Wishfull-star: Thanks! I think I'll be posting that one first. I've gotten more reviews wanting the ATLA one.
Kae Membrana: No spoilers, but haki will not come for awhile. Some other type of ability first? Hmm, maybe... who knows? hehehe.
Warning for drama in this one. Precious Luffy. Enjoy~
Luffy was working there for two more days, and wondering why they kept him around. Maybe out of stubbornness from Zeff. Luffy wasn't happy there anymore. They were all so mean to Sanji! And he mostly just took it after insulting them lightly back! It pissed him off, but he didn't want to show him pity. And he didn't like being angry. He hated being angry. Especially after losing control against Kuro.
He never wanted to lose control again, and he was trying so hard not to. He was just glad he could go back to Zoro at night, as he had to work all day. His crew was getting bored, too. He was irritated at Fullbody and Zeff, both of them being the reasons he was stuck there.
Sanji was out taking a smoke and Luffy was getting some fresh air. He asked what kind of guy his brother was like. Luffy looked out at the ocean. "He hated his dad. He never met him, or his mom. But he hated his dad for a long time. It sort of bled into his daily feelings. Our grandpa didn't help either. His training was just to beat us up. Our caretaker cared kind of, she did her best, but she was also really harsh.
"Then our other brother was murdered, and that of course didn't help." Sanji was startled by this. "Yeah, a Celestial Dragon killed him for no real reason. But anyways, it was just me to help Ace. He helped me too, of course, he was my big brother! But I like to think I helped make him happy. He's a pirate too, with a bounty." Sanji was smiling sadly and then asked what his name was. "'Firefist' Portgas D. Ace. He has black hair and freckles," Luffy said proudly. "I can't wait to meet him again in the Grand Line and show him my awesome crew. I'm sure you'd both get along!"
Sanji sighed. "You're still insisting I join, huh?" He sounded kind of resigned, as no matter how many times he declined, Luffy didn't accept it, and just knew he'd join. "What's your crew like? I'm working, so I don't really have a chance to talk to them."
"Oooh, you're interested!"
"More like curious about what kind of people would follow somebody like you," Sanji replied, but without much heat.
"Hmmm, well, me and Zoro are a couple, Nami likes money and tangerines and is smart, and Usopp likes to make things and lie." Sanji stared at him.
"That was a terrible description," he pointed out. Luffy laughed. Sanji would just need to get to know them personally. It was much more fun that way. "So, you want to become the Pirate King? Pretty lofty goal, there." Luffy beamed. He would become the Pirate King. "How are you so sure the One Piece even exists?"
Luffy laughed. "Well, I don't! But that's what's fun. I don't know what to expect to happen, I just know I want to fulfil my dream. And my crew's dreams. Usopp wants to be a brave warrior of the sea, Nami wants to draw a world map, and Zoro wants to be the greatest swordsman ever. And each one I want to help them reach, since they're helping me become the Pirate King. I don't know if any of our dreams will be fully fulfilled, but I'm sure the journey will be really fun!"
Sanji had a smile on. "Is your dream to become head chef here?" Luffy wondered. The blonde man shook his head. That wasn't his dream at all. "Then what is it?"
"I want to find the All Blue. It's a sea where all the world's sea life meets. Can you imagine how much stuff would be there to cook? And it's supposedly beautiful, and it's my biggest dream other than to visit Fishman Island. I know it might not exist, the concept isn't logical, but still."
Luffy said, "That sounds awesome! And in the Grand Line, everything is crazy, so it's not like it wouldn't be weird to have the All Blue there, right?!" Sanji grinned and nodded. He wanted to go to the Grand Line, but didn't want to leave. "Why not?"
Sanji looked out at the sea, taking a drag of his cigarette. "Owner Zeff saved my life. Then we were both stranded on a barren rock in the ocean, waiting for help to come. We had limited food, and he gave it all to me. I didn't even know, but he starved himself so I could keep eating. He also lost his leg in that time. But as much as he can be an asshole, I still can't leave. I have to repay him."
"Your whole life?"
"Well… I'm not sure, really. There are things I want to do that aren't here, but I can't really see any way to leave."
