Tuesday, January 10, 2017

Damn Cold Night-Chp1


CHAPTER 1: MEMORIES

The rain was pouring down hard. The earth was wet, slowly forming into mud. Nami, Usopp and Chopper stood around the crouching Sanji and Zoro, who was holding the blood-drenched Luffy in his arms.

“In the…end…” Luffy whispered hoarsely, “In the end…I couldn’t be…the Pirate King…”

“Urusai, Luffy! Urusai!” Zoro shouted, holding back his tears. “You’ll be alright, Luffy! You are the Pirate King! You’ll always be our Pirate King!”

“Don’t die on us, Luffy! Don’t you dare die on us, Luffy!” Sanji shouted too, forgetting his cigarette which has dropped onto the wet mud.

“A…Arigato, every…one…” Luffy managed to smile weakly before his eyes closed for eternity and his head tilted sideways, his life ceased to exist.

Sanji and Zoro broke down and wailed.

Zoro shook the horrible memory out of his mind. Somehow, he found it hard to overcome this nightmare, although it has been a year since the incident happened. He eyed at his 3 swords and sighed.

They were so close to reaching the legendary One Piece, the late Captain Roger’s grand treasure. So close! They battled all the keepers of One Piece, from the great swordsman Mihawk to the highest level of the keepers. When they were about to reach their destination, the terrible pirate gang led by Bagy the Clown and Luffy’s idol Shanks and his gang appeared. Although Luffy’s team was able to defeat Bagy’s team and finally kill Bagy himself, they never expected Shanks to betray them. Shanks’ gang took all the One Piece treasure and Shanks himself, with his one hand, raised the sword and stabbed Luffy, without warning, right at the heart. His eyes were cold and merciless as he glared at Luffy falling onto the ground, his eyes full of surprise and questions. He smiled coldly, like the dark heartless Messenger of Death, saying, “This is for my eaten up hand, you little freak.”

“Shanks…why…?” Zoro remembered Luffy choked out the question.

“I told you before, Luffy, and I’ll tell you one last time. I never wanted to take you out to sea. The sea is dangerous and not suitable for you. You’re not cut out to be a pirate.”

“How could you do this to him?!” Usopp yelled, furious. “He idolized you for so long and he’s been dying to meet you for the past 10 years? How could you betray him? You should at least share the One Piece…”

“Share? One Piece is not for sharing; it’s for keeps. Whoever reaches the treasure first shall have the right to keep all of it. It’s the golden rule of pirates,” Shanks replied coldly, then turned to Luffy and hissed, “Do you know the real reason why I didn’t want you to go out to sea with me? Because I know your potential. I know that you will become the Pirate King that you have promised me 10 years ago. And I have come to eliminate you. Forever.”

Zoro could understand how badly betrayed Luffy felt. Shanks’ team was stronger; they couldn’t defeat them, not even when Zoro used all his ability with his swords, not even when Sanji kicked the hell out of everybody, not even when Nami and Usopp used their gadget, not even when Chopper morphed to battle mode, nothing. They lost terribly. All they could do was watch painfully as Shanks loaded his ship with the One Piece and left.

A few months after Luffy’s death, Shanks was arrested and sentenced to death. It was then they found out that behind Shanks’ polite and carefree exterior lies a past so horrifying and dark: during his quest to search for the One Piece, he has killed many other pirates and killed even more people on land. He burnt down many villages and robbed them of their valuables, mostly food, to sustain the team while he traveled the sea for the grand treasure. The reason he let Luffy’s village go was that the only satisfaction Shanks will ever get out of this village wasn’t the village and its valuables, but Luffy himself. His target was Luffy all along. His act of kindness was to lure Luffy out to sea. Pirates should die at sea, they always say, and that’s what Shanks have been waiting for the past 10 years—to kill Luffy at sea. He wanted One Piece so bad, just like any other pirate. After his death sentence, One Piece was confiscated by the Marine Force and officially became Marine Force’s exhibit property.

Zoro felt the urge to break down and cry again but he held it back with all his might. He has sworn not to cry until his ultimate goal was achieved. He and the Luffy Gang has already agreed on doing this mission and sworn with their own blood and tears that stormy night on the Going Merry that they were willing to die for this cause.

“Rest in peace, Luffy. I promise we’ll achieve this ultimate mission,” Zoro whispered to the stars.

