Hey there! Has it been a while? I sure feel like it has, even if it's just a few days. I don't wanna blabber too much here at the top, but please do make sure you read the AN at the bottom of this chapter for a few important messages :D
Warning, I repeat, WARNING, this story contains some pretty gruesome explanations regarding injuries and is very heavy on death, even of some beloved characters. A bit of swearing too, but not more than what can be expected for a normal One piece fanfic :)
Remember that you can always Favorite or Follow if you want (I promise you it will be highly appreciated) and without further ado, here's the chapter:
Part 5: An unfriendly chat
Few things managed to piss off vice-admiral Garp. The man was always such an open-minded and careless old geezer, one who had a love for rice crackers and a tendency to not take things very seriously. That very child-like personality of his often threw people off on their first encounter with the man… it was hard to believe he was really Garp the fist, hero of the marines.
The man, however, was not one to be underestimated, neither strength or experience-wise, anybody with even just the tiniest amount of brains (and who valued their life) knew that… and if not... well, then they sure as hell were gonna learn the hard way.
Back in his younger days, he was a marine famous (and infamous amongst all lawless) for constantly chasing the pirate king, Gold Roger, himself, and was even seen known as his equal. His rival.
Of course, he also clashed fists with other notorious pirates, such as Shiki the golden lion, Don Chinjao with a bounty of 500.000.000 Beli in his prime, and the strongest man in the world, Whitebeard, as well.
Honestly, the only reason he hadn't already been promoted to the status of admiral was thanks to his laziness. Becoming an admiral meant a butt-load of responsibilities and work the man would just avoid anyway even if by some miracle he accepted.
With such a legend resting on his shoulders, it was no wonder really that amongst the greatness and fame he had achieved, he had also gotten to be witness and victim to a butt load of crap, a lot of which certainly would have rendered any ordinary old geezer unable to keep working as a marine…
Mostly, Garp was (or at least seemed) unfazed by those sorts of incidents.
Either he would simply laugh it off and goof his way out of actually taking it seriously, or, (an occurrence as rare as Luffy saying something semi-smart) he would finally accept the truth… that things were indeed very dire and that he needed to start acting like the 73-year old vice-admiral that he was.
And despite that… despite the abominations he had the government and navy to thank for getting to be apart of, despite knowing damn well of the corruption hiding the shadows… this… this was enough to make him fuming…
Garp was stomping his way through the hallways of Navy HQ, receiving a ton of unsettled looks from the terrified marines who rapidly moved out of the way to stay clear of the man's rage.
Nobody (they would all like to not be killed today thank you very much) dared walk up and ask what was causing Garp to act this unusual way.
Garp always took even the worst of news just fine... (at least if laughing his butt off half of the times was considered "fine") nobody had ever seen him this angry before…
Garp, however, completely ignored the scared whimpers from the soldiers who were supposed to idolize him (not that he blamed them). It was probably for the best that they avoided him anyway… with how angry he was, he honestly wouldn't be surprised if he ended up bashing someone's head in by accident…
Maybe he would go relieve his anger on some uninhabited island a later… that would probably be the safest for everyone.
For now, though, he had another destination in mind… immediately upon receiving the shocking news, Garp had decided to go pay Sengoku a little visit to tell him just how much they've managed to mess up this time...
At his current paste (the man was walking faster than most children could run) it took only another few seconds before the familiar door was within sight. Garp didn't hesitate and immediately thrust open the damn thing (nearly causing the poor innocent door to fly off its hinges), not caring in the least if he was intruding or interrupting something important, which, fortunately, didn't seem to be the case.
Garp stormed over and slammed his two giant fists into Sengoku's desk. (Poor furniture keeps getting abused).
The fleet admiral didn't seem particularly concerned, or the least bit surprised about Garp's sudden appearance… he even had the guts to return Garp's infuriated look with a calm facade of his own.
"What the hell Sengoku!? How come I just received a report explaining that a freaking buster call was summoned on Dawn Island!? What were you thinking!? The island's in the East Blue for freak's sake, there should have been absolutely no reason for something that extreme!" Garp burst out, not caring in the least how disrespectful he was being towards his superior.