"Ehem," Luffy said. Sanji said he knew that. Luffy was a chance to leave. "Then why not take it? It'll be fun! And then, once you find the All Blue, you can tell everyone here about it. I bet they'd get really jealous, shishishi," the rubber boy said brightly.
Sanji laughed. "I bet they would be." They were interrupted when Zeff shouted at them to get back to work. Luffy started to go, before he smelled something. He turned around, and Sanji asked what was wrong. There was someone coming. "What do you mean?"
"A lot of people are going to be here soon. With a lot of weapons. I gotta go tell my crew." Sanji called after him, waiting to know how he knew. Luffy found them on the deck. "There are a lot of people coming here. They smell like weapons. Hey, where's Usopp?" Nami and Zoro sank. "What happened?"
"He found the blood bags. I was bringing ice to the chest, and he found them. He doesn't know completely, but he thinks it's kind of freaky to hide a bunch of random blood bags. I think he's made or is making the connection, based on what Kuro and his crew had said. I'm sorry, Luffy," Nami said sincerely.
Luffy frowned, and ran to the ship. He was on board, and followed Usopp's scent to the boys' room. Jonny and Yosaku were playing cards on deck. He poked his head through the hatch, and saw Usopp in his hammock. Luffy climbed down and shut the hatch. "Why didn't you tell me?" Usopp asked quietly.
"Tell you what?"
"About the blood."
"What about it?"
"I know you drink it or something. Why didn't you tell me? Was that your 'medication'? Why did you hide it from me? Did you think I would be scared?" Luffy honestly said yes. "So you don't believe in me at all?"
Luffy floundered. "I didn't want to tell you anything so soon. You only joined, like, two weeks ago. It's not just drinking blood. That's just a big part of it… I don't want to scare you away."
"It's not like you drink our blood, it's not such a big deal." Luffy bit his lip. He told him he drank Zoro's blood when he wanted him to. "What?!" Luffy nodded. He explained Zoro liked the feeling, and it was mutually beneficial. "So, why do you do it?" Usopp clearly had no idea. Luffy turned the light on, and took out one of his colored contacts, and lifted his shirt with the other hand.
He sighed. "I'm not fully human. I'll die if I don't ingest blood every few days. The blood bags are enough, so drinking from Zoro is mostly because we both enjoy the feeling." Usopp looked shocked, and Luffy put the contact back in. "I was stabbed in the throat when fighting Kuro. So I drank a lot of his blood to heal it. So I didn't die from my own blood loss."
"So… what are you?"
"Well, I don't know. I don't know anything about my parents. My brothers nicknamed me a demon because of the eyes and blood and all, but I have no idea. I'm just… me, I guess. Just something. Zoro and Nami both know. Zoro knew the day I recruited him. He saw me doing it to a marine, but he just thinks it's really cool, and accepted it. He even wanted to test it out, and found he really liked the feeling. Nami noticed everything herself and asked. I told her and she was fine with it.
"Their reactions were so surprising! I didn't think others would react like that. We didn't hide it to hurt your feelings. I was just scared you'd be afraid of me. That's why I wanted to wait, and why I hid the ice chest." He finished and there was silence.
Usopp was silent, and Luffy wanted to know what he thought. "I'm not scared of you. But I was scared when you attacked Jango both times. Why did you react like that?" The captain shrugged. He didn't know.
He admitted, "I was really scared. I'm confident I won't hurt my friends, since Zoro was restraining me and I didn't attack him, but losing control… I never, ever, want to experience that again. It was like I was just a spectator." Usopp walked to him and hugged him. Luffy was shocked.
Shocked and confused were what he was feeling now. Was Usopp honestly not scared? He pulled away, and the long nosed teen smiled a shaky smile. "It's kind of scary, but I'm not scared of you. You're my friend!" Luffy nodded, wiping his eyes frantically. "And with all of us knowing, you don't have to wear the contacts anymore."
