And the darkness begins. This chapter had a fair share of violence, blood and death so if anyone doesn't want to read that feel free to skip it and I can summarize.
XXX
It had been nearly a week since arriving at the new base. A very- very long week. Luffy had been sick the entire time. Ever since waking up from his drugged out stupor. But he was mostly back to normal.
Thatch wasn't feeling all that great himself. Most of that being due to getting shot in the freaking leg. Which had been patched up somewhat roughly before he was left to his own devices.
The crew had left their boat anchored in the ocean and instead entered the outpost through a series of tunnels that were only accessible during low tide. The sea tunnels led to a network of bootlegging tunnels that connected to the outpost base and ran across the entirety of the miserable island. A truly impenetrable fortress. Climbing the rocks themselves was a near impossible feat without the sea access and any nearby ships would instantly be spotted before they could even attempt. This meant that for the moment the two were trapped here for the foreseeable future.
Thatch had gotten a headache thinking about it and instead tried to push those thoughts from his mind. It would not do to lose hope right now. He had to believe that things would still turn out all right, if not for his sake then for Luffy's. The kid had suffered far too much from being caught in the middle of a fight that wasn't his. With a groan, and a great amount of effort Thatch sat up from the bed and lowered himself to the floor, being careful with the injured leg.
Their new cell was just as small, dark and cold as the others had been. Surrounded on three sides by the same dark stone the outpost was built from with iron wrought bars making up the last side. Even the rats seemed to avoid it, figuring they could do better somewhere else.
"Luffy," Thatch said trying to get his attention. He crawled forwards on his hands and knees to stop by the kid's side.
Luffy was laying on the floor, with his flushed cheek pressed against the stone. He was seemingly the only person who appreciating the cold dankness of their new home. Every time Thatch managed to put him on the bed he would eventually make his way back to the floor, overheating one second and freezing the next. He moaned brokenly as Thatch worked a hand under his cheek trying to get him off the floor.
When he woke up, more or less back to his normal self if not a bit dazed, he had no clue how they had gotten here. It seemed like Luffy didn't remember anything of the last few days. He hadn't remembered them escaping, mercifully didn't remember Thatch killing that guy, nor Thatch getting shot and himself becoming Teach's parrot. No one was more disappointed that Luffy was back to normal then the fat man. Whom it seemed was finally coming to like the kid during his obedient drug trip.
"Yea, come on buddy," He encouraged helping Luffy to sit up. His skin raged with fever beneath Thatch's fingers. "You're alright." He worked his arms below Luffy's legs picking him up, hardly able to support either of them with his injured leg.
"Let go Thatch," Luffy told him, as he always did each time the man tried to take care of him. As far as Luffy was concerned the only thing he wanted in this world was to stay put.
"And leave you on that floor? I think the underside of shoes are cleaner then it." He once again set Luffy on the bed before sitting heavily besides him, his knee shaking from the effort.
"Just stay here this time. I know you're miserable. In fact I think that's the point but humor me alright?"
A long moment passed before Luffy leaned back a bit. "Alright," He agreed and Thatch smiled.
If you were to ask Teach or anyone on his crew they would probably say Luffy was impossibly stubborn and poor tempered. But in truth he was actually very sweet tempered. At least he was to anyone who hadn't kidnapped and tortured him. To Thatch he was surprisingly easy going. Most of the time at least. It seems like when he set his sights on something he would never yield, no matter what it was. But thankfully this was not one of those times and Luffy seemed to grasp Thatch was only trying to look out for him.
Surprising both of them Luffy pulled himself up a bit so he could lean against Thatch's side, soaking in the warmth of the other man.
"You okay?" Thatch asked and Luffy nodded as he closed his eyes.
"I'm okay," He promised. Just really- really tired.
He was a sleep a few moments later, leaving Thatch to watch out over their darkened cell.
They weren't left alone for long, they never were. Late into the night or possibly early in the morning Thatch was woken up by the sound of trampling footsteps approaching their cell. It sounded like a lot of them. He turned to look at Luffy, still a sleep at his side. Good, he didn't want him involved in whatever this was. And if he had learned one thing about the kid it was that he wouldn't hesitate to get involved. As much as he admired his bravery Thatch didn't know if he could handle it if something were to happen to Luffy. With the way things were going it was startling to look like- well he wasn't doing so great right now.
