Chapter Text
Luffy had a dream.
He blearily opened his eyes. He was in a void, endless and pitch-black.
He turned in all directions but saw nothing. He was simply standing on an invisible barrier, nothing in sight.
“Hello?” Luffy called with cupped hands and found that his voice echoed. That was a good sign; this place wasn’t infinite.
He decided to walk around a little, explore and find some kind of life in this vacant realm. With each step on the invisible ground came an echoey sound that sounded like glass.
After a few minutes, a replica of himself floated into his field of vision.
Wait—what?
The being looked the exact same as Luffy, save for the white-looking getup. His hair was floating over his head like fire, but white. His outfit was mostly white as well. He shared his scars and wore same outfit, but his eyes were a pinkish-red.
To say the least, peering into his eyes was a bit…intimidating. He saw his reflection when staring into his soul.
“Why hello there,” His doppelgänger spoke in an even more echoey tone. Luffy realized he had his voice.
Wait. Was this…his gear 5 form?
“You’re…me,” Luffy said unsurely. His eyes widened at the sight of the figure’s sandals not quite reaching the ground.
He laughed. “That’s right. And I’ve been meaning to talk to you since you first discovered me…”
Luffy raised an eyebrow.
“Don’t worry. It’s a simple discussion, although crucial. You know, important enough for this to work.” He pointed between himself and Luffy.
“Uh…our relationship?”
“Yeah, kind of. I mean, we have to understand each other if we are living in the same body.”
Luffy nodded. “True.”
“So…we share a body. Got that down?” His replica asked with a tilt of his head.
“Yeah.”
The sun god leaned back, still floating, and put his hands behind his head. He appeared quite relaxed.
“Ever since you…unlocked me,” He decided to say, “I’ve been itching to come out again. It’s like I’m trapped in a prison, but inside your body. I’m looking through your eyes. Make sense?”
Luffy blanched. “So…you share my body and want to come out again?”
The sun god snapped his fingers and made a wide grin. “Exactly! Being locked inside of a body doesn’t sound particularly fun , does it?”
“…I guess not.”
“Great! So the next time you fight a battle, let me out. It was fun battling with Kaido. I like action! And I’m powerful, so you’ll win. Okay?”
The captain was a bit taken back by his eagerness, and this was a load of information, but he understood where he was coming from. He didn’t realize this being was trapped inside of him.
I guess I never thought about the specifics, like where he came from and who he is, Luffy thought.
He knew he had to let this being out. It was unfair not to; he was a part of him. The free, nonchalant side of him. Besides, Luffy would win the battle and the sun god would get to have fun. It was hitting two birds with one stone.
So he agreed.
“Okay. But after I let you out, you have to switch back. Got it?” Luffy questioned.
The nika nodded his head rapidly. “Oh yes, of course. It’s only fair, am I right?”
Luffy didn’t chuckle along with him, but instead reluctantly nodded.
“So I have to…you know.” The word die went unsaid.
“Yes. But if we keep alternating, then we can just do it on our free will.”
Luffy cringed. He would have to kill himself or let himself be murdered.
“Alright Nika, just…please don’t let the future battle go wrong,” He pleaded and fidgeted with his waistband.
The god smiled reassuringly. “Of course! There’s absolutely nothing to worry about.”
As the world faded away, a dark feeling twisted in his gut. Luffy recognized it was dread.
Did I just make a deal with the devil? He thought before being sucked into a dreamless world.
-
“LUFFY!”
“Captain, get your ass up here!”
Everyone knew Luffy was a heavy sleeper. It was just his nature. So when they were in the face of a horde of marines, it wasn’t exactly ideal.
“Fuck!” Sanji seethed. He was on the main deck, holding back the troops of soldiers. They may have been weaklings, but there were enough that they needed all hands on deck.
“Someone needs to wake up Luffy!” Nami ordered over the roar of battle. She sent a swift kick in the gut to a poor marine. Then she raised her staff in the air, summoning a thunder cloud.
Robin came running out of the study, joining the action.
“What’s going on?” She asked and hurried over to the closest crewmate, Chopper.
“The marines found us again!” The reindeer yelled and chomped down on a rumbleball. “I heard them calling for backup—we need to defeat them before more come!”
“Where’s Luffy?” She asked.
“He’s sleeping!” Nami shouted, exasperated at her captain’s antics.
“At a time like this?!” Usopp yelled and fired an explosion from his slingshot. “He slept plenty after Wano! Why now ?!”
Franky overheard their conversation. He found an opening after a right hook and ran away from the battle up to the helm, where Luffy was lying on the Sunny’s head. Sure enough, he was snoring. The robot kneeled next to him and shook his shoulders.
“Captain!” Franky yelled.
Luffy startled out of his dream and frantically looked around, bolting up. The reminder of his gear 5 form lingered in his mind. The worry in his gut was fresh.
“Huh? Are we under attack?” He questioned.
“Yes!” Franky sighed. “Get to the main deck! A bunch of marines found us, and it isn’t looking very super!”
“Ah! On it!” He said and scrambled off the helm. “Gomu Gomu no rocket!”
