i reread the last chapter, and IT WAS SO CORNY I STARTED SCREAMING.
Im so sorry for the delay, i had so much to deal with. I was hospitalized 4 times, and my psychiatrist is administering me on antidepressants. I might even end up in a mental hospital for attempts. UGHH i dont want to deal with anymore of this shit.
This chapter might be a bit sloppy but im not rewriting shit anymore
Warnings:
Gore
Blood
Knife
Stabbing
Panic attack?
Blood.
Blood splattered across the room, staining the wooden floors of the infirmary. The stranger used his absolute strength to repeatedly drive the knife down into Luffy's chest, the blade violently protruding into his ribcages. The sound of the mixture of disgusting flesh and wet blood echoed in the room at each brutal stab, followed by an ear-splitting scream that involuntarily escaped Luffy's throat.
Luffy didn't know what to do. He was trapped in that position of vulnerability that he so desperately wanted to escape, but each time he attempted to retaliate, he felt that blade violently stabbing down onto his chest and breaking through his ribs once again. He wanted to scream something, to tell the man to stop, but the words that he wanted to spit out only got replaced by a chocked gasp or strangled yell when the knife digs deeper and deeper into his skin. The excruciating pain was beginning to become extremely unbearable, and Luffy just wanted to torture to cease. Where the hell did Chopper go...?
The man could clearly tell the amount of agony that he inflicted upon Luffy, but he never relented. Instead, the knife only intruded deeper into his flesh with an exuberance of strength after each thrust.
"DISAPPEAR!"
One stab.
"DISAPPEAR!"
Two stabs.
"DISAPPEAR!"
Three stabs.
"DISAPPEAR!"
Four stabs.
"DISAPPEAR!"
Five stabs.
"DISAPPEAR!"
Six stabs.
"DISAPPEAR!"
Seven stabs.
"DISAPPEAR—"
"Dos Fluer!"
Limbs suddenly grew from the surface of the man's body, tightly grasping him and ensuring that the man couldn't move.
The abruptness of the action startled the man, making him involuntarily release his grip around the bloody knife and letting it fall onto the ground with an audible clang. The limbs pushed his entire figure flat against the wall, pinning his wrists and ankles in a way that removed his entire ability to move.
The savior was none other than Robin.
Robin stood in the doorway, her gaze cold and unwavering as she stared down the trapped man. It was Chopper who had bolted from the room to inform Robin, whom he believed was the best person to handle the situation. Now, he cautiously peered out from behind her, fear etched across his face.
"Chopper, go treat Luffy's injuries. I'll handle the man," she commanded firmly, her gaze locked on the struggling man before her.
Without any hesitation, Chopper nodded his head and immediately rushed to Luffy's side, gripping onto his medical kit tightly as he began treating Luffy's wounds.
Luffy was clutching the stab wound in a desperate and hopeless attempt to stop the pain, the agony twisting his face into a grimace. He was gasping and panting rapidly, trying to suppress the screams that wanted to escape his throat.
Robin advanced towards the man slowly, her sharp eyes never leaving the man as she gauged the volatile situation. The tension was thick enough to cut with a knife, and she knew if she didn't calm him soon, things could spiral out of control. She softened her voice, keeping it low and soothing. "Sir, we need your cooperation. I understand this is overwhelming for you, but take a deep breath and try to calm down. Ground yourself and get your mind off of your thoughts. You're not dreaming, and you're not hallucinating. You've already hurt Luffy—"
"Shut up!" The man's eyes flared with a sudden burst of rage, his fists clenching tight. "His face pisses me off! He deserves it—hell, he deserves to die!"
Robin's face stiffened at the venom in his voice. She'd heard many insults in her life, but none stung quite like hearing her captain— the man who had freed her from despair being disrespected so openly was an unpleasant slight. Her grip on the man tightened, a silent warning that was strong enough to leave bruises. "Watch your words. I don't want to hurt you, but I won't hesitate if you try to harm anyone else."
The man's eyes widened, and a brief flash of fear passed through his expression, his breaths still ragged and rapid. "W-what? No! I'm not going to hurt you!" His voice wavered, trembling as if on the edge of some unseen precipice.
