Chapter Text
Luffy stares into the dark cave — its pitch-black entrance like a swirling void of misery and yearning — enchanting the brave to run and the foolish to enter. The shadows crawl in its abode, just shy of the burning sunlight above, as if waiting to pounce and sink its greedy roots into ignorant prey, to tear into flesh and drink its vessels.
The cave looks dangerous. It looks ominous. It looks possibly forbidden.
A bed of wildflowers bloom beneath Luffy’s feet, dancing and twirling around his calves.
It looks exciting.
Ace and Sabo had always banned him from venturing this far away from home, alone nonetheless. But Luffy has never been one to obey the rules, so he snuck out when they were both away. And while this isn’t exactly his first rodeo, it’s the first he’s seen something so odd, beyond the mountains and forests and streams.
He takes a step towards the entrance. A chorus whispers from the other side and the faint rippling of water pulses through.
“Come.”
And who was Luffy to deny such a request? Not that it was ever needed.
The flowers continue to dance in a mystified manner. A camellia wraps its dainty stem around his ankle.Stay, it pleads.
Luffy ventures forth. The Fates cackle.
Through the cave was a long and narrow tunnel, void of sunlight and warmth. It’s rather boring walking all this way actually, and Luffy has half a mind to turn back around.
“Is anyone here?” he shouts. His fingers brush against the cave walls but the moss that sprouts immediately withers. Luffy purses his lips. This is no fun at all.
Then, the trickling of water again, and a whisper — more like a hoarse exhale, the desperate voice of the voiceless. “Come,” it beckons. A shallow puddle forms around him, circling his toes and trailing down into nothingness. Luffy happens to be curious enough to find out where it goes.
Down slippery rocks, the water turns from a puddle to a stream to a river. It reaches up to his knees, rushing past his skin and threatening his balance. The ceilings of the cave have risen so high it could touch Olympus and the river water glows a sickly blue tint. Everything about this place seems off.
Luffy feels slightly dizzy. Yet he ventures forth.
From a distance, a lone wooden boat floats towards him. The ferryman stands solemnly on the bow, leisurely pushing its oar against the water. He stops right before Luffy.
“Mortal,” the ferryman greets.
Luffy blinks. He almost wants to respond but his shaky legs are more important. So he invites himself aboard, clambering onto the boat and rocking it dangerously. “Thanks for the ride, old man. You really saved me there,” he says cheerfully.
Startled, the ferryman shifts himself to catch his balance. The boat starts to traverse forward again. Luffy takes a peek down the river and watches mesmerised as the currents warp to accommodate the boat, twisting to push it forward. Maybe the oar is just for show.
“Most mortals don’t survive that long in the water. You should’ve stayed on the dock.” The ferryman speaks.
“The dock?” Luffy echoes.
“Yes. At the mouth of the river.”
Luffy hums absentmindedly and ignores him, as with dealing with most things he doesn’t understand. He fiddles with the string around his neck and traces its path to his beloved straw hat. “Hey, old man.”
The ferryman turns slightly. “Most people call me Charon.”
“Old man,” Luffy insists.
“Okay,” he relents. “What is it?”
“Where are we going?”
The ferryman turns back ahead. “Where everyone is destined to go.”
Luffy scrunches his nose. “What kind of answer is that?”
“You’ll find out.”
Dissatisfied, Luffy flops back on the boat, creating another violent shake. He’s getting pretty sick of all this mystery. Seems like even this far out here, he can’t escape secrets. It reminds him of the way Ace looks at him guiltily when he asks if he can explore the forest. Or the way Sabo frets over the ferns sprouting between the cracks of their floorboards.
“Your powers are getting stronger now, huh, Luffy?” he would muse aloud, as he replanted the ferns in the garden. Replanted, never destroyed. Because Sabo loves Luffy too much to destroy even the things he himself abhors.
The rest of the boat ride continues uneventfully, with Luffy bugging the ferryman with more questions and the ferryman purposefully ignoring him. They arrive before a colossal metallic gate, towering as tall as Earth’s highest mountain peak. On either side are large borders, made of stone and bone, as if to entrap those who enter. In front of the gate is a creature unlike Luffy has seen before — a monstrous three-headed hellhound with golden spiked collars, its glossy fur the colour of pure snow.
“This place is huge!” Luffy hollers. His heart thrums with anticipation, the familiar rush of adventure flowing through his veins. The ferryman gives him what he guesses is a judgemental look, though it’s rather hard to see beneath the dark hood. He halts the boat by the dock and steps onto hell-crusted land. Luffy hops on after him.
“Welcome to the Underworld,” he announces with a tone of finality. “Where all souls reside for eternity.”
Luffy whistles. “This is the Underworld?”
