#binkusu no sake cover

[oxymorayuri]

𝐶𝘩𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝟷𝟹

𝐴 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑜𝑛 𝑡𝑜 𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑣𝑒 »

𝑇𝑟𝑎𝑓𝑎𝑙𝑔𝑎𝑟 𝐷. 𝑊𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟

𝐿𝑎𝑤 ✘ ♀ 𝑅𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑟

𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐒𝐓: Aydana / lababa

Story: The princess of Tanata

(Long Fic)

➽ Click on this link to see all chapters.

Spoiler: nope

Warnings: not really, just some talking about Bepos bro.

slowburn with plot

Wordcount: 3194

Text in italics emphasizes the reader’s thoughts

Bold and italic text emphasizes Law's thoughts *~*

Tagging: @slytherinambitious - @sassyyassi - @norasincubi - @cottoncandyloverrrr - @one-piece-frvr7

After the fight, you hang out on the meadow.

The sun shines through the tree crowns and a gentle breeze blows occasionally. Together you enjoy the peaceful evening and people chat in their little groups. Sanji came with Chopper and Franky and brought dinner for everyone.

The day couldn't be more beautiful.

After dinner, Brook played a song for the group, a song about pirate life. The pirates around you cheered and sang the song with their arms around each other. Although you don't know the lyrics, the cheerful mood makes you swing along and you clap to the beat.

Binks' Sake | Binkusu no Sake ♪♪♪ Yo-hohoho, Yo-hohoho Yo-hohoho, Yo-hohoho Yo-hohoho, Yo-hohoho Yo-hohoho, Yo-hohoho Going to deliver Binks' sake! We are pirates sailing through the sea! The waves are our pillows, The ship our roost Flying the proud skull on our flags and our sails ♪♪♪

You are amazed at how everyone can actually sing along to the song and the lyrics make you curious. After the performance, you watched the sunset together.

I wonder what it's like to be a pirate?

Your father has always made you so curious and the stories he and his crew told you have awakened a longing in you. It made you want to get to know life out there and sail the seas.

And for the first time in years, you feel this longing again, which you had shut off back then.

Why? Well, because you didn't want to sail into a world where people are both dangerous and cruel.

But with the crew before your eyes you are pretty relieved…

They give you hope that not all humans and even pirates are like that. They are not like the people from back then, as they have proven in the last days.

"Princess, what are you thinking about?" Bepo appears in your field of vision and pulls you out of your thoughts. He takes a seat next to you and looks up into the sky you were looking a moment ago. You get out of your position and lean against the furry mink. Your gaze returns to the sky.

"Tell me, Bepo, do you ever miss home?" - "Miss my home? My home is the Polar Tang!" He says proudly and hums a little laugh. His expression is very soft as he watches the passing clouds. He wraps a paw around you and pulls you closer to him and you snuggle up further.

The way you two snuggle together has already become quite normal. Often you've joined Bepo when you've seen him lying in the sun, in the quiet palace garden and together you've looked for funny pictures in the clouds.

"But if you mean the place where I was born, then I can tell you that yes, I miss my old home, but there was an important reason why I left my home island…" Although he lies calm and relaxed with you, you can hear the sadness in his voice. You gently brush against his paw and pat him. You look caringly into his eyes and he returns your gaze.

"But when I'm at sea with my crew, the Heart Pirates, home is everywhere." He covers up his sadness and gives you a little Eskimo kiss on the nose, which you happily return.

"You said that very beautifully." You can't help but hug the mink tightly with your thin arms.

"But why did you come up with that, Princess?" You look up at him with sparkling eyes.

"I've always wanted to leave this island and discover the wonders of the outside world, but my family and friends are here…" You look to the side a little nervously.

You leave out the detail that your grandfather would never let you sail off anyway. Never. Not even if he wasn't the king. But you are also quite uneasy. Because as mentioned, the world out there also has a dark side.

But you're still sure that your curiosity will outweigh this feeling and you would take the risk… if only you were allowed to…

You laugh to yourself a little longingly.

"Hmm, maybe you just haven't found the right reason, that makes you want to break away from your roots." Bepo speaks thoughtfully. You look up at him, a little confused.

A real reason?

This question is written all over your face and the polar bear giggles again.

"Yes. For example, I wanted to find my brother." - "Did you find him?" You look up at him expectantly, but the mink exhales deeply.

"No…" There it is again. That heartbreaking sadness in his soft voice. This feeling goes straight through your chest.

