A Moment of Silence, to Hear Our Enemies
"Shanks? You there? Hey Shanks, wake up for me."
Shanks' eyes slowly opened, barely more than slits. All he saw was a burly frame, followed by a blurry frame. Bens face, his arm out stretched, gently shaking him awake. He felt comfortable here, no pain, no despair, no death. "Shit!" Shanks' eyes went wide and he coughed violently, clutching his side which flared up in pain.
"Shanks? Fuck, Doc get over here! Shanks is in bad shape!" Ben said looking back at the van.
Shanks looked around the warehouse, he saw plenty of his men there, he saw the armored van, he saw Luffy looking into the back of the stolen car, tears gently cascading down his cheeks, he saw Zoro arguing with Yasopp and Usopp. He briefly drifted into blackness only to emerge to view Chopper on a bed crying over a blonde body he assumed to be Sanji. Then he was shaken lightly again and his view came back to Ben. "How many have died?"
"Enough to grieve." Ben replied moving Shanks to lay down. "Come on, we need to treat your wounds. Before shanks knew it he was on a stretcher being carried inside his room by Ben and the doc.
…
"That was not your right! You had no reason to say anything!" Zoro shouted
"I am that boys blood! What are you? What gives you that choice!?" Yasopp shouted back
"I am his father!" Zoro roared
"OI! Both of you stop this! the simple fact is that I know now! Dad, why didn't you tell me!?" Usopp
"I- I planned to, just not this soon." Zoro said looking at his son, ashamed.
"Bull shit, you would have gladly kept this to yourself, at least I told him!" Yasopp butted in.
That's when Usopp turned towards Yassop "Yeah cause your timing was so great, right in the middle of my first firefight! Did you even consider my mind at that moment?" Usopp asked full chested.
"Well it doesn't seem like it affected you, so I guess I made the right choice!" Yasopp shouted back
"Really? Should someone as timid as me be acting like this! I probably have PTSD or something! Jackass!" Usopp shouted.
"He does seem overly aware of himself right now" Rockstar pointed out from the sidelines
"Shut the fuck up! And stay out of this!" Zoro warned turning a dark glare towards the newer member who in returned laughed.
A loud bellow caught the whole attention of the warehouse. All turned to see Ben emerging from Shanks room. "Listen up. We have lost a lot of people today. Among them is our valued family, and loved friends. And I as well as shanks find it disgusting that you would use such a precious thing like time for fighting amongst yourselves despite the reason. Use what little time this place buys us to honor their memory, grieve, heal, and be grateful. Time for us now is short as is. So let us have some silence. For the very least of purpose, to not attract attention."
And with that, it stopped, the anger died on the peoples tongues. Luffy was the first to break the silence collapsing into sobs and hitting the car before finally sliding down and clutching his knees. He was soon followed by Chopper who sobbed into his father's chest. That and many more cries rang out in a quiet roar through the warehouse. Zoro stomped away from Yasopp and went to sit down by Luffy, wrapping a arm around him comfortingly, accept the cries and Luffy clutch to Zoro's chest. Usopp also walked away from Yasopp, and got onto the armored bus, taking a seat by Sanji's bed and comforting Chopper. Ben returned to Shanks' room closing the door behind him.
And that his how things stayed, even as night came, and even as the sun came again. Zoro was one of the few who were still awake. He gently removed Luffy's arms from him and stood up. He started walking around the warehouse, ending up on the bus. He almost smiled at the scene. Chopper asleep a very bleary eyed Usopp. Of course then Zoro looked at Sanji, still in a coma.
Zoro moved closer to Sanji, moving to brush some stray hair out of the blondes face, but a loud knocking caught his ear. Moving fast he hopped out of the bus, regretting it on his bad leg, and ran for the door drawing his swords. He was followed by Ben and Yasopp, as well as a few Red haired crew. Zoro reached the door, holding the handle and looked at Ben. Ben simply pulled the hammer back on his rifle then nodded. Zoro ripped open the door then placed his sword at the first persons neck while Ben and Yasopp aimed at the others.
"Whoa whoa, jumpy roronoa-ya, we come in peace" Law said his hands up in a sigh of peace, his sword crooked and leaning into his left shoulder. "These are my crew, we came to help."
"Oh ya how?" Zoro barked out.
"Well I am a surgeon and my crew are more than capa-"
Ben cut off Law briskly "Why are we supposed to be trusting you?"
Law turned his eyes to Ben and smiled a genuinely kind smile. "for one, I saved Luffy's and Zoros asses, two a lot of your people are critically injured and medically wise your are understaffed, and third I found you and didn't bring any navy nor other Yonko forces with me."
A few tense moments passed before Ben lowered his gun. "Fine, only treat my men with their consent though, and no one goes into the back room or else, we aren't in a mood for games here.
Law nodded "Fair enough. Where are your worst off?"
…
"Give me an update, now!" Akainu Slapped his desk hard and looked at the three men in his office.
"She's dead, barely a fight" Arlong laughed out throwing Nami's clima tac onto the desk.
"Well done, and you?" Akainu turned towards Kidd
"I found them, their still sailing; I'm heading out after this to go take care of them, the whole family." Kidd let a sadistic grin settle on his face
"And you?" the admiral turned towards the last of the three
"I am still locating their hideout, Knowing Shanks it will be near a pier, I have a few leads." Mihawk responded side glancing Kidd
"I see, Arlong go with Mihawk, now all three of you get the hell out of here."