Sanji was preparing dinner for the crew as usual. He wasn’t smoking anymore when he was cutting the fish or making the stew. He stopped a long time ago after Luffy’s death. In its place was chewing gum. Gummy brand. It was Luffy’s favourite junk food ever since he found out that the brand name was almost the same as the name of the Gum-Gum fruit he ate. Luffy did attempt to introduce this chewing gum to Sanji so that he will quit smoking, but Sanji fell on deaf ears, until now, that is.

Sanji remembered the days when Luffy was around. He remembered when Luffy used to barge into the kitchen when he got impatient of waiting for his meals and ended up being kicked out by Sanji. He also remembered the day he fell in love with Luffy. It was that fateful day when Luffy went into one of his impatient moods again. He barged into the kitchen as usual, hollering, “HUNGRY NE~~!!” and accidentally crashing a few pots and pans on the way.

“How many times do I have to tell you, don’t come in while I’m cooking!” Sanji growled exasperatedly.

“But you take too much time! Give me something to chew at least! I’ll die of hunger if you let me wait one more minute out there for our meal!” Luffy can be very demanding when it comes to food.

“Oh, alright! There might be some leftover toast in the cupboard. Go get it yourself.”

Bad idea. Clumsy Luffy actually hit the kettle on his way to the cupboard. The kettle overturned and was about to spill on Luffy but Sanji grabbed him away just in time. Still, the hot water scalded Sanji’s arm.

“Oh dear! I am so sorry! I didn’t mean…Are you hurt?” Luffy said hurriedly.

“It’s OK. It’s only a scald,” Sanji replied.

“A scald?! Quick! Put your arm under running water!”

Before Sanji could protest, Luffy has already dragged Sanji towards the tap, letting the cold water run down his hot throbbing arm. Sanji sighed and said, “You don’t have to bother. It’s OK.”

“How can I? A cook’s hands are the most important things to him. You told me that before,” Luffy replied, checking if Sanji’s arm was still red. “Oh dear, it’s still red. Maybe this’ll help.”

Without warning, Luffy took Sanji’s scalded arm to his mouth and licked it. Sanji was quite taken aback by Luffy’s sudden move. His heart throbbed more than his scalded arm did. He blushed redder than the arm too. As he watched Luffy closing his eyes while he licked his arm, his heart bloomed into a thousand roses. He never felt this before to anybody. His attraction towards Nami was only a bad habit of flirting, but this was real love. He was actually falling in love with a man! And with that clumsy little Luffy at that!

He couldn’t control himself anymore. He took Luffy by the chin and kissed him deeply. Luffy didn’t have time to fight at first—he was taken by surprise. When Sanji parted, Luffy looked at him weirdly and said, “What’s wrong with you?”

“You got me into this scald,” Sanji was good at making excuses, “so you’re gonna pay the penalty.”

Sanji kissed him again, sliding his tongue into Luffy’s mouth, tasting him like he was a new dish. Luffy put up a struggle and slowly inched his way out of Sanji’s passionate kiss. He caught his breath and scolded, “Why did you do that for? If you have a liking for me, you can just say so, not attacking me like this!”

“Sunimase,” Sanji replied, then lit up, “are you meaning what I think you’re meaning?”

“That is, if you don’t mind sharing and be my lover, only my lover, mind you,” Luffy can be very honest and straightforward sometimes.

“Share? Lover?” Sanji was confused.

“Zoro and I are getting married on our next stop.”

Dinner was served. Everyone was ready to gorge themselves silly. Sanji laid all the dishes onto the table and removed his apron before joining the others to eat. Before that, they said what Luffy used to say out of habit:

“Itadakimas (Bon appetite)!”

“A toast,” Nami raised her glass of lemonade, “to Zoro on him and Luffy’s wedding anniversary.”

“Hear ye! Hear ye!” Usopp joined in, raising his glass too. Chopper followed suite. So did Sanji.

Zoro smiled weakly and thanked the crew. Come to think of it, it has been 3 years since he was married to Luffy. They were planning to marry at Logue Island, where the beginning and the end existed, because Luffy thought that getting married on the island where the great Captain Roger died would be memorable. If it weren’t for the stupid Luffy who climbed up the death sentence stand and all the goings-on between Zoro and the Kuina look-alike, Tashigi; Luffy and Bagy the Clown crew together with Albida the Beautiful; and their battle with Smoker, they would’ve been married romantically at the island church. Sanji and Zoro could have sworn that they almost lost their beloved when Bagy had the sword incoming towards Luffy’s neck but sometimes, Luffy can be so darn lucky.