"Not yet." You add to his sentence as you take both of his paws in your small hands and bring them to your forehead. You close your eyes as you feel Bepo bury his cheek in your hair. You whisper a little prayer to yourself and break away from your pose to look into his beady black eyes.

"Your journey just isn't over yet, I firmly believe you'll see him again." You could literally see it in front of your own eyes. Like a distant memory, you could see Bepo embracing his brother. You felt happiness and relief, but maybe it was just your deepest wish that sparked your imagination… Who knows.

"Even as a child I always wanted to see a Sea King, I'd say that's my reason!" Your voice seems so enchanted that a small laugh escapes from the polar bear.

"Nah, that's a weak reason." Your gaze goes up and there stands Shachi who has just casually butted into your conversation. You look at him with a raised eyebrow as he devours a few cookies with relish and offers you one too. You gratefully accept one as he takes a seat in front of you.

"Uh okay. Weak?" Blushing, you look at him questioningly.

"Hey, don't say it like that…" Penguin stands behind him with his hands on his hips, and as he takes a seat next to the cookie devouring man, he pulls his cap over his face.

"Hey, what are you doing?! I was just telling the truth!" Offended, he frees his face and gives the man next to him a dirty look. Penguin, on the other hand, shakes his head.

"HOW you say something is the point!" He declares with his finger raised. Politely, he turns to you with a hand on his chest.

"The princess's reason is not weak… just too easy!" You furrow your eyebrows, just as confused as before.

"Easy?" you look back and forth between the two men.

Then you look up questioningly at Bepo, who shrugs his shoulders and is just as confused by what the two guys are saying.

For a while you watch the back and forth arguing between the two men. Shachi says that it's the same thing, while Penguin desperately preaches about manners. You can't help but laugh. The two of them are just too entertaining, it would be torture for you not to laugh. If you're honest, you weren't even angry about Shachi's choice of words. You were more curious as to why your reason was weak or rather translated; too easy. Penguin's behavior warms your heart and the two in front of you seem like an old married couple.

"Hey what's up with you guys?" You open your eyes, which you had closed because of your laughing fit, and wipe the tears from the corners of your eyes. You look behind the men, who freeze in the middle of their quarrel, to look up at Law.

"Captain!" Bepo shouts happily. "Penguin and Shachi are just arguing about whether the princess's reason is weak or too easy." The men look back and forth from Law to Bepo in total shock. Bepo's words are so out of the blue. He hums a little skeptically and sits down as well. Law tries to understand the whole thing, but can't quite find the context.

Princess-ya's reasons? Weak or too easy?

He has no idea what the situation was before he came along. He was just curious because he heard from afar, how the two guys were arguing and you were laughing at full force.

Law looked into the Mink's beady eyes and made it quite obvious, that he was expecting a better explanation but the Polar Bear didn't get his signals and just grinned happily at him, now that Law was here. (lol llittle fangirl.)

"We've talked about how everyone has their reasons for leaving home, to sail out into the world… And Penguin and Sachi share the same opinion, that my reason isn't really good?" You're still a bit confused yourself, as you don't really know what they mean by that, but at least you can clear things up for Law.

With a raised eyebrow, he nods as he looks over at the men.

"Okay… and what's the reason?" Even though he's facing the men, his eyes are looking at you.

"Sea Kings" you speak a little quietly. You're nervous about what his answer will be.

"Sea Kings?" he repeats your word, clearly surprised.

"Yea Sea Kings…"

"Yeah okay, I agree with those two. That is indeed too easy."

Now, not only Shachi and Penquin are the two who are open mouthed but you and Bepo join in the shock. Law, on the other hand, crosses his arms and grins with his eyes closed.

You shake your head. Now you really want an explanation of what that means. If Law even thinks that, then he has to explain it to you now.

"What does too easy mean?" - "You'll meet a Sea King pretty quickly."

"Oh, okay." - "Your reason is definitely a tourists reason."

You're caught off guard by Law's direct manner and and your eyes blink with confusion, as your jaw dropped open. Law finds your reaction quite funny and decides to tease you some more.

"What do you do when you meet a Sea King? What do you get out of meeting a Sea King and what comes after?" You close your mouth, as you really don't have an answer for Law, and break the eye contact.

"You have the desire to meet a Sea King, but it's not really a reason to leave everything behind…"

You're confused by the whole reason thing. Law asks you things you don't understand.

"Why do I have to need a reason? Can't I see the journey as a reason?" To your confusion, the black haired man just grins at you and adjusts his hat a little. When his eyes look into yours again, you are slightly startled. His gaze goes right through you.

"Of course." His agreeing makes you study him closely, you can't figure out his true thoughts.

