Thank you to everybody who commented on the last chapter. I try to answer each one though if I miss you please don't think it was on purpose. If you have asked for the old Dark Truth and I haven't sent it, please resend your request and I'll get on it asap!

To one particular reviewer: Felicia, thank you very much for your lovely review. Unfortunately fanfiction doesn't show email addresses in their messages so I'm unable to contact you, however I'd be delighted if you'd like to create fanart for this fic and that goes for anybody else too! Knowing I inspire people really makes my day and inspires me in return to keep writing! Don't forget to link me to your art though! I'd love to see it!

Thank you as always to my beta and plot bouncer: Deathgod777.


Dark Truth

Chapter 9: Who Did It?


Luffy felt the tension wash over him as he entered the galley. Chopper and Ace followed shortly behind him and silently made their way to the table. Luffy lingered in the doorway uncertainly. He looked suspiciously from one crew member to the next, wondering what could have possibly created such a tense atmosphere in the short time it had taken to tend to his wounds. Chopper too picked up the odd vibe in the air and slipped onto the bench cautiously between Brook and Usopp.

"What the hell happened in here...?" Ace asked as his gaze drifted the length of the galley.

Chopper looked around at his unresponsive crew, deep in thought and laughed sheepishly. He wasn't sure whether Ace was referring to the sombre atmosphere that engulfed the room or the slight disarray that it was in. Usually Sanji was very prideful about his domain; the galley. They kept most of their ship in order between them – it was necessary when living the life of a pirate. You could be attacked at any time and a messy ship could hinder movement in battle. Since Luffy had been attacked though, the crew had found little time between caring for him to upkeep their usual routine. Chopper could see as he looked around, the clutter and mess, as well as the grubby worktops and was glad for his fur which hid the blush staining his cheeks.

"We haven't really had time to clean it up..." he admitted softly.

Ace's lips twisted in confusion, but didn't press the matter further. He looked back and forth, bewildered at the silence that once again dominated the usually boisterous crew Luffy had collected. With no immediate danger in sight he decided to ignore it and instead headed for the food simmering on the stove. He'd had more than his fair share of tension and awkward situations and over the years he'd found the best thing he could do was to be as normal as possible. Tiptoeing around a problem rarely fixed it in his opinion. He lifted the lid to the oversized pot and peered inside cheekily. He smiled as the scent of Sanji's hard prepared meal made his mouth water.

"Mmm!" he hummed as his stomach noised its own approval. "Is it ready yet?"

Sanji startled at the question directed his way, his solemn silence shattered. He glanced quickly Ace's way before searching for Luffy and when he spotted him lingering by the galley door he breathed out a silent sigh of relief. They all felt the same way; nobody wanted to let Luffy out of their sights.

A quiet clatter sounded from the stove and Sanji turned in time to see Ace in the midst of thieving a small chunk of meat from the stew pot. The two men stared each other down, Ace with the cutlet held between two fingers sheepishly and Sanji armed with his familiar temper at his meal being tampered with. Bold as brass, Ace tossed the meat into his mouth and chewed eagerly on the tender cutlet before swallowing. He smiled cheekily at Sanji's flabbergasted look.

"Just as delicious as I remember!" Ace stated as he licked his fingers and replaced the lid.

Sanji stood speechless, unsure whether to feel flattered at Ace's compliment or outraged at his gall. He settled instead on huffing out a tired chuckle as he moved to serve the freckled man a bowl. The food was made to be eaten after all and they would all feel better with full stomachs. The tension lifted somewhat with the light-hearted interaction and Chopper started up a hushed chatter with Usopp and Brook as he explained Luffy's actions in the infirmary. Robin set aside the book she'd been pretending to read and asked Sanji if she and Nami too could have a share of the dinner. The cook of course was all too willing to comply as he eagerly delivered their bowls and set about serving up dinner for the rest of the crew.

As it came down to the last bowl, Sanji hesitated and glanced back to the door where Luffy still lingered hesitantly. For a moment he felt overwhelmed with pity as he watched Luffy's struggle with his courage, but he quickly brushed off the feeling. Luffy was stronger than they all gave him credit for. He didn't know why his captain was so afraid or if it was something to do with the trust they'd all worked so hard to cement between them, but he wasn't about to give up. He took a breath to ready himself and donned a smile. It wasn't as hard as he'd imagined it would be when Ace's compliment had lifted his mood considerably.