Luffy would probably keep them in. Not because he wanted to, but because he thought it would make them all uncomfortable. Usopp asked what blood tasted like. "Well, it's different for everyone, just like everybody smells different. Every blood bag, even if they're the same type, taste different. Sometimes they taste gross, sometimes they're really good. Zoro's is the best. Before him, I mostly used blood bags. Sometimes I was desperate or we ran out.
"I had to drink from other people twice at your island. Remember when I asked you guys to leave without me? When everyone was down? I drank from someone there. I was hiding it, but someone saw. Then I attacked Kuro. But I drank so much I felt physically ill. So I do have a limit, I don't suck people dry."
Usopp said blood tasted bad. Like metal. Luffy sat down. "I honestly think I have taste buds that react only to blood and others that don't, because the taste sensation is so wildly different between both things I need to survive. I don't know of anyone else like me, so I can't know if anything is 'normal'."
"When was the last time you drank?"
"The day before we docked. So, four days ago, I usually do every three. So I'll drink some tonight after work is done," Luffy said brightly. "I'm so happy you aren't scared!" he said in relief. "Now I don't have to hide everything. It was so hard." He sighed again, beaming. "Well, there are a lot of people coming, so I should get outside," he said, and bounded up the ladder and to Zoro and Nami. He jumped Zoro, and said, "He's not scared! We even talked about the stuff!"
Zoro and Nami both sighed in relief, beaming, too. Now none of them had to cover or hide anything. Though they'd still have to do that with Sanji. Luffy didn't know him well enough in that way as to feel comfortable and safe enough to tell him. "I'll get back to work. Zoro, I'm gonna need you tonight."
He blushed and nodded. Nami teased him, and then Luffy was back in the building. The people hadn't come yet, but his crew were prepared. And it only took half an hour more for the large crew to arrive. Not because they were far, but it seemed their ship was a broken piece of junk that barely sailed properly. And it was huge! He and a bunch of the chefs walked out. "That's a big ship. I wonder if they're here to repay you for your kindness. That would be cool."
Sanji asked how he knew they were coming. "I just did." Sanji didn't press, and took another drag of smoke. "That's Krieg, right? The ones who ran away from the Grand Line."
"Yeah. I won't be surprised if they're here to cause trouble," Sanji said smoothly. Their ship was huge, and in tatters. It had fallen apart. "What a shitty ship. If it fell apart like that." Sanji wasn't scared of the Grand Line, and Luffy felt he'd made real progress with him coming along willingly. The ship docked there, many times larger than the Baratie.
"Looks like a natural disaster hit it," Sanji said, a perplexed look on his face. "We should go back inside. Take cover if you need." Sanji didn't know he was strong. Well, he'd find out eventually.
The pair went back inside and stood behind some of the chefs, watching the much larger Don Kreig walk in with the help of Gin. So they did come to repay them for the food. But something didn't feel right. Both men looked weak and injured, so they might not be in any shape to fight or win if they tried.
"S-Sorry for intruding, but I need food and water. If it's money you want, I have plenty," Krieg said, voice tired and body weak. Otherwise he'd look really strong. Now, he just looked gaunt. Even seeing him like this, it didn't deter Luffy one bit to not go to the Grand Line. There was no other choice.
He looked and sounded weak to everyone else, too. He looked starving, like Gin had. Said man begged for help when Don Krieg fell. "Help save my captain, please!" he begged. Nobody was impressed, and nobody showed an ounce of sympathy. Every single chef refused to serve him food. Patty even said to call the marines.
Luffy asked, "Is he really that bad?"
Zeff affirmed this. He had done all sorts of unspeakable acts. Luffy "hummed". He saw Zoro and Usopp were in the restaurant and could hear the ship being moved to the back of the restaurant for safety. Good, that was the right choice. Protect the ship.
Everyone refused to feed him but Sanji. And even as they all told Sanji the horrid things Krieg had done, he didn't take the food away. And what he'd done was indeed despicable. Even Luffy would hesitate feeding him. But then he heard an intake of breath that you made when you were about to attack. Luffy heard his brothers do it so many times that he used it to his advantage. Always knowing when they'd attack next.