"Not everyone needs a good reason to sail the world, but you do, since you have a reason to stay." He looks at you as if he has read you like an open book.

Perhaps he already knows you too well, as you have spent a lot of time together in the past few days. But you can't get a single word past your lips. Law is visibly amused by your speechlessness, as you're usually a pretty talkative person.

"You have to understand that people either have a reason to leave, or to stay. You may want to see a Sea King, but that's not reason enough to leave; what's your reason for staying Princess-ya?" Slowly you follow the riddle that Law speaks and see his message.

"My family." you answer him absently.

"See… so "Sea King" isn't exactly a good reason, because it's not enough for you to drop the reason why you're staying." Law raises his arms a little as if presenting the answer that is becoming clearer to you.

"Woah that makes so much sense it hurts." Exhausted, you let yourself fall backwards into Bepo's arm. He gently pats your head.

You do realize that you don't have enough reasons to leave your homeland. You have wishes, but you know that not all of them will come true.

Basically, Law just wanted to show you that it's okay to have a reason to stay. You may not realize that many of the people here have led lives that are far from your imagination and that they had no reason to stay… but he's not sure if you understood it that way. He just doesn't want to go into it any further.

And as Law feared, you didn't take it that way.

As you all make your way back to the castle, you think hard about Law's words.

You want to discover the world, but you're a little scared. If you leave, what will happen to your people? What if they get attacked again? You have a great responsibility in this country and don't have the luxury of living out your desires.

Your duties. That is the reason why you stay.

You are envious that you don't have the privilege of choosing over your own life. Your life has been prophesized, carved into stone and tattooed on your skin.

Your life has been lived thousands of times and you are destined to begin and end your life here.

Your heart is heavy but you are proud to be the priestess of Tanata, if it weren't for the desire.

It's hard not to notice that your thoughts are elsewhere. You sip your tea absently while your grandfather and Delia talk about the current situation.

Grandfather had urged you to have a cup of tea with the family again, as most of your attention has been on the guests over the last few days, but the family shouldn't be neglected. You were a little annoyed.

If family is so important to him, why didn't he come and tell you in person?

[Yesterday]

When you came back to the castle, you went straight to your bedchamber... You just wanted to be alone and think about everything your pirate friends had told you.

You didn't even pay your grandfather a visit in his study, nor did you have your afternoon tea with Delia. These are things that are completely normal for you and your king noticed this unusual behavior immediately. He sent his butler that same evening to deliver "the king's words" to you. He wants to see you at tea tomorrow and you realize, that it's more of an order than a request.

Only ONCE did I not follow my routine and I was immediately addressed… Ughhh how annoying!

You angrily threw your pillows at the door that the butler had closed.

You're tired of doing the same thing every day and if it doesn't go the way you're supposed to, it's immediately pointed out.

Your whole life is planned. You already know what will happen in the future and even your funeral is already planned.

You will be buried next to all the priests, who were once the bearers of the devil's fruit. You have a statue that resembles you and the people of your generation will pray at your grave, when you pass away one day.

It makes you sad. You won't even be buried in the cemetery of the royal family... You won't lie next to your mother and father or get married... You are not your own person. You are just the holy child of the devil's fruit.

Your thoughts are running wild. The reason to stay is your destiny but your reason to leave is freedom…

But you are not sure if you are allowed to be free. You lack nothing here and you have everything one could dream of… You keep telling yourself that.

You pull your legs towards you and bawl your eyes out on your knees. But a twisted smile crosses your depressed face.

"I should be ashamed of myself." You know it's your duty and you're ashamed of your own desires.

[Present]

Absently you look into the distance, your gaze as empty as your heart. Your thoughts dance the tango and the sides inside you argue about which path is the right one.

Your grandfather can't help but notice how you struggle with yourself, but he doesn't speak to you. He knows that if you want to talk, you will come to him. Forcing or pushing you to do something is never a good idea.

What an irony.

Because he is very aware of the weight on your shoulders. The expectation you have to fulfill… in the last week it has become clear that you have different feelings about your life. But he won't let you go, not because you have to stay. He can't let you go.

"Hey my angel, you're not saying a word today. Did something happen?" Delia brushes a strand of hair out of your face while she looks for the color in your eyes.

You feel like a stranger in your heart and exhale a little heavily.

"Not really."

Delia looks over at your grandfather, hoping for support, but he just watches quietly.

The table is filled with the most delicious pastries and food. All your wishes are always fulfilled without you having to do anything. Your life is so full that it makes you incomplete.