So when Ace tells people to “go to hell” , this was the place he meant. It seems easier said than done. Luffy should tell him about it when he gets back home.
“The gates will lead you to a panel of judges who will decide your fate. Don’t worry about Cerberus, he only bites those who touch him.” The ferryman explains.
“You’re coming with me?” Luffy tilts his head.
The ferryman shakes his head. “Only until the gates. I shouldn’t be going any further but…” Luffy senses another judgemental gaze. “I don’t think you should be left alone.”
Before he can say any more, Luffy dashes ahead, fully intending to pounce onto the hellhound and dive into its invitingly fluffy fur. At the very last moment, a hand hurriedly yanks at the collar of his vest. The change in momentum sends him hurtling backwards, only steadied by the hand holding his weight. “Case in point,” the ferryman sighs, setting him down. Luffy has a feeling he doesn’t usually talk this much to his passengers.
The ferryman switches his attention to the hellhound. “Oi Be— I mean, Cerberus, let us through, will you?”
Roused from his sleep, the hellhound lets out a mighty yawn. He rises and shifts aside before sinking back down. Luffy whines when a hand slaps him away from touching Cerberus again.
As if sensing their presence, the large gates creak open with an ominous rumble. A gust of wind flies past Luffy’s cheeks. Murmurs of the undead kiss his skin, enticing him forward. “Come,” they beckon.
Like Icarus to the sun, Luffy ventures forth. The Fates giggle.
For most of his life, Foosha village was all that Luffy has ever known. He lives in a cozy cottage near the outskirts with his brothers. Though one may frown at the idea of three boys squeezing in such a cramped space, Luffy usually has the house to himself anyway. Because his brothers were often… busy. Out for business, as they like to say.
“Don’t go, Ace, Sabo.” Luffy whines, clinging resolutely to his brother’s legs.
“We’ll be back soon, Luffy,” Sabo coos, gently prying his fingers off their calves.
“Stay out of trouble okay?” Ace says, ruffling his hair. He shoots him a carefree grin, and Luffy, through glassy eyes, returns a gummy smile.
The door shuts with a deafening click.
Luffy gets lonely — in a house too small for three, but too big for one. So he goes into the village in search of company. The children give Luffy a wide berth but he finds a friend in a skittish yet ambitious boy who wears his heart on his sleeve as much as on his cheek. They play together almost everyday and Luffy wonders if Usopp is like him too — if his house is also empty and his furnace is never on, if his mornings are quiet and his nights are long.
It’s a week after Ace and Sabo left when he finds out. Golden rays of evening light caress his cheeks like Apollo’s personal blessing. With a spring in his step and a sun in his smile, Luffy eagerly waves his arms. “See you tomorrow, Usopp!” The daisies that sprout around him joyfully wave their stems in unison.
Usopp goes to wave back but his hand makes an aborted movement. He smacks his forehead apologetically. “Ah, I totally forgot! My bad, Luffy, I can’t hang out tomorrow.”
“Why not?” Luffy pouts.
Usopp beams and Luffy thinks this is the happiest he’s seen him. “I’m meeting my friend Kaya tomorrow!”
“Kaya?”
“Yeah, she used to be really sick so her parents sent her to another town to get treatment from a doctor. But she recovered and she’s finally coming back home! I want to be there when her ship arrives.”
Luffy bounces on his toes. “Oh! Can I come with?”
Usopp winces. “Maybe another day. I want to spend some alone time to catch up with her first. You can play with someone else tomorrow, right?”
Luffy smiles. The daisies around his feet wilt. “Yeah, of course!”
They’re not the same. Usopp has Kaya, but Luffy only has Usopp. He goes back home and the house is still cold.
The courtroom is every bit as grandiose as Luffy expected. Marble pillars, smooth stone floors and very, very, tall court benches. He spots a gavel atopand a row of people seated behind them, all dressed in white. An abnormally large man with scraggly hair sits in the centre, presumably the figurehead of them all.
“Mortal,” he bellows, “what is your name?”
“I’m Luffy. Are you a giant?” Luffy tilts his head, grinning.
The man — giant? — pauses momentarily before swiftly ignoring him. “Full name please.”
“Monkey D. Luffy. Hey, is that why the table is so tall? Are you actually standing right now?”
There’s stifled laughter in the room. The giant glares at the offender before going back to his papers. He frowns. “How did you die?”
“I didn’t die,” Luffy replies bluntly. “I walked in here.”
For a moment, there’s only the sound of flapping parchment and muffled whispers between the judges. Luffy’s getting rather bored. The giant is interesting but if he’s not going to respond, then he wants to explore the rest of the Underworld at least!
Then, the giant shifts his attention back to him. “How did you get in here?”
Luffy shrugs. “I said I walked in.”
“Where?”
“Here?“
“ From where did you walk in?” the giant demanded.