He acted immediately, and kicked Kreif in the face when he started to bring his arm down on Sanji. Luffy jumped him from behind and twisted his arm, breaking it. "He gave you food and you were gonna attack him?!" Luffy demanded angrily.
"How'd he know?" Patty asked. Luffy dropped down and glared at Kreig, whose arm Luffy had broken in a messy one. It would not be easy to heal.
"Damn it, you fool! You're all going to pay for this!" Gin told him that they were just to get food and be peaceful! Honestly, why did he believe that this terrible person would be calm and polite like that? Of course he'd attack after he was satisfied. But why attack the Baratie? It was just a restaurant ship.
Gin was grabbed around the throat and thrown into the wall. Like he was nothing. "This is a nice restaurant you got here. I'll take it. My ship is all worn out. I've been looking for a new one. Once my business is done with you, I'll have you get off." He said it so calmly that it irritated Luffy. "After I kill that one, that is."
Luffy stuck his tongue out at him. It made his lip twitch and jaw clench. He was no doubt not used to people being openly disrespectful and unafraid at the same time. He demanded they feed and give water to his 100 men, who were all critically wounded and starving. Luffy hated people like this. So entitled that they think everyone should do what they want for free. That it was just natural that others do their bidding without complaint.
He was very annoyed.
"No way are we giving all your men food when we know they'll attack us!" Gin was apologizing to Sanji. Luffy could tell his guilt and remorse was true. Luffy stretched his arms and grabbed him until the pits, yanking him to safety. Gin was crying in shame. Luffy told him not to cry. He didn't mean for this to happen, right? "No, I didn't. But I lead them here! Captain, this wasn't what we were going to do!"
Kreig paid no attention. "I'm not requesting the food. I'm ORDERING IT! And nobody disobeys my order!" he roared. It scared everyone there but some of the chefs and Luffy. They all stood tall and unwavering. But Sanji turned to go to the kitchen. Zeff asked where he was going.
"To prepare 100 meals."
"Sanji…" Luffy said, feeling like that was wrong. To help somebody like this who was going to hurt you. The chefs all pointed guns at him. Luffy didn't like that, but he felt they were in the right on this one. Feeding a starving man who had no money and was desperate was completely different than people promising to steal their ship and harm them. Why help them?
Chivalry was good and all, but this was just… not right. Both sides held their beliefs. Sanji was adamant about preventing anybody from starving, no matter who they were, while the other chefs demanded he be reasonable. Patty finally did something and slammed Sanji down from behind. "Hold him down!" Someone came and held him down. "I know you go and feed those I drive away for free! I'm not gonna say which one of us is right in that, but this time it's all your fault! Don't you do anything else unnecessary. I'll protect this damn ship myself!"
"He didn't know Gin would bring him back! It's not Sanji's fault!" Luffy said.
"Who do you think you are? You're just a failure errand boy! Things would have been better here if you hadn't been forced to stay!" Patty shot at him. Luffy scowled. He was glad Zoro wasn't there or he'd kill that guy. "Fortunately, the only one we have to fight is Kreig! What can he do against all of us?" the chef asked confidently.
Luffy made no response. Patty confidently took out a gun. A big one, from somewhere. He was determined to prove a point to Sanji. Maybe to everyone. He didn't hesitate to shoot Kreig, who was blasted by an explosive bullet. He was thrown backwards into the railing, a painful slamming noise heard.
But Luffy heard him chuckle under his breath. He was just fine. "He's just fine," Luffy said quietly. No one heard but Zeff, who watched him strangely, and then raised his brows when krieg came out of the smoke, wearing metal armor. "He's wearing iron armor!" Patty shouted, shocked his attack didn't work.
They charged him, but Luffy could easily smell gunpowder coming out. He had tons of guns. Luffy didn't wait to act and jumped on him. It surprised everyone that Luffy had leapt onto the guy. And despite his broken arm, he was using it just fine. He was strong. More like durable. Luffy wrapped his legs around him and used his fingers to tear off the armor from behind, which wasn't as compact as in the front.
He still had complete control. Maybe he should have had some blood this morning or last night. He was kind of hungry all day. Well, after this he'd get some blood.