He and Sengoku might have been good friends for a long ass time, but that sure as hell didn't mean he wouldn't yell out against him after pulling a stunt as messed up as this one.
"Garp. I'd strongly advise you to calm down and remember your position."
Although Sengoku's voice was cold and empty, his 'advise' wasn't a threat like normal, more just a calm encouragement telling Garp to restraint himself. After hearing what had gone at Dawn Island, he had more than expected a reaction just like this from Garp…
He felt sorry - sympathetic even - for his old friend, but unfortunately, there was no helping it and no changing things now that it had come to this…
"Screw my position! You've stepped way past the line this time! Those people were innocent and you know it!"
"Need I remind you that that call was not mine to make? Rob Lucci from Cipher Pohl 9 was the one who went to investigate and the one to deem a buster call appropriate." Sengoku answered, greatly annoyed that he had to tell Garp of such an obvious fact.
"That brat, huh? I swear to Oda I'll go murder him for the crap he's pulled this time!" Garp snarled, immediately turning around, cracking his knuckles and heading straight for the door to do just that.
He swore, letting Lucci destroy Dawn Island like this would be the last mistake that kid ever got to make, to hell with his position or title as a marine hero!
"Wait, Garp!" Sengoku called, instantly standing from his comfy office chair.
The old fleet-admiral quickly felt a headache incoming. This was exactly the reason he had wanted to keep Garp in the dark, at least as much as possible. Being a vice-admiral, as well as a close friend, it would have only been a matter of time before he found out, but Sengoku had prayed for at least another week to pass. Then, Garp would be focused solely on getting to visit Luffy, who at that point would be fully in their custody, rather than getting worked up like this…
Garp, however, chose to completely ignore Sengoku's order to stay, and (barely able to control his body thanks to his fury) kept walking with his fists clenched tightly and longing for some pain…
Sengoku, knowing very well what would happen if something or somebody didn't stop Garp, cursed under his own breath. He was was just about to run after the man - restrain him and get him locked up until he was calmer if that proved necessary - but a gruff voice interrupted and stopped both him and Garp in their tracks:
"Hmp, you're still just an old sentimental fool, Garp. That boy's very existence is a sin… he's the reason all this was necessary... anybody supporting him very much deserved the fate they received."
The man to speak was another important figurehead for the marines. Unlike Garp, however, this man's reputation was infamous amongst all pirates as well as marines as a ruthless man who was willing to do anything to follow through with his belief in ultimate justice.
Despite his questionable ideals, he was an admiral, which gave him all the rights in the world to talk in this unsympathetic matter.
"Huh?"
Garp only felt his anger increase from the offense… he was definitely not in a mood to be provoked. Even if Akainu was half correct (Luffy's existence was the reason this all happened, although Garp strongly disagreed that it was his fault) he would not, as a grandpa, stand by idly and let this bastard badmouth his grandchild like this.
"You better shut your damn mouth right now, Sakazuki. You're still 100 years too young to be insulting me, much less teaching me about the rights and wrongs of the world." Garp sounded dangerously close to snapping at the admiral and punching him straight in the face.
Despite the intimidating tone of voice, Akainu merely snorted at Garp's warning and continued to sit, unmoved by Garp's threat. He turned his head to stare straight up (usually Garp was the one to look up at him thanks to their difference in height) into Garp's wrath-filled eyes, that surely would make a lesser man cower in fear.
"It's laughable how easily you let your emotions get the best of you… if my memory serves me right, that entire search was set off just confirm the existence of the son of the revolutionary Dragon. That boy who was captured as a result of the investigation would also just so happen to be your grandson, Garp, but even if that's the case, I'm assuming he has no intention of working for the government… such a kid is bound to grow up into nothing but trouble."
Garp flinched from anger at that specific comment.
Immediately, memories of the small reckless kid who still called him grandpa after all the crap he had put him through flashed his mind…
How he would always pass out from exhaustion after being put through his 'training' and then slept on his back in the most adorable manner… how he would run around and always get hurt, and despite that, never ever stop plastering that stupidly wide grin on his face.
