A/N Regular - story

Italicized - thoughts

Chapter 4 - Luffy

12:30 pm

GRRRRR~~~. Stupid Nami. Trying to make me stay at the ship when I'm starving. I'm the captain, you know! GRRRRR~~~. I put my hands on my stomach and groaned aloud as I finally left the dock and made it into the town, grumbling under my breath about Nami. Gotta find food, gotta find food, gotta find food. I wandered through the shopping stalls and various snack peddlers, trying to find anything that looked half as good as Sanji's food. Then a waft of bbq drifted past my nose. Sharply swinging my head to the left as I felt drool already pooling out of the side of my mouth.

Running past various other stores and restaurants, I followed the smell to the delicious aroma source. I stopped in front of a small square building with a bright green shingled roof, purple shutters, and mustard yellow siding. It boasted a sign saying, "Grove Tavern, best pork in all of Fallnia," with tiny pictures of bbq ribs and pulled pork sandwiches painted throughout. It stood out from the surrounding buildings, and I immediately liked it more than the other town square options. I all but ripped the door off its hinges in my haste to get inside.

The atmosphere around the outer edges of the restaurant and the staff were agitated. As I tripped to a stop at the front counter, a tall man with turquoise hair and black square-framed glasses nervously approached me. "Good afternoon, sir. Might I interest you in a bar seat as our dining room has been rented out for a private event?" Glancing behind him, I noted that the dining room, which could easily fit thirty people, was taken up by only six. While this was odd, I didn't think much of it and nodded to the waiter to show me the way.

The bar was right off the dining room, and the men in the private party were loud and boisterous. I could only assume they were celebrating something.

"Can I get you anything to drink?" The waiter asked as I flopped down into my seat.

"Ale!" My stomach growled again loudly, and the waiter smiled slightly at that. "Might I also bring you some bread while you look over the menu?"

I hollered another yes, and he rushed off to complete the order. I already knew I would order a ton of that pulled pork they served, but I felt unusually reserved with my attitude towards getting food. The atmosphere was getting to me, and given how single-minded I usually was when it came to food, I knew something was up. I could hear the men talking about how they had caught something. Maybe they're fishermen? Their voices lulled, and the waiter brought me my drink and bread and took my order. His eyes went comically wide as I ordered over ten times the standard order of pulled pork and several side orders of steamed potatoes.

I quickly munched on the bread, downed the honeyed ale, and waited impatiently for my food, tapping my sandaled foot against the bottom rung of my bar stool. I could hear the cooks gasping as the kitchen was just through a small window at the back of the bar, and it made me think of Sanji yelling about how much I ate, and I laughed as I downed another gulp of my drink and listened to the hum of conversation around me.

Beside me were a father and son having a quick lunch before what sounded like surfing lessons. They seemed happy and excited as the father told stories of his father teaching him to surf as a young boy. On my other side was a man about my age with dark brown hair, covered in a dark blue hat and gold eyes. His face was pinched in anger, and his hands were clenched tightly. He had a folder in front of him and appeared to be reviewing some financial statements and maps. He snapped at me to stop tapping my foot and then went back to muttering and shuffling through various papers. Before I could respond, I was promptly distracted by my waiter, bringing me an overflowing platter of pork and potatoes.

The meat was tender and fell to pieces as I scooped it up with my fork. I groaned as I chewed and quickly took to shoving it into my mouth so fast I didn't even taste the rest. My waiter, who finally introduced himself as Sora, just chuckled and brought me more ale and the next platter when mine was empty. Sauce specks from my meal hit the papers in front of my seat neighbor and seemed to be the last straw as he blew out of his seat and stormed away behind the bar.

Sora glanced after him anxiously before finally turning toward me. "Sorry about him. He's the boss's kid, and he always gets a bit, shall we say, stressed when the Guard comes in."

Around a mouthful of food, I asked what the Guard was. "The Guard is the protective details for King Pin." Sora, confusion in his eyes, came in closer and angled his body, implying he didn't want to be overheard.

