disclaimer: I do not own one piece, sadly.

"She died?" Nami said softly. Everyone looked at Zoro with questioning eyes. Even Sanji, who already had been told the outline of his and the blue haired girl's past relationship, he still couldn't fully grasp how his friend had seen her. Zoro's rival, the only one he had never managed to beat, the one who died. She had appeared in front of him, slashed his father in the chest before disappearing again. Maybe he had been hallucinating. Maybe he had imagined the girl being there since she had always been the representation of courage and strength to him, an inspiration to be better than he ever was.

This would be the sane explication. Zoro's mind was playing tricks on him. He hadn't eaten that much in the past few days and had been beaten a few times, maybe he had hit his head a bit too hard. However, this didn't explain Luffy's reaction. of course, there was the possibility that he had really been feeling sick and had to leave, still, Sanji was convinced otherwise. He had been alarmed and the boy knew himself to be a bad liar, so he left right away to avoid being questioned for his odd behavior. This seemed to be the smartest thing to do, however, it only managed to raise the swirly-browed teen's suspicions.

"I was probably seeing things... I was sleep deprived and all, my mind was playing tricks on me." Sanji snapped back to his green-haired friend. He knew the teen didn't believe his own words, but he wasn't the kind of person to try and get people to worry about him for attention, he was actually quite the opposite.

Vivi smiled at him and put a supporting hand on his shoulder, mentally telling Zoro that things were going to be alright. Usopp was lost in his thoughts, shivering once in a while when he thought of the possibility of being attacked by the undead. Nami simply thought of her mother, wishing she could too, one day, see her again.

"Do you think Luffy is alright? He bolted out of nowhere, I think we should go see him at his house when school is over." Vivi said as she looked at the place Luffy had been sitting a few minutes prior. Usopp nodded as he came out of his musing over when the apocalypse would start.

"Yeah, Luffy has been pretty stiff in the last few days, maybe something really is wrong with him." Zoro and Sanji looked up at him and frowned.

"What do you mean?" The two boys were usually pretty observant, but they hadn't been able to see Luffy wasn't feeling 'top shape' lately. Nami looked at them, dumbfounded.

"Seriously? You didn't notice? He has been so nervous and stressed all the time since a few days before Halloween."

And it was true, Luffy hadn't been completely himself, with good reasons.

The front door's lock fidgeted before creaking open. Luffy's breath hitched and he straightened up where he was sitting on the couch and stood. Usually, when Ace came in the house, he would announce himself loudly and when Garp came, he would curse at the door since it was hard to open. That only left one more possibility. Luffy wanted to go lock himself in his room, but his feet were stuck in place. He watched as a tall man entered the room and sat on the couch without a care.

"What are you doing out of school at this hour?" His words seemed to be laced with poison and his gaze was severe.

"I was feeling ill sir. I came home to rest." Luffy answered with slight hesitation.

"Go study then, you don't want your grades to drop."Luffy nodded. "Answer when I am talking to you!"

"Yes, sir." Luffy left the room and took his bag to the dining room table. He got his notes and started studying for the upcoming exams. Nevertheless, it was hard to concentrate on this particular task since Dragon, his father was sitting in the next room. His mind was racing.

Dragon entered the room and sat at the table in front of Luffy, making sweatdrops slide run down the young teen's face.

"Luffy." The boy shivered.

"Yes, sir?"

"Do you remember when you were young when we went to the beach?" Luffy looked up from his notes, but the second his eyes met his father's, he looked back down.

"Not really, sir. I was too young to have any memory of it."

"Well, you were only two at the time..."

"What happened back then, sir?" Luffy's fingers were shaking. It had been a few years since he had exchanged this many words with his father, but nothing had changed. Not even his disapproving and disgusted glare.

"You died."

"What?" Luffy turned sharply at Sabo who had just spoken.

"This isn't possible, Luffy is alive, he isn't a spirit, he didn't die!" The blond was beyond angry at the man. Every time he had spoken to Luffy, the young teen was on the verge of breaking in tears, but this was going too far.

"I don't understand, sir." Dragon stood.

"You stopped breathing for a minute. We couldn't get a pulse. When I pulled you out of the water, I was certain you had lost your life. However, a lifeguard got you breathing again, but it was too late. The damage was done."

"I am not sure I understand what kind of damage you are talking about sir."

"You don't? You have to die to be able to see other ghosts, Luffy. You died. You should've stayed dead. It would be less trouble for me, your mother, Ace and everyone you know. I still don't get why Ace still bears to be around you, you shouldn't even be alive." Tears started to gather in the young boy's eyes. He felt as if he had been stabbed in the heart.