Robin's eyes narrowed. His fear was real, she could sense that much. But why? Why would he be so willing to attack Luffy but recoil at the thought of harming the rest of them? It didn't make sense. There was something more to this, something hidden beneath his anger.
"Please... believe me. I wasn't thinking straight earlier on," the man begged, his voice strained as he tried to wrestle his emotions into submission. "I'm calm now. I swear. I won't do anything stupid anymore."
Robin slightly loosened her grip around the man when she saw that glint of sincerity in his eyes. She didn't know if she should completely trust the man and let him loose, especially after he had just lost control of himself and harmed her own captain, but the stranger really seemed... genuine. Cautiously, she released him, but her gaze never left his face, watching for any sudden movement.
"Sorry," he muttered, his eyes dropping to the floor, filled with guilt as his body sagged from exhaustion. "For all the trouble I caused."
Robin shook her head, her voice cold. "Don't apologize to me."
His eyes flicked up at her, confusion mixing with shame. He knew exactly what she meant. Clenching his fists, his pride battled with the humiliation of what he had to do next. Robin gave him a nod when he steeled a glance at her, urging and encouraging him on. With a reluctant sigh, he turned towards Luffy, who was slouched restlessly against the wall while Chopper was busily wrapping bandages around his injuries.
"Sorry... Luffy, or whatever your stupid name is," he muttered hesitatingly through gritted teeth, the words tasting bitter in his mouth.
Luffy, you bastard. I hate you. I HATE YOU SO MUCH!
Luffy's eyes shot open, a fierce glare on his face as he immediately shot back, "Bastard! That hurt a lot, you know?! I'm gonna beat your stupid ass for that!" He wasn't willing to accept the man's obvious insincere apology, especially after he had just harmed him without any conscience. He didn't know why— he didn't want to know anyway. It didn't give him the right to hurt him like that.
The stranger clenched his jaw at the comment, his anger spiking up at Luffy's threat. "Shut up, you useless rubber freak!" he retaliated, his voice laced with clear annoyance andhatred.
I'd kill you if I could.
"YOU—!"
"Enough." Robin's voice cut through their bickering like a blade, sharp and commanding. Both men fell silent, not daring to fight against her stern and serious tone. Luffy gave an ominous and piercing glare, silently threatening to kill the other man, who returned the exact gaze.
Robin's expression relaxed slightly at the silence of both men, although she was still unsatisfied at the unnecessary abhorrence between both of them. Knowing that she could do nothing about it, she decided to shift the topic.
Turning towards the man, she asked calmly, "What's your name?"
The man blinked, as if the question caught him off guard. "I'm L—" He stopped, eyes flickering with hesitation before he continued, "I mean... Ryu. Yeah, call me Ryu."
Robin's instincts told her he was lying, but she didn't press him. Not yet. Instead, she folded her arms and leaned slightly forward. "Mhm... Ryu, do you, perchance, remember anything about what happened before you passed out?"
He hesitated again, his voice softer this time. "No… not really." There was a strained and forced smile that Robin could clearly decipher as a fake one. He was hiding something, though she couldn't quite put a finger on it.
"By the way, how long have I been out?" he suddenly asked in an attempt to shift the topic, his tone casual but his eyes sharp.
"About four hours," Robin replied, watching his reaction closely.
Ryu's expression darkened, his smile fading as his thoughts drifted elsewhere. "Four hours…" he muttered under his breath. His fists clenched again, but this time, Robin sensed it wasn't directed at them.
"He's definitely gone by now," Ryu whispered to himself, his voice barely audible enough for Robin to hear. The thought of him made Ryu want to go berserk, but he suppressed his hatred and kept it to himself, not intending to cause any more trouble.
Robin raised an eyebrow at his shift in demeanour. "What's wrong?"
Ryu snapped back to attention, forcing the smile back onto his face, though it seemed even more strained now. "Nothing. Just… tired." He paused, then added, "Can you guys... leave? I really need rest right now."
Please don't leave.