Do this, do that. Don't do this and don't do that. Be kind and friendly. Be elegant but smart. Be dignified but cunning. Be the most beautiful but the purest.

Love everyone but let no one alone own your heart. Sacrifice yourself but never die.

You are supposed to be so much and to your surprise you have always listened and obeyed. You fulfilled and even exceeded all expectations. You are holy.

But you are so much that you don't recognize your true face when you look in the mirror. Through your new friends you were able to realize that you are more than the praised child.

You are y/n. You don't want to be a princess or a priestess. You don't want to do the same thing every day. But you also don't want to leave anyone behind, neglect your duties and leave people who still mean the world to you without protection. You don't want to betray the gods, especially not after they've given you a chance. You don't want to disappoint anyone.

So is this the price you have to pay?

You are aware of what your heart longs for but you are stuck in some sort of identity crisis.

You can't have it both ways.

A/N: Hey babes! I wanted to talk to you about something. I'm always happy when you guys want to know when I'm posting the next chapter. Seriously! I feel so honored that I want to shower you with kisses. I would love to post several times a week but unfortunately I'm an adult (silent weeping). Yes I know I'm not the only one of course lol but I'm studying and working 30 hours a week on the side. I'm a tired bitch XD Feel free to keep asking me when I'll post again ♡, but I just wanted to let you know that I'm a bit busy. Normally I try to post once a week but the blockade is messing it up even more >:( Oh no, writer's block? Yupp and I hate it! let me explain; I'm currently near the end of the first arc and even though I have so many ideas, I'm having a hard time letting my imagination run wild. I hate it. There's still some info to wrap up but when I read my drafts I don't feel like writing anymore... I'm dying to get started but the Tanata arc is our prequel and unfortunately it's a bit dry. Dry is fine, but only for wine. How many arcs are planned, you're probably wondering; Well, I don't have a real ending in mind yet, I'm enjoying the process and developing more and more new ideas to keep the story alive. At the moment we are in the "Tanata arc", after that I already have rough ideas for 2 more arcs planned. The second arc is called "Polar Tang arc" and the third "Dress Rosa arc" In fact, I'm sticking to the original storyline of One Piece but creating an alternative version. I know there's always the fear that the author of the story you like, will cancel the story but believe me… I'm just as excited about what's going to happen like u are. lol, like I'm not the author XD I have some pretty dramatic stuff planned and I would love to do a timeskip but unfortunately I have to finish the Tanata arc. We can't look into the future if we don't live the present as my mom would say. Ughhh.

See you next time, kiss kiss ♡

➽ Next chapter

[thehaikumaker]

Haiku: A Pirate's Life

Day and night on ship

Sailing far across the sea

With crew and sake

💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀

This is kalimba cover of Binks' Sake from ONE PIECE

https://youtu.be/i_TTq9VoNCk

📌If you're interested in reading HAIKU while listening to soothing kalimba covers, just visit my Youtube channel: thehaikumaker official

DON'T FORGET TO LIKE AND SUBSCRIBE❗❗❗

[thisisarealtagwhy]

Day 2: Scars

Just a little (jk it’s like 5k words) fic i wrote a while back for the second day of 20 years at sea, enjoy!

They all have scars, especially the Mugiwara no Kaizoku. Both physical and emotional, that doesn’t make them weak, it just means that they have to become stronger and stronger and stronger and stronger until they can protect everything important to them.

These scars carry the weight of regret and pride all in one nook.

Brook has a big scar spanning from his right temple across to the top of his head, he doesn’t talk about how he got it but, it happened when he was alive.

It wasn’t tragic or anything, no. When he was a small child he remembered the sea more than anything else.

His parents frequented a spot on top of a break wall that some of the wealthy had been able to afford. They were allowed there due to the payments of music that they presented the noble family with.

But, it overlooked the sea, blue, expanding far over the horizon, blue hues reaching for the burning sun.

Brook loved the sea, it whispered a song on its’ gentle breeze, a song of freedom. Brook wanted to travel the world and see the world for himself whilst playing a song for himself and for his nakama.

He would sometimes sneak out at night and play to the soft yet rough melody of the sea. One of these nights he leant far too close to the edge of the break wall and stumbled, tumbling head first into the rocks that adorned the wall.

Luckily for him one of the noble boys also happened to follow the small boy out and listened to his music. “Nurse! We need a nurse! Brook has fallen off the side of the break wall!”

And so Brook was sent home with a scar full of stitches, covered by bandages. His skull had fractured so he was bed confined for a while.