Luffy was grabbed by the shirt and thrown back to the entrance. His hat fell off, but it was too hectic for anyone to comment on his weird hair. Multiple guns that were coming out of multiple parts of his body were aimed at Luffy, and he shot while Luffy stood there, not moving even as Sanji and Zeff grew worried. All of the bullets riddled him, creating holes and tears in his clothes. But they all bounced back, and one caught Krieg's ear, making him hiss as it was blown away by his own ricocheted bullet.
Luffy didn't let him monologue, instead he attacked him viciously, wanting this to be over. He felt an odd emptiness in the area. Like something was missing, he wasn't hearing something he should. But he was mostly focusing on Kreig and being as annoying as possible, snaking his fingers through the gaps in his equipment. He shattered some of it, got his gloves off and tossed them into the ocean. While he was distracted, the chefs came and attacked, Sanji kicking the man's head.
He was overwhelmed before he threw all of them off. Luffy wrapped his hands around his head, and stretched back before he slammed forward and nailed his knee into the back of his head. He felt the skull shatter underneath it.
The half human had a terrible feeling and he didn't know what it was from. He assumed it was from Krieg, so he attacked him. Preemptively making it so the bad feeling didn't manifest. He ripped the cape off and, while he was stunned, Luffy pulled everything apart and chucked it into the water.
He was not going easy. But that bad feeling was still there. Even as Krieg's face planted, everyone was shocked, and as the cooks tied his hands behind his back, it didn't leave. Luffy did wonder what he encountered in the Grand Line, but it wasn't worth asking him. Maybe they could ask Gin instead.
Sanji walked up to him and Luffy jumped. He walked to Zoro, he and Usopp looking worried. "What's wrong?" Zoro asked in concern. "You got the bad guy, taking him out in a boring way. Didn't even let him monologue." Luffy said he had a really bad feeling. But he couldn't figure out what it was.
The chefs were wrapping Kreig in rope and chain, anything they had. Though his head was bleeding and his skull was cracked open. Luffy wondered if he'd just killed somebody. His hands were shaking. The chefs dumped Kreig back onto his ship, but Gin was staying for now. He was still very bothered. Luffy wondered how he'd even go back to that ship. Surely he didn't care much about Kreig after he lied and then attacked him.
Patty asked what did happen to their fleet. Nobody was worried about Kreig anymore. He wasn't a threat with his brain damaged. Luffy didn't pay much attention to the story, distracted, before he noticed Zoro jerk. "What? What happened?" Luffy asked, brought back to the present.
"He said Hawk-eye defeated them all alone."
Luffy asked if that was the guy Zoro wanted to defeat. He grinned. "Yeah, that's him. If he's in the area, then we might come across him. And I can finally find out how good I am." Luffy couldn't help the look of worry. "Don't worry, I'll be fine." Luffy didn't argue, not wanting to offend Zoro. "I trusted you weren't gonna die against Kreig or Kuro. Believe in me."
"I do believe in you! I just worry, too. I can't help it," Luffy said quietly. He looked to Sanji, who was looking uncertain. He wasn't making eye contact. "Hey, Zeff! Can I be let off?" Luffy asked. He had been a major reason their restaurant was safe and not taken over completely by the bad pirates.
Zeff replied, "Yes. All you've done is mess with the quality of our restaurant. I'll be glad to get rid of you." Luffy cheered, grinning brightly. Zoro smiled and Usopp was happy to not stick around anymore, either. He couldn't wait to tell Nami they could go to her island now! He got up and ran to where he thought the ship had been.
It… wasn't there. Instead Jonny and Yosaku were floating in the water. "Where's Nami?" Luffy demanded. Zoro walked over, and they heard that Nami had taken the ship and left. Luffy's hearing faded. He looked at Zoro, but they were all distracted when the galleon, holding Kreig and his crew members, all still injured and hungry, was sliced in half, making the whole ship rock from the waves.
Luffy helped the two guests out of the water. He was numb. Nami left. He had promised to help her. And she took all his blood bags with her. He went to Zoro, tell him his concern. He was four days out. He had planned on taking some that night. Four days out gave him less than three days until he died.
