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Chapter 4 – No Doubt?
After what seemed like an eternity, Luffy somehow managed to half jump, half hobble his way back to the town. All the way his legs didn't stop shaking. Blood dripped from his stomach and there were cuts and bruises all over his body. It should hurt, he thought briefly, but all he felt was dim numbness. He was deeply ashamed, but most of all shocked. He was so sure he could bring them back, and now it was all for nothing. There had to be a way to beat Chakena, yet he couldn't think of any.
All Luffy could focus on were his friends and how they still denied him. Luffy was so angry, so unbelievable furious and sad that he just had to get away. As it was, he couldn't beat him. He lost the battle, and now he had to recollect and figure something out... first of all, he needed to remember what he forgot.
And he had to do something against this cold hollowness that spread out inside him like a virus. Because without his nakama, he was nothing. They were the fuel to hope and his strong will.
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"He was... weird." Usopp stated, unable to find the right words. The others nodded.
"What exactly did he want, anyway?" Sanji muttered while he took a long drag of his cigarette. He flicked the ash into the sea.
"I hope we got rid of him for once and all. What an annoying guy." Chakena stated, obviously happy he was gone for good. Then he turned to the shipwright.
"Franky, I want you to repair that railing as soon as possible. We don't want any other insects crawling in during the night."
Franky lifted one eyebrow at the choice of words but complied. "Yeah, sure." He wondered about that strange attitude of his captain. When he thought back, wasn't there always a grin upon that guy's face? A silly, stupid grin. Where did that cheerfulness vanish to? Franky shook his head. When he asked Chakena directly, he'd look at him as if he was insane. Was he just confused? Chakena assured him he was still the same, and Franky suddenly felt like he was the one mistaken.
And he felt like there was really more to the boy than they knew. This strawhat guy... it was making him uncomfortable when he was around, and Franky didn't know why. He wasn't troubling them as much as former enemies had, he was just persistent and, well, confused them all to no end. Parts of what he said made sense, but they just couldn't believe him. It seemed unreal that Chakena really wasn't their captain! They would know, wouldn't they?
The cyborg went downstairs to get some wood and nails to rebuild the railing. As far as he knew, the others wanted to leave the island this evening so he hurried up with his task. Better leave the thinking for later, now it only kept him from doing his work.
The rest of the crew had assembled in the kitchen safe for Zoro who lifted the anchor, Nami who checked the weather and Usopp who had volunteered to help Franky.
"I guess it's fine to leave now. The air pressure is normal and the wind picking up is just perfect." Nami said more to herself. Then she walked back to the kitchen. "Chakena? I think we can sail off if you want."
Chakena gulped down his tea and replied, "Yeah, sure. You heard it, right? Let's go guys."
"Aye!" The others replied. Sanji and Brook went out to open the sails, and Zoro finished securing the anchor. Franky and Usopp were still repairing the railing, chatting about this and that. Chopper turned into his bigger form and took care of the steering wheel.
"Is it really that wise to leave now, Chakena? It's getting dark soon and we should also restock more supplies." Robin excited the kitchen and stood behind Chakena and Nami who watched the others. Her captain shrugged without turning back.
"I think the darkness is nothing to be bothered by. The supply's fine. And it's a captain's job to decide, not an archaeologist's."
Both Robin and Nami stared at him after that. "How can you talk to Robin like that? You've been acting weird." Nami asked, frowning. Honestly, what was wrong with him?
"Perhaps, the captain is tired?" Robin asked but it sounded rather cold. Chakena shrugged again and Nami's frown deepened.
Robin's eyes narrowed a tad. "Or maybe it has something to do with that boy from before?" She suggested and watched how Chakena's shoulders tensed. Nami obviously noticed it, too, and she seized the chance and asked,
"Who was that guy? You knew him, didn't you?"
Chakena shot around, glaring. "So what if I did?"
"Hey, what's your problem!" Nami hissed. "Just talk to us so that we know what's going on!"
"Last time I checked, I was captain and not the likes of you! So if you'd just kindly shut up and leave me alone?!" Chakena spat and shoved Nami aside.
She yelped and grabbed onto the railing to prevent falling down. She stared at her captain in shock and anger, and Robin wore a similar expression. Sanji, who could hear Nami's voice ten miles against the wind, appeared soon and asked what was wrong.
"None of your business, cook." Chakena grumbled and Sanji blinked.
"Huh? What is the problem?" Sanji asked, thinking he might have misheard. This was an entirely new side of their captain and as the rest of the crew appeared behind Sanji, they all noticed the tensed atmosphere around him.
"What's going on, guys?" Franky wanted to know. "You having a fight?"
Chakena glared at all of them. "No, I'm just surprised this is such an unfaithful crew who doubts their captain!"