“Ne, Papa, might I request a song?” Brook whispered to his father who was silently standing vigil.

At his nod Brook smiled shakily. “How about the song that the pirates sing when they come into town?”

His Papa smiled gently and abided his request for to be a pirate meant to be the bravest, most daring souls and most pirates simply were following their dreams.

“Yohohoho, yohohoho. Binkusu no sake wo, todake ni yuku yo.”

After his skull had healed he still had the nasty scar running along his face, his parents had proudly stated that it was proof that he was an adventurous soul.

When he was 19 he left the kingdom he had grown up in, his fencing skills were impeccable and the sea was calling him.

****

The scar on his heart however…

Laboon had been following their ship straight through the calm seas, chirping along happily to their choice of song (his favourite being Bink’s Sake).

But… they had been forced to leave their dear friend behind lest he be killed by the terrors of the Grand Line.

And Captain Yorki…

He was…

…Fading away…

Brook hated the fact that he was the one who had taken over Captain Yorki’s position, then, maybe they wouldn’t be stuck in this god forsaken triangle.

Then remorse for he knew he would not be making it out alive like this. The poison was already working through his veins like a particularly nasty virus. “One last time…” He muttered to himself as the remainder of the Rumbar pirates lined themselves up in their respective musical positions.

“It’s not right…” He wasn’t talking about the fact that all of his crew were dead, no, it was wrong that they would never be able to see Laboon again. They were cheating their promise now and he hated it so Brook prayed with every fibre of his being that eventually he would see Laboon in wherever he might go.

But it never happened and 50 years later Brook found himself accompanying his new crew to the ends of the sea, if not to keep his promise to Laboon then because of his new captain, Monkey D. Luffy was an insane boy but Brook will give anything for him.

Because he has sworn fealty.

****

Franky has plenty of scars, before he had blown himself up in that godamn laboratory he had subtle scars where he hadn’t fixed his ‘skin’ to perfection, if one looked closely enough they could see the subtle lines in his skin.

Not that anyone had back in Water 7, except for maybe Bakaberg.

But he didn’t really count.

Now, two years after they had all failed he had more scars, the two more prominent scars running down his bare chest where he had been forced to attach more skin for the robotic extensions.

Subtly there were more down his legs where the plates hadn’t quite fit on like he had expected.

Chopper was the only one to really know, he had insisted on doing full checkups on all of them post their training years and Franky had suspected it was to do with the massive scar taking up the majority of their captain’s chest.

And after Chopper had gotten over the coolness of his knew body he had inspected the neat stitching and declared that whoever had treated him did a good job.

Franky didn’t feel the need to point out that it was himself who did the stitching.

****

Emotionally, Franky had one deep regret.

He wished more than anything that he had listened to godamn Iceberg and stopped creating his warships but no, and then his – teacherfathereverything – had to pay the price.

He regret it more than anything else, he had been abandoned by his own godamn parents and the one who had taken him in was now going to pay penance for his crimes.

He hated it.

It’s why Franky found himself on the tracks of the sea train they had all painstakingly built. Through his blurry eyes he cried for the train to stop, but of course it wouldn’t.

And some part of Franky welcomed it, if the sea train succeeded it meant Tom would go to Impel Down and he had heard his fair share of rumours of such a place.

But, he pushed through his own selfishness, remembering that Tom had died for him to live, so he rebuilt himself, replacing flesh with metal and then more metal to ensure he could still move.

It was weird, having to rebuild his body every few years so he could keep up with his own natural growth but eventually he got into the swing of it.

And Franky will admit it, he was a little terrified of becoming like the shichibukai Kuma, an empty shell of what he once was, controlled by his superiors.

But he will push through his own fear and be as strong as possible for his captain who had gone through so much and if that meant sacrificing more of his humanity then so it shall be.

****

Robin doesn’t have many visible scars, she was usually able to either convince her captors/captain to spare her or pay them in anything.

But there were a few hidden on her body that had slowly faded away through the passage of time as she and her body had aged.

There were knife wounds, bullet holes, and if her captors had been feeling particularly sadistic, burns.

That wasn’t including the other torture methods performed on her. But the list was extensive enough that she didn’t like to think of it.

There were a few scars hidden amongst her thick black hair where someone had ripped out clumps of her hair, scalp skin still attached.

Sabo and Koala had taken very good care of her, however, and she hadn’t gained any new scars and her old ones had faded over the course of her two years training regime.

****

Most of her scars were hidden behind a calm façade that only one man had ever seen through.

