Surprise! Responses to requests and reviews are on hold at the moment but always, thanks. Europe is fantastic! I don't want to go home ;(
Warnings for major OOCness but yeah. If you're IC it's not really a nightmare.
("You are a good person Luffy-san," Brook tucks his hat close to his missing heart and takes a bow. When the skeleton looks up, Luffy is reminded of the day they first met, the time his friend cried he was happy to be alive. "But I cannot tell you why, for I could not ask you to die for me." The gaze still hurts just as Luffy remembers it to. "I'm sorry Luffy-san."
No Brook, his voice catches in his throat and Luffy cannot call out to his tall friend who takes a step back, into the darkness. No Brook, you can't.
"Sorry Luffy-bro," Luffy snaps around to find his shipwright standing behind him, close so close yet when Luffy reaches out, a step too far. "The world government, they're after me again. I wish you.. I wish you a safe journey on the ship."
Don't go, I'll fight them again, Luffy wants to say. I'll win and tell the world you're mine, he wants to shout but the only thing he can do is struggle to see through the darkness that is seeping into Franky's clothes too and swallowing him whole. First his arms and feet, and then his torso as well, before Franky is gone, he is gone.
It doesn't make any sense but Luffy watches with a sickening helplessness, in mute and vain screams as his friends leave him one by one; Robin with the same expression of fear and desperation Luffy had promised he'd protect her from, Chopper with tears and sobs, Usopp with angry shouts and Sanji, in silence, hurting just as much but hiding it better.
They are leaving him, they leave him, they left him. Luffy sends his fist flying into the darkness that looms around, screams a silent demand to give his friends back but nothing. No one returns. No, Luffy collapses into the darkness and buries into his arms with an anguished cry. Come back.
"This is the only way to keep you safe," A familiar voice echos in his ears. "You're not strong enough, surely you understand this?"
Luffy's head shoots up, but Nami is already gonegonegonegone. In her place, stands his swordsman instead.
Zoro, Luffy pleads, as he stumbles to his feet. They're all gone, they all left. We have to get them back, we have to bring them home.
But Zoro, reliable Zoro, steady Zoro, only stares at him for a moment-before taking a step back, just like the others.
No, Luffy's refusal is sharp and venhment. No, not this-never this because this, he refuses to accept. This, he refuses to understand. It is Zoro, Zoro. Zoro would never, he would never ever-
"Oh," Luffy can breathe, can speak, because he has realized and is finally free. "You're not-")
Zoro spares a glance to his right when he hears the tell-tale hitch of breath his captain makes as he stirs out of sleep. The sun is high in the sky just like how Zoro warned Luffy it would be if he slept on the deck, advice Luffy had nodded off. When Luffy makes a whine of protest against the bright glare, Zoro takes pity and lays Wado Ichimonji across his lap so it's long shadow falls neatly across Luffy's eyes.
"You up?"
Zoro doesn't know what but he feels its important when a grinning Luffy looks up to him and explains with sleepy pride, "You weren't real."