"Luffy, don't listen to him! He is just..." Sabo froze once he saw the expression Luffy was throwing at him. The young psychic was afraid. He looked at Sabo with the exact same expression he would look at a poltergeist, his eyes locked on the blood on the spirit's shirt and the old burn scars who decorated his face. Sabo tried to reach out to Luffy but the medium stepped back. He threw a last glance at his father before he bolted out of the house.

"Go away!" Luffy shifted his arm in Sabo's direction and a vase came flying toward him before it passed through him and crashed against the wall. The young psychic was afraid. Dragon's eyes narrowed slightly at Luffy's display but sat still. The psychic looked at Sabo with the exact same expression he would look at a poltergeist, his eyes locked on the blood on the spirit's shirt and the old burn scars who decorated his face. Sabo tried to reach out to Luffy but the medium stepped back. He threw a last glance at his father before he bolted out of the house. Sabo looked with startled eyes as the young boy exited the house before he turned back to Dragon with an angry stare. He wanted to hit this man, strangle him, anything really to make him disappear.

"Whoever you are, you know you shouldn't try to attack me. You know angry spirits tend to loose control and it would be bad for you, wouldn't it?" The man stood and made his way to the kitchen and started preparing himself a cup of tea. Sabo stood still, incapable of doing anything as Dragon's words resonated in his ears.

"If you are asking yourself this question, I can't see you like my son. I just know there is a spirit in my house and I can sense when bloodlust is directed at me." In that moment, everything Sabo knew about Dragon came crashing down. He could sense spirits, just like Ace and Marco. He knew Luffy was a medium and a psychic. He despised his son for it. The only question remaining was why. Why couldn't he just accept Luffy's difference and be a father to him?

But... Where would Luffy go? Surely, Ace would know.

Sabo ran out of the house and proceeded to search for Ace, but the older brother was only a few streets away.

Luffy ran blindly until he couldn't feel his legs anymore. He had run to get as far away from Sabo and Dragon as he could. He didn't want to see anyone and surprisingly enough, he ended up in the cemetery. People would believe cemeteries were the place where you would find a lot of lost souls walking around, but the place was usually pretty empty. It was the most peaceful and silent place Luffy knew. Spirits wouldn't haunt a cemetery since people usually haunted places or people who had a strong meaning to them. They would rarely go to the cemetery since it was the place that reminded them of the cold and harsh truth.

They had died.

The young psychic couldn't help but be reminded of it as well. Mrs. Sora, Sanji's mother, had died. Kuina, Zoro's friend, and rival had died. Kaya, Usopp's friend, well, they were probably more than just friends, she had died as well. Bellemere, Nami's loving mother, had died. Rouge and Roger, Ace's parents, had died. Sabo, Ace's best friend, had died. And he, Monkey D. Luffy, had died around eleven years ago.

Slowly, he walked to the cliff, looking down at the ocean. Jumping down the reef would mean instant death, The rocks at the bottom were sharp and the cliff was pretty high. The young medium walked closer to the edge and took a big breath. He was already dead anyway, would it really matter? Everyone else would be better without him. He closed his eyes.

Ace entered the apartment in fury. "What is your problem?! Why are you even here?" He shouted harshly as he looked at his adoptive father, who was casually drinking a cup of tea in the living room. The man sighed and stood. He looked at Ace, then gazed at the place where he guessed Luffy's spirit-friend was standing. It didn't take long for him to put two and two together, Ace had heard what had happened from the thing standing next to him.

"You will speak to me with more respect, besides, you and Luffy know I come here every year in November." His glare could make a grown man cry, but Ace didn't let it intimidate him in the slightest.

"Not before you tell me where Luffy is and why you would tell him bullshit like that!"

"I don't know where that kid could run off to, I don't really know him as much as you do. I still don't get why you bear to have him around, but more importantly, how you put up with having a ghost haunting your apartment." Ace's eyes looked like they were burning in anger.

"Don't you dare talk about Sabo like that." His voice was dark and low, sending a chill down the blond's spine. He knew Ace cared about him, but this was something else, Dragon was a scary man.

"Sabo... So that's his name. Still, I wouldn't tolerate having a spirit roaming around my house." He put down his cup of tea and stood in front of the fiery young adult.

"Don't change the subject. Why would you say that to Luffy?" Ace said, almost desperate for an answer.

"Because it's true. Your little brother died. He wouldn't be a freak medium if he had never died." Ace's breath hitched as the memory rushed back to him.