She would wake some nights in a sweat of coldness, shivering from the images of her friends, no her family burning, being shot down. And the tree, oh god the tree, burned down until it fell onto the harsh earth below.

And even then it hadn’t stopped, her friend Saul had tried to get her the hell out of there. (Just like every scholar, just like her mum)

But he had been frozen into the one who haunted her nightmares, and yet…

He let her go, probably realising that this ‘Absolute Justice’ wasn’t as good as everyone made it out to be.

She had kept her façade up for so long, even after entering the rookie crew that managed to completely annihilate Baroque works and Crocodile himself, one of the shichibukai.

She found herself becoming close, too close, she mentally scolded. But it was impossible to dodge the all encompassing warmth she would herself feeling when she was around them.

Maybe…

Maybe they were the ones Saul had told her of…

But then Water 7 happened and she knew she couldn’t just let them die for a worthless wench like herself, the rest of the world wanted her dead.

But they had to live because she owed them more than she could ever truly express.

But then those godamned idiot followed her and then she was spewing words of hate and fire and yet Luffy stood there… was that understanding in his eyes?

Then they burned the flag and she finally let go of her burden.

And from onwards she found herself living freely.

But all good things never last and Kizaru and Kuma happened. She saw the emptiness, the pain running through her captain’s face and wished that she had never seen such emotions on the usually optimistic boy.

Please be alright Luffy.

And then Marineford had happened and she tried her best not to cry, she had to be strong in front of her potential enemies.

Two years later and the scars were healed by the sight of a jubilant smile and the effects of the training on everyone.

****

Chopper didn’t have any visible scars, and any he did happen to have were hidden beneath his thick fur.

There was a few around his body that used to scream in protest when he switched forms. They were left there from bullet wounds and Chopper now understood how to make sure they wouldn’t hurt when he switched forms.

There were a few little ones littering his hooves where he had accidentally cut his finger trying to manage herbs for medicine.

Every time Doctor Kureha would frown and roughly patch him up, scolding him for being so careless.

****

There was only one thing that Chopper had been afraid of all of his life, being feared and rejected.

After his pack openly rejected him he wanted to curl up and die but where was the point in that? Might as well try and live for a better day, right?

And then Doctor Hiruluk had come along and changed his entire perspective, now he had a – friendmentorfatherinstructorpartnerincrime – to clean his wounds and to help him.

Naturally Chopper had to screw that up and because of him and his foolishness his father had died.

Chopper hated it and secretly craved friends to share his moments with, Doctor Kureha was a kind mentor but at the same time she was brutal and critical.

And then came along the Straw Hat Pirates and they saved him, the entire of his island and even Doctor Hiruluk’s flag. He was eternally grateful.

And then Luffy had cried that it didn’t matter if he was a monster, being a monster meant that he could protect everything he cared about.

Now Chopper didn’t care if he was called a monster, he would rather be a monster than allow anything to happen to his nakama, the only friends he had known in his short life.

(There were more and more friends piling up now with every adventure and everything was fantastic.)

****

Sanji had grown up wishing to be the same as his brothers and sisters, to be strong like them, to not fail his course and to heal as fast as they did.

He hated himself sometimes.

But, he had plenty of scars from the nights he had tried to get that godamn mask off his head. His fingers were almost sliced through and yet he persisted.

Before everything went downhill he had a few scars from trying to work out how to cook, it had been worth it though, the white scars on his fingers where he almost sliced clean through.

When Reiju let him out and told him to never come back he had agreed. And now, as a cook for a little ship he had been content and desperate to follow his dream.

****

He sometimes remembers days upon days of nothing but hunger and guilt accompanying himself on that isolated rock.

He remembers the feeling of his skin sagging into his body, any fat he had on his body used up in a desperate attempt to survive.

And then that shitty old geezer saved him again by not eating any of the food he had managed to pillage.

But, whenever he thinks of that his hands start to shake and he quickly lights up another cigarette before he can be tempted to empty the fridge of what it’s worth.

He feels the pain of that shitty old geezer sacrificing an entire fucking limb for him, it’s not something that can be grown back.

And for so long he drowned in guilt over that, working himself in the old geezers restaurant. It was only once a boy in a straw hat came along that he understood.

“Dying is not repaying a debt!” And Sanji saw that the straw hat bearer had understood someone sacrificing something like that.

It was in his eyes, the way he sometimes looked at that straw hat with regret but resolution.

So from that point on Sanji had set out for his dream, the all blue, and in the process becoming the chef of their small crew.

It was all he could ask for.

But he couldn’t help and feel the crushing defeat of failing to bring Robin home, it tore at his heart to see her defeated and he can still hear Choppers’ cries falling on deaf ears.