Was he going to die? "Zoro-" but he stopped when he saw Zoro's expression as he looked behind the ship, which was in two slices. Starving pirates and dead bodies floated or struggled in the suction made by the sinking ship. Screaming for help.
Usopp hid behind Luffy. "Who is that?" Usopp asked, fearful of whoever clearly chopped that galleon in half.
Zoro grinned. "Mihawk," he hissed.
"Wait, I can still see the ship!" Luffy said, just barely. "Just barely! We can catch up with her! We have to go now!" Zoro was distracted, focusing on nothing but Mihawk. He was standing in front of his dream, to defeat him. Luffy was torn. He didn't want to hurt Zoro. But the ship was still in view! They could get it if they went now. "Zoro…"
He felt he was talking to a wall. He looked at Usopp, who also hadn't made the connection. They needed to get back to the ship. Even if he did get to drink from Zoro, it would be around everyone. Sanji would see. So they needed what was on the ship! It was literally life and death for Luffy, but he couldn't bring himself to do anything but let Zoro fight.
Even if he told him they were going, he'd stay behind. Luffy wasn't sure how to feel. He felt alone, nobody sensing the danger but him. Usopp didn't remember. He knew Nami would not have taken them on purpose, but it still hurt that she left without them, took their ship. He still wanted her as a navigator, but this was really an awful thing to do.
Zoro walked forward to watch Mihawk advance and slice the ship one more time. It was kind of sadistic. He could hear his excuse for following them this whole time, back into the East Blue, all the way to the Baratie was to kill time. They were nothing to him. Their swords couldn't reach, their bullets were deflected by his sword, and Don Kreig was still useless, along with any weapons he'd had.
That crew was in shambles, and Mihawk was making sure to destroy them into nothing. Could Zoro win against someone like this? Luffy felt his throat start to ache. Maybe it was in his head, he didn't know. But he'd gone a week without it once, and it was hell. Why didn't he just drink the night before! Well, he didn't expect this to happen! He couldn't blame himself, and he couldn't bring himself to resent Nami. He knew it wasn't all a lie. It never was or he could have easily heard her heart showing she was lying. Especially after getting a lot of useful tells from Usopp's lies.
He was only good at reading lies when he heard the person's heartbeat. He hadn't been focusing on Nami's, but still. But was she going to leave them? Luffy really didn't want that. No, he wouldn't let that. She was happy with him, and he'd keep his promise of helping her with her island situation. He'd beat the shit out of anyone that made his crew cry.
"Zoro- Zoro, we need to go after Nami! I'm sorry, but we need to get after the ship-"
"This is my fight. I've been waiting for this for my whole life. I have to do it! We can find Nami later! Right? You'll be able to tell where she is, won't you?" Luffy knew that was a good point. But Zoro didn't seem to be connecting the dots. He didn't want to burden him, he didn't want to be an annoyance or hindrance. So he nodded.
They would wait.
Zoro moved forward, and Luffy could smell the sweat and heard his heart hammering. He was nervous and afraid, but very excited. Luffy and Usopp moved back to where the crowd was. To Sanji, who was sitting against the wall, smoking. "What's with you?" Sanji asked, seeing Luffy's pinched face.
"Our navigator stole our ship without saying anything. I have medicine on that ship that I need to have. I want to go after her now… but I don't want to ruin Zoro's dream." Sanji looked baffled that Nami would do this, even though they'd not spent nearly as much time together as he and Sanji had. "It's okay. We'll catch up and I'll get it in time. I'm just over reacting."
"And a terrible liar. If you're that scared about it, force him! You're his captain, aren't you?" Sanji asked. Usopp wasn't listening, worried about Zoro's safety himself.
Luffy said, "We'll leave the moment Zoro's match is over. No matter how it ends. So, you should pack your things now. We won't be able to come pick you up again." He looked at Sanji and smiled. "C'mon, you wanna join now, right?"
Sanji bit his lip. "I… I can't." Luffy's face fell, and he nodded, looking back at Zoro.
"Did you cut that ship?" he asked.
"I did," Hawkeye replied.