My expression over my distended cheeks must have been enough because he looked at me with shock. "You don't know who King Pin is?"

I shook my head, and he watched my cheeks wobble before sighing. "I didn't realize you were a tourist, or I'd have probably suggested you eat elsewhere. The Guard likes to pick fights with out-of-towners, and to answer your question, they are supposed to be our police force, but they are nothing except thugs with badges. King Pin is a nickname for Marcus Urasea; he's like our King. He and his men overthrew the government a little over a decade ago and have been ruling with an iron fist ever since."

I swallowed. Feeling the overly large mouthful grossly expand my neck on the way down. "Those guys don't look so tough." I must have said that a little too loud because Sora put his hand over my mouth and motioned with his other hand to tone it down. The guy who had stormed to the back had come back to retrieve his paperwork as I said this. He scoffed harshly and looked at me, his gold-colored eyes glowing with anger. "They fight dirty. Never one on one, and if they ever appear to be losing, the head of the Guard uses his devil-fruit power." Sora's eyes grew wide, "Al, you can't go around talking about that with strangers."

"What's his power?" I asked curiously. Sora started trying to wave the idea off, but Al didn't have the same sharing problem.

"Fear."

"Fear? That seems a little vague." Al shook his head and continued,

"It spreads like a heavy opaque fog. Thick enough to block out sunlight. Then you start to see things; whatever it is you fear most seems to come around you, and if the sheer terror doesn't kill you, one of the Lore brothers is likely to use the fog as cover to sneak up and blow your brains out." I tilted my head toward the men in the dining area behind us, and Sora nodded in confirmation.

Al nodded as well, but before he could say more, a bell rang, and Sora mentioned that that was my next plate of food. He rushed off to grab it, and Al sat back down, focusing on his paperwork or trying to with all the boisterous yelling coming from behind us. He was tense as Sora brought more food and refilled our glasses. I kept eating, and eventually, the laughter quieted, and I could hear the Guard's actual conversation.

"So, you got her at Jane's?"

"Yeah. We couldn't have asked for an easier score. Jane said the bitch wandered away from some twig of a man, maybe a boyfriend or somethin', right into her web."

"What'd she look like?"

This part of their conversation caught my attention as it occurred to me that this did not sound like fishing. I turned on my bar seat and finally caught a good look at the men sitting in the dining room. They were seated so that two sat at the table's head with what appeared to be underlings fanning around them. One of the men was tall with grey hair, and as he spoke, I noticed his rotted teeth and severely split lip. His skin was ashen, which made the dark circles under his eyes, and the eyes themselves seem almost black. The other man was shorter and didn't speak; he just sat next to the tall man and sneered. His face was a wreck. He had severe pockmarks and a scar across his face from the bottom left corner of his jaw, up across his nose, and ending at his right temple. His skin seemed more ruddy than the taller man, but his eyes were the same blank black. After a moment, the tall one answered the question.

"Awe, man, the bitch had this real pretty orange hair. Never seen anything like it, and she smelled like citrus. Her skin was light and peachy, and it bloomed with bruises beautifully."

The men around him groaned grossly, and suddenly my skin felt cold. I gripped the glass a little too hard, and it cracked, leaking ale onto my hand.

Al noticed and looked at me questioningly, but I kept my eyes on the men.

"We took her straight to the castle, and Marcus is eagerly awaiting having her tonight. Lavender should get her looking real nice, and given how much trouble the new girl gave us, we get the second crack at her when he's done with her tonight." They all laughed, and my hand finally shattered the cup in my hand, spattering Al's papers. He shouted, but I didn't hear what he might've said.

Before anyone even registered that I had moved, I was up and across that dining room. I jumped onto the Guard's table and clenched my fist in the taller of the two Head Guard's shirts ripping him up off his chair. The surrounding men skittered back a few feet and aimed rifles at my head.