But then his family is coming after him and he knows he has to go lest the crew get into trouble, he now sympathises with Robin-san and Nami-san, these are things they have to do for the good of the crew.

****

Usopp didn’t have many scars, sure there were a few on his hands where he had screwed up the ratios with his gunpowder ammunition and he had taken to wearing an arm band to prevent his slingshot from hitting his arm brutally.

There was a couple on his upper thighs that had occurred due to some of the more… active wildlife on the Boyn islands he was sent to. But they had faded to mostly become thin white jagged lines across his skin.

****

Usopp remembered the pain of losing his mother, he had desperately wished for a miracle to occur and for his mother to no longer be as ill as she was.

He wanted his father back, who he had never met (he couldn’t remember him at least) but apparently, the man had never shut up about him to Luffy.

Sometimes Usopp was jealous of his captain, he had spent time with Yasopp then he had.

Usopp knew he was far too prideful, sometimes he caught the disapproving glances Zoro sent his way when he did something disrespectful.

And then Water 7 had happened and he felt ashamed for he had made Luffy cry. And he hated that but he was too prideful to do anything.

Usopp was pretty sure Luffy knew who Sogeking was, he was fairly certain. But Luffy never called him out on it so he guessed either he didn’t know or he just wasn’t particularly caring.

And then he got down on his hands and knees and he apologised and suddenly there was a limb stretching towards him, grabbing on the two cried remorsefully together.

And Usopp swore to himself to never do something that godamn stupid.

It was a reminder of his place.

And after the two years of training he underwent to become stronger and stronger for Luffy because none of them were there when they should have been.

Usopp wasn’t going to lie this time, he couldn’t help but feel concern and abject horror for his captain, one that he would call brother except he had just lost his brother.

Usopp remembered Ace, the subtle and unsubtle warmth in his gaze when he stared at Luffy. And he remembers the promise they had all made, one they had failed.

So Usopp will weave tales for his captain on the nights that Luffy seems to become distant, one hand placed lightly on his chest, the other tightly gripping Sunny.

****

Nami has plenty of scars on her body. Countless knife wounds when she was young and stupid and bold. Stealing off pirates became a necessity and she had to live through any wounds she received.

That wasn’t to say that they weren’t painful.

And then she remembers the absolute anguish of her hardwork being for nothing. The countless years of deceit and betrayal amounting to nothing. So, she stabbed that cursed mark until she was stopped.

Now, her tattoo covers it but sometimes she feels phantom pains.

She now knows that she can go to Chopper if something is bothering her instead of relying on street knowledge.

It’s a nice feeling.

****

Ever since she was young she wished that they had more money, she wished Bellmère would stop looking so tired. But when she had finally voiced her concerns she was met with a sacrifice and a gun bullet.

Even then she wasn’t free, no, she had to serve this godamned bastard, but, if it means she can free her village then she will suffer through the pain and live for her mothers sacrifice.

And then Luffy and Zoro come around, changing whatever thoughts she had ever had of pirates overboard. Luffy was naïve, too trusting and Zoro was a directionless overprotective idiot. Somehow the three of them made it work.

And then Usopp came along and the Going Merry.

But she knew she had overstayed and took off.

But she should have known that Arlong was a twofaced bastard. She hated it, but then Luffy, stupid, but oh so brave and loyal Luffy had kicked his ass and taken back her village.

Now she had a purpose, the navigator and treasurer of the Straw Hat pirates.

And she remembered taking down a criminal organisation for their nakama. She remembered the hopelessness she felt when Vivi’s voice failed to reach any of the fighting citizens, she wished to take the face of heartbreak away.

But Vivi was no longer sailing with them, she still was a Straw Hat through and through but she had to run her own kingdom.

(She knew that Vivi’s father was slowly dying and her heart went out to the Queen of Alabasta)

And then Kuma had happened and Nami was so terrified that she would never see them again. And between Impel Down and the War of the Best Nami was crying over her captain who was so alone.

She had sworn to protect those godamn idiots and now look what happened.

After her training she had shown up to Sabaody secretly hoping for the same captain from two years ago (now who was the naïve one?). And thankfully he had been the same blundering fool, but there was also a new protective edge to him that Nami saw in battles.

Sure he trusted them with their own fights but sometimes he seemed to go to another place and suddenly his punches were ten times more furious and sometimes he simply knocked their enemies out.

Nami wasn’t really surprised but it also left a scar on her heart that he had changed so drastically in the heat of a battle.