"Stay sleeping," Thatch told him gently as he moved the kid from his shoulder to lay on the bed. With any luck they would leave him alone. He ruffled the black hair before stepping away from the bed and into the center of the room, awaiting to footsteps.
He didn't have to wait long.
XXX
When Luffy woke up again the world seemed a little bit clearer. As it did each time following the overdose.
For a second he though Thatch had woke him up by being so noisy. But that wasn't quite right. He was still laying on the bed where he had fallen asleep and someone was sitting by him but everything around them so was loud. Maybe it was his head?
"Fight-fight- fight!"
No that wasn't what a headache sounded like. Confused Luffy pushed himself upright looking around their tiny cell. What was empty a couple of hours ago was now packed with people, all of them screaming and jeering. Still confused he moved to stand but someone pushed him back down.
"You'll want to stay out of this one trust me."
He turned in surprise to the man sitting next to him on the bed. This wasn't Thatch? Where was Thatch? Who were these people? No- scratch that he recognized most of them as Teach's lackey's. So very bad people then.
The man gestured to the circle of men, all shouting and cheering in front of them.
"We got a few new recruits," He explained. "Wanted to play with the Whitebeard pirate- er what's his name."
Luffy's gaze immediately turned back to the circle, worry curling in his stomach. The bodies completely blocking his view of whatever fight was happening.
"Thatch!" Luffy shouted pushing himself to his feet. But he hadn't take more than a step when the man came after him and firm arms locked around his middle. One over his chest pinning his arms in place and the other looped around his neck.
"Dammit kid I told you to stay out of this one. Do not get involved in this or it's your blood we will be scrapping up instead."
But Luffy wasn't listening, feet kicking wildly as he tried to break free. The man was forced to hold him off the floor.
"Leave him alone!" Luffy screamed again, his voice getting lost in the cheers of the small crowed.
"Calm down," The man told him irritably.
"Let Me GO!" Luffy fought back viciously. He hated this-this feeling of uselessness that was always hanging over him. He hated being used and traded like tools. Of being treated like a misbehaving kid. But what he hated more than anything was not being able to help the people he cared about.
"I said, Calm Down!"
Luffy felt the man's thick hand curl around his neck, threatening to cut off his air supply. He was welcome to try, the sea stone had been removed sometime before waking up in this prison cell and those type of holds no longer worked on him. But that didn't stop the man from tightening his hand, trying to choke him into submission. Luffy only struggle harder.
'Thatch was in trouble, Thatch was hurt! Why couldn't he seem to help anybody! He screamed out in anger, feet kicking into the empty air. And deep down Luffy knew this was his fault. If he was just a little stronger…then he could protect the people he wanted to- and maybe this never would have happened. What the hell was wrong with him?
When had he become so weak? Weak enough that this man, a spineless lackey with no sense of loyalty, could stop him even at his most determined. A few months ago Luffy would have stomped him into the ground without a second thought, a month ago he could have taken him on, and two weeks ago he could have at least broken free of his hold. But now- well now he was useless. The same screaming child he had been for most his life, the one who relied on other people to protect him. The same one who hid behind his older brothers backs. But that boy had done nothing while his brother was taken away. That boy was weak, and he didn't want to be him anymore.
"That's it, calm down." The big man told him as his struggled lessened. Still the hand did not move from his throat, ready to squeeze the life from him like one of the jungle snakes. And while Luffy didn't really care if the man tried to cut off his air supply his other arm was digging quite deeply into his fractured ribs. Rubber or not the pressure on his lungs was too much and dark spots began to dance in the corners of his vision. Ignoring the crushing hands he gasped for breath.
'This- this wasn't him.' He wasn't someone who could be stopped, not when his will far outweighed this mans. Luffy could feel it, feel his own determination coursing through his blood, through every part of him. He could feel it the same way he could feel this man's own desires. He was nothing, he amounted to nothing. His strength, his will, all of his actions all of his character- and they were Pathetic. Halfway through his spineless life he was still so weak. So weak and flimsy. Nothing like Luffy's.