If not for the fact that Garp in the last minute remembered "Akainu" Sakazuki was a thick-headed bastard, no matter the situation and people involved, he would have undoubtedly have murdered him right then and there.
"That's right. Guess you're still the same sick man who ordered the rescue ship filed with civilians to be blown up during that Ohara incident 17 years ago…" Garp said aloud, mostly just to make himself feel better since he knew such a comment was barely an insult to the wretched marine admiral.
He knew though… that there was nothing he could do any longer to protect Luffy from people like him…
Luffy's heritage had been discovered, and his life was now resting in the hands of the World Government… whatever horrible fate they had planned for him (honestly, he'd be surprised in an execution would be all. They would have killed him already if they simply wanted him dead), Garp didn't even want to think of.
Dawn Island was now gone. Gone like that. Turned into a burning hell for all the unfortunate innocent civilians who were left behind to be consumed by the flames...
And it sure as hell didn't help that the nobility of all people were the ones who were evacuated and allowed to escape.
Those snotnosed nobles were probably just complaining to no end about suddenly being forced (them, being superior to any ordinary lowlife human, how dare those agents tell them what to do!?) to abandon their fancy houses and camp out (the word alone sent shivers down their spines) on a dirty, smelly, non-polished, non-fancy marine battleship, completely oblivious to the fact that they were lucky to even be allowed to live.
Those filths were getting moved to another peaceful island without a current king... somewhere where Goa kingdom would be rebuilt (to hell with the people who would be forced to change their lives because of it) and that entire incident would simply be swept under the rug. (The nobles sure as hell wouldn't tell anyone… what did they care if a bunch of garbage humans had been killed?)
Garp had had enough. Deciding he didn't want to continue his pointless argument with Akainu, leaving to be on his own and collect his thoughts seemed like a far more tempting option right now.
"Hmp," He snarled turning towards the door to leave.
'Brat.'
O-o-O-o-O
The old cell door creaked loudly as it was carelessly pushed (and left) open. A single agent nervously entered the small stinky chamber, and immediately, an unsettling feeling swelled up in his stomach.
In his hands he held a tray of food (nothing special really...a single bread, steaming hot soup and glass of water)... most unfortunately, it was his turn to make sure the kid was fed, but already, he could tell that would still prove to be an impossible task.
Luffy sat curled up into a tiny ball in the corner of his cell… exactly like he had been for the past 2 weeks.
Honestly, if not for the fact that Luffy every now and then would begin to sob ever so quietly (still without moving or lifting his head, though…), the agents might have thought him to already be dead from how quiet he was being.
Not once had he as much as flinched or made even the tiniest squeal when one of them would enter or approach his cell. In the beginning, they had been scared the boy might try and escape at every given possibility… take advantage of the cell being opened when food would be delivered to even pull the classic "I need to poop, let me out, I swear I won't run" but… he hadn't… still didn't…
Carefully, the man placed down the tray of food on the ground, though didn't break his gaze from the suffering child…
Luffy truly didn't seem to care about anything anymore… not about his injuries that were only slowly healing thanks to the seastone cuffs around his wrists, not about his hopelessly dire situation that would surely result in nothing but suffering for the kid (then again, was it even possible for him to suffer any more than he already was..?), and sure as hell not about eating anything either.
The agent swore Luffy had gotten thinner (like a lot thinner) during his short time in captivity...(not that he by any means was worried about his health, but they still needed to keep him alive somehow until they reached their destination).
He would never bat the food they gave him an eye, leaving it to get cold and for the rats to devour. If nothing, then they at least seemed happy about Luffy's refusal to eat since they got to feast every day.
The agent kept staring, for a moment considering saying something to Luffy to see if he could get him to respond or somethin'...
"Hey, what's taking so long? Hurry up in there!" One of the guards stationed outside the cell called maybe just a tad bit too harshly….
Not that anybody blamed him, guarding a prisoner who refused to as much as talk made his job incredibly easy, sure, but also unimaginably boring!