She wished that he had never changed like this.

****

Zoro had many scars, ones he had inflicted, others by complete accident.

There were no scars on his back (scars on the back are a swordsman shame).

On his front he had on diagonally going down his chest from his left shoulder to right hip. This one was inflicted by the greatest sword in the world, he was proud of it but at the same time ashamed.

And since it he had made a promise to his captain, he would never ever lose again.

His feet had two large scars that practically looped all the way around his ankles, they were self-inflicted in the hopes that he could save at least two of them.

But then his captain had come and saved them (along with Chopper and Usopp).

He has a few others on his legs that come from the result of almost lost fights with humandrills. Perona had scolded him but nonetheless cleaned him up and bandaged him unfailingly.

He had also lost his vision in his left eye as a result of a mishap with Mihawk.

(“Kenbunshoku haki is one of the easiest to master however you have to see.”)

****

Zoro liked to think that he was emotionally strong. Sure he had days where an irrational fear of stairs popped up suddenly but that was occasionally and it was more based off of what stairs represent.

Life is unfair and can take someone away with one misstep. He knows that Luffy knows that as well as he does, after all his brother was insanely strong.

And that hurts him more than he would care to admit. He had been barely holding onto his life while his captain, his friend was stuck in hell.

It was part of why he trained so much, he needed to be as strong as Luffy so if anything would happen then he would be prepared.

He carries the weight of several promises.

To be the greatest.

If you get in my way…

I will never lose again!

Admittedly, the second one needs to be rectified, he will never ask Luffy to do that now, it’s why he keeps Thriller Bark a complete secret because Zoro’s terrified that Luffy will go through with his promise.

He is terrified of losing the rubber brained idiot more than he cares for his own life.

****

Luffy only has two scars on his body, he stopped scarring after eating the gomu gomu no mi and only something extremely powerful could damage his body to the point of scarring.

Well, the scar underneath his left eye is proof that he was a man, even after Shanks and everyone else scolded him for being so damn reckless. He didn’t care because he felt so happy that he showed his worth, maybe now he would be able to become a pirate?

There’s another scar that he shows every day, the one that is a painful reminder of that day. Not that he’d have it any other way, it was a reminder that he had to keep growing stronger and stronger to protect all that he cares about.

It hadn’t hurt at first probably because he was already exhausted after…

After the entire war but he sure as hell felt it after Torao fixed up his wound. It had been itchy and he was scolded by Rayleigh to not pick at it, not that he couldn’t stop, he just didn’t want to.

****

Emotionally Luffy was always a cry baby, he knew that even before he had met Ace.

It was just a part of him, he was very open about his emotions.

He remembered the feeling of being alone most of his life, Makino was nice company but Jiji was hardly ever there to play with and none of the kids liked him very much. So loneliness was his only company until Shanks came along.

Shanks and his merry crew of pirates who talked to him even though he was just a dumb kid.

And then the man he adored and loved like a family member sacrificed an arm for his safety. He understands now that he has his own crew, the wish to anything in his power to protect them is strong.

And Shanks had left, leaving behind his very treasure with him.

That speaks more words than he could ever speak.

He will always remember the desperation he felt in the days following the Gray Terminal fire, the days where he wasn’t sure whether Dadan and Ace would ever come back.

And then… and then Sabo had died, shot by a fucking Tenryuubito, Luffy had never felt the desire to kill someone (okay, maybe he had felt that Higuma had deserved what he got). But instead he cried and cried and cried some more until Ace found him on that cliff.

He made a promise to never die.

And then Robin was gone…

Gone to protect them and he will remember the pure rage coursing through his veins at the thought that she sacrificed herself.

And when he sees her up there he understands, no one wanted Ace to live either so he would give her the same comfort he had given to the angry boy a long time ago.

Merry was another of his nakama he had failed to protect, in the end she was the only reason why they made it out of Enies Lobby in one piece.

And yet she still died and he couldn’t save her, set to wait at the bottom of the sea by herself.

And then…

Kuma destroyed their crew, utterly annihilating them.

And then Ace, Bon Clay, Iva, Jinbe, everyone helped him out and he wasn’t sure whether he deserved it. For he couldn’t even stop his brother from being brutally killed.

The training is hell but he knows that he deserves it and he must become stronger.

And then Dressrosa breaks him once more because Sabo isn’t dead. And Ace’s fruit is going to another brother and he couldn’t be happier but he also felt remorse for Ace would never know that Sabo was alive.

****

These are the scars that the Straw Hat pirates carry, both on their bodies and in their hearts.