One Piece Fan Fiction ❯ OP Drabbles and Ficlets ❯ Influence (gen: Strawhats, Doflamingo) ( Chapter 3 )

Influence
gen - Luffy, Strawhats, Doflamingo - PG-13

It isn't until he sees himself looking back at him that he knows something's wrong. Then, it hits him all at once, distorted in that silvery sliver, except it isn't just the metal doing the distorting -- the sharp, bright metal of the blade by his feet--

--those aren't his eyes--

Not those blank, lifeless discs. They blink and the world goes dark, and he staggers, his foot nudging Wadou on the floor. She sings out a mournful whine against the rock, and he can hear them now--

--don't, Luffy! -- no -- this isn't you -- fight him, Luffy! -- fight! -- don't let him win -- Luffy! -- Captain!--

He lifts his head and sees them; feels the slick stickiness and sees the blood on his hands. Zoro is in front of him, Zoro with two swords raised and one on the ground, and blood on his face; Sanji, just as battered and bloody, before the women -- Robin's arms poised but her eyes glazed and her body frozen; Usopp, Chopper and Nami's faces stretched in horror.

Behind him, Luffy can feel the last player in this drama, hanging at his shoulder. He can feel the smile, even before mocking laughter sounds out again. And he knows that there's no sticky red blood painting that man's hands at all, because... he didn't use his own.

"Do it, Strawhat," the insidious voice sneers. "They never liked you anyway. They all think you're laughable. But they're weaker than you... they just proved it... What captain needs such a weak, useless, disrespectful crew?"

Luffy lifts his hands and looks into the eyes of his wavering, bloodstained swordsman.

And as he turns with a yell of pure rage and plants his fist into the face of the man with the stupid feather boa, he knows his nakama are right behind him.