"Yo Luffy," he called softly, not wanting to startle the jittery boy. "You feel hungry at all?"

Luffy focussed on Sanji, his heart hammering in his chest. Something about the tension when they'd walked in had chased away all the courage he'd clawed back. He rubbed his sweaty palms against the rough fabric of his jean shorts and shook his head once, curtly. Sanji's smile faltered somewhat.

"No?" Ace piped up, head canted softly in confusion. "You don't know what you're missing little brother!"

Ace pushed himself from the wall he'd been leaned against and strode confidently toward Luffy. To his surprise and the shock of the crew behind him, Luffy backed away from him and regarded him with an apprehensive gaze. Ace paused in his stride, bowl held in one hand, food forgotten as his eyebrows creased together in confusion.

"Luffy?" he called, as a heavy lump of apprehension suddenly settled like lead in the pit of his stomach. Ace stepped forward once more but paused when Luffy took two steps away until his back hit the wall. His mouth opened again to call out to his little brother but stopped dead when their eyes met. Luffy looked afraid of him!

"Luffy..." he uttered dejected, "What's wrong with you...?"

Luffy didn't answer; none of them had expected him to. Instead he seemed to curl in on himself, ashamed at his own actions. Ace watched with sick fascination as the bubbly, fearless little brother he'd grown up with seemed to crumble before his eyes.

"Who did this?" he asked, tone low and dangerous as he turned to face the crew.

"We don't know." Robin answered, the room once again flooded with tension.

Luffy shifted uncomfortably and in a bold move he stepped forward towards his brother back. He reached out a timid hand to ghost over Ace's shoulder. Ace's anger simmered from its boil as he turned back to look at Luffy, frustration shining in his eyes. Luffy's pleaded with him silently. Ace stirring things up was the last thing he needed when they'd only just begun to settle.

"What do you want me to do?" Ace urged, voice raising an octave as his desperation to help his usually bubbly brother.

Physical wounds could be healed with medicine, but Ace didn't know how to fix scars on the inside. Looking at Luffy now he felt as though he was watching Luffy haemorrhage internally with no idea how bad the damage was or how to stop it from getting worse. That was exactly what it seemed to do in his eyes. When he'd first arrived Luffy had not shied from him and he'd underestimated the extent of the damage severely. Now as Luffy looked at him with those fearful eyes of trapped prey he understood. That didn't help him fix anything though.

"How can I help you if you don't tell me what I have to do!?" Ace urged once more.

Luffy's eyes wavered uncertainly between the floorboards and Ace. His lips parted slightly and for a suspenseful moment the crew froze, hopeful Luffy might speak, to tell them finally how to help him. Their hopes were quickly crushed with a wave of disappointment however as Luffy's eyes flickered their way before his lips once again clamped closed and he shook his head.

The entire crew seemed to deflate visibly. Sanji once again sank down to sit on the bench as Zoro stood, face like stone. Luffy glanced at him briefly, guiltily. He could feel Zoro's frustration and anger easily as if it were his own. He didn't know what had caused such a violent turn in his swordsman's emotions as until now Zoro had been so calm and gentle. He unconsciously shifted his body so that Ace acted as a barrier between he and Zoro. This didn't go unnoticed by Zoro as he snorted incredulously. For a moment it looked as though he may approach Luffy, but instead he turned around and strode over to a far corner of the galley before he settled down to tend to his katana. He laid out his tools and set to work cleaning the dried blood from his blades and ignored the guilty eyes from Luffy he'd seen all too much over the past weeks.

Luffy bowed his head solemnly and his hat shadowed his eyes as he backed away from his crew and settled against the aquarium wall. Ace, unsettled from what he'd seen, racked his brains for some way to help. He moved to sit beside Luffy, though took notice of the tension that rose in Luffy's shoulders at his approach and left some space between them. He rolled a soft chunk of meat about his mouth thoughtfully before his eyes widened.

"Ah!" he noised, and decided not to notice Luffy startle beside him as an enthusiastic smile stretched across his face. "I can ask Pops!"

"Pops?" Franky questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, the old man's travelled these seas longer than anyone out there. He's bound to know something about these waters and the criminals around here." Ace explained.