"S-sorry," he stuttered, now finally managing to snap out his thoughts. The agent hurriedly exited the discomforting cell (he was sure as hell happy he wasn't the one trapped in there), slamming the cell door behind him (in fact so loudly it echoed creepily throughout the silent prison), before inserting the key back into the old rusty lock and with a click, securely locked the door.
Luffy heard the man's footsteps slowly get fainter as he walked further and further away from his cell, until they eventually, they disappeared completely. Luffy knew that sound probably was the last one he would hear in a long time…
He didn't care, though. About the silence, (if anything, he was just happy those jerks stayed away and left him alone) about the complete darkness of his cold cell, about where they were headed or what would happen once they got there… not even about the meal right within his reach…
His stomach growled loudly as the delicious smell hit him. His entire body was screaming for food, his stomach twisting in pain, his head pounding from the lack of fluids, and his limbs heavy from energy loss.
Previously, Luffy had hated being hungry. He hated the empty feeling in his stomach, hated growing weak just because he didn't eat (and food was delicious, something he very much had enjoyed devouring), but now, he simply shrugged the stupid hunger aside.
After all, the pain from his wounds and malnourished body still paled in comparison to the misery his tormenting memories still caused him.
Luffy hugged his legs tighter. He had no clue how long he had been sitting there (not that he had tried keeping track of time anyway), though judging from how sore his muscles were, it was a long time, apparently.
He didn't know what was night or day any longer… there was no window for sunlight or moonlight to shine through, and only a few torches (all of them hanging in the hallways outside of his cell, of course) brought light into the prison.
The only way Luffy had been able to tell the difference, in the beginning, was because he would fall asleep when night fell. Luffy didn't sleep any longer.
He simply couldn't... The nightmares he would get were far too real… the explosions, the fire… Makino and everybody's facial expressions when they-
Luffy mentally shook his head. No… he didn't want to think about that right now...
It was…. everything he failed to protect and prevent… it always returned to haunt him in his sleep, and he would wake up screaming, his body trembling, and with tears streaming down his face - tears that at that point would take hours to finally stop.
So Luffy simply stayed awake… it was tough, though… he had never been somebody who was very good at staying up late, but at least forcing himself to stay conscious at all times was a good distraction from the physical pain.
Of course, not even when he was awake was he safe… there was no stopping his feelings of guilt… of regret… of not being stronger or done something more from hitting him hard.
Luffy had grown very familiar with those feelings and no longer tried to push them away. If he did, the unbearable memories would start flooding in and prove him wrong… prove that it was all his fault… his fault that Dadan, and the villagers, and the bandits, and Makino had to die like that while he was still alive...
Luffy bit his lip hard, but he still couldn't hold back the tears that immediately overflowed a second later...
It wasn't fair!
The agents had since the very beginning been after him and him alone! It was stupid… they were stupid.
He had never even met his dad, never seen his face, only just heard his name for the first time! And yet still… still had they not only burnt down his and Ace's and Sabo's treehouse but even gone ahead and killed everybody else while insisting that he alone remained alive!
It made Luffy sick. Sicker than disrespecting his body's need for food and exercise could ever hope to make him.
Luffy couldn't help but think of his grandpa… the old man had continuously gone on and on about how he should not become a filthy pirate, and instead join the good guys - the navy - become a marine.
He was a marine vice-admiral, right? That meant he worked for the same government as these sick bastards… had he done something like this too? Did he really accept this? Blowing up islands and killing innocents? Was that really the 'justice' he was so proud of?
It made no sense. His grandpa (despite being a complete monster who clearly didn't care about if he was hurt or nearly died) was a good guy. These suit-wearing jerks weren't. And yet, they were supposed to be the same.
Luffy found himself struggling hard thinking about just that (normally, he would never think this much but all his emotions, need to stay awake somehow, and need for a distraction from his hunger made it unavoidable) when he heard the familiar sound of feet tapping against the wooden floor…
Somebody was coming…
It was strange, considering he had just gotten his food and the agents otherwise mostly left him on his own to grieve…
Not that it mattered to Luffy anyway who was coming… it wasn't like they could do anything to make his current situation any worse, (heck they were very much welcome to try)… but aside from the daily random agent delivering a meal, only two people ever 'visited' him.
