6Hello All~ Can't expect you to forgive me for taking so long, but with college and the like I hope you will try. This story is the last, I know, I know... It takes place after movie 6 (I loved the drama~). Purely nakama (but if you squint there is a myriad of shipping possibilities ;) ) enjoy~
p.s. you know the drill with the disclaimer
As Luffy calmly asks for the whereabouts of his crewmates, Baron continually hints that one is dying with each passing minute. Baron can't help but laugh at Luffy's request.
"I won't let you hurt my nakama!" Luffy thrusts back his rubber fists, shooting them forward at the baron.
"Hohoho…you won't let me hurt your nakama? It's already too late for that, boy." The baron materializes a bow and arrow while Luffy attempts to attack.
Strengthened by his anger, Luffy readies an attack with his right fist, but an arrow quickly flies towards Luffy, piercing his hand into the giant rock behind him. Baron tells him that another one is disappearing. Luffy desperately reaches out but Robin completely disappears into the Lily Carnation.
Baron advances with his game by targeting the cook. Luffy calls his gomu gomu no pistol and attempts to use his right fist. The second arrow flies and pierces his right hand into the rock. Sanji disappears within the Lily Carnation.
Blinded by rage, Luffy attempts to use his left leg to attack, but Baron sends the third arrow towards him. Luffy loses his footing and falls, while Usopp sinks and disappears.
With one free leg left, Luffy tries a fourth time but fails again. All of his hands and feet were pierced into the rock. Each piercing arrow symbolized the death of each crewmate. Nami was the fourth to disappear in front of Luffy's eyes, but wasn't the last. The last one left was Zoro. With nothing left, Luffy stretches his neck in an attempt to save his last remaining crewmate. Because his extended neck was an easy target for Baron, he unleashes numbers of arrows which cut parts of Luffy's throat. Luffy manages to catch one of the arrows in his teeth and continues closer and closer to Zoro. Despite his efforts, Luffy reaches his limit. Upon impact with his head, his body gets pushed back to where the four arrows laid.
"Alone..."
It's taking all of Luffy's strength to lift his head up. Baron continues to lecture him about being alone. Luffy continues to be in pain and in silence.
"What do you choose? To live or to die?...You'd rather be dead than alone after all. Then die."
Baron readies the final arrow, but Luffy isn't doing anything to resist. It's as if he's letting it all sink in. Before the final blow is done, the ground below Luffy crumbles, and Luffy disappears below the earth's surface…and with that the dream ends.
Catapulting out of bed Luffy hurriedly checks over his crew, terrified and desperate to see them alive. Ussop lets one rip and funnily enough despite the tear gas, it releases the tension plaguing the captain's mind.
"Yokata…(thank goodness)" Zoro, Sanji, Ussop, Chopper, Franky, Brooks are all sound asleep in their cots…he needs to see if the girls are alright.
He stumbles about the room, it was dark and he is tired, but the cold night air wakes him up immediately.
Slightly distracted he beings to remember the happenings on Omasturi Island, he still remembers the way his nakama acted towards one another; almost betraying one another because of a stupid game. To be honest, he is worried—worried that their relationship with each other would not be the same, distant—it would be the same as watching them die again. He remembers that agitating fear of watching them die, to feel that weak again was unacceptable. He remembers Sanji's stinging words and his crew's action signifying they lost all faith in him, he has to try harder as a captain.
Sanji and Nami apologized profusely for what happened, but they were right—he accepted their apologies and put it behind them. He resolves his need to train more, at the next island they will fuel up and he will go train for everything he is worth.
Before he realizes, the sun broke the crest of the horizon, and Zoro, Sanji and Nami were getting up for their morning routines. Breakfast smells particularly good this morning—bacon and French toast, but stealing food can wait, he needed to check on someone.