"Of course" Mihawk said, leaving the room. All three of them proceeded down into the parking lot.
"Kidd where is your ship moored?" Mihawk asked as he saw Kid getting into a mustang.
"Sandra Pier, why?"
"As I thought, that's near my first lead." Mihawk said hopping into the back of Kidd's car. Soon followed by Arlong how got into the shotgun seat.
"Oi who the hell said you could get in! you assholes!"
"Oh stop the damn rant we are just getting a lift! Just be glad hawk-eyes back there didn't bring his giant sword." Arlong batted out, silencing Kidd enough to get them onto the road.
…
"Oi Strawhat-ya you mind if I treat you?" Law knelt down next to the still Sleeping Luffy. "Hey that ani't nice, sleeping when people try to help you" Law shook Luffy semi-gently until Luffy opened his eyes. "Luffy-ya? Wake up, I need to treat your wounds."
"Mmm, huh? Oh hi there traffy. When did you get here?" Luffy said out in a tired drawl
"Do you mind if I treat you?"
"uh? For what"
Law almost face palmed. "Luffy you are beat up, you got a deep knife wound in your leg, bullets still stuck in you, and more than enough scrapes to pose a serious infection risk. Now sit up so that I can tend to your wounds."
Luffy waking up more at the news looked himself over "oh right, we were fighting in the hotel… then we escaped and came here, and then I saw…"
Law saw Luffy choke up and turn towards the car, tears making their way to his eyes
"Oh god, Law he's dead! Oh my god my brother, Ace he's- he's gone! Oh my god!" Luffy exploded into an agony filled depression and started to thrash around "hes gone! i-i-I couldn't sa- I can't believe this!"
"Luffy stay still!" Law struggled to hold Luffy down "Luffy stop moving your straining your body, to much more of this and youll-"
Luffy cut him off with a loud sob "he's gone! what difference does it make for me now?! O-oh m-my g-god!" Luffy cried out and started to stand up
"Luffy!" Law grabbed his arm "You cant move to much!"
Luffy spun around intending to punch Law to get him off of him; But Law caught his other fist too. "Let me go!" Luffy violently sobbed out, anger pouring out.
"NO!" Law shouted getting to his feet as well.
That stopped Luffy, as well as gained more than enough unwanted stares on Laws part
"But I need to-" Luffy started only to be quickly cut off
"I don't care! I don't give two shits what you need to do whether it be revenge, grief, suicide or taking a piss, you are going to sit your ass down and let me fix you up. And you try anything and I will knock you out cold, and don't try to piss me off cause you never want to piss off your doctor, you understand me?" Law looked into Luffy's eyes for complete understanding.
Luffy looked back, and then fell into Laws chest, wrapping his arms around him in a hug. "Now that you mention it, I do need to take a piss." Luffy said out in a childish obedient voice.
Law smiled at the figure in his arms "Well let me fix up that knife wound first."
…
"Look, I already gave you a ride, you really need to follow me to my ship?" Kidd grated out annoyed
"It just so happens that the warehouse I'm going to and your ship are in the same direction."
"tsk, whatever."
"You know I've always wondered hawk-eyes, you religious? Or is that golden cross just a aesthetic thing?"
Kidd rounded a corner as the question was spoke and found his joy of joys waiting for him on the water. And hearing the question he turned around to hear the answer.
Mihawk looked down and gently rubbed the cross on his chest "Actually it was a gift, from a lover of mine long ago."
"Pft, that ani't an answer." Kidd turned and walked towards his ship "Well see ya fucks later."
Arlong and Mihawk watched Kidd head towards his ship before Arlong got curious again "Who was that lover?"
"Shanks…" Mihawk said soundly then drew the hidden blade in the cross out and slit Arlong's throat quickly, then puncturing several major arteries for good measure, then sprinted towards Kidd.
And at hearing stomping boots turned around to See Arlong in a pool of blood and Mihawk heading straight for him "Fuck!" Kidd quickly drew his pistol but it was too late, Mihawk had already pierced his heart, then withdrew the knife and slashed at Kidd's jugular, leaving the Knife there. Mihawk watched as Kidd's dead body settled on the ground. Mihawk took off the rest of the necklace, and was about to drop it, but he caught a glimpse of carved writing
"To my greatest love, a cool golden thing with a hidden knife, I hope you like it! Happy 12th anniversary love Shanks"
Mihawk smirked at the phrasing, and then a sudden rage filled him and he chucked the necklace into the ocean letting out a call of pure rage; "NOW WERE EVEN! DO YOU HEAR THAT SHANKS! NOW I AM DONE HELPING YOU! I AM DONE LOVING YOU!"
TBC
…
A/N: hello! Hope you enjoyed this update! I think the next chapter will be the conclusion to this story, and after that I might write an epilogue. Anyways, I just wanted to warn you that there will be a lot of stuff going down in the conclusion. So if there any last moment fluff scenes that you peeps must have before then, let me know and I will think about it since this has all been a free write un planned (for the most part) Story I have some edge room to work in some extra joy. See ya later!