Neither the man I was holding nor the one still seated to my left even acted like anything was wrong.

I huffed as I straightened my thoughts out. The man still seated picked up his mug, took a deep sip, and then said, "Can we help you with something, son?" His voice felt like oil being dripped in my ears.

I didn't move my eyes from the one I was holding. I released one huffing breath and asked, "Where is Nami?"

The sitter laughed, "Who's that? A pet? Did you lose your dog, little boy?"

The men still aiming their weapons chuckled. Why do so many people underestimate me just because I'm young? "I heard you talking. About a girl. Where is she?"

They all laughed again, and the man in my grip cracked a putrid grin. "Anyone ever teach you finders keepers? If you want to keep things, you should keep a closer eye on them." I clenched my teeth so hard they felt like they might crack. Before I spoke, I glanced at shorty and saw what looked like a blue pipe peaking out of his uniform jacket. Quicker than he could stop me, I stretched out my arm and snagged three pipe pieces off his hip. "Hey, finders keepers, remember!" He shouted and tried to reach for it, but I held it up out of anyone's reach. There, in my hand, was Nami's Climatact.

It finally seemed to register to them that I had stretched out my arms farther than expected, and the underlings began to waver in fear. Muttering, "he's a devil-fruit user," under their breath.

The stouter man I'd taken the Climatact from lost all trace of laughter from his face. He stared at me with a fire of pure hatred. "You a pirate boy?"

"Of course,' I answer without missing a beat. "I'm going to be king of the Pirates!" More laughter lights up around us, and the Guard grunts begin lowering the rifles as if I'm no longer a threat. The main two don't move, but I feel a shift in the air near my ankles. Glancing down, I see a light grey smoke spreading up my legs. My grip on the man's shirt begins to shake, and I notice he has started to laugh. "Gotcha now, boy, and once we get done here, we are going back to the castle; we are gonna get that little piece we picked up this afternoon."

Rage boils up inside me, but before I can land a swing, the smoke engulfs my arm and head, and my vision goes dark.

Am I on the Merry? Groggily I look around, I see her masthead bobbing gently against the waves, and seagulls screech above me. Was that all a dream? No, it's too quiet. There was no clanging from Zoro's barbells, no pots and pans banging in the galley, and no tinkering sounds of Usopp's hammers. I swing around and look at Merry's deck and see splotches here and there and what appear to be drag marks. Where is everyone? Confused, I walk over to the splotches, and as I get there, a harsh smell wafts past my nose; it is pungent and sickeningly sweet. Placing my hand over my nose, I tried to breathe through my mouth as I walked toward the partially open door of the galley. My heart was in my throat as I reached for the handle, and fear froze my hand as soon as I got a grip on the cool metal.

I stood there for what felt like an eternity. No sound leaked under the door, but I just knew they had to be there, like in a dream where you know you're dreaming but can't change the event's sequence. Gulping past my frantic heartbeat, I shook my head and pushed the door inward.

The smell was like a wall pushing past me, and at first, my eyes watered, and I couldn't make sense of what I was seeing. Here a hand not attached to a wrist, there a green ball covered in red. Rubbing my eyes with my free hand, I looked around the room and choked on a scream. Dead. All of them were hacked to pieces and strewn across the room. Zoro's head in Sanji's lap, Nami, and Robin, a mess of limbs and torsos, wedged between the refrigerator and the wall. Poor Sanji sat against the stove, eyes open and blank as he stared at the far wall, his arms gone from the shoulder down. The only piece of Usopp I can see is his nose and bottom jaw. No sign of Chopper at all. I can't think about where the other parts might be. I scream again and fall to my knees.

"Your fault!" My tear-filled eyes wretch open at the sound. Swiveling my head around the room, I look for the one who spoke. Hoping one of them might still be alive. "This is all your fault!"

"Whose fault?"

"Your fault, Captain!"