He squeezed his eyes shut working on getting his breathing under control.
"There's a good boy." The rough voice said in his ear. "Finally listening to us now."
"Never!" He forced out between clenched teeth. Luffy would sooner bow down to the dirt then these people.
The hand tightened around his neck and the foul breath was back. "Come again!"
Luffy hated this man, he hated all of them. They thought they were strong. Following twisted orders, beating half dead prisoners, bending others to their orders with blackmail. That was not what strength was. Luffy had seen true strength. His grandfather, crazy as he may be was strong. His brothers, even at the young age of ten had been braver and tougher than any one of these men could ever hope to be.
"Say that again brat!" The man snarled his hands tightening once more. "-and I will rip your throat out and then we will see if you are still so sure of yourself while you are dying at my feet."
Fighting through the nearly overwhelming pressure on his lungs Luffy opened his eyes. The small crowed in front of him blocking his view of Thatch. He could hear the sounds of a fight, a very outnumbered fight. They were screaming, jeering, so loudly. Nobody even remembered Luffy was here, no one but the brute holding him.
"Where's your captain now Whitebeard?"
"Not so strong are you?"
Their taunts nearly drowning out Luffy's panting breaths. And as he struggled to breath his anger grew. He couldn't remember the last time he had been this angry. Furious with people, at the world. He didn't like to think like this, these thoughts were usually unwelcome. But right now he held onto them as tightly as he could, letting the rage wash through him. Lighting a blazing fire in his chest.
'They were nothing, they would always be nothing. How dare they do this to him! How dare they do this to Thatch. They didn't own him, no person could ever own anything living thing.'
He vaguely felt himself being shaken. "Well kid?" dirty fingernails scrambled at his throat. "What do you say?"
"You're all so weak!" He spat out and it felt like his eardrums were about to shatter with the force of his own heartbeat.
'I don't want this- I don't want this- I don't want any of this- They would stop! He would stop them. One by one if he needed to because- well because…
'-I am so Much More Than All OF YOU!'
And for a fraction of a second the world froze.
For him at least, things seemed to stop moving, his heart had stopped beating. And for that second he though his heart had burst. But then the moment was gone and he realized nothing had stopped at all. Not even his heart, which he hoped was still beating just not quite as loudly as before. The fight in front of him still raging on as if no one had noticed. No one but the man holding him.
In the span of a second his hands went from pinning him against his chest to loosely holding him, then dropping all together as he slumped back with a half startled cry.
Luffy paid him no attention, driven by one thing now as he dove forwards. He grabbed the clothes of the man nearest him yanking them back with all his might and to both their surprise the man tumbled onto the floor, startled by the attack and- for whatever reason he seemed oddly out of breath. Like he had just run a long ways.
"What- did you-," He began to say but Luffy wasn't listening. He pushed deeper into the crowed, tearing past the remaining crewmates who were still cheering loudly. He felt an arm try to pull him back as someone noticed his intrusion. He shoved them off as he continued to push through the group. Past the lackeys to the center of the cell where a handful of people he didn't recognize stood. A very odd assortment of men and one woman, all of whom had bloodstains on their clothing and seemed to be grinning. The new recruits.
"Thatch!"
His friend lay on the ground at the center of the crowed. A stupid fat man with a brick like nose seemed to have him pinned down as Thatch fought back viciously managing to hold his own even now. All the while the crowd cheering them on like this was a spectator show. The floor the two fought on was littered with broken glass, someone had thrown a half empty bottle at them that was now shattered. Although neither fighter noticed it.
"Get off him!" Luffy shouted as he shoved the woman aside.
"Damn it who let go of the kid?"
"Somebody grab him before he interferes!"
Luffy threw himself down to the floor as a dozen hands reached out for him. He had begun to crawl towards the two of them when he felt a hand close around his ankle drag him backwards.
"No!" He kicked back furiously fingers scrambling for grip.
"Who the hell is the kid?"
The commotion had managed to reach Thatch's ears now as he turned from his fight against the humongous man to meet Luffy's eyes. There was a deep gash above his eye and blood ran freely down the side of his face. He looked scared but not for himself.