Dragon ran out of the ocean, holding a young two-year-old in his arms. Luffy had been playing in the sand when a particularly big wave had hit him and dragged him away.

"Luffy!" Ace ran to his adoptive father's side and looked at the boy in his arms. He wasn't moving. His world came crashing around him. He couldn't afford to lose Luffy too. He had lost his mother and his father. Luffy was his new little brother. He couldn't have anyone else he held dear die. Time seemed to freeze. every second felt like hours. Dragon and Luffy's mother were standing next to him and a lifeguard was kneeled at Luffy's side, desperately trying to make the boy breathe again. Every second felt like another pang to his chest as Luffy still wouldn't move. His eyes were filled with tears, Luffy's mother looked the same, but Dragon looked at his son with vacant eyes. The tears stopped running down Ace's face. He depicted in his adoptive father's eyes something disgusting.

He looked at Luffy as if he was hoping the boy would die right now.

Luffy coughed up water and started moving again. Ace proceeded to take him in his arms the second the boy looked a bit better and glared at Dragon. Both Luffy's eyes and Dragon's had changed that day.

"This doesn't give you the right to tell him that!" Ace was about to punch him when the doorbell rang. Dragon didn't even twitch and went back to his cup of tea.

Ace went to the door and opened, only to see five familiar teenagers and one spirit on his doorstep. Vivi, Nami, Usopp, Sanji, Zoro and who he would assume to be Kuina stood on the porch and they all looked worried, some more openly than others, but all cared about their raven-haired friend.

"Is Luffy here?" Ace shook his head. "Come in." The five teens shifted uncomfortably when they saw how mad Ace seemed. They couldn't help but fear that anger was directed at them, except for Zoro when he saw a man in the living room with his cup of tea.

Ace smiled briefly at them before returning to Dragon. "So you have no idea where Luffy went?" Dragon didn't listen to his question.

"Who are these people?" He asked.

"W... We are... Luffy's... Luffy's f-friends." Usopp said, shaking when Dragon's glare had landed on him. They were all standing in the living room now, questioning eyes looking at the man who was drinking tea in their friend's living room.

"Luffy doesn't have friends. He can't." Sanji glared at the man. He didn't like him at all. The rest of their little group seemed to agree.

"It's not up to you to decide that," Zoro said with twice as much hate filling his eyes than anyone else in the group of young teens since he had heard a bit about who this man was. He had already decided he hated Luffy's father more than his own.

"Where is he? I am sure you know where he went." Vivi looked worriedly at Ace after he said this.

"What happened to Luffy?" Dragon and Ace ignored the question, making Luffy's friends twice as worried.

"I didn't think my son was so unpredictable to you."

Don't call him that." Ace roared, making the other people in the room widened their eyes at the news.

"Where would a dead kid go once he accepted he died?" Ace frowned.

"The cemetery," Sabo said. Ace snapped back at Sabo, then took Dragon by the collar and slammed him into the wall.

"If I never see my little brother again, I'll hunt you down and make you join him." Dragon didn't react as Ace stared murderously in his adoptive father's vacant eyes. He released him and took his coat.

"Wait, Ace where are you going?" Nami shouted.

"I am going to search for Luffy. He's at the cemetery."

"We may not understand everything that's going on, but we are coming with you," Sanji said as the small gang went to follow behind Ace.

"We just have to hope we aren't too late when we get there..." Sabo said. Dread installed itself in the pit of everyone's stomach as they started running through the streets.

Atone for your sin

"What is my sin?"

"You were born."

"You exist."

"I should've let you drown."

'If I jump, will I have atoned for my sin?'

"Yohohohohoho... It is such a beautiful day, isn't it?" Luffy turned around and took a step away from the edge. Looking around, he saw a man- a skeleton holding a violin and coming closer to the reef.

"You shouldn't waste this bright sunny day by jumping off this cliff, you would miss the breeze and the sunlight!" The skeleton put his violin on his shoulder and started playing a slow but beautiful song.

"Who are you?" Luffy asked, temporarily forgetting his dark thoughts that were slowly pushing him to jump.

"My name is Brook. I am pleased to see you, even if I don't have eyes to see! Yohohohohohoho! Skull joke!" Luffy chuckled and took another step away from the edge.

"I'm Luffy. Nice to meet you too." The boy smiled, not at all disturbed by the violinist's appearance. It was, in fact, a beautiful day. The sky was clear and the sun was shining. Of, course, it was a bit cold since it was November, but Luffy was used to this kind of temperature now.

"What are you doing here, Luffy-san?" Luffy's breath hitched as he looked back at the ocean.

"I was going to atone for my sin." Brook stopped playing abruptly, startling the young teen slightly.