“Why does it matter?”
“Monkey D. Luffy, you are not meant to be here. Your name is absent from all our files. So how did you—” The giant gets interrupted when a deep velvety voice cuts into the room, sharp like a blade. The ground trembles beneath them.
“What’s with all the noise?”
A hush of silence falls over the room and a fog of death ripples through. Shadowy tendrils rise from the floor like corrupted petals, unfurling to reveal a young man. A golden wreath crowns his dark messy hair. His face is twisted in a subtle scowl that gives off an almost roguish handsomeness. Resting on his broad shoulders is a dark cloak with intricate embroidery falling down like midnight rain. A pair of golden earrings clink against each other, mysteriously gleaming in the dim hellscape. His attire is adorned by jewels and skulls, equally commanding of fear and admiration, there’s no other word to describe him other than divine.
Something clicks. Like the pieces of a puzzle sliding into place. The reverberating echo of a bell. A chorus of ecstatic voices sweep past him. The Fates roar.
“Jean Bart,” the man says slowly, “you’re making a racket in my courtroom.” Though he addresses the giant, his eyes — the colour of fiery gold, like the lick of a flame — are staring right at Luffy. Uncharacteristically, he feels exposed, as if his every bone and organ is on display — like being on an operation table.
“My King.” Jean Bart bows his head in reverence. The entire panel of judges chorus after and follow suit.
Luffy raises his eyebrows. “Who are you?”
The young man doesn’t respond, merely scanning him from head to toe. He regards Luffy with a cool expression. “Persephone, God of Spring? So you’ve come to meet your end?”
A gasp resounds in the room before quickly being hushed. Confused, Luffy looks around himself. “Who are you talking to?”
The man sighs and closes his eyes for a brief moment, as if to will himself to continue the conversation. “How little do you know?”
Luffy frowns. All this beating around the bush is getting annoying really fast. Another secret to add to his mountain pile of things he doesn’t get to know. “What do you mean?”
The man sighs. “This isn’t my problem. Leave now and never come back, if you want what’s good for you.”
“No.”
“No?” He arches an eyebrow, ominous heat ebbing from him in waves like boiling lava.
“No.” Luffy stands his ground firmly, a lifetime of frustration strengthening his resolve. “I’m not leaving.”
“Don’t test my patience.”
“I’m not leaving until you tell me what you mean!”
The man observes him carefully. Perhaps he sees a glint of something in Luffy, or perhaps it’s the apprehension of being watched by an audience, but he makes a decision. “We’ll discuss this somewhere else.“
“Just tell me now—“
“Room.”
Before Luffy can utter another word, he’s enveloped in an aura of darkness, swallowing him into the shadows and depositing his body in an unknown place.
It’s a well-lit room, with the walls decked with ornate candles and the floor covered in fine velvet rugs. Miniature fountains line the halls, spilling a waterfall of liquid gold into a marble basin. Luffy is about to stick his hands out to steal a sip when a hand swiftly clasps his wrist, halting his movement.
“You can’t even behave yourself for a second, can you?”
Luffy turns his head around to see the man staring at him condescendingly. There’s a tingling sensation on his wrist, like death itself was clawing at his skin to drain his life dry. He pouts. “I just want to have a taste.”
“I advise you don’t. Too much nectar can make you intoxicated and you don’t look like the type to exercise self-control.”
“Just a mouthful won’t hurt.”
Hand still gripping his wrist, the man twists him around until they are almost chest to chest. Suddenly, Luffy’s wrist was tingling for an unfamiliar reason. The man glares coldly. ”Do you want answers or not?”
“I do!” Luffy insists. “I want answers.”
He drops his wrist. Luffy feels an aching emptiness. “Then come with me,” the man orders. And Luffy realises that he doesn’t know his name yet, and it was getting a bit confusing just referring to him as “the man” in his head.
“Hey, what’s your name?” he asks while following the man down the hall.
The man makes a calculating expression. “Trafalgar D. Water Law,” he answers after a moment’s silence. He gives Luffy a side glance, “though mortals and gods like you call me Hades.”
Luffy wrinkles his nose. “What kind of name is Hades?” He quickly concludes the other name is much much better.
“It’s a title, for the God of the dead and the Underworld.” Law simply replies.
They arrive at the head of the room where a large throne — lined with silk cushioning and embellished with jeweled skulls — sits as the centrepiece. In front of it is a smooth polished desk like fine mahogany, topped with scrolls, papers, and writing paraphernalia. With a flick of Law’s hand, the few ghouls and creatures milling about the room vanish in an instant, leaving the two of them alone. He climbs the steps and sits at the throne. The bright light fixture on the ceiling — a glass dome of sizzling golden magma — illuminates his face elegantly. Regal, imposing and fit for a king.
