Warm Memories and Brotherly Bonds

Chapter 11: Bond of Brothers

The memory faded away once again and the Straw Hats were all staring ahead of them at the darkness, all of them suddenly feeling sick with themselves for watching something so private. First with Sabo's death and now this tearful vow the two brothers made to each other... they wished that they could forget all about it and pretend not to have seen anything... but it was impossible.

The one in the worst shape was probably Usopp.

He was sitting on the ground, his hands now rummaging through his bag, trying to find something to distract him, but he couldn't stop his mind from thinking about it. Luffy had wanted to become the King of the Pirates ever since he promised Shanks, this he knew, but it was really Sabo's death did his captain become determined to really fulfill it. Ace and Luffy had a vow that they would one day become free, and now Luffy was the only one left who still carried that vow. Usopp just couldn't begin to imagine how heavy a burden that must be like.

He and Luffy may not have spoken about it, but they both dreamt of meeting up with Shanks's crew someday—Luffy for Shanks, and himself for his father. More than anything else, when Usopp does finally meet his father, he wanted to stand in front of him as a brave warrior and a great pirate like he was...

He supposed, his biggest ambition was for his father to be proud of him. Before he met Luffy, Zoro and Nami, he didn't know what he wanted out of his life, but after they helped him to protect his home village, he was inspired to go out to sea and become a pirate... When Luffy asked him along, it meant more to him than anything—he wanted to pinch himself to make sure it wasn't a dream. Who would've thought that going with him would change him like this? He wouldn't be where he was right now if it wasn't for that one spur of the moment decision.

But seeing Luffy and Ace make this vow with such conviction in their voices when they had been just small children made him feel ashamed.

That one moment was more than anything he was.

After his mother died, he stayed where he was and only played pirate with the village children. Could he have become that strong if he started working at it from them? Zoro and Sanji were proof of that... they didn't have Devil Fruit abilities, and he knew that even if Luffy never ate the Gum Gum fruit, he'd still be horribly strong. All three of them are monsters after all. But, as for himself, he just kept running through the village day after day shouting out lies.

He stared long and hard at the arsenal and gadgets in his bag. All these things, these... weapons that he carried with him, none of them made him feel any braver. How did Luffy do it? How is it that Luffy always managed to stay so happy about everything!? Why wasn't he ever afraid after everything that's happen to them? He felt his face cringe and he gritted his teeth together in a poor attempt to hold back the tears.

"How does he do it?" he asked out loud, forgetting that the rest of his crew was there.

"Do what?" Nami asked him confused.

"How does he keep going forward with everything that's happened to him?" he asked, hiding his face from them. "If it were me, I'd have given up a long time ago. But he keeps going for the sake of his brothers doesn't he?"

"I think that's just what makes him strong," Sanji said, pulling his cigarette out grimly, "Because he owes it to them to live. If he were to die before he fulfilled that vow, he'd never be able to rest in peace."

"For him, dying would be like spitting in their faces, and making a mockery of their sacrifices," Zoro said softly.

"But..." Usopp said, looking up at him.

"He just believes in the future," Robin said softly, "Even if it's like a castle of sand... he just keeps going because he knows he has to."

Franky burst out crying, "Man, that pulls at the heartstrings! What's the deal with you guys doing this to me? I think I feel a song coming up..."