Zoro let out an uneasy chuckle. "No wonder. You really are the strongest. I set sail to meet you," he said, his voice not trembling anymore. He was still nervous, but he was now running on adrenaline. Anticipation making his heart hammer in his chest.
Hawkeye still had his calm and collected voice. It almost sounded empty, to be honest. "...What do you aim for?" he asked, still sitting serenely in his little one-manned boat. He found no threat in Zoro.
"To be the strongest," Zoro said, and tied his bandana around his head. Usually, Luffy would find it really attractive, but he was a big bundle of nerves and disappointment about Sanji. He ended up going inside, not watching. Luffy didn't eavesdrop on him or what he was doing, and only focused on his boyfriend and his enemy/goal. "You said you're free, right? Let's have a duel," Zoro said, grinning like a mad man.
Luffy at least hoped he had fun, and if he lost, would learn from it and be a good sport about it. "Pathetic, weak." Luffy got angry. "You, shut up!" he roared.
"Luffy!" Zoro called. "It's fine." Luffy turned red in the face and sighed. He wouldn't say anything else. It was Zoro's deul. The reason he joined Luffy in the first place. He knew that this wouldn't make Zoro leave. Even if he did beat Hawkeye, he still looked forward to the chaos promised in the Grand Line.
Hawkeye got off of his craft, and stood a bit away from Zoro on the broken deck. "If you're such a competent swordsman by any means, then I can demonstrate the pure difference in strength between you and I," the man said coolly. "Without needing to cross blades at all. But still, you dare to challenge me. Does your bravery come from conviction?" he asked. "Or from ignorance?" Luffy hated how belittling he was to Zoro. Zoro was amazing and strong. Nobody puts down his Zoro and gets away with it.
He was seething, his worry leaving as anger and irritation took over. He welcomed these feelings more than the worry and fear. This way, he didn't feel he was looking down on him at all. "It comes from my ambition, and a promise of a friend." That's right, they never talked about his past like they said they would.
It had honestly not been that big of a deal anyway, if they both forgot about it.
"To be honest, I never thought I would meet you this early on," Zoro said. Hawkeye called it a waste of time. Zoro wasn't getting angry, he was keeping his cool. Which was admirable when your goal was literally in front of you and belittling you.
He did get mad, however, when Hawkeye literally took out a tiny sword. Not even the size of a dagger. Short and small. "Just what're you planning to do with that?" Zoro asked darkly. Hawkeye simply said it was all he needed to take him on. He told Zoro he was weak, even if he was strong in the weakest sea.
"Unfortunately, I don't have a smaller blade." Zoro demanded to know how much he was going to underestimate him. Luffy wanted to tell him to calm down, but he just couldn't.
"Don't regret it when you die!" he roared, rushing towards Hawkeye recklessly. Luffy watched through his fingers as Zoro charged, and Hawkeye countered by not even moving, just sticking his hand out with the blade that Zoro's swords had all stopped. All of them, by that tiny blade. Luffy knew he'd lose, but he didn't want to acknowledge that thought and be seen as a traitor. Even by himself. He didn't even want to see himself as a traitor to his lover's dream.
But Zoro was getting frantic and desperate. Angry and worried. He was not making himself look good. He seemed reckless and not composed as Hawkeye deflected everything with the tiny blade. Jonny and Yosaku were cheering him on. "C'mon big bro, defeat him! You can do it!"
The green haired teen wouldn't want to hear people cheer him on, or he'd feel they thought he was losing. So Luffy didn't show him any disrespect by trying to cheer him on as he was losing. He watched in silence, not stoic, but silently. He was standing with his fists clenched tight enough. Then he moved his hands to hold onto the brim of his hat.
"C'mon! I trained to win!" Zoro shouted as he breathed harshly around his sword. "I came to beat this man! That's all!"
Luffy looked down, hands falling to his sides. Zoro's dream and ambition were worth more than Luffy ever could be. He was able to keep his tears in, feeling weak with the burning sensation in them. But he couldn't leave, he couldn't go inside. He had to stay and see this through, even if it hurt him terribly. If Zoro died, then the last words he would have heard, was Zoro saying all that mattered was his dream.