"What? We never said that!" Chopper protested. "What happened, anyway?"
"Yeah, what the hell are you talking about?" Zoro asked. Brook noticed how strangely Nami and Robin looked at Chakena and instinctively stepped between them. Chakena pretended not to notice and just continued his grumbling.
Nami was thankful for the skeleton, it was somehow comforting. Still, she took a few steps back, away from her captain. She eyed him warily, not sure what to make of this. Her instincts told her to bring some space between them. He'd been acting weird yesterday as well. And he'd never shove her like this, not her captain! Something must be definitely wrong for him to act so out of character, and Nami slowly began to worry.
"Just tell us what's wrong, maybe we can help. It's about that guy, isn't it? You gave an odd reaction when Robin mentioned him." She tried to say it gently, and Chakena's shoulder's sagged.
"You won't stop me bugging about that strawhat boy, will you?" Chakena whispered in defeat.
"Well, he was strange that's for sure. And we just want to know who he was. We all felt some kind of familiarity about him, you know, there was a certain vibe that none of us can put a finger on." Sanji answered coolly.
"He was different from our other enemies. He obviously had no interest in fighting us and just focused at you. And he was not a bounty hunter. " Zoro stated with arms crossed. He, as well, wanted answers, and he wanted them now. It was like Chakena kept something from them, and he hated it.
"He was really sad and desperate...?" Robin murmured more to herself than the others.
"I could have sworn I knew his smell! My nose was twitching the whole time." Chopper piped up. "And it seemed as if he knew us as well. Did we meet him before?"
"That's true, he talked to us as if we were old friends or something like that... it was creepy! I don't remember him at all!" Brook put in. The whole crew watched Chakena with careful, scrutinizing eyes.
"Is it... is it possible that we lost parts of our memory?" Usopp, who had been silent up until now, wondered aloud. Chakena's eyes widened and even though the sky was darkening, the crew could see how he paled. They were alarmed by his reaction.
"So that's it?!" Franky yelled.
"Eh, no way! Really? Chakena?" Chopper squeaked.
"Is that true? Do we have some kind of amnesia?" Nami pressed, grabbing him at the shoulder. Much to everyone's shock, Chakena slapped Nami across the face and she yelped again, flying against Robin who quickly caught her.
The crew's anger was practically tangible in the air. Zoro's hand shot to his swords a tad faster than Brook's, Usopp grabbed his slingshot, Franky lifted a fist, Chopper turned into a bigger form but Sanji beat them all. He roared and shot forward to kick Chakena hard. The captain hadn't seen that coming and had no time to dodge it. He slammed against the mast and coughed, holding his stomach.
"Damn you..!"
"Who are you?!" Zoro barked, swords pulled out. Now all his instincts were ringing in alarm, telling him to be careful of his so-called captain. "And what is the deal with this strawhat guy?!"
Franky readied his strong right. "What the hell is going on?!"
"You guys really piss me off! You don't go around and question the captain's words! What kind of crappy crew are you?! Just ignore that shitty boy, I'm your captain! Me, and he's just some random asshole! Why can't you leave him alone?! What's so special about him?!" Chakena coughed, glaring hatefully.
The crew glared back, ready to lash out again. Now he was showing them his real face and finally dropped that stupid mask. The uneasiness that had built up the past hours finally proved to be right.
"What's the deal with him, you ask... He's acting like we're important to him." Usopp told him clearly, hatefully, with shaking legs but a strong voice. "I don't believe we'd chose someone like you as our captain, no matter what my memories tell me. It's all blurry anyway and I feel sick when I think about the journey we still have ahead of us if you are really my captain."
"Nicely said, Usopp-bro!" Franky clapped his shoulder.
"Same here. Now it's time for you to give us some answers, otherwise I'll smash that head of yours in. If you really were our captain, you wouldn't hurt Nami!" Sanji shouted, a fire in his eyes. "The captain I remember would always put us first!"
"The captain you remember? Tch, don't make me laugh!" Chakena spat. "I can play this game all day. I won't let you go back to that stupid jerk, throwing me aside like a toy. I have to admit, your bond with him is really strong. I haven't met a crew's like yours before, it was kinda intriguing at first but in the end it's just annoying."
He stood up and raised his arms. Robin hissed and crossed her arms, letting hands sprout on Chakena's limbs to hold him in place. She tried to force his arms back down again but Chakena acted fast.
"Catch him!" Zoro shouted.
As he, Sanji and Franky at him jumped, Chakena yelled it out for everyone to hear, and it was too late for the crew.
"Strawhat crew! Memories of the strawhat boy today and yesterday: Forgotten! Memories of the last ten minutes: Forgotten!"
They gasped, stopping dead in their tracks... and then the crew knew nothing. As they all tried to gather their bearings, rubbing their heads in wonder and looking around, confused, Chakena exhaled deeply. Deleting so many memories in a row was exhausting.