"Oi Robin, you up yet?" Luffy rapped on the women's cabin. "What is it, Captain-san?" shit, I did not think this one through… realizing he had no idea what he wants to say, he merely wanted to check on her, he mumbles, "Uh…just seeing if you are alright…"
Curiosity peaking, Robin opens the door, "Why wouldn't I be alright?" Luffy gapes at Robin's barely clothed form "P-put some clothes on! Sheash~" Both turning tomato red, Robin smiles gently, "my apologies, Captain-san."
A few moments later the archeologist is dressed and going back to her earlier inquiries. "So what did you mean by what you said earlier?" She looks over her captain, he looks…tired, at best. "You haven't been sleeping, have you?" Luffy in return looks mildly surprised and looks away sheepishly, "I suppose not."
Robin had been one of few who had remained at her captain's side in Omatsuri Resort, Zoro and Chopper were the others, but fights with the others spilt them up to be picked off one by one. She remembers being absorbed by the Lily Carnation, it was a violating experience—she is not sure the others remember. Nevertheless, she can see the toll it took on their captain.
"May you walk me to breakfast, captain-san?" she supposed it was best to change the subject, Luffy beamed at the request.
"Sure." The two did not hold arms, or anything like that, they just walk causally side by side to the galley.
"Good morning, Robin-chawn~" how the cook manages to do a pliet every morning without kicking anyone in the face still remained a mystery, even to Robin.
"Good morning, Sanji-kun." She and Luffy sit next to each other at breakfast; she notes troublingly that Luffy is not stealing food from Ussop or Zoro—he is barely eating at all. It seems his first mate and the chef notices too.
"Oi Luffy, you don't like what I make you?" Sanji didn't sound angry, just mildly perturbed. Luffy looks slightly dazed at the question, then laughs, "What are you saying? Don't say stupid things." Nami snickers at the irony of the statement. Jokes aside, the volume of the galley went almost silent.
Annoyed by the lack of normalcy, Luffy growls "What?" sensing a fight about to start, both Zoro and Robin stand up and take the captain outside, Zoro slings him over his shoulder while robin keeps him bound in her fleurs.
"Wha-? Zoro? Robin? What are you doing! Lemme' go, dammit!" Luffy weakly struggles in Zoro's grip, disturbing the first mate further—his captain sends him flying on a mere whim, what is up with this? Just to be safe, he and Robin bound their captain to a barrel, giving a justified look over.
"You will tell us what is wrong, you shitty captain." The words seem to strike a chord with Luffy, who looks down at the floor.
"Luffy... what are you going to do? It was your decision from the beginning. You wanted to come to this island! All of this happened because... of you, Luffy." Hell, it has been almost two months—gotta' get past this. Tears prickled his eyes…alone…I don't wanna' be alone. Being tired, angry, and scared he bucked against his restraints.
"When I get loose, there is gonna' be hell to pay!" His face did not match his words; it is drained and weary, borderline ill looking. He felt almost willing to communicate through his eyes, wanting to tell Zoro everything. Zoro shocked by the despair filling his captain's eyes, knelt to be eye-level with his captain. ..Luffy…
The crew looks on in wonderment, how could they not see their captain was in pain? No one cracks jokes; this was too serious for that. However, they cannot help but reaffirm why Zoro had been chosen as first mate. Nami, who had been the last to leave Luffy, broke down I'm so sorry, Luffy…
"Idiot, we ain't gonna leave you!" Zoro finally deduces what was wrong, seemingly out of character hugs his captain, Robin joins in the hug. Quickly Luffy realizes the whole crew is hugging him, and he lets out a sob.
"I was so weak, too weak to save any of you…I am ashamed." His straw hat back in the room could not hide the sorrow emanating from him. He did not try to shake off the contact, but he did not embrace it either. His sobbing quieted down, the crew realizes the captain fell asleep leaning on his people.
"Stupid Captain." If ever at that moment the crew felt as one, they paid no mind. Not a word was spoken, but everyone knew what was being said, they renewed their ambition to protect their captain, and fulfill each of their dreams.