'Luffy,' He mouthed, or perhaps he spoke it and the sound was just lost in the noise of the room. Luffy lunged forward even as he was dragged back, away from the fight and away from his friend. His only friend in thousands of miles… one of the only friends he had.
His fingers closed around something sharp as an arm close around his chest.
"Geez kid what did you do to Creed?"
"Let go of Thatch!" Luffy screamed as he was hauled back by some faceless man.
Thatch was distracted, still staring at Luffy, oblivious to the fat man's fist that was flying towards him. It smashed into his jaw sending blood and spit splattering across the grimy floor.
Luffy watched wide eyed as the man continued to beat Thatch, jeered on by the crowd. Violence, pain, blood, Luffy wanted it to stop. He was sick of it. He was so sick of all of this.
"Way to go," The one holding him said, kneeling besides him on the ground. "You distracted him. Gave old Vasco the upper hand. Guess you're not so useless huh?" He laughed.
"Tell you one thing though, he better stop soon or he really will kill him."
"You want to be the one to make him stop?" One of the newcomers boomed out a laugh. "Try it and he will beat you in the Whitebeards place."
"Boss'll have our heads if we kill him."
"Boss will have your heads you mean," The woman laughed cruelly. "We beat the kid next then?"
"Kids off limits."
"Eh?"
"Somebody important's son or whatever."
"So?"
"So kill him and Teach will flay you. He needs this one."
Luffy wasn't paying attention to them, his gaze fixed firmly on the one sided fight a few feet from him. Eyes wide as he watched as blood began to pour into the grooves of the brick.
"THATCH!" He cried trying once more to free himself, his fist closing tightly over the glass shard as his hand quickly became slippery with his own blood.
"Thaaaatch." The crowed mocked him.
"Are we hurting your boyfriend there kid?"
"Are you going to cry some more!"
"Don't worry you can have fun with us instead."
"We'll be sure to leave you an arm or something to remember him by."
And as they cried out in mockery something snapped inside of him-
Quicker than anyone expected Luffy turned, beyond that of a normal humans range. Glass shard gripped firmly in his now bloody hand he whirled onto the man holding him and thrust the object strait into the man's neck. With all of the force he had he ripped it across the skin causing blood to spray out from the wound.
And for a second the world seemed to still, everyone too surprised to react. The man holding him seemingly more shocked then anyone. He stared at Luffy for a moment longer before his grip loosened. His arm reaching up to his own neck but only coming partway before freezing once more. He let out an odd noise, partway between a gasping and choking sound. Eyes staring once more at Luffy before he slumped over onto the ground, staring glassily up towards the ceiling.
And still no body moved, the crowed now fixed on the downed man.
Free at last of the grabbing hands Luffy shot forwards once more and this time no one stopped him. He threw himself again towards where the two men were, the larger of the two having pinned his friend to the floor and had been repeatedly slamming Thatch into the floor.
"Get away from him!" Luffy screamed as he slammed into the big man, trying to get him off of Thatch. But as it was his size and strength was nothing compared to the larger man and the only thing he succeeded in doing was catching his attention.
Beady eyes blinked down at him stupidly and a large hand moved to grab him. But as sausage like fingers closed around his upper arm, Luffy dug the shard strait through the middle of the man's hand.
The reaction was immediate this time. The pain startling the man to his feet as he cried out to the group.
"IT Hurts! AH, Get It Out!"
He continued to flail his hand as if it were on fire, as his other hand scrabbled to grip the bloody glass.
Luffy ignored him as he collapsed to his knees.
"Thatch!" He cried fingers desperately tangling in the stained shirt as he pulled him back up from his place on the bloodied floor.
"Please- be – Please don't be dead!"
A pale white face stared back at him, marred with blood and bruises. One of his eyes was black but the other was staring at Luffy, wide with shock. He had seen everything that happened.
"Luf-," Thatch breathed at the other.
Luffy didn't care what he was trying to say or how beaten in his face looked. He didn't care about anything except that the man was okay. The massive weight that had been threatening to drag him down suddenly lessoned.