'Too close. They are something else to figure out my abilities. I have to be on watch from now on so that it doesn't escalate like this again. I let the real me shine through too much, ' he thought grimly.
"Wha-what was that?" Nami muttered, still a bit disorientated. "I could have sworn something knocked me down just now."
"Are you hurt, Nami-san?" Sanji asked kindly, beside her in a matter of seconds to help her up.
"No, I think I'm fine. Thanks." She answered, grabbing his offered hand.
Zoro still held his forehead. He knew something important had just happened... but what? There was a blurriness in his head he couldn't get rid off, and a headache was forming.
"We were hit by a gust of wind. Are you all okay?" Chakena asked with fake worry, but no one noticed. They all blinked at him and nodded after a while. The captain grinned inwardly. Once again, he had erased all doubts from their minds.
"Uuah, that was scary." Chopper murmured.
'I should have been able to detect that! How could this happen?' Nami frowned at the sky, still not feeling anything out of place. The weather seemed as fine as minutes before. Well, the New World weather was anything but normal. She shrugged and turned on her heels, making her way back into the warm kitchen.
"I wonder what kind of island we see next?" Chopper said, already excited as he hopped after Brook who laughed. "Exciting indeed!"
Chakena followed the others as they went after Nami but stopped shortly to throw one last glance at the island. He watched as it grew smaller quickly until it had disappeared completely.
Then he smirked. "Farewell, Strawhat."
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Zoro awoke with a start. His entire body shook. What was that strange dream about? He closed his eyes, trying to catch his breath. As far as he could remember, his dream had been pleasantly... or so he thought. Memories had mixed before his inner eye like a water spilled into a river, and he tried to calm down. His heart was beating madly as he thought about this strange dream.
"So, your name is Roronoa Zoro?I'm Chakena! Nice to meet ya."
"Okay, if you join my crew then I'll get your swords back!"
"He overheard the conversation of Morgan's son and got so mad he hit him for you!"
"Don't waver... if you waver, then who can we rely on?"
"If I can't even protect my captain, then my own ambition is worthless. He is the man who's going to be Pirate King!"
"This is where the New World begins! Get a grip!"
"Yeah, Sorry!"
"Nice, Zoro!"
"Aye, captain!"
Sanji wasn't any better. He turned and tossed in his sleep, muttering nonsense under his breath but didn't wake from his restless sleep.
"Why would you go that far for your dreams, you morons?! Just give up and live!"
"Even if armed with hundreds of weapons, there are times when you can't beat a man who is armored by pure conviction."
"If you don't risk your life, you can't create a future."
"I might not be that much worth yet, but my head belongs to Black Leg Sanji of the Strawhats, and I'm the one to stir up the most trouble in the future! So take mine instead!"
"ZORO, SANJI, USOPP, NAMI! I'm sorry... I'm already dead."
Scenes changed, and Sanji turned around again, frowning. He muttered something under his breath. He didn't hear Usopp's hitched breathes as he made a face in his sleep as well. So many meaningful memories at once, and they all made him uncomfortable.
"There are times when you have to stand up and fight like a man. It's when someone mocks the dream your friend fights for! I won't let you laugh at him!"
"I will leave this crew. And I challenge you to a match!"
"Goodbye Usopp... it's been fun."
"Even if the sky is full of clouds and we can't see the sun, there is still hope! This isn't hell! So stop looking dead! STOP MAKING US WORRY, DAMMIT!"
"Got it. This isn't hell or anything."
"Ch-Chakena... beat him so that we can go home together!"
"OF COURSE!"
"They... are leaving without me...?"
"I'M SORRY!"
A tear escaped his eye and Usopp blinked as he woke, rubbing at them in wonder. He was crying..? Usopp wiped his nose and turned to look at his friends. None of them seemed to have a pleasant night. He watched as Franky flinched a bit and then laid completely still safe for the rise of his chest.
"I don't care about the money. I won't stop until I send you flying!"
"Heeey, we're here, Franky! Give us the ship!"
"If you want your pants back, then become our nakama!"
"Uwaah.. I love you guys!"
"You are right... how could I forget a man's romance?! Let me sing a song about that..."
"Shishishi, I like the way you handle things, Franky!"
"Uoooh, you look amazing!"
Chopperfrowned heavily, head turning and tossing. Even though he was sweating badly, his little body trembled in his sleep as ghosts of the pasts came to find him.
"Is he a monster?!"
"I don't have any nakama!"
"I'M YOUR NAKAMA!"
"This isn't a flag you can break down and laugh at!"
"We have a doctor, doctor!"
"Oouh, you are amazing, Chopper!"
"P-please s-save th-them... they are m-my friends!"
