Chapter Text
Unfair, he balled his fists. This wasn’t supposed to happen. It just wasn’t right. Where was their happy ending? They’d won. They did their part. They saved the day, gave everything and more to fight for what they believed in. Worn and battered, sure, but victorious nonetheless! Still… The young captain drowned in the roaring current of thoughts that flooded his mind, this wasn’t fair.
Down on all fours sharp grains drilled into his bloodied knees, while his fallen crew scattered around him. Luffy felt tired and drained. He flew and burned, dragging them towards an inevitable abyss. There was no fight left in him. He reached his limit - they all did. With bones made out of stone, heavy and old, firmly holding him in place, he failed.
From the distance he could hear them calling his name, but to no avail. Helpless voices echoed in the wind, similar to an empty orchestra. They’d used all their miracles up, unable to do anything, and only left to watch.
As Luffy lifted his gaze, he could see a giant shadow approach, facing an eclipse without comparison. He shivered. A new enemy had emerged.
Crumbling under the pressure he started to wilt away. He couldn’t bring himself to move no matter what. Cold acceptance seeped through his veins. With no intention to run, and no strength to put up an last ugly struggle, he gave in.
While the dark figure loomed over him, a hint of fear, buried underneath numbing exhaustion, erupted. His breath quickened and despite himself he closed his eyes, anticipating pain and pain never coming. He remembered being relieved until it hit him why.
Luffy’s eyes flung open. Nononono. Every part screamed in agony as he turned his head and witnessed the mountain of a man reaching past him. Painfully slow the outstretched hand closed around the unconscious swordsman, who lay behind him. His opponent grabbed Zoro’s limp body, lifting him up like a broken puppet, ripping him away. It was terrible, absolutely horrifying. Luffy clutched his chest. With every step he took a piece of his heart.
Just a moment, he desperately pleaded, give me just a moment and I’ll be right back up.
Blood drummed in his ears. Barely able to comprehend what was going on his world came crashing down and he felt himself falling apart at the seams.
Swords clattering to the ground, finally kicked him into motion. No! This was unacceptable. He won’t allow it.
“STOP!”, he yelled in a voice of thunder.
He rose to his feet. Standing on broken limbs, Luffy readied himself for another gruesome battle.