In the end, while they were closing in to the Grand Line and after doing the swearing-in with the barrel suggested by Sanji, they conducted a simple wedding under the rain, hosted by Nami and a little fireworks by Usopp. Zoro could still remember their wedding day, as if it just happened yesterday…

“It’s all your fault, Luffy! If you hadn’t showed yourself up on that stand, you might have a good chance of not being noticed by Bagy, and we would’ve had more time to get things ready for the wedding!” Zoro yelled under the loud rainstorm.

“Gomenasai, Zoro dear, I was carried away,” Luffy said, smiling from ear to ear.

“And I was looking forward to be the ‘bridesmaid’,” Nami sighed, disappointed.

“And I the best man!” Usopp folded his arms, pouting.

“Actually, this seems memorable enough,” Sanji said, looking up the rainy sky, “We’re closing in to the Grand Line and will soon enter the route to One Piece. Under these circumstances, a wedding sounds reasonable.”

So, under the rainstorm, Luffy and Zoro found themselves standing in front of Nami who acted as the wedding conductor. Under the loud noise of thunder and flashes of lightning, she had to shout out to be heard, “Right! I’ll skip the boring parts about today being a wondrous day and get on to the point! Luffy, do you take Zoro as your ‘wife’, under the witness of the sea and the sky of the Grand Line, for as long as you both shall live?!”

“I do!” Luffy shouted back, and slipped the ring into Zoro’s finger.

“And do you, Zoro, take Luffy as your ‘husband’, under the witness of the sea and the sky of the Grand Line, for as long as you both shall live?!”

“I do! Forever!” Zoro shouted too, and slipped the other ring into Luffy’s finger.

“By the power of the Grand Line and the riches of One Piece, I pronounce you ‘husband and wife’! You may kiss the ‘bride’, Luffy!” Nami ended the noisy wedding ceremony, sighing in relief. Luffy had to stand on his toes for Zoro was taller, and Zoro complied by bending down a little, and they kissed passionately under the rain. Everyone was drenched to the bone but they couldn’t care less. Usopp cheered and let go some of his water-resistant fireworks, brightening up the dark rainy sky. Luffy announced that right now, their journey to Grand Line will be their honeymoon. Zoro couldn’t agree more on this memorable type of honeymoon, especially the part where they sailed into the lane of the Grand Line. That was the most exhilarating part.

“Hey, Zoro, aren’t you gonna eat that?”

Usopp’s call brought Zoro back to reality. He shook his head and allowed Usopp to take his remaining piece of fish. Chopper and Nami have already had their fill and were on the deck discussing serious stuff.

“Thinking of Luffy?” Sanji asked, sipping his lemonade.

“Yeah. You too?” Zoro replied.

“Mmhmm.”

It wasn’t easy for Zoro to accept Sanji as Luffy’s lover at first when Luffy brought this issue to discussion. Zoro constantly gave Sanji the dark look every time he caught them together, but when Sanji tried to flirt with Zoro and Luffy stood up for Zoro, saying, “Don’t you dare touch my ‘wife’”, Zoro was so touched that he finally accepted the fact that no matter how much time Luffy spend on Sanji, he would always come back to him, his one and only ‘wife’.

“Are you 100% sure you’re gonna do this, Zoro? I mean, it can be risky. Our lives are at stake,” Sanji asked as he got up to clear the plates.

“Yeah! I mean, we’re talking about major risks and major danger here! It’s not as easy as it seems, you know!” Usopp backed Sanji up, burping a little as he spoke.

“You guys can back away if you want to,” Zoro said nonchalantly.

“Not in a million years!” Nami suddenly appeared from behind. “We have sworn by our blood and our tears that will do this, no matter what it takes! Don’t listen to that coward Usopp!”

“Yeah,” Chopper joined in. “Besides, you’re second-in-command. Whatever you say is also respected, after Luffy.”

“We are going to do this even if we might burn in Hell or get sentenced to death. There’s no turning back now. Going Merry is closing in to our destination,” Sanji said determinedly, then held out his hand, “For our Captain Monkey D. Luffy, our Pirate King, my lover.”

“For Monkey D. Luffy, our Pirate King, my saviour,” Nami laid her on his.

“For Monkey D. Luffy, our Pirate King, my friend,” Chopper followed suite.

Usopp was hesitant first, then he clenched his fist and put his hand on Chopper’s hoof, stammering, “F-for M-Monkey D. Luffy, our P-Pirate K-King, m-my best pal.”

“Thanks, guys,” Zoro smiled as he laid his hand on Usopp’s, “For Monkey D. Luffy, our Pirate King, my husband.”

The moon shone brightly at them as they confirmed their vows.

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