"That's a great idea, Ace!" Usopp agreed, the enthusiasm contagious.

"However, there's no guarantee that the person or people that did this are from this area." Robin interjected quietly. She didn't want to crush their hope but neither did she want to let them follow false hope.

"That's true," Ace admitted, "But it can't hurt to try, right?"

"Is Whitebeard near here?" Sanji asked curiously. He'd heard legends of the old pirate from Zeff.

"Nope." Ace answered. "I got a baby Denden to keep in touch, but our communications don't always go through so it could take a while."

"It's not like we have anything better to do." Zoro muttered bitterly. The crew didn't miss his tone though he ignored the mix of curious and angered looks sent his way. He didn't expect Luffy to get better over night, nor did he expect leaps of progress, but to watch Ace do what they had tried for the past two weeks had been bittersweet. To finally see Luffy comforted by somebody and at ease, even if only for a moment, had been a heavy relief to all of them. Zoro knew though that he wasn't the only one frustrated by the fact that he couldn't or wouldn't even tell them why this had happened. For a moment he had been so close to speaking Zoro had almost heard his voice, but when Luffy once again withdrew he couldn't help the frustration that seeped from his usually stoic exterior. He settled himself into the practiced process of cleaning his katana and allowed the repetitive motions he'd done a thousand times before to calm his raging mind.

"We should probably get some sleep soon anyway." Nami said as she stood up and carried her empty bowl to the sink. "Obviously some of us are feeling a bit grumpy and need a nap." She added as she glared Zoro's way. The swordsman ignored her.

"It is quite late, though I find myself wide awake, yoho!" Brook stated and turned to Robin. "Ah, if you don't mind perhaps I could keep you company tonight, Robin-san?"

Robin smiled pleasantly and nodded. With her devil fruit ability, night watch had been hers for almost two weeks and though many of the nights had been sleepless as they watched over Luffy, it did get boring and lonesome. "That would be nice." She answered.

"And perhaps I could see your panties?"

"No." Robin replied firmly, her pleasant smile never once wavering.

Ace's head canted softly at the odd, though obviously practiced interaction. Luffy certainly did have a way of finding the strangest people out there and bringing them together. He glanced sideways at his brother and couldn't help but smile as for a second he saw a flicker of affection flare in Luffy's eyes that squashed the fear if only for a brief moment.

"I'll take care of the washing up." Usopp offered as he too stood and collected the empty plates from his crewmates.

"I'll dry!" Chopper chimed in as he hopped from the bench. "Thanks for the food, Sanji!"

"Another delicious meal, bro." Franky agreed with a 'thumbs up'.

A chorus of quiet agreements sounded amongst the crew and Sanji coughed to hide his inflating ego; he couldn't quite wipe the pleased smile from his face though.

"Since Ace will be talking with his crew maybe it would be a good idea if he, Robin-chan and Brook stayed together so Luffy can rest." Nami suggested.

"I wouldn't feel comfortable knowing you were alone, Nami-san..." Sanji replied.

"They can use our ladies cabin." Nami said, waving off Sanji's concern. "I have earplugs so they won't disturb me."

"Well, that's us set then!" Ace stated and pulled his bag from his back, eager to try and make contact with his crew.

The dishes were quickly finished and the crew settled in their respective quarters. Though still somewhat jittery, once in bed Luffy once again felt the heavy exhaustion that had swept over him after the battle they'd endured earlier inland. His troubled mind couldn't compete with the blanket of exhaustions as he quickly fell asleep, hoping the sunshine would bring with it some of the courage he'd dropped tonight.


Luffy jolted awake with a start, once again plagued by nightmares. His chest heaved unevenly as he fought to gather his thoughts and composure. Usopp was the only other occupant of the cabin and watched Luffy with a quiet concern. As Luffy's breathing slowly evened out his eyes drifted around the room and spying Usopp as the only other occupant, he flopped back against the softness of his blankets in relief. Usopp, though still slightly worried, couldn't help the pride he felt at seeing Luffy relax around him.

"Mornin'!" he greeted with a smile, though it faltered somewhat as Luffy stared blankly at the ceiling.

Luffy's chest rose with a deep inhale and slowly descended as he released a burdened sigh. Usopp watched and his lips twisted with worry. He wondered if maybe the way Zoro acted the night before had affected Luffy, though he had to admit, he could understand the swordsman's feelings.