"If they want to save the kids, then we're not leaving."
Brook lay as still as a stone, not moving a single bone. In his mind, he was running away from all those memories that seemed to follow him, laughing at him. He was scared.
"Hiya! Do you poop? But more importantly, do you wanna join my crew?"
"Don't worry, Brook. I'll go and kick that guy's ass to the moon and save your shadow!"
"Hahaha! Skull jooooke! You are so funny!"
"Sing a song! Song, song, song!"
"Finally we got our musician!"
"Stop right there, guys. Think about how Chakena would feel if he knew one of his friends had to suffer for him."
Meanwhile, the girls had similar sleeping troubles. Robin awoke with a start, eyes wide and staring up at the ceiling in confusion and a little fear. What was this gut-clenching feeling? Voices from her dream returned and seemed to haunt her. Her eyes squeezed shut, trying to ignore them.
"Are you crazy?! Don't think you can survive by having the whole world as your enemy!"
"YOU WANNA BET?!"
"I haven't heard it from you! Say that you wanna live, Robiiiin!"
"I don't care about that. We just came to save our friend."
"I won't let you harm my friends... or the east blue!"
"Eh? What are you reading?"
"Nico Robin...if this is your answer, then it's fine. You found your place."
"PLEASE STOP THIS!"
Nami mumbled in her sleep, her fists tightened and she pulled a grimace. Words echoed in her head like a ghost.
"They are your comrades! How can you kill them off?!"
"Please help me...,"
"Of course I'll help you!"
"He made my navigator cry!"
"You are my nakama!"
"... so with that said... please come and save me from Shiki."
"Don't worry, Nami. I'll get you and Sanji to a doctor now!"
"RUN, GUYS! RUN AWAY! Meet up in three days!"
Nami awoke, blinking into the darkness. The last piece of dream had creeped her out. She didn't want to think back to that day they all separated... Rubbing her arms as if feeling cold, she pulled the blanked up to her chin, shivering. She closed her eyes after a while, hoping she could find some rest now. They all felt sort of miserable that night.
Something was missing, something important, but what was it? Everyone was here, everyone was healthy – what was this weird feeling? They had experienced happy times, and now they felt really odd to have dreamt about important occasions of their pasts. Why would it make them feel so uncomfortable?
To say this was a disturbing night was an understatement. During breakfast they all looked worn out with bangs under their eyes. All expect Chakena who was full of energy.
The day rolled by with everyone busy doing their own stuff. There weren't many words exchanged as no one was in the mood to talk really. Chakena didn't seem the least bothered by it, and he smiled as he sat down in the sun to study a list of names.
He didn't notice Usopp and Chopper running around in a game of tag until the sniper bumped into him accidentally.
With a gasp, Chakena fell down and released his grip on the list. He looked up quickly, only to see the piece of paper fly off by a sudden gust of wind.
"Ops, sorry! I didn't see you sitting there." Usopp apologized, dusting himself off. He didn't notice Chakena's distress until the captain shot up and dashed to the railing, staring upwards.
"No! Damn! Turn the ship!" He shouted frantically, but it was too late. The list was gone. He growled and turned to the confused sniper.
"What have you done, you clumsy idiot?!" Chakena exploded suddenly, grabbing Usopp by the shoulders and shaking him roughly. "It's gone!"
"I-I'm sorry! Was it that important?" Usopp answered, his smile long gone.
"It was an accident!" Chopper tried, pulling at Chakena's sleeve to release Usopp. Chakena's fists tightened, and for a moment a crazy, mad expression appeared on his face that sent shivers down Usopp's and Chopper's spine. Then, as fast as it had appeared, it vanished and Chakena's fists loosened.
He smiled, and it was awfully fake, but his voice sounded strong and kind. "It's okay. You wouldn't know how important it is. Nevermind."
With that said, he turned around and disappeared under deck, leaving two confused crew members behind to blink in wonder.
'I don't need the names as long as I got the ones from this crew.' He thought, trying to calm himself as he lay down in his bunk. 'Everything is going well.'
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So, that's it for this chapter. Thanks for your reviews :)
nani-onigiri: Aah ja ich erinnere mich an dich :D Danke schön! *gg* Sorry for the late update, but I hope it was worth the wait. 'Course, he's Luffy after all :) Danke =3 ich freue mich immer über deine Kommentare!
Flight Wulf: *tears up* Your review is so awesome.. you are so awesome to review like that, it makes me so happy! Really, thank you sooo much! :,D And my apologies for the late update!
Son of Whitebeard: Hey there again :) Thank you for your reviews! I'm so glad you still read my stories. Huh, that would be interesting! I guess Bartolomeo would win if he used his barrier from the beginning so that Chakena doesn't get the chance to touch him.
Please keep on reviewing~
~Neko11
