barely beginning to heal over. Dried black blood still crusted the edges here and there, his entire back looking completely raw. That wasn't the worst of it, however.
Wings. Etched into his back like the engravings in a statue, colored a harsh, biting crimson. Cherub wings, meant to symbolize purity and innocence carved into the boys back in a harsh display of cruel irony. The skin around the wounds was heavily enflamed, clearily infected.
It was a painful sight to behold.
Zoro felt his breath catch in his throat, his hand clenching around the hilt of his katana as he felt a stab of pain in his heart.
Luffy…
It hurt. It was as if someone had taken his own katana and stabbed it through his heart, then continued to twist the blade. Even that was not an accurate description…
There was no physical pain that could compare to this.
It hurt so much to see his captain in pain, so much worse than any physical pain could have been. Even as he took in the sight of every wound and counted it as his own, it wasn't enough.
The rest of the crew had varying reactions, ranging from shocked to horrified to completely disgusted. Sanji's visible eye widened, then narrowed as his jaw clenched around the cigarette in his mouth.
Robin too, managed to keep quiet, eyes narrowing at the sight as her mouth remained set in a grim line.
Ace's eyes darkened, hands clenching into fists as he watched his younger brother shudder on the screen.
Usopp and Chopper both cried out, eyes widening and jaws falling slack as they took in the sight.
Nami let out a gasp, her hand reaching up to cover her mouth. Tears came to her eyes and she turned her head away.
"Don't look away," Zoro spoke up. "Keep watching, for him."
The navigator glanced back at the swordsman for a moment, biting her lip before giving a slow nod and turning her attention back to the screen. It was a good thing she did, because it was then that Kuro, from off screen, started speaking.
"Here he is, Straw Hat crew. 'Straw Hat' Monkey D. Luffy, your captain. Pathetic sight, isn't he? Bleeding, exhausted, broken… a perfect picture. Too weak to even lift a finger and ward off the punishment he deserves for ruining my plans… I think I like him better this way."
The tall, dark man stepped into view, walking over to the boy and kneeling next to him. He ran his fingers through the boys soaking wet locks of hair as he glanced up at the camera, glasses reflecting in the light. "However…as much as I enjoy my little toy, I'm afraid I have no use for broken ones."
His fingers moved from Luffy's hair to the base of his neck, tracing along his spine towards one of the wings on his back. The feather-light touch caused the boy's body to go completely rigid with tension, feeling the finger tips draw closer to the wounds. "These wings…they're lovely, aren't they? I thought you might appreciate them, since they really do fit him. They're also the main cause of his state…I suppose cutting open the marks caused by Hikemia wasn't very wise…with the added infection, the virus has evolved. It is slowly killing him as we speak." Without warning, Kuro suddenly pressed his palm against the right wound.
Luffy's head shot up and he let out a piercing scream, revealing wide, bloodshot eyes. His fingers bit into the wood below him as if they were searching for anything to grab onto as his back arched. He writhed in agony, gnashing his teeth, body convulsing as he tried to squirm away from Kuro's palm.
Watching this, Zoro's fists tightened even more, nails digging into the calluses that covered his palms. He wanted to look away. He couldn't stand it, seeing his captain like this. The thought that Luffy could be suffering like…the pain was almost too much to bare, but he kept his eyes on that damn screen.
He had to watch this. He owed Luffy that and so much more. To take every amount of suffering and go through it with him, to harden his own resolve to get him out of there.
Finally, Kuro removed his hand and Luffy slumped onto the deck, panting for breath, entire body shaking violently from fresh pain. He gave a hoarse moan, his face pressed against the rough boards that made up the dock. He was too exhausted to do much more than grunt as Kuro suddenly grabbed a handful of his hair and pulled the boy's head up. The camera zoomed in on his exhausted, anguished face.
"He's dying. Can you see that in his eyes? He is dying, and I have no use for a broken toy. If you do not do as I say, he will die."
There was silence for a moment, then Kuro dropped Luffy's head onto the deck again and he stood, wiping his hand as if he had just touched something dirty. "Tomorrow night at midnight, I expect two of you to be standing in town square. I also expect you to have one hundred million belli, the exact amount of your captain's bounty, with you. If you have those, we will discuss his release. If you do not pay, you will not see him alive again. Until then, good-bye."
The screen faded to black, and the Video Den Den Mushi closed its eyes. There was silence on the Going Merry.
"…Luffy…" Chopper whimpered. "We're gonna pay it, right? We can't just leave him like that!"
"We can't pay it," Nami said plainly.
"What do you mean we can't? You saw him! We have to pay it and get him back!" Usopp exclaimed.
"It's not a matter of debate, Sniper-san. Miss Navigator is right, we cannot pay the ransom because we don't have that amount of money at the moment," Robin stated.
Nami covered her face with her shaking hands, taking a deep breath. Sanji watched her for a moment before walking over, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.
"It's all right, Nami-san. We'll get him back."
The navigator made no movement to push him away. She took a deep breath, inhaling the familiar scent of cigarette smoke before speaking. "…Maybe if we gave him all of our savings?" she suggested.
Ace frowned, kneeling down to pick up the Den Den Mushi. He pressed play again and watched it, the sound from the video the only one made upon the deck for awhile. "Maybe you won't have to," he finally said.
Usopp blinked, looking confused. "Huh?"
"What if you just went to where they're holding him and rescued him instead?" Ace suggested.
"But we don't know where he is," Sanji pointed out.
"Really?" Ace pointed the Den Den Mushi at the wall again, allowing the video to play for all to see again. "Try focusing on the details a bit more. Do you see the way the light reflects off of the Kuro guy's glasses, then goes away, then suddenly reflects again? Also…a bit further ahead, the dock connects to a part that is concrete."
Zoro frowned, watching this for a moment. His eyes then suddenly widened, realization dawning on him.
"They're in the lighthouse…"
"The lighthouse?" Sanji's brow furrowed. "I thought you checked there?"
"We checked the docks, yeah. But we never checked the lighthouse," Chopper said, eyes widening as well.
Nami's jaw dropped. "So that means…"
"We found him. Now we just have to rescue him," Zoro said, cracking Wadou slightly from its sheath.
"Sounds like a plan to me," Ace said with a grin.
"We have to hurry! Luffy needs help!" Chopper declared.
"W-wait! We can't just go storming in there, especially when that cat-girl that Zoro fought is probably out there! We need some kind of a plan!" Usopp cried.
There was silence for a few moments before Nami smiled and spoke. "Don't worry. I have one that's sure to work. We'll get Luffy back."
"Ah! Nami-san is so smart and wonderful!" Sanji crowed.
As the sky grew dark and the midnight hour drew closer, the Straw Hat's planned on how to get their captain back.
He'd been gone long enough.
---
To Be Continued…
Dun dun dun! Well, that turned out much longer than I expected, but I liked the results.
Next Chapter: The Straw Hat's know where Luffy is and have come up with a rescue plan! Now's the time to beat Captain Kuro of the Thousand Plans with a plan of their own! But will it work, or has Kuro still got another trick up his sleeve?