"Zoro wasn't mad at you or anything, you know?" Usopp muttered as he feebly grasped at excuses for his shipmate. "He's just pissed off that he can't get his hands on the guys who did this..."

Luffy turned his head to the side to face Usopp with an unreadable expression on his face. Usopp took it as a sign to continue.

"Can't you find a way to tell us something? Anything?" he pleaded gently.

Luffy sighed softly again and pushed himself into a sitting position. He remained motionless for a few moments before he pushed himself to his feet with a groan. Though his participation in the fight had been minimal his body throbbed with the pain and exhaustion it incurred.

"It's okay." Usopp said suddenly, a genuine, gentle smile firmly in place. Luffy looked at him with a mixture of wariness and surprise. "You can tell us when you're ready to tell us, ne?"

Usopp's words stirred a quiet confidence in Luffy and he returned his nakama's smile with a watery one of his own and an appreciative nod.

"How about we get some breakfast – you must be pretty hungry by now after our little work out last night, eh?"

Luffy didn't miss the pleased tone in Usopp's voice. He'd seen the simple pleasure in all of his crew after the battle. In all honesty he hadn't intended, nor felt able to act, but when he'd seen Nami in danger his body had moved of its own accord. He didn't regret his actions, though he hoped it didn't create higher expectations in his crew. They'd handled enough disappointment and hurt on his behalf.

"I heard Robin telling Nami that Ace was still asleep." Usopp prattled on, unwilling to let an uncomfortable silence settle between them as they slowly made their way to the galley. "Apparently he was in the middle discussing what he'd found out with Robin when he just keeled over!"

Luffy's lips twitched upwards slightly at the thought. Usopp continued with more confidence at Luffy's reaction.

"Chopper really freaked out!" he laughed, "He thought maybe something had happened like... you know, back then." Usopp paused then and cleared his throat uncomfortably. He didn't want to bring up any more unpleasant memories. "A-Anyway! Chopper thought he'd just dropped dead but he's sleeping now. Robin said he'd gathered some important information, but I think she needs to speak with him about it before they can work out anything."

Luffy nodded distractedly.

"H-How about we go eat in the galley?" Usopp suggested shakily, nervous at Luffy's reaction. His face fell more as Luffy shook his head firmly. "Oh, u-um, how about I get us a bite and we eat al fresco?"

A gentle nod renewed Usopp's confidence and enthusiasm and he muttered, "Wait here." Before he dashed off towards the galley to fetch them a bite to eat. Luffy's head tilted slightly at the gentle command. Really, where did Usopp think he was about to go? With a tremulous sigh, he rolled his shoulders and eased himself down to sit on the deck. His eyes slipped closed as he raised his head to the sun, drinking it's warmth into his tired and sore body.

A soft melody started up a little ways from Luffy which startled him from his rest. He didn't need to turn his head to know Brook was situated somewhere behind him dragging a melancholy melody from the strings of his violin. The music was a comfort. He closed his eyes again and let his body feel the rhythmic sway of the Thousand Sunny and hear the familiar white noise that surrounded the ship; it almost felt normal. The lapping waves against the hull, the soft groaning of the wood, the quiet clatter from the galley. The galley...

The mere thought of the place made his stomach clench and his muscles tighten. Brook must have seen his physical reacting to the sour thought as his melody gave a hideous screech.

"Are you alright, Luffy-san?" he asked softly after a brief moment of silence.

Luffy hadn't realised Brook had been watching him so closely that he would see his tension, though he should have expected it with how protective the crew had been. He nodded slowly and reached a hand up to grope behind his back until he felt the familiarity of the bettered straw hat against his fingers. He planted it firmly on his head and drew in a deep slow breath before releasing it. The hat truly made him feel stronger, it was a physical reminder of what and who he had to be strong for. The melody resumed.

Usopp returned after a few more minutes with several plates of treats awkwardly balanced on his arms and two drinks gripped in his hands. The music stopped as Brook moved to join them with a quiet 'Yoho!' of excitement at the sight of the treats. It wasn't commonplace for Sanji to make something purely for enjoyment as he tried to make each meal as nutritious as possible to fuel their wild lifestyles. With Luffy's lack of appetite though, he hoped the various 'naughty' treats of meats and sweets would be enough to tempt Luffy to eat.