Shock propelled me to my feet, and I took one step forward. Struck with intense distress, I couldn't even argue as all the bodies of my dead friends began to yell accusations at me, and my denials fell on deaf and missing ears. Zoro's head rolled slowly in Sanji's lap, and his face became visible. His eyes were missing, and his once deeply tanned face had taken on the washed-out pale of death. His blue lips parted, saying, "This is your fault! We wouldn't have even been here if it wasn't for you!"

"Your selfish desire to be pirate King put all our lives on the back burner. You left us to die when you found that treasure!"

A slim finger pointed at my forehead and reaching up, and I felt a crown. Pulling it off, I looked at the heavy gold circlet encrusted with rubies and sapphires. Nami's voice echoed around me, "When you found that all our dreams no longer mattered. You left us to die!" Flinging the crown out the door, I tried to shout that that wasn't true, that I would never abandon my friends, but my voice seemed to have dried up.

A fear I didn't know myself capable of raced through me, and I honestly thought my heart would stop; as their voices grew louder and their severed limbs began to crawl toward me, I took one step back and felt a piercing sensation under my ribs. I turned as if in slow motion and found Zoro's headless body behind me. Looking down, I recognized the blade of Wado Ichimonji sticking out from my vest. It raised its left arm and pointed Kitetsu at my head, and from its open throat, a shriek of "Your fault" poured out, and the blade slammed forward into my skull.

3:30 pm

I bolted up off the pallet I'd been laid on, a sheen of sweat covering my body. Short pants left my mouth as I held my head in my hands. Tears come unbidden, and my body shakes with the most intense grief I have ever known. It wasn't real; it wasn't real. I was shaking so hard my teeth rattled, and suddenly a door opened to my right. I jump to my feet and prepare to fight. My eyes struggle to adjust, and I'm preparing to hurl my fist at the intruder blindly. A light suddenly flashed overhead, blinding me and throwing my aim off. My fist slammed into the doorframe, just missing Al, who was holding a pitcher and a plate of something spicy-smelling. He seemed startled but didn't drop either.

"Easy. I heard you wake up. Thought you might want something to eat, drink." His gold eyes show apprehension and a steel resolve I've often seen in my crew and myself. I take several deep breaths before I can form a response. "Wha- What happened?"

Al sets the plate down on a low table next to the pallet I woke up on and sits next to it. He scratches his head and leans back against the wall. "Well, we weren't sure. You became trapped in their Fear Fog, and then they shot, I'd say, fifteen rounds into the fog and left. By the time the fog had cleared, you were trapped in a dream but relatively unharmed. So we carried you here and waited for you to wake up."

I jumped forward, "How long have I been unconscious?" Al trained his narrowed eyes at me and said, "About 3 hours."

"No, no, no, no, I have to go. Those thugs have Nami!" I scramble around, looking for my sandals as I make my way for the door. I notice my hat is missing. That only adds more fuel to my rage. Those thugs must have taken it. Al grabs my arm and halts me. My mounting rage poured into my gaze as I slid it from his hand to his face, "Let go."

He dares to smirk, "We have things to discuss."

"I can't. They have Nami; she's my friend, my family. I won't waste another minute." I pull my arm out and have the door partway open when suddenly he says, "They have my sisters."

I freeze. Turn my head partway toward him.

"Eleven years ago, when the war happened, I was away, training with the King's Guard up in the mountains. My sisters, mother, and father were still in the castle when the attacks began. A survivor told me they swarmed the castle, killing anyone they found except my parents and sisters. King Pin dragged my family into the throne room, where he made my sisters watch as they killed my parents. I have no idea what has been happening with my sisters since then. Before Father died, he managed to get a message to Arete, the Head of the King's Guard, to keep me away, safe. I fought him and tried to get back, but he knocked me out, and when I woke up, I was in this tavern, and the war was already over. King Pin's men were entrenched in every corner, and Arete had dyed my hair this dark brown color."

