•Black Hat•

•15•

The sweater was long enough to cover my body till my thighs but either way I didn't care. I sat there on the ground trying my best to empty my mind and not to shed any more tears. Some time later that bear came back and told me to sit on the bed again. He replaced the bandages and then sat there staring at me.

"I'm Bepo" he said in the end. I thought of keeping my silence but the bear was too kind to ignore.

"Pearl" I said. "What's your captain's name?" I asked him after a few minutes.

"Trafalgar Law" he replied.

"Are they alright?" I didn't need to explain who I meant by they.

"The Fishman will be accepting visitors by this time tomorrow" Bepo said avoiding to say about Luffy.

"The boy?"

"You should rest" he said and got up to leave. I didn't ask him again and he left closing the door behind him.

And the boy is fighting against death. The boy might not make it. We did everything possible but we couldn't keep him alive. We did our share now it's up to him and his system. We can't oppose the god of death.

I wondered why I asked him. Perhaps I wanted to hear that he was perfectly fine and was waiting for me in the room 6 for example. But I knew that this wouldn't be the case. Luffy wasn't killed by someone at the war but now the biggest danger for him was his own self. The wager was on whether he wanted to live or not. Law could do anything in order to heal his wounds but if Luffy didn't want to keep on living no one would be able to do something, anything!

I got up and looked for the belt I had stolen from that marine during the war. Much to my surprise it wasn't there. Since I was sure I had previously spotted it on a chair next to the door, hence I took the silver blade I was still holding onto, I assumed that that doctor, Law had taken it. I rolled my eyes but deep inside I knew it was something reasonable to do and I wondered why he hadn't insisted I gave him the silver one too.

I twisted it inside my fingers and looked at it for a few seconds.

"Ace" I muttered. That would be the name of the blade, Ace. I swore to myself that it would always find its, no, his aim and he would be deadly. With a swift move I hid it inside my sleeve and walked till the door. During my rage I had destroyed my shoes too so I was barefoot and the cold floor of the submarine gave me creeps. Before I walked out of the room I remembered the hat. I grabbed it and held it tightly again. I didn't dare to wear it so I just walked with it hanging from my left hand.

On the narrow corridor of the submarine I didn't encounter a single soul. So I returned back to the room and lied on the small infirmary bed that to me felt like a bed god would sleep in. It was soft and I could finally lie down after eight years of sitting and sleeping while hanging from the wall. I hugged the purely white pillow and rubbed my face against his soft fabric. I felt so nice that I didn't have the time to think about the war. I fell asleep almost immediately and woke up hours later.

I had made a huge stain with saliva on the pillow as I had slept with my mouth half open. I chuckled. My mom used to kindly mock me for that when I was a kid. It had been many years since my mother died, actually since my father killed her, but I could still remember her brushing her thin fingertips on my cheek as I slept, or acted like I did so she would do that. I loved her dearly and I still do even though I don't cry anymore when I remember her.

I couldn't tell for how much time I was asleep, only that the sun that came in from the circular windows was quite hot. We were in the surface, that I could tell. I supposed it was noon so I jumped up and after I pulled the yellow sweater down I rushed outside of the cabin. I searched for the exit and when I found it I banged it open. The submarine was tied next to the edge of what seemed to me like an island. All of the men that were sited there jumped up when they heard the submarine's cap opening. But they seemed to relax or even slightly disappointed when I was the one that came out.

Law helped me get to the ground and I stood there looking at them. Almost immediately I spotted Jinbe and ran close to him. I hugged him extra carefully and I felt him wrapping his arms around me too.

"How are you feeling Jinbe?" I asked him when I pulled away. Jinbe smiled kindly but his smile seemed to be burdened.

"I am fine." He said and I understood what he meant.

"Why, isn't he?" I asked and squeezed the blade, Ace, inside the sleeve of the sweater so the others wouldn't notice me.

Jinbe didn't reply. Of course and he didn't! No one would ever tell me a damn word about Luffy.

"You don't know or you want to keep silent like everyone else?" I shouted at him. "Tell me! Is he alive? Did you kill him while you were operating him?" I asked turning my head to Law. "Just tell me something damn it!"

"He's in a coma" Law said and I stopped. I had gotten my answer and I was really close to thank him for saying something but I remained silent.

"He might not wake up" Jinbe added.

"Where is he?" I asked them calmly and as Law was ready to disagree I fixed my eyes on him and repeated my question.
"Where is he? Take me to him!" I ordered him. I felt Jinbe behind me nodding and Law let out a sigh.

"Follow me!"