Chapter 11

They all froze as they stared at the scene. For a moment, they all seemed to be too stunned to speak and then…

"EHHHHHHHHH!" Brook cried out in panic. "WE'RE GHOSTS! WE'VE MUST'VE DIED AND BECOME GHOSTS!"

Brook, Chopper, and Usopp began to scream and panic, not knowing what to do and Chopper was now crying until Nami screamed out, "SHUT UP ALL OF YOU! We can't all be dead can we?"

"I don't know," Sanji said, unusually causal as he looked to Brook and asked, "Is this what the afterlife looks like?"

"I don't really remember, Sanji-san," Brook admitted, tilting his head in confusion. "But I don't remember any forest…"

"No," Robin said, looking around. "I have a theory where we might be… but if I'm right, then it doesn't actually help us…"

"Well, where do you think we are?" Franky asked, but before he could finish asking, they heard something coming up from behind them.

"What's that?" Chopper cried, hiding behind Zoro again, "Some kind of monster?"

"I knew it!" Usopp gasped out in his usual doom-and-gloom speech. "It's some kind of monster from hell coming here to make sure that we're all dead!"

"Sounds more like a person to me," Nami whispered, pulling out her weapon and getting ready to attack.

Through the trees, the figure of a tall, tan, broad-chested, muscular man came slowly towards them. He had black hair and goatee, with whitening sideburns and carrying a familiar scar on his left eye…

Nami gasped, her eyes widening in recognition. "G-Garp?"

It was indeed the marine hero… though they had only seem him once, he certainly left an impression. He wasn't in his standard marine clothes this time though, he was in a simple t-shirt and shorts, carrying a bottle of liquor in his hands as he hummed quite contently to himself as he approached them.

"T-that is him!" Usopp whispered in astonishment. "But what's he doing here?"

"Well, I guess this really is hell," Zoro said darkly, flicking his thumb a little on his sword hilt so that the blade could be seen, prepared for the worse. "If the Marines are here hunting us and all…?"

"You know him?" Brook asked them all, realizing how they were all staring at Garp with shock and horror. "I admit his name does sound familiar but…"

"Vice Admiral Garp," Robin said lightly. "A Marine hero… as well as Luffy's grandfather."

"Grandfather?" Brook repeated in amazement. "Luffy-san's grandfather is a marine hero?"

"I know, that's what we all said when we found out," Sanji said lightly, letting his cigarette fall from his mouth as he moved forward—ready to attack. "You expect Luffy's bloodline to be filled with nothing but criminals."

"Well, his father sorta makes up for that," Franky said, holding up his arm, ready to fire.

"Dragon…" Robin muttered softly.

"Yeah, him," Franky muttered. "I mean, he is classified as the 'Most Wanted Man in the World' for a reason now isn't he?"

"Isn't there anyone normal in Luffy's family?" Usopp whispered as Garp stepped closer and closer. "But that's not the point! We have to deal with this maniac?"

"Don't know," Zoro said, pulling out two swords now, since Garp showed no signs of stopping. "But if he wants to fight, we'll be more than happy to oblige."

"OI! GARP!" Sanji yelled. "Whadda want with us now?!"

He had expected Garp to stop walking and address him. Perhaps to laugh or taunt them… but surprisingly, he did nothing of the sort as he came closer.

"What's with him?" Usopp asked nervously. "Why doesn't he answer us?"

"Yeah, you think he'd be asking us where his grandson is or something," Brook stated, his hand still on his own weapon, ready to draw it.

Zoro frowned. Something wasn't right here… he couldn't sense anything coming from this man… how was that possible?

Just when Garp was a few feet away, they all held up their weapons, but Robin held up her hand. "Wait!" she said, stepping forward to face him alone.

"Wait for what?" Franky demanded. "He's gonna…?"

"It's alright," Robin answered, standing still as Garp continued on his way, not even glancing at her. "Watch…"

And just like that, Garp walked right up to her, and then right through her like how Nami did with those flowers.

Everyone's jaw dropped as they stared at her as she only smiled. "I thought so…" she answered softly.

"What the hell was that?" Usopp cried out, moving away from Garp as he walked passed them, who didn't react at all—not even noticing the fact that he just walked through someone.

"I thought something was strange here," Robin said lightly, turning back towards them, and pulling the book out of her bag again. "I remembered what it said in this book… that you must share your memories before you are able to speak with a lost loved one. I had a feeling that this was the case."

"Wait… a memory?" Chopper asked, still looking freaked out, "You mean that Luffy's grandpa wasn't real?"

"Garp looks a lot younger than when we met him at Water 7 two years ago doesn't he?" Robin said, all of them turning to watch Garp continue on his way through the jungle, apparently looking for something. "I took a chance, and I see now that I was correct. These must be memories…"

"I still don't get it," Franky said predictably.

"Think of it as like a 'dream'," Robin answered as she looked around her in new interest.

"Oh, so we're all asleep right now?" Chopper asked, sighing in relief. "That's good to know."

"A dream?" Zoro repeated sarcastically. "Then tell me how we're all dreaming the same thing."

"Everything we see here is all history," Robin answered, now following after Garp. "This must be part of Luffy's past that we're seeing."

"Ok," Zoro said darkly. "But how is this possible?"

They all followed after Robin as she continued to flip through the book. "It says that you need to share your memories of being alive when you arrive at the Gate of Life and Death. So I guess this is what it's happening. I think it's safe to say we're seeing into Luffy's memories if I'm correct."

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