What the heck is going on? Why is it so dark? Luffy opened his eyes and groaned in pain. He was lying on the ground with his hands fastened behind his back. He stretched his neck to see the dark handcuffs. His ankles were also chained together loosely.

"Damn, seastone."

He looked at his surroundings. He was in a cell. The raven-haired boy felt weak, probably due to the amount of seastone around him. Then he realized two things at the same time. one, his hat was gone. Two, so were his nakama. He stood up and staggered, the week feeling making his knees buckle but he managed to stand. He yelled.

"Hey! Zoro! Sanji! Nami! Oi."

No answer, just his own echoes. Luffy's stomach rumbled and he groaned.

"Meat."

Suddenly, there was a sound of footsteps coming his way. He turned toward the door excitedly and saw it open and three marines walked in.

"Oi, you guys have meat? And my nakama? And my hat?"

The marines didn't answer. They escorted him out of the cell into a hallway. while they were walking, Luffy tried to remember what had happened. They were on the Sunny, and then marines had come. They had been fighting them like usual, so what had happened? Luffy was led down another hallway. He asked.

"Where are my nakama?"

One of the marines brought a knee up into Luffy's stomach. He gasped in slight pain and bent over. Another marine tripped him, causing him to fall flat. Luffy gritted his teeth.

"Why you—"

The third marine kicked him in his stomach so hard he coughed up a little blood.

"Shut up pirate."

Luffy glared at them defiantly, but didn't say anything. It would have been pointless anyway. The marines watched him get back to his feet carefully. The pain was subsiding from their kicks but Luffy didn't care. He shuffled forward. Suddenly, they approached a door. Luffy felt apprehension settle in his stomach as one of the marines opened the door and kicked him inside. Luffy coughed and stood up as the door shut and he was enveloped in total darkness. Suddenly, the darkness dispersed, like it was a living thing. Confused, Luffy narrowed his eyes and was about to inspect the room when a familiar voice said.

"Ah, Straw hat Luffy."

Luffy froze. That voice, he hadn't heard in a while. He hated it. He turned stiffly, hatred making his rubber limbs shake. His fists were already curled into fists as he turned to face the large man with missing teeth. He hissed.

"Blackbeard."

The warlord laughed.

"Long time no see."

Luffy felt a slight fear in the pit of his stomach. With Blackbeard here, that could mean his nakama was… he didn't even want to think about it. He snarled.

"My nakama, and my hat. Where are they?"

Blackbeard pointed to a table in the center of the room, where Luffy's trademark straw-hat lay on it. Watching Blackbeard suspiciously, Luffy walked over and with his handcuffed hands, placed it on his head. Feeling slightly better, Luffy turned back to Blackbeard.

"My nakama."

Blackbeard laughed at the hatred not hidden in Luffy's voice.

"Ah, right. They are right here."

He gestured to the opposite wall. Luffy looked and saw all of his crew chained to the wall. they were beaten pretty badly, blood and cuts riddling their bodies. Luffy rushed toward, them.

"Zoro, Nami, Brook, Sanji, Chopper, Franky, Robin, Ussop."

A tendril of darkness blocked his path, causing him to skid to a stop. He glared at Blackbeard.

"What?"

Blackbeard shook his head.

"Nothing. Now are you ready to pay for getting your hat back?"

Luffy blinked.

"Nani?"

Blackbeard walked over to stand in front of Zoro. Luffy started forward, only to trip over his shackles.

"Wait what are you doing?"

Blackbeard drew back his fist. Luffy's eyes widened.

"Wait, stop it."

The fist hit Zoro right in the gut. Zoro coughed up blood and slumped painfully. Luffy rushed forward only to be thrown back by Blackbeard.

"You wanted your hat, now take the punishment."

I didn't want this. I need to stop him. Luffy gritted his teeth and stood up, ripping the hat off his head.

"Take it back."

Blackbeard prepared to throw a punch at Chopper, who was looking quite pitiful in his normal reindeer state, blood oozing out of his forehead.

"Too late."

Luffy screamed.

"Stop it!"

He rushed forward again and grabbed Blackbeard's fist before it connected with the tiny animal.

"Leave them alone!"

Blackbeard laughed at him. The warlord of the sea walked over to the opposite wall where more chains were. He wordlessly chained Luffy to the wall. The straw-hat captain struggled as much as his seastone cuffs could allow.

"Hey, let me go you bastard."

Blackbeard dusted off his hands.

"There now you can't interfere."

Luffy's eyes widened as Blackbeard turned back to his friends.

"No stop Blackbeard, don't you touch them."

Blackbeard just laughed and crushed Chopper's head into the wall. Luffy trembled as he bowed his head. No, this isn't supposed to happen. I am not supposed to be weak anymore. What is wrong with me? Luffy winced as he heard a weak cry.

"Luffy, help m—"

Nami's plea was cut off by Blackbeard's strike. Luffy groaned in frustration and banged his head against the wall, seeking refuge in the pain.

"Leave them alone! This has nothing to do with them! This is between us! Blackbeard!"

Blackbeard turned around, holding Nami's limp form in his hand. He blinked, as if to say 'you have to do better then that', and turned back to his work. By now, all of the other Straw-hats had woken up due to Luffy's desperate screaming.

"Stop hurting them! Hurt me instead."

Luffy couldn't keep the desperate tears from his eyes. He squeezed them shut. Why am I so helpless? Why can't I help my nakama? He yelled, desperate as Blackbeard pulled back his fist to hurt Sanji.

"Please! What do you want from me? What can I do to save them?"

Blackbeard actually paused. He turned to Luffy and asked.

"What are you willing to do, to save them?"

He walked over to stand in front of the raven-haired boy. Luffy looked up at him, tears silently gathering in his eyes.

The crew stared at their captain in shock. They had never seen him like this. Robin recognized the look. It was the same look Luffy had had at sabaody archipelago, when Kuma had sent all of the crew flying.

Luffy's eyes were full of desperation but also full of unbridled rage. How dare he do that to my nakama? Luffy tried to fight the feeling of the seastone and throw a punch at Blackbeard but failed miserably. Blackbeard yanked him upright by his hair, causing Luffy to grit his teeth.

"Tell me, what are you willing to do."

Luffy whispered.

"Anything."

Blackbeard sneered.

"Really?"

Luffy put aside his pride and asked coldly.

"What do you have in mind?"

Blackbeard dropped him, slamming him into the floor. He heard several voices yell.

"Luffy!"

The raven-haired captain looked up at Blackbeard, rage and desperation sizzling in him. Blackbeard crouched in front of him.

"Will you join my crew?"