"Man! What a feast, eh?" Usopp crowed as he sat cross legged opposite Brook and Luffy so they formed a small circle. Luffy stared at the food appreciatively until he game to one plate and his lips twisted in distaste.

"Do you not like tarts, Luffy-san?" Brook asked as he gazed at the small delicacy appreciatively. "I had my fair share of tarts back in my day, yohohoho!"

"Brook, you old dog!" Usopp grinned as he caught onto the skeleton's innuendo. He then turned his attention to Luffy. "So how about it? Anything catch your eye?"

Luffy shifted uncomfortably and forced himself to turn away from the tart. After all, they couldn't see the problem with it like he could. One particular plate brought a rumble from his stomach as he set eye on it. A thick, juicy steak. It had no fancy extras – no rich sauce or seasoning, just plain cooked meat. Luffy reached forward and took the plate much to Usopp's delight.

"Nice choice!" he proclaimed with a 'thumbs up' and snagged a bowl of fruit salad for himself. The three ate together quietly and Luffy tried not to squirm as slowly the plates delicacies were eaten until nothing but the tart remained.

"Well, I suppose you're never too old to have a tart to yourself!" Brook laughed softly and reached out for the dessert. Luffy, unable to hold back any longer reached out and grabbed the man's bony wrist. His head was bowed, face shaded by the rim of his hat, his expression unreadable.

"Luffy-san?" Brook questioned softly. "Did you want it?" he would be more than happy to give it to Luffy if that was case, but Luffy shook his head negatively.

"But... you don't want me to have it?" Brook probed further and at a curt nod he obediently released his grip on the plate. Luffy too released his hold on Brook's wrist and sat back, head bowed as he stared at his lap. Neither Usopp nor brook understood Luffy's behaviour but neither decided to question it. He had eaten almost all of the steak and nibbled on a couple slices of fruit and that was enough to satisfy them.

"Man, that was good!" Usopp said as he stood and collected the plates, hesitating briefly at the tart before he collected that too.

"Please give my regards to Sanji-san." Brook said as he too stood.

Luffy was once again left to his thoughts as Brook resumed his seat by the main mast and Usopp returned to the galley. The familiar clink of heavy weights alerted him that Zoro had joined them on deck. The rhythmic clinks that followed gave away that he was training without having to see, but Luffy ventured a look, curious as to whether the swordsman was still irritated as he was last night.

At first glance Zoro looked as calm as ever. Luffy knew though that his passive expression could easily be from his concentration to his training. Zoro glanced up briefly to lock eyes with Luffy and in that moment Luffy felt a conflict of relief and fear. Zoro's eyes were normally always guarded, but somehow Luffy had always been able to see through them. Though most of his anger and frustration from the night before was absent there now lingered a suspicion in Zoro's eyes that made Luffy's blood run cold. With their trust as fragile as it was, a weak link in their chain could cause it to fall apart.

Luffy didn't have a chance to think any more on the matter as two warm hands settled on his shoulders. Luffy tensed slightly at the contact but didn't pull away.

"Good morning little brother." Ace greeted, his sleepy eyes smiling. "Feel up for a chat? We have a lot to talk about with your crew."

Luffy didn't answer, though looked resigned to the fact he would be participating whether he wanted to or not. He didn't know what Ace had found out, but if it was anything close to the truth, he didn't want his crew to hear and he knew there was nothing he could do to stop it. The thought made him feel sick but he swallowed back the bile rising in his throat in a feeble attempt to keep his small meal down.

Robin, who had been quietly surveying the interaction, quickly gathered the crew with her devil fruit ability, eager to discuss what she and Ace had found out the night before. They gathered quickly, settling amongst the deck within earshot and eager to hear any news.

"So? Did you find out anything, Ace?" Nami asked, cutting to the chase as she waited in anticipation for Ace's answer.

"I did." Ace answered with a nod.

"So you know who attacked Luffy?" Zoro asked, eyes widening ever so slightly.

"Mhm." Ace answered as he sat cross-legged and leaned his head forward on his hand in a relaxed manner.

A shockwave of silent emotion ran through the crew and Luffy felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.

"Who was it?!" Usopp almost shouted, desperately. "Tell us!"

"Ghosts." Ace answered.