Sapphires- Luffy x Reader

Imprisonment

"The worst person alive"  - G Flip

The art isn't mine. Just assume it isn't unless I say otherwise.

TW: Gore, blood, death, imprisonment, traumatic experiences (But not too bad). Read at your own risk!

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The festival bustled around you. Merchants called out and grappled for the crowd's attention from colorful tents, waving about their items on sale. Colorful lights were strung from one scraggly willow tree to the next and lanterns floated through the sky as though they were bubbles. People bumped against you gently, chattering excitedly to their companions. Twinkling ropes of lights were outlined against a pale pink sky, dusted with streaks of clouds and speckled with the first stars of the evening.

"Come on!" Your friend tugged at your hand, grinning broadly. Ember had her black had twisted into thousands of tiny braids, each one fading into a bright orange at the ends. Her dark face was freckled with tiny, gleaming amber freckles that stood out against her face and wide vermillion eyes. Despite the heat, your best friend was wearing a tattered leather jacket, a grimy white shirt and ripped shorts fashioned from and old potato sack.

"You do want to see the moonlarks migrate, right?" Ember asked happily, tugging you through the crowd as she hummed merrily. Your favorite F/C sundress fluttered gracefully, matching the F/C tips of your H/L hair that ember had helped you dye a few weeks ago. Most of your hair was still it's natural H/C, though. Around your neck hung a F/C camera, decorated with little white flowers indented into it's smooth surface.  Your growing excitement quickly switched into a feeling of unease and confusion. You craned your neck, trying to see a colorful banner hanging overhead, feeling an oncoming headache as the words slipped out of your mind. 

"Are you one-hundred percent sure that this is the right way?" You asked anxiously, eyeing the tents they were passing as if to search for clues. 

"Sure it is." Ember replied surely. A sudden sense of Deja vu made your stomach clench. "Just trust me, Y/N." You suddenly snatched your hand away fearfully, lifting it close to your face for a closer inspection. It trembled slightly as you looked it over: long, S/T fingers, short fingernails and perfect, unmarred skin. "Y/N?"

"No scar." You breathed shakily, memories of a blade cutting across your face and flames dancing over your hand crashing back. You patted your neck, audibly gasping at the feel of a cold silver chain. You ripped it off and studied the silver moonstone key with teary eyes. "The housekey to my mother's getaway cottage... I lost this in the fire." Your eyes widened in surprise as your many charms and bracelets all over your wrists and ankles had somehow teleported back to you. Your sense of panic grew as you remembered what had happened to Ember. "Why are you here?"

"Are you feeling all right?" Ember asked worriedly. "You better be." 

"This... already happened." You croaked. You pointed accusingly at Ember, who bore a slightly befuddled expression on her face. "You aren't around anymore... how..." Your voice dropped to a hoarse whisper. 

"Hurry up, let's go!" Ember grabbed hold of your wrist, her sharp fingernails digging into your skin desperately. Yous stared around wildly as flames built up out of nowhere and black smoke swallowed the sky. Screams drifted through the thick, hot air. Ember fell to the ground, coughing weakly as you gripped her arm, tears gliding down your ash-streaked face. You clutched your friend's arm in a bone-crushing grip, blood streaming from your hand down her arm.

"Just hold on! I can get us out of here!" You cried, trying to drag her to her feet, but to no avail. "No! We can both get out of here. Please, stand." You begged, trying to drag Ember away from the rapidly closing in circle of flames. 

"Let go." Ember commanded raspily. 

"No! I can't leave you." You sobbed, gripping her arm tighter.

"Let... go..." Ember's eyelids fluttered. Her gentle, reassuring hold on your hand fell limp as flames marched up her body. You yelped, leaping back in fright, as her fingers burst into flames and deepened the wound on your hand. You screeched as you watched your best friend crumbled into ashes, wails growing even louder as a rouge flame brushed against your cheek as though trying to calm you, or as if it was inviting you to join Ember as a pile of ashes. You gazed heartbrokenly into the flames, wailing, clutching the camera at your chest. You had taken off all the other bits of jewelry, due to the fact that they had begun to heat up as she escaped the flames. Your hand fell back to your side in a splatter of blood against your now singed, ashen F/C sundress. You lurched around to direct your screams at a man in dirty silver armor with greasy, dark blue hair and devilish yellow eyes gleaming in delight.

"You monster!" You shrieked, falling onto your knees, barely feeling the scorch of burning soil on your skin. 

"Well?" The skinny man asked in a bored tone after a few seconds. "Are you coming with me, or joining your friend?" You didn't move. You were too busy gaping at the curved, bloodied sword that the man was twirling in his gloved hands, showering blood everywhere. 

"I'll go." You said tiredly, standing. "But only if you let me keep my camera." You wanted nothing more than to hold it forever, it being the last thing in your possession that your late mother once owned. His eyes bent as he gave an unfriendly smirk.

"Anything for you, princess." His strangled laugh echoed, and suddenly, there was a pain in your head-

You woke with a start in your cramped corner of the damp room, somewhere in your captor's ship. All the other prisoners were sleeping soundly, the only thirty survivors of their village's horrible destruction. All you had wanted was a peaceful life away from your controlling father and responsibilities, but instead, life threw this at you. Maybe I shouldn't've left. You thought tiredly, wincing as she heard muffled cries from where Ember's twin brother was sleeping in the dingy straw mat beside her. Watery grey slight seeped in through a barred window set high up on the damp wooden wall where a stray wave of salty water splashed through to slap down on the shiny wooden floors. You glanced at the horrible scar along our hand and winced. Burns and cuts snaked up your arms and legs and your F/C sundress was stained and torn. A slice curled up from your collarbone and ended just below your eye, a constant reminder of how your once perfect life had spiraled out of control once more. One day, you had been at her late mother's secret cottage, tending to the sapphire roses and talking to Ember every day. You were a journalist, hoping to be the world's greatest, taking pictures and writing articles on things some people would never see. But here, as a prisoner, you had never felt further from your dreams. You stroked your grimy camera as though it was a cat, cringing as your stomach began to growl like a caged tiger. Pulling your knees to your chest, you closed your bloodshot eyes. Had her mother's cottage burned down? Where the sapphire blue roses piles of ash? Was the village a blackened husk of the prosperity it once was? You wiped your dirty face, longing for the sound of tinkling bracelets to reach your ears. Suddenly, the heavy metal door on the far side of the room slammed open. She glimpsed a group of metal clad soldiers barring the way as the awful man with greasy dark blue hair strutted in, stepping on the sleeping villagers carelessly. 

"Morning princess." He said smugly, yellow eyes triumphant. "Did ya sleep well?"

"I hate you." You muttered as he grabbed your arm, dragging you across the small room to the door. 

"That's not how you speak to this ship's commander." He quipped back haughtily. Tears threatened to spill from your sore eyes as the heavy marching of feet against the scuffed wooden floors finally got to you. As he dragged you around a corner, a heavy metal cuff of sea prism bumped against the wall. "Anyways, we'll be at our destination soon. I'm so glad that we decided to use fire to draw you out of hiding, princess. The heat messed with your little brain and melted your powers." He teased, giving her a friendly punch in the shoulder.

"Why don't you just throw me overboard?" You mumbled numbly. 

"Why, because of your connection to the king of Dawn Island. He'll pay handsomely for your safe return, you know." The soldier reminded her. The sound of another heavy metal door greeted your ears. Suddenly, you flew through the air and thumped into a dark, cold, small room. "Stay here, princess. I'll be back soon!" He sang jovially, slamming the door shut and leaving you to sink further into your misery.