One Piece Emperors New Clothes

By: FunahoMisaki

(A/N: I own nothing and read last chapter)

Luffy was breathing hard as he glared at Big Mom with his one good eye, the other one swollen shut. His suit now had multiple cuts and burns in it from the womans attacks and his fedora was long gone but he was still ready to keep fighting. She was breathing pretty hard too and Luffy had managed to somehow crack that sword of hers so badly that it had shattered after she had used another one of those flying pink slashes of hers.

Which meant it was just him and her and Prometheus since Nami had stolen Zeus, and was probably planning on keeping him knowing her. Not that Zeus was a threat to him anyways, what with Luffy being made of rubber and all.

He had unlocked Snakeman and while it had dealt some damage to her and been the reason her sword was cracked so badly…it wasn't enough.

He knows he isn't strong enough yet, knew that there was a reason Torao became his friend before trying to go after Kaido and DonFlamingo. But…

But Sanji was hurt and his family nearly got killed and Sanji-Luffy's sweet, kind Cook with a bleeding heart but legs as hard as steel- would forever blame himself if Luffy didn't do anything about it. And sure he know that those Off Color Copies of his cook probably weren't Sanji's real family, Luffy knows that Sanji's real family is back in East Blue on that restaurant serving anyone who's hungry, but they looked a bit like Sanji and Sanji would probably be upset if they had died and Luffy had the chance to help them but hadn't.

Luffy knew that the Yonko were strong, he remembered seeing Whitebeard during the War before he had died. Stronger than the Warlords and DonFlamingo had been very strong while Moriah had been sneaky and crafty and both were so very dangerous…

He knew that the Yonko were on a whole other level of strength and power though, but despite that. He knew he had to somehow be stronger than them.

Sanji was strong, there was no way to doubt that, but Sanji wasn't as strong as he was. And Luffy is the Captain so it's his turn to help Sanji.

His Armament Haki had faltered, his four minute time limit had long since passed and he knew that usually he would let himself rest to recover his Haki so that he could fight at 100% but right now he couldn't afford to rest. The only reason he got this time to think right now and concentrate was because Big Mom was just as winded as he was and had her own collections of bruises and cuts and burns (although those last two were mainly from the sword shattering and the cloud electrocuting her.) that he was sure were aching her.

And so since he did have one brief minute…Luffy concentrated on his haki.

He stored up all of the helplessness at Sanji being taken away, (another failure, what kind of Captain was he that he kept letting his crew be taken from him?!) the fury (because how dare they steal Sanji's freedom? How dare Big Mom steal the freedom of her own children? Her children who were pirates and should be free but were instead bound by the shackles of their blood like Sabo had been when they were little, like Ace had been executed for.), the sorrow (oh he'll be sad. Luffy knew that Sanji would cry and he couldn't let that happen. His Nakama should be happy and safe and laughing and enjoying the sea and the life of freedom.), the glee (because he's safe and he's here and he's whole and he won't die. He won't die like Ace-) and he channels it all into his fists and is pleased when they become coated in Haki again even if it looks different. It's not his Armament, he's out of time for that. No instead he does something he's never tried before and coats his fists in his Conqueror's Haki.

And so Luffy glares down Big Mom who is huffing and puffing as well and the flame in her hair, the fire having moved from her fists so she could swing her sword with both hands, beginning to die out and he wasn't sure why it was dying since it was supposed to be part of her but he took that as a good sign. A sign that the battle was almost over one way or another.

He recalled Katakuri's resigned admittance, the way he had said he couldn't leave his family. The way it sounded like Sabo-nii- ("Leave them. If I come back with you, leave them.)

He recalled how Brulee had admitted that none of her siblings had had freedom from the moment that they were born. The way that they were bound to their mother who treated them as toys or pawns at best. Remembered how Brulee asked him not to hurt her sister, as if she were used to having to plead for the safety of her siblings and she also reminded him of Sabo-nii. Remembered how she had given him her mother Vivre card to keep the homies away from him, remembered how it was something that all of Big Mom's children had (How Lola had given one to Nami as a sign of their friendship.) and that it was the ultimate symbol of her belief that he would defeat her mother.

He remembers the way she nearly sobbed when he had said that his fight was with Big Mom and not her victims, as if she was used to people not seeing them all as victims and instead just as extensions of her. How often had they been hurt because of her? For her? How often were they supposed to be or dreamed of being free but instead were like birds with their wings clipped?

But that doesn't matter now. He knew he'll beat up Big Mom, he'll make Shirahoshi (his Crybaby-Hoshi) and her home safe and then he'll take the Mochi-bastard with them to Wano. Luffy knew the man would like the donuts that Sanji would make, and Pudding and Brulee would love to have him along.

There was no way he was going to lose! He couldn't afford to lose damnit!

Decision made, Luffy jumped to meet Big Mom head on as she lunged at him again. This time, he knew it and he was sure she knew from the glint in her eye but they weren't sure if anyone else watching knew it but here and now the two of them knew it. It was as plain to them as the fact that devil fruits was nasty to anyone else. Because this? This was a battle between Pirate Captains, a battle between Conquerors. And they both knew that there was only one way this battle would end. With one of them dead and the other limping away the victor.

They both knew that and they had a sort of mutual understanding after having been trading blows for a little while now. Big Mom hated Luffy but respected his strength, Luffy hated Big Mom but respected that she had earned her title of a Yonko. They hated each other but respected the others strengths and abilities.

And so they both knew without once having to say a word to each other, after all the time for words was long since past, that this was it.

This last jump at each other, this last exchanging of blows. This was the end of the battle and after this it would be over.

So Conqueror's Haki met Conqueror's Haki once more as a fist of rubber met a much larger fist with skin as hard as iron…

And one of them gave way.

One of them gave way and their Conqueror's Haki was completely engulfed by the others.

And just like that…the battle was over.