Luffy opened his mouth to protest, but Robin was quicker to interject. "Sanji's finished preparing dinner, Luffy. You should eat with the others."
Luffy's entire demeanor changed in an instant, his eyes lighting up as if he hadn't been seriously injured just minutes ago. The anticipation of the food he might consume made his stomach grumble with greed. "Really?!" he shouted, springing to his feet and sprinting toward the door without a second thought.
"Luffy!" Chopper yelped, chasing after him in panic. "Don't run around like that! You'll tear your stitches!"
Their voices faded in the distance. The room fell into a thick, oppressive silence once they were gone. Ryu shifted uncomfortably, his gaze fixed on the floor. "You're not leaving?" he asked awkwardly, his voice softer now that they were alone.
Robin's eyes remained sharp, unyielding. "No. I have a question."
Ryu gulped at her statement, a drop of sweat trickling down from his head, clearly not willing to answer whatever she wanted to ask. But he knew he couldn't run away forever. "O-okay... sure... what do you wanna ask?" he said in an apprehensive tone, his eyes averted away from her gaze.
Her voice was steady, yet piercing. "Why did you panic when you saw Chopper, but then suddenly turn aggressive when you saw Luffy?"
Ryu was taken aback by the question, not knowing how to answer. "Uhm... I..." he hesitated, mentally scrolling through the excuses he could make. He couldn't tell her the actual story, he had to make something up, something believable enough.
He took a deep breath as he started, " Chopper... he reminded me of a past crewmate that had died. He was someone I truly valued, someone I cared about a lot. But, Luffy," he paused, gritting his teeth, "Luffy... I hate him! He looks exactly like that bastard who killed my crew!"
Robin regarded him in silence, her face unreadable. His explanation was believable enough, but something about it didn't sit right with her. Still, she didn't pressurize him further, instead walking up to him and placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I understand. Losing someone you care about can be difficult, but we all have to move on eventually, although it may take a longer time for certain people, but that's totally fine and valid. Just keep one thing in mind— you have us now," she gave him a kind and thoughtful smile, her voice filled with sympathy.
Ryu's breath hitched, and for a moment, Robin thought she saw tears welling in his eyes. His voice was shaky when he responded, "Thank you… Robin."
I miss her.
Robin smiled softly. "Anytime. I'll leave you to rest now, I apologize for disturbing, but if you need anything, don't hesitate to ask any one of us, okay?"
"Wait!" Ryu's sudden voice stopped her, "Sorry... but can I ask where the ship's heading?"
Robin paused at the door, her hand hovering above the doorknob, glancing back at him with a smile. "Don't worry about that. Take care of yourself first," And with that, she slipped out of the door, leaving him alone in the quiet infirmary.
Their destination was Sabaody, the place they needed to head to to be able to reach the New World. She didn't want to agitate the newcomer further with that information, since the New World was known to be a dangerous and deadly place.
As the door clicked shut, Ryu let out a shaky breath, his chest tightening with emotions he could no longer hold back. He collapsed onto the bed, covering his eyes with trembling hands as tears finally began to fall. The weight of everything—his crew, his past, the anger that had been eating away at him—came crashing down all at once. His body shook with silent sobs, his mind filled with memories he wished he could forget.
Why?
WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY?
Why me...? What did I ever do to deserve any of this?!
After what felt like hours of self-pity and anguish, exhaustion eventually overtook him, and he drifted into an uneasy sleep.
"I'm sorry, captain. I-I failed to achieve my dream after all...," he coughed out blood, his voice ragged and breaking.
Ryu held him tightly in his arms. He wanted to cry, scream, and beg for him to not succumb to death, but his fear and shock overwhelmed him so much he could feel his body failing.
"I've enjoyed our whole journey, but it has to end now. Promise me that you'll achieve your dream, captain. I believe in you, the whole crew does. Take care of yourself, okay? I'll see you again... someday."
With that, he fell to the ground, his body becoming completely limb and lifeless.
