Disclaimer: I do in no way, shape or form own the series One Piece; Eiichiro Oda does. Neither am I making any type of monetary gain off of this fanfiction; I am merely looking to improve my writing. I do not own the picture used as a cover for this story, either. That is taken from google, and unless I am entirely mistaken, is made by someone calling themselves zerocustom1989. All credits for the picture go to that person.
Location 4:
Punk Hazard, Ceasar Clown's Lab, Building A (Lobby)
He realized now (when it had been so close to being too late) what their time apart had done to the crew. He almost felt like smacking himself for not noticing it earlier (because he really, really should have; it was his job to notice things like this, damn it, because Rodger knows that Luffy almost never does), because now that he had seen it, it just seemed so fucking obvious. He blamed the fact that he was just as affected as the rest of the crew, as well as the fact that they had all seemed to fit so seamlessly (well, apart from the stupid cook, but he did not really count; not to mention that he was "cured" now) back together, despite their two-year absence from each other, for his mistake. Still, that was no excuse (never an excuse; they had almost gotten killed for this "mistake"... several times!) for not noticing how overconfident and complacent they had all grown.
Luffy, of all people, had needed to lose and almost die (and despite it happening before, it had never been like this, when all of them had been helpless to fight back) before he finally recognized this island for the wake-up call it was. As they left Fishman Island behind, they had also left Paradise behind. He had known this, but he had not understood it. They had all grown so secure in their own strength during their training, surrounded by familiar surroundings, opponents and obstacles that they had forgotten the fact that there would always be someone stronger (maybe not immediately, but someone would always come sooner or later, and he knew this, damn it; he was one of those who climbed for the title of "strongest", himself, after all). He himself had compared this island to "Hell" when he first arrived, but he had still not understood. This place was hell, even if it could also be heaven, the place where all their dreams came true. It was the New World; he understood that now.
Fishman Island had been so deceptively easy, despite the fact that fishmen and merpeople were supposed to be so much stronger than humans that the entire crew had forgotten that that was not what they had trained for. No, they had not trained for that island (it was only one stop on the way towards their dreams, after all, so why stop there?), they had trained for this. For the New World. It was high time that they all remembered it, and it seemed like he would have to be the one to remind them.
He contained his anger as Usopp tried to laugh off his warning (he knew that it was only because he was nervous, but it still pissed him off; he did not want to see any of his crewmates dead, and that is what would happen if they were to continue as they had), but could not keep it from leaking out into his tone as he gave Luffy the harsh but necessary warning.
The anger trailed off as Luffy answered, and turned into amused irritation at what happened next. He really should have known better than to expect complete seriousness from his slightly childish Captain, but he had somehow still done so (though he would have to admit, even if only to himself, that Luffy would not have been Luffy if he had reacted in any other way). Still, he felt some of the weight fall off him now that Luffy was on top of things again, and he felt a justified confidence grow within him; they would all get off this hellish island alive, in the end, with victory in their hands.
Nothing could stop their Captain once he set his sights on something, after all.
This story is dedicated to Vendelareader, as a present to her! :D
I would be very happy if you could drop a review on your way out :)