"Your- your okay." His voice breaking a bit as he looked his friend over. "You're still." alive. "still…Okay."
"Luffy you-you-k-…" Thatch's gaze moved to the downed man lying a few feet from them before focusing in on the blood on Luffy's face.
"Oh kid I am so sorry." He finally said remorse in his voice. Luffy had no clue why he was apologizing. He hadn't done anything wrong.
But Thatch didn't talk anymore, instead shifting his weight to one hand so he could wipe the blood from Luffy's cheek with his torn sleeve. He did so very gently like he was worried he was about to fall apart if he touched him too hard.
Luffy didn't really understand why, or what he was so sad about but right now he didn't care. Maybe it was just Thatch being Thatch. He did things from time to time that made no sense to him.
And despite everything Luffy smiled up at him. Because Thatch wasn't dead. He was okay. Beaten to hell and looking a little sick but he was alive…
The next second a large bloody hand reached out and shoved him to the floor and everything went black.
XXX
So before you guys are like 'WHAT ARE YOU DOING!' I want to defend myself by saying that Luffy is super tough. Waaay tougher than a normal fifteen year old. So far everything that has happened has upset him but not all that much. So when I said these next few chapter were going to be dark it was mostly because I was going to be really mean to Luffy and things are going to start effecting him a bit more.
But I promise starting chapter 30 or 31 everything you guys have been asking for will start happening!
This chapter was rush job because I am going camping in an hour and I need to pack so the proof reading and writing wasn't all that good. But I wanted to post it and hopefully one more chapter before school starts up again! Good luck to us all!
XXX
MelodiofHope: Yes! To happen in a little bit now! We are getting closer I promise. And Thank you!
MoustacheKiller: Aw, that's so sweet to say! I'm really glad you liked it. I promise all questions will be answered in a bit, just not right now.
I think Ace is going to do something about Luffy being mistreated before Dragon does. (Perfect English!)
Whammmm: Wow….Um yikes I guess.
First off I didn't, Secondly there is no reason to get upset over a crappy fanfic you don't even like. Go read something else that doesn't stress you out and leave this story in peace.
ShadowSheki: Aw, I'm glad. And that sounds really cool! I think it's a fun idea!
Interesting theory! But have you considered the bunny factor? I mean they can jump like fifteen feet.
Thank you for the support! I promise no writers block here, just not a lot of spare time and a whole lot of other stories I'm writing. But I'm glad to know people are still invested in this guy : ) Thanks for the review! Same to you! Good luck with the new school year.
Hujwernoo: Yea, a little bit. I think he was creepier a few chapters earlier but don't worry Teach is interested in Luffy in a pet/trophy blackmail type of capacity. I always thought of it as him treating Luffy less like a person and more like an item/ animal with a high resale value. But I promise they will go into it later in the story.
Fluffypuppies: So close except for the being in the middle of the ocean part haha.
I promise it is going to be soon now! And both of them. I'm glad you liked it! Hopefully you weren't too scarred by this one. Thank you for the review.
Bpv: Yes! Luffy is tough, he will be okay in the end! I promise.
Sophia Mendes-Coruja: Aww, that's really sweet. Thank you. High praise! If it's suffering then you might like these next few chapters. They are really rough on Luffy and it is going to get a lot worse. But then much better! He will get all the hugs. Yea, he is back to noramal(ish) now. And thank you! I try with those two. Yes they are, haha I'm glad you are excited about it. All three of them are going to have a hard time before the story ends.
I really do like writing this story, and it is nice to know people still want to read them. Yea, I know that has been pointed out to me before, I wonder what that is about. Anyway I hope you liked this one as well! More to come soon.
yukino76: Yea, Teach is kind of an idiot, agreed.
xXxWolvesInTheNightxXx: Yea, Sorry. Just for a bit then it will keep getting better.
SarahPrincess: Thank you!
i0rivy: Yea, he is a jerk. But he won't right now. He needs Luffy.
Mel72000: Yea, he was not himself. But he is (mostly) back to normal now. Haha yea, stupid Teach.
Thank You for the review!
SoulMore: Thanks
Kitsune Foxfire: Thank you! Hopefully it's not going too dark.