Ryu's body abruptly jerked awake, his eyes snapping open as he found himself drenched in cold sweat. His entire being trembled with the lingering presence of the nightmare that had just tormented his sleep. His pupils dilated in response to the terror still coursing through his veins, and he could only sit in stunned silence as the echoing sentence played incessantly in his ears. Despite his best attempts to silence the relentless sound, it remained there, mocking him and crushing his very spirit with every word that reached his ears.
"I'm sorry, captain. I failed to achieve my dream after all..."
No.
"I've enjoyed our whole journey, but it has to end now."
Stop.
"Promise me that you'll achieve your dream, captain."
Stop.. PLEASE!
"I believe in you, the whole crew does."
Stop. Stop. Stop! STOP!! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!
"Take care of yourself, okay? I'll see you again... someday."
NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!
Ryu's emotions were a maelstrom of conflicting feelings and guilt, a storm that left his mind battered and bruised. The tears he had been trying to hold back burst forth uncontrollably, and his body wracked with sobs that shook him to his core. The world seemed to shrink around him, closing in like a vice, stealing the air from his lungs and leaving him drowning in the murky darkness that devoured the last flicker of hope.
He wanted it all to stop.
"You have us now."
Huh?
Ryu's mind suddenly fixated on Robin's words from earlier, and a strange sense of comfort and warmth washed over him. Knowing that he was no longer alone, that there were people who cared for him and were finally there for him, brought him a sense of relief that he hadn't experienced in a long time. He couldn't help but feel grateful for the affection and care that surrounded him now, after having gone without it for far too long.
He reminded himself that he mustn't give in to the negative thoughts and emotions that threatened to consume him. He knew he had to stay positive and strong, or else he would only sink further into a pit of self-pity and despair from which he wouldn't be able to escape. For his own sake, and for the sake of the people who had finally come into his life and cared for him, he had to fight against the tide that attempted to pull him under.
He took a slow, deep breath, and closed his eyes, shutting out the weight of everything that had burdened him. As he exhaled gradually, a palpable sense of relief washed over him, the tension in his shoulders dissipating as the world around him began to become brighter once more.
One.
Two.
Three.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
He repeated the process over and over again, consciously bringing himself a measure of peace. Though there was still a part of him that remained weighed down by a lingering burden, he refused to give in to it. With every ounce of resolution left within him, he fought back against the desire to give in to despair and anguish, determined to press on and overcome the weight that threatened to pull him under.
Slowly, he opened his eyes and reluctantly let the world he once loathed become visible to him again. But instead of moving, he remained motionless, sitting on the bed and fixedly staring at the wall before him. His facial expression was indecipherable, his once radiant eyes now devoid of any hint of emotion. He had no idea how much time had passed as he sat there, not moving and gazing blankly ahead, his mind seemingly distant and detached from his surroundings.
Dissociation.
Derealization.
Suddenly, he was abruptly brought back to reality by a sudden loud crash from outside the infirmary, followed by a commotion of voices that definitely belonged to the crew. Startled by the unexpected noise, he quickly snapped out of his daze and moved towards the door, his curiosity piqued by the commotion.
He cautiously opened the door and let the blinding bright light of the world pour into the dimly lit infirmary. Squinting his eyes as he adjusted to the stark difference in illumination, he could make out the excited tones of the crew's voices. Curious about the commotion, Ryu stepped forward, his vision finally adjusting to the scene before him. The crew were all gathered on the deck, surrounding something he couldn't quite see, their voices animated with anticipation.
"A mermaid?! I've never seen one before!" Ryu heard one of the crew members yell in disbelief.
A mermaid?
Ryu's curiosity was now in full force, and he was eager to get a better look at the source of the commotion. One of the crew members suddenly shifted, revealing the mermaid who had been hidden by their bodies.
The mermaid sat on the ground, her cheerful expression almost out of place given her unusual situation. Her light-green hair just brushed her shoulders, and her dark-purple eyes sparkled with a lively light. She wore a bright orange backpack, her mermaid tail a unique shade of pink.
Ryu gazed at the mermaid with wide eyes, his lips parted in a mixture of shock and disbelief at the unexpected sight in front of him.
"Camie...?"