"What burdens you so? What do you still desire at the extent of your strength, weakling?" Hawkeye asked, though he sounded curious now. Not just dismissive, even if his words said otherwise. Jonny and Yosaku were furious, but Luffy stretched his arm to grab their shirts and yank them back.
"Don't interfere. Stay right here." Usopp looked down at Luffy, and saw his red eyes. And that he kept swallowing. A look of sudden realization came on his face.
"Luffy, he didn't mean it like that," Usopp said loudly. "He didn't word it right. You're really important." Luffy put his hand up. He didn't want Zoro to hear and get distracted. He wasn't just upset over his words and what he was seeing, but that Zoro didn't connect the dots about the issue with Nami stealing the ship.
As Zoro grew sloppy with anxiety or fatigue, the blade was stabbed into his chest. Luffy just grit his teeth, feeling they would break from it. He held in a scream. "Do you wish for me to pierce your heart? Why do you not back up?" Zoro did stay right there, not even trying to get away. Was backing away really that shameful?
"Beats me. I'm not really sure myself…. But I get the feeling that if I were to take even one step from where I am now, I'd lose something very important to me. A promise or oath… or whatever it was would be irreparably broken… and that I'd never be able to return to where I am standing right now." He sounded so calm despite having a blade sticking out of his chest. Bleeding and dripping the red down onto his black boots.
"Such is defeat," Hawkeye said simply.
Zoro took a deep, shuddering breath. "That's why I can't step back."
"Even if it means your death?"
"Then I'd rather die." Luffy swallowed down more tears. He felt like a spike was in his chest, too. He should have never gotten so attached. Zoro no doubt only liked him after he drank from him that first time. Maybe it was just some demon seduction move or something. Or maybe Zoro only wanted him for that feeling.
He shouldn't care that much. It had only been for two months. It wasn't ever real.
He felt dumb.
"Kid, tell me your name," Hawkeye said, and pulled the blade out. It was so short that it was instant. It didn't even seem like he pulled anything out besides the thicker stream of blood dripping to the deck.
"Roronoa Zoro."
Hawkeye took his huge sword off of his back, and Luffy knew this was it. "I shall remember it. For your strength is not often seen in this world." Even though Luffy was full of hurt and doubt, he was still proud his swordsman got complimented, finally. "And to pay my respect to you as a fellow swordsman, I shall end this deul with my black sword, the world's strongest sword."
They both shot at each other, and it was like the world went in slow motion as two of Zoro's swords shattered. He sheathed his Wano ichimonji, the one he cared about the most, and opened his arms wide, finally giving up but with honor. "Scars on the back are a swordsman's shame."
Hawkeye grinned. "Splendid." Though Luffy was expecting it for a while now, he still screamed when Zoro was slashed across the chest, spraying blood everywhere.
"ZORO!" he screamed. Usopp shouted too, and Luffy saw Sanji watching from the doorway in shock. The defeated teen fell into the water with a splash, and though Luffy knew he was no match, he was so furious that he went after Hawkeye, tears in his eyes. But he didn't lose control. He didn't hesitate to shoot his arm forward as a punch, missing.
Those on the ship who hadn't seen him use it yet were in shock about seeing a devil fruit user in person. Since it was so rare. When he landed in front of Hawkeye with tears in his eyes, the man looked surprised. But he still wasn't threatened at all by Luffy's attacks. "Worry not, young one. That man is still alive."
Luffy jerked up and looked over when he saw Jonny pulling a heavily bleeding Zoro out of the water. He'd never been so horrified seeing blood. "Zoro!" he shouted. "ZORO!" Luckily, he was dragged onto the boat they were going to take to follow Nami.
"I am Dracule Mihawk," the man said, startling Luffy, who had forgotten he was there. "It is much too early for you to die! Know thyself, know thy world! And become strong, Roronoa! No matter how many years or months pass by, I shall stand here at the top of the world to wait for you! So forge ahead with that fierce conviction and try to surpass my sword! Surpass me, Roronoa Zoro!"