This time (unsurprisingly) it was Lucci. Strangely enough, after they had returned to the ship, a pigeon had made itself comfortable on the man's shoulder, which even more strangely, Lucci didn't seem to mind in the least. Because of this (and because Luffy despised the man too much to actually want to call him by his name), Luffy had nicknamed him "pigeon-guy." A fitting name indeed, though one he, unfortunately, had yet to say aloud.
Luffy could feel him looking at him... Lucci's eyes were like daggers piercing right through him… like the stone-cold eyes of a hunter staring down upon his defeated pray.
Luffy was quite the pathetic sight… broken both physically and mentally. Lucci doubted he was ever gonna fully recover from this… maybe he could learn to live with the trauma, but he knew, knew that the brat he had briefly met at Dawn would never completely return.
Not that Lucci didn't appreciate his silence… it made him a very easy prisoner to transport since he neither resisted or even attempted to escape.
Despite Luffy's reluctance to speak, Lucci knew the kid wanted no more than for him to leave… he couldn't imagine the grudge he must have developed against him and the World Government…
Just seeing his face surely sparked his anger… a shame he was too weak - too young and defenseless - to do anything about that rage. Lucci would have loved to let him live another few years… let his anger motivate him to reach great new strengths, let his hatred for the world grow bigger and then eventually get to fight the man he would have become.
That would have surely made for a thrilling battle… a shame Monkey D. Luffy would probably be dead before such a thing could happen.
Lucci let out a sigh and stopped fantasizing. His main reason for being there was simple… he still had questions left unanswered, and in his current mindset, he was sure Luffy would (intentionally or not) give him the answers he sought.
"Portgas D. Ace"
Luffy visibly tensed up at the mention of that name... a feat that until now had proven totally impossible.
"Back at Dawn Island, we found clear evidence suggesting the two of you are brothers. Tell me, would that happen to be true?" Lucci questioned.
For the first time in weeks, Luffy moved. Even if it was just his head… even if it only rose ever so slowly, the message was written plain and clear in his wrath-filled eyes.
Alright, Lucci had managed to catch his attention… and unlike all other questions he had been asked during his time in captivity (interrogation had quickly been dropped), this was one he simply couldn't let slide.
Ace… his brother's name sounded so distant it almost felt like it belonged to a stranger. Normally, Luffy would always feel nothing but happiness… nothing but excitement, joy, relief… pure… happy feelings whenever anybody would bring up his brother.
But not him. Not these guys. They… they couldn't - no - he wouldn't allow them to do anything to Ace too… not like they had done to everybody else he had cared about.
"Don't you guys dare do anything to Ace!"
Luffy's throat was dry, turning his voice horse. Still, his tone of voice was sharp, making it clear that he wasn't warning, but demanding that they stayed away from him.
"That all depends on your answer. In case we're right, we'll have no choice but to take action against Fire Fist. But he's already been marked off as dangerous anyway… since the two of you clearly have a strong connection, there's no telling what he, or possibly the entirety of the Whitebeard crew would do if they were to find out about you."
'And Whitebeard isn't the only one either…' Lucci mentally added.
Luffy was indeed a very dangerous pawn to possess… Ace and Whitebeard weren't their only concerns, after all. The danger of enraging big names and figures, however, would be worth it, apparently, since the government was so set on keeping Luffy alive for now.
Lucci's reply, however, did not seem to do any good to calm down Luffy's anger… the child gritted his teeth.
Were he and Ace brothers…? Even if these men had nothing but ill intent towards him… towards Ace, how could he possibly deny such a true fact? He couldn't lie. Not about Ace.
"Ace and I made a promise over cups of sake to become brothers! Wherever we are or whatever we're doing, that bond will never be broken… no matter what!" Luffy declared loud and proud as the little brother that he was.
Lucci had seemingly no reaction to Luffy's outburst, though he did feel a wave of relief pour over him.
His gut feeling had been correct… even if Ace and Luffy surely could be real brothers (their features were - coincidentally Lucci knew for sure now - pretty similar) Luffy was indeed the only son of Dragon, and that's all that really mattered.