"What did you do that was so bad you should die to be forgiven?" His voice was low and serious, but he was listening to the younger boy with great care.

"I should've died a long time ago. I... shouldn't exist." Saying it out loud had been difficult, but he couldn't think any other way.

"Existing is never a sin." The violinist's voice was stern. The young psychic turned back to him with tears threatening to fall from his eyes.

"I can see people that are already dead, this means I am dead too... I am a freak, I can't have friends-"

"People would think what you have is a gift," Brook said gently.

"But people will hate me for it." Brook kneeled in front of the boy.

"We both know that isn't true. I am sure there is at least one person who will never leave you, no matter what."

Ace took Luffy in his arms. "Luffy... Don't cry... Shhhh... It's alright... I'm here... Big brother is here..."

"I had a nightmare..." Ace's grip tightened around the small boy.

"Tell me what it was... It's okay..."

"You left and you never came back... I was alone and you wouldn't come."

"Luffy... don't worry, I will never leave you."

"Ace... please... don't die!" Ace froze at the words of his ten-year-old little brother. He bit his lips as he tried to keep tears from gathering in his eyes.

"I promise you I will never die."

Luffy's legs gave out under him as he fell to his knees. "You're right." He started crying. "I can't do that to Ace... He already lost Sabo."

"How do you do it? Never give up? You always come here and play, but you don't know if anyone is going to hear you." Brook smiled.

"Sometimes, when you feel completely lost, hope is all you have." Luffy smiled and sat down, looking away at the ocean, tears running down his face.

"I don't know if she is still alive, but I am sure, where ever she is in the ocean, she can hear me." Luffy chuckled.

"It's sweet."

"Yeah, I know her since she was really small. She must be larger than a house now! Maybe larger than a mansion! Yohohohoho!" Luffy frowned.

"What are you talking about? Aren't you signing for your girlfriend or something like that?" Brook laughed.

"No woman would take my heart, not that I have a heart to offer! Yohohohoho! They thought it was strange that I was asking to see their panties... I sign for Laboon, a whale that used to follow our ship, she loved listening to the music I sang with my violin! Yohohohohoho!" Luffy smiled through his tears and started laughing too.

"You're funny."

"I am glad you see what life still has to offer to you. Hold on to it." Luffy took his locket in his hand. He opened it and looked at Ace and him on the picture. He still had Ace.

"Luffy!" He turned around to see Ace, Sabo, Kuina, Zoro, Sanji, Vivi, Nami and Usopp running in the cemetery toward him. Ace grabbed his arm and pulled him as far from the cliff as he could. He hugged him tightly, tears of relief running down his cheeks. Sabo was also openly weeping, he had been more than worried about the young psychic and Kuina was silently crying softly while she was trying to make Sabo stop leaking that much. Zoro smirked, he was more than happy Luffy was okay. Sanji had his eyes closed and he was taking big relieved breaths. Vivi and Nami were holding each other, trying to not break in tears, but failing. When Ace had said he maybe wouldn't see his brother ever again, it was as if they couldn't breathe properly anymore until they knew Luffy was safe. Usopp was crying too, not as much as Ace or Sabo, but he was very close.

When Ace let go of Luffy, The five teens jumped on top of the psychic boy to hug/scold Luffy.

"You idiot! You made us so worried!" Nami shouted as she hit him not too hard over the head. Brook smiled as he continued his song.

"Yohohohohoho! You have more than one person who cares deeply about you, Luffy-san." The six friends stood again.

"Thank you..." Luffy said as he dried his tears.

Sanji crossed his arms. "You owe us a big explanation for making us worried like that." Luffy scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

"I guess I do... But you have to promise you will not hate me."

Zoro perked up. "Are you an idiot? After we ran all the way here, how could you ever think we could?" He smirked.

Luffy breathed in and out slowly. He looked up at Ace and Sabo, who both nodded with confidence in their eyes.

"I see dead people."

End of chapter 13! I am not even sorry for using that quote! I didn't know what else I could write for this reveal (not exactly reveal since you already knew that)

I hope you enjoyed this chapter, this was certainly one of my favorite to write! I will soon explain fully everything about how medium/psychics/spirits work, but not in a pm, still, I am really excited about revealing everything I have been planning since I started writing this fic. Nevertheless, I don't think I will reveal everything too soon so you can make your speculations. I would like to read what you think about it too!

I also want to thank Insomniac Dormouse and EnixFairy for your reading suggestions. I had read most of them already, but I enjoyed reading the ones I had never seen and I am grateful that you suggested them.

Until next time!