"Why would he dye your hair?" Al smirked again, but it was sad, forlorn. Oof, Nami will be so happy that I'm using her word of the day calendar. "Because the royal family has very distinct hair colors. usually a shade of lavender, and everyone was looking for a thirteen-year-old boy with that shade." As he tells me this, he lifts the hat he's wearing to show me an inch of lavender growth sprouting from his scalp.

Shocked, I turned to face him, "Who are you?"

He huffs a sharp laugh, and as he looks up at me, there's only misery in his golden gaze, "Prince Alfonse Floria. The true heir to the Fallnia throne at your service." He then does a small mocking bow with his head.

Anger flows freely through my veins, "Then why haven't you stopped this? Those thugs run your kingdom into the ground, and you hide in this tavern! If you had found the courage to do something sooner, they never would have gotten their grubby hands on Nami" He jumps up from his spot on the floor and grabs my vest, landing a solid blow to my face. "You think I haven't tried," spittle flies from his lips as he yells at me, "I've tried assassinations, subterfuge. I've tried breaking in to find my sisters, but they are both separated and heavily guarded. I've tried calling in my father's favors with other kingdoms, but they are all dead in King Pin's pocket. What else can I do?"

A few tears slip out that he doesn't acknowledge. He's gripping my shirt and more using it to keep himself upright. I let him cry and did not say a word. Finally, he shakes himself and steps back, still holding my vest in his hands.

"Wellesley and Celia are all I have left. Arete, the knight who saved me, owns this tavern, but he's sick, and once he's gone...," he looks up into my eyes, and their gold depths are swimming with hopeless despair, "I don't know what to do."

He lets go, walks over to a small desk in the corner, and lifts a newspaper throwing it in my direction. "And then there's this." I briefly fumble in catching it before I see the main headline. "King Urasea announces surprise engagement to Princess Celia Floria."

Confused, I ask, "He plans to marry her? Isn't he like old enough to be her father?"

"Yes. It will strengthen his claim to the throne in the eyes of the World Government. I wouldn't even be surprised if she dies shortly after. Celia turns 18 in three days. I need to get her and our other sister out before that, or god only knows what might happen. What might have already happened?" He looks grave again and looks away from me. To let him have his moment, I look back at the paper and take a long look at 'King Marcus.' He is tall, maybe 6'7", 300 pounds of muscle. His skin is a dark olive complexion, made darker from excessive sunlight. In contrast, his eyes were a light green color that failed to reflect light and were flat, like glass.

Al speaking draws me away from my observations. "King Pin is known to take girls."

"Take them for what?"

Al looks at me long before saying, "No one knows 100% for sure because they are never seen alive again. But sexual slavery has always been heavily practiced in his home country, and the dead bodies that have been returned," He pauses and lets out a shuddering breath. "They are just, just in deplorable condition."

I crush the paper in my fist and level a sad look at Al. Worry for Nami and fury at her being taken swirled around in my head. I look down at the paper and take a deep breath before looking back at Al. A feral grin that would typically seem more at home on Zoro's face is spilling across my mouth. "They made many mistakes since I landed on this island—the first leaving me alive on your floor after showing me that nightmare and stealing my hat. But taking Nami and bragging about it, that's the real stupidity, I was already going to destroy all of them, but now that I've met you, I won't stop until they are all in the ground. Get your maps and anyone who may help. We are going in tonight."

Al seemed surprised, unsure, and didn't move for a few heartbeats. Gently but firmly, I clasped his fist in mine. "On my honor as a pirate, I will help you free your kingdom, your family, from this maniac you all are shackled to as long as you agree to do everything in your power to help me. Deal?"

Al seems stunned for a minute before a small smile appears on his lips. He shook my hand once, then he nodded, "Deal, let me get Soren to close the Tavern and get a message to someone for me." I nodded, and after about twenty minutes, we were headed for the town together.

A/N Sorry for the long wait. I found writing Luffy very difficult. I hope you enjoy it! I'm hoping to post more chapters soon.