Still, this case had made him wonder just who Ace's parents were… despite not being blood-related, they still shared the D in their names, which on its own raised red flags. There were only so many Ds out there… chances were, Ace's parents were criminals too. Lucci made a mental note to maybe look into that after this mission was over.
"I see." Lucci said, uninterested in any further history between the two 'brothers' for now, instead turning his attention to the straw hat hanging ever so casually around Luffy's neck.
(Honestly, how it had managed to not get burnt while they had traveled through the sea of fire to reach the ship at Dawn Island was a mystery…)
"There's another matter it'd like to discuss… that straw hat you have… I believe you got it from red-haired Shanks." Lucci stated - not asked. There was really no other explanation, and the picture they had found in his home proved it.
Luffy flinched from surprise, clearly having not expected to hear that name now - here - of all times and places.
"Shanks? How do you know that?"
The previous anger in Luffy's voice was now replaced by confusion and worry. He hadn't seen or heard anything from the man in over 7 years… not that he in any way doubted Shanks's or the others' strength, but he certainly hoped nothing bad had happened to him after he left…
"Tell me the truth… just what happened between you? How did a Yonko manage to lose his arm? It was all you… wasn't it?"
Luffy flinched yet again.
As much as he wished that assumption was a lie too, sadly, it wasn't.
It was the truth. The bloody (literally), unchangeable, dreadful goddamn truth - a regret he to this day (or was it night..?) still remembered painfully clear.
It had all been his fault… just like everything now was because of him and because he was too weak… but... how did these guys know this? How did they know everything about him - about the people he had met, about the people he cared about? Were they that set on making his life a living hell from now on!?
Luffy, however, refused to say any of that out loud. He didn't need to tell these bastards anything, much less give them more reason to target Shanks as well. (Little does he know…)
Lucci, however, saw the obvious glint of hurt in Luffy's eyes… in other words, whatever had occurred back then had been an accident… an accident which he had been responsible for (at least partly)… and accident which he still felt some kind of guilt for.
He just needed a little push…
"Huh, it's a shame really… red-haired Shanks has a reputation of being incredibly strong, one of the greatest pirates at sea. But if he managed to lose his arm for apparently no reason whatsoever in the East Blue nonetheless, I guess that must mean he really is just all talk… that he's really incredibly weak." Lucci snickered, even smirking cockily to further taunt the Yonko.
Ok, that was it.
In the blink of an eye, Luffy leaped at Lucci at full power (which, honestly, wasn't that powerful at this point…), being stopped only by the stupid bars in his way. Lucci didn't as much as flinch, even if the sound of Luffy suddenly grabbing the steel-bars tightly rumbled loud as thunder throughout the silent prison.
Luffy locked his gaze with Lucci's, not allowing the bastard to look away.
"Take that back! Shanks is not weak! Shanks is… Shanks is...! Shanks is the man I swore to surpass! He left me his straw hat and told me to become a great pirate, and that's what I'm gonna do!" Luffy said straight to Lucci's face. He would have yelled, but the stupid seastone made it impossible for him to raise his voice.
Lucci's eyes widened considerably from surprise… he certainly hadn't expected those words from the mouth of a 14-year old kid.
Clearly, Luffy had no clue who Shanks really was… in his eyes, Shanks was just a pirate he had befriended - a man he liked and admired, not because of his status, but because of something entirely different…
And Shanks… Shanks didn't just like Luffy - didn't just see him as a good friend or some little kid he wanted to protect as he had originally thought...
No… Shanks had, let's say, made a bet… him, a man who had traveled across the entire Grand Line alongside the pirate king, a man who fully knew the true dangers of the seas, had made a bet… a bet that Luffy actually could fulfill his promise, could actually surpass him, a Yonko.
He had even gone as far as to give him his treasured straw hat and giving up his arm to ensure his future…
Lucci saw it now…. Luffy and Shanks were more than just friends… both of them respected each other (perhaps one a bit more than the other, but still…), Luffy of course, looking up to Shanks because of his strength and Shanks respecting Luffy's dream to become a pirate.
