Warm Memories and Brotherly Bonds

Chapter 30: Welcome to the City of Water: Water 7!

The entire crew sat around each other without saying a word—no one knowing just what they could say at this point. The entire crew needed each other to survive, they all knew that, but it was horrifying to think of how easily they forgot that. And now each one of them was lost in their own dark thoughts to what they had just watched...

Chopper was wiping his eyes on his arm. He remembered how he had stayed at Luffy's side for those next few days as he was recovering on the Merry. They were lucky that the weather decided to take pity on them and remained calm so that the journey wouldn't have been so hard on Luffy. After they left the island, he practically had to throw the others out of the room so that he could work on Luffy's injuries without distraction. As he treated the wounds more carefully and properly over those days, making sure that they healed and didn't get infected, he remembered feeling so scared over whatever hurt Luffy so badly.

Luckily, even though Luffy suffered a lot of internal bleeding, none of his organs had been punctured, and he was a fast healer, up in just several days and ready to go exploring again. But after seeing what had truly caused those wounds, what did such damage to his captain, he wished that he never saw it. He sniffled miserably as he thought about it... how despite being so badly hurt, Luffy continued to try and fight with all those arrows still in him! A normal person would've died instantly! And even if they didn't die, they'd be bedridden for weeks.

He got hurt for them... for trying to save them... because they were all tricked by the Baron. He sat down and wrapped his arms around his knees, remembering the reason he joined the Straw Hats in the first place... because he admired Luffy. After seeing this, it only reinforced his decision. That was why he was going to work harder than ever before! Starting right now he was going to be strong enough to be able to protect Luffy for once... he wasn't going to let what happened on that stupid island happen again if he could help it! No matter where Luffy went from here on out, he'd be right there behind him!

Sanji was feeling sick with himself. He still couldn't believe some of the hateful things he had said to Luffy and the others while on that damn island. He'd been angry before, but so angry that he would refuse someone food? Forget acting like an asshole in that cooking contest, forget how he had degraded himself to playing with food, he had refused his crewmates a meal?! He could still clearly remember how hard it had been those hellish weeks on that damn rock when he was a child. He was so hungry that he was in pain, his stomach had been in constant pain and he was longing to eat...

He could never forget that, hadn't he always sworn that he would never refuse someone a meal if he had the means to feed them? He may think that Luffy was an idiot, and he may want to gut Moss-Head most days, but that didn't mean he ever wanted to let them starve or say such hurtful things...

He knew that Luffy wasn't to blame for anything that happened on that island, so why did he get so angry that he'd come out and yell that it was all his fault? He felt sick with himself... he wanted to go and beat himself black and blue just to teach him a lesson. He took several calming puffs on the cigarette before he vowed never to break his oath again. He knew that refusing food to someone would've made Chief Zeff sick with disappointment if he had seen it. Well, Sanji may have broken his vow once, but never again... no matter how angry he was, he would never deny anyone food again.

He glanced at Zoro, knowing that he should apologize, but saying it in front of everyone made him want to pull his tongue out of his head. He'll make up for the meal he denied him by giving him an extra serving at their next mealtime. Maybe it was immature, but it was closest that he could bring himself to apologize... as for Luffy however... he would have to apologize to him face-to-face... to let him know that he didn't mean a word of what he said.

Nami was feeling cold inside as she tried to shift her thoughts around. She shared a smile with Usopp, silently letting each other know that they forgave each other for what happened and no longer blamed them for what happened and that was one less thing to worry about. But she still couldn't believe how simple it was for the Baron and his stupid crew to turn them against each other. Just how was he able to do that? All the adventures they went on together, all the battles they fought side-by-side... how could a few stupid games almost end up destroying their trust in each other? She clasped her hands out in front of her and quietly prayed that wherever Luffy was right now that he was alright and they'd find him soon. As soon as they did find him, they were leaving this place behind and not looking back.