“Speak,” Law commands.
As Luffy stands at the bottom gazing upwards, he feels an impossibly large distance between them.
He feels cold and the familiarity scares him. He decides he must correct it immediately.
So he climbs up the steps too and hops atop the desk facing Law — like how he would sit on the counter while Sabo made breakfast in the past. A few scrolls slide off the surface and the ink pot tremors. Law’s eyes widen for a split second before morphing into an irritated glare. Much better. Now he can see him eye-to-eye.
“Get off my desk,” Law hisses.
“Don’t wanna,” Luffy grins, swinging his feet back and forth.
Law snags his wrist again, tugging him in a downward motion. Luffy puffs his cheeks and flails his hand away. Gritting his teeth, Law seems to give in, perhaps to be rid of him quicker. “Just ask what you came to find out,” he says in a tight voice.
Luffy lights up. “So, Torao—“
“It’s Trafalgar.”
“—Torao, what are you hiding?”
Law closes his eyes. “That’s a very broad question, so I assume you know nothing. I rather not incur the wrath of Ares and Hephaestus either.”
Luffy co*cks his head to the side. “Who?”
“Brilliant. We’re really starting from zero,” Law says with a sigh. “I’ll spare the troublesome details. All you need to know is that a long time ago, you were given a prophecy. By the Fates. ”
At the last word, a ringing sound appears in Luffy’s ears. Suddenly, phantom hands grip his entire body, squeezing his limbs and strangling his throat — as if maneuvering him like a stringless marionette — but they vanish as soon as they appear. He chokes on air. Faint tinkling of laughter fade into the background.
Law stares Luffy dead in the eye, fiery gold pupils shimmering with the luminescence of molten lava. “Persephone, God of Spring,” he states. “It is prophesied that at the age of nineteen, you will meet your death.” His voice booms in the empty chambers. Where Luffy expects a familiar choir of voracious laughter, there is only deafening silence. Only the bubbling of magma and his own heavy panting.
“Now do you understand?” Law leans forward. “Your presence in the Underworld only furthers your journey to the end. Meeting me is a risk in itself. Leave now and shall we never meet until your destined day.”
Luffy catches his breath. Clutching the edge of the table, he steels himself. He burns holes into Law’s eyes. “So what?”
“Are you an idiot—“
“It doesn’t matter.” Luffy growls, crossing his arms. He knows he’s lashing out. He knows Law doesn’t deserve his anger. But if this was the secret that’s been kept from him his whole life— “This fate or prophecy or whatever, none of it matters.” His voice lowers into a bitter resolve. “I will choose the way I die.”
Law scowls. “If you want to dig your own grave, that’s fine,” he spits out harshly. “But don’t drag me into your mess. Everyone on Olympus already believes I’ll have a hand in your death, and I prefer not to be hunted down by your brothers.”
Luffy’s expression morphs into one of confusion. His arms drop to his sides. “My brothers—?”
“I’ve told you plenty already,” Law declares, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I was generous enough to warn you. Now go and never return.” He snaps his fingers and a shroud of black mist engulfs Luffy, devouring his voice and protests. The last thing he feels before numbness is searing heat.
Luffy wakes up outside the cave entrance where he started. He’s resting on a bed of chrysanthemum flowers, as if they bloomed to cushion his fall. He waves his hand and a new tide of flowers grows around him in a rippling effect, silhouetting his figure. For a moment, he basks in the fresh scent of nature. The chrysanthemum petals tickle his cheeks, welcoming him back home, and the heightened emotions from his adventure ebb into the soil.
God of spring, was it?
He admires the evening sky’s rich amber hues, similar to the boiling lava in the Underworld. It was barely noon when he entered the cave and now it’s nearly night time. He better head home before it gets too dark to navigate.With blessed speed and leaps that Luffy can now define as “godly”, he dashes through the forest and mountains back home.
The house is vacant when he arrives. Ace and Sabo had left for business again two weeks ago. It seems that the time they spend away gets longer and longer, though they don’t seem to realise it.
“See? Told you we’d be back in a few hours!” Ace smiles reassuringly. “We brought back a lot of meat for you this time!
With starry eyes, Luffy marvels at the feast spread on the dining table. They sit down to eat together. Ace asks about his day and Sabo removes the bones on his plate and suddenly, all of Luffy’s loneliness from the past three days dissipate.
He thinks it doesn’t matter as long as they come back.
Luffy wonders if time doesn’t exist wherever it is they go. That maybe they don’t have watches or clocks. That maybe the clouds obscure the sun in the sky and the birds don’t caw at dawn. Or maybe they have banquets and feasts far more luxurious and lavish than dinner at home, that they have so much fun they forget about Luffy altogether.
He falls asleep like that, in that chilly quiet home. In a house too small for three and too big for one.