'This is troublesome…' Lucci thought, sighing heavily.
Just as he had thought, Shanks was yet another important figure strongly involved in this mess - another person who, no matter what, could not get wind of the government's action, or maybe, a literal war could actually break out… a war. For Luffy.
The thought was not only a shocking realization to the intelligent man but as he used just a few seconds to try and predict how such a war against two Yonkos and The Revolutionary Army would end, things were starting to look pretty grim for the marines and Government...
Suddenly, Lucci broke his gaze away from Luffy and began walking away from the cell. He had managed to get the answers to the question that had been greatly bugging him for the past weeks, and this definitely needed to be reported immediately…
The good news was that Luffy was (as suspected) Dragon's only son…
The bad news was that Shanks (as suspected) would also take action, were he to find out about this.
"Oi!" Luffy called as soon as he noticed Lucci intended to leave.
He wouldn't let him leave! Not when he knew he could potentially go after Shanks or Ace!
"Come back here! I'm not done talking to you!"
Lucci merely batted Luffy and eye, of course not listening to his shrieks.
"I suggest you be thankful for even being allowed time on your own… we'll be arriving at Enies Lobby in another 2 weeks time. As soon as the judicial island is within sight, it'll be too late for anything or anybody to save you... you might possibly never have a quiet moment in the rest of already greatly shortened life," Lucci warned.
Luffy's grip around the stupid bars (they were all that was preventing him from bashing out and beating the crap out of Lucci, to hell with his seastone cuffs or weakened body). That's not what he wanted to hear… as if any of that stuff even mattered!
"I don't care about that! I don't care about what happens to me! Just tell me you guys aren't planning on hurting anybody else!"
His cry was met by a daunting silence… Luffy wanted answers - reassurance that nothing bad was gonna happen to the last people he still had to care about.
Lucci heard him... But he felt no need to make such a promise. He highly doubted any of this would come to pass without somebody getting killed...
Luffy watched Lucci walk further and further away (well, actually it was hard seeing him in the first place. Curse his black hair and black suit) for mere seconds before he was completely gone… disappeared into the darkness of the (from his point of view) never-ending hallway.
Now… Luffy was yet again left alone to deal with the silence.
"Damn it!" He whispered loudly, slamming his hand with all power he still had left against the stupid bars in a pathetic attempt at breaking them down.
Of course, it did nothing.
"Damn it!"
Yet again, he bashed against the bars without luck.
"Damn it!"
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooooo! It... it can't be over yet! I... I don't want to end the chapter here... *sniff sniff*
Ugh, let me explain, ok? I have some bad news... so... let's just get it out:
I have for the last couple of months been struggling a lot with very annoying very intense pain in my back. It's actually the reason I keep writing day after day on this... because I'll have nothing to do otherwise, and I have to stay home from school (I'm in 7th grade btw) and can't ever go out or even bend over at this point, so having something to fix my attention on is really great! It has, however, gotten pretty bad lately, so therefore, I will be spending the next couple of days in the hospital...
Sadly, that means no updates for... I'd say, a week... at least. T.T
Sorry if this chapter is a bit short... I had some pretty exciting plans for this chappie, but time was running short, so this is what I ended up with, and I really didn't want to make you wait 'till I've been discharged...
Alright, enough with the gloom (I'm only mentioning my because I'll feel bad about not writing when I want to so badly. Everybody has their own struggles to deal with, and my back is my back)
Here's a bit more fun question for you:
Would you rather have semi-lengthy chapters (about 5K-8K words) and have to wait about 4 or 5 days for updates, or would you prefer much longer chapters (10K+) but have to wait a bit over a week...?
Plz let me know, I'm struggling to make a decision XD
Also thanks so so so much to anybody who has reviewed :D It really helped with the pressure of getting this thing finished in time.
AND HAPPY (sorry its a bit late) 2020 EVERYONE! WHOOP WHOOP! Hope everybody stayed nice and safe during new years and nor you or anybody you know or love got hurt.
I guess that's all I really have to say for now... see you when I have the new chapter ready :)
-Cookie