Luffy launched himself right in the center of the big battle. Zoro was clashing with the general, Sanji was kicking a small horde of soldiers, Nami was taking out large numbers with her thunder tempo, and Chopper was plowing through rows upon rows with his rumble ball. Robin was taking out a few in the corner as well as supporting the crew from a distance. Franky was using this fight as an opportunity to test out his newest upgrades, Brook was putting the extra marines to sleep, and Usopp was close to Robin, using long-ranged attacks.
Luffy whistled. The marines were fighting a losing battle. His friends were strong.
He was just about to join Zoro and Sanji, who had jumped on the marines’ ship to defeat them for good, until a thought struck him.
Nika will come out, He remembered. Right. His gear 5 form will destroy these weaklings.
Luffy shot himself onto the large boat with his two crewmates. They didn’t need to glance at him to know he was there.
“Captain!” Zoro shouted as he did the finishing blow on their general. “I’ve defeated their leader, so I’ll leave the rest of these small fries to you.”
Sanji nodded. “I agree with Moss Head. You can have those backup guys over there.”
He pointed to the rest of the marines, thundering up the stairs from a lower level. They were spouting orders to each other. Without their general, they had to improvise.
Luffy smirked. They would be a mess without their captain.
He decided to stand still and let them advance on him so Nika could come out. The soldiers ran towards him and started hammering him with weak attacks, but all together they were semi-strong.
Sanji and Zoro were, of course, confused.
“Captain?!” Sanji yelled from where he and Zoro were standing on the sidelines. “Why are you just standing there?!”
Luffy didn’t respond, although he couldn’t speak if he wanted to. One enemy had sliced his throat. It wasn’t deep enough for death, but would certainly hurt if he used his vocal cords.
The captain simply stood and let their assaults hammer him.
Letting myself die will bring gear 5 out, Luffy thought. Please tell me I’m not making the wrong decision.
A small voice in the back of his head answered him. You’re not.
Luffy knew that was Nika.
He stayed still even when his body screamed in agony, pain firing all over his rubber body. Who knew cadets could be this damaging if they just had time? Luffy sure didn’t expect it, and was surprised when they beat him to the ground.
As he grew closer to death, he heard Sanji and Zoro barge into their crowd of attacks. But it was too late.
He could barely hear and his heartbeat sounded thundering in his eardrums.
Ba-dum
Ba-dum
Do-ba-dum
Do-do-ba-dum
Do-do-dat-ba-dum
Do-do-dat-ba-dum
It sounded like a beat. And…drums?
I hope letting an entity take over my body was a good idea, Was Luffy’s last thought before everything went black.
-
Sanji and Zoro watched in fear at their captain losing to a bunch of rookies.
This man had just beaten Kaido a week ago—the strongest beast in the world—and was losing to a group of basic marines?!
The two knew something was up. There was no way that this was on purpose. Luffy just stood there and accepted death.
“Captain!” Zoro shouted when Luffy fell to the ground. Sanji could see, through the circle of marines and relentless attacks, that there was a pool of blood forming around him. Zoro charged into the crowd and with one slash of his sword, managed to defeat half of them.
“Hey! Wait for me, idiot swordsman!” Sanji yelled and followed suit. Just as Luffy’s eyes slipped shut, he kicked away the rest of the soldiers.
They were now defeated, once and for all.
But at what cost?
“Luffy!” Zoro yelled. He was the first to notice his bloodied state. A red pool was spreading from his neck and some trickling down his head. Sword slashes were littered all over his body. An extra horrible one was stretched along his chest scar.
The two leaned next to their captain. He was unmoving and looked too pale than what was normal.
“Shit—he’s losing too much blood!” Sanji said and immediately threw off his black jacket. It revealed a suit underneath. He wrapped it tightly around Luffy’s neck and applied pressure to his neck with two fingers. It managed to stop some of the blood flow.
Zoro felt for a pulse. He dragged his palm along his wrist and waited a few seconds. Sanji could see the desperation brewing in his eyes despite trying to mask it. Zoro moved his fingers up and down his arm, starting to panic and apparently not finding one.
“He-He doesn’t have a pulse,” He breathed.
Sanji blanched. “E-Excuse me?”
Zoro didn’t repeat it. Sanji couldn’t believe this—he was alarmed at the thought of his captain dying from a few stupid soldiers, although his sadness was quick to morph into anger.
He stood up and grabbed the swordsman by his collar. He slowly lifted him off the ground.
“What do you mean he doesn’t have a pulse?!” He practically screamed.
Zoro glared at him and swatted the cook’s hand away. He was lowered, and immediately crouched next to Luffy.
“Listen, swirly eyebrows. I hate to say it, but Luffy is d-“
Before Zoro could finish his sentence, a beat broke through the still air.
Ba-dum.
Ba-dum.
Do-ba-dum.
Do-do-ba-dum.
Dat-do-ba-dum.
“What is that?” Sanji asked, turning his head to pinpoint its source. “Is that…a drum?”
Zoro opened his mouth to respond, but his words died in his throat as he caught movement in his peripherals.
He whipped his head to Luffy. A shit-eating grin slowly formed over his face, along with his appearance changing. His clothes and hair turned white. A wave of relief crashed over the two.
Suddenly, his eyes snapped open.
But they weren’t exactly Luffy’s eyes.
Blood-red ones peered into their souls.