The Straw Hats are stuck in a still tide for a week. Things go from bad to worse as strange things start happening on the ship and only Luffy seems to understand. Little do they know they have just stumbled across the Dead Sea, the most dangerous waters in the world and it wants them. Can the Straw Hats survive the week or will it get them before then. The only rule is don't be scared.

XXX

Let the games begin

Luffy sprinted as fast as his legs would carry him, willing them to move quicker so he could keep up with his brothers. It was close, very close. The dark cave made it impossible to see the creature but he could hear its furious cries echoing off the cavern walls, drawing closer.

He wasn't afraid. No, he was terrified. That thing, whatever it was had just eaten three guards and now it was after them. Not even Ace had been willing to stick around to see if it was still hungry.

Needing his brother to go faster Sabo grabbed his wrist, practically dragging him alongside them.

"What is it?" Ace asked between pants.

"I don't know." Sabo told him, squeezing Luffy's wrist harder than necessary. "Whatever it is, it's not human."

"You can't be saying you believe those dumb urban legends." Ace shot back.

"I'm not." Sabo said between gritted teeth. "All I'm saying is we shouldn't stick around longer and find out."

"Are we going to die?" Luffy hiccup terrified.

"No shut up." Ace said tensely making Luffy hiccup faster.

Sabo slipped his grip from his wrist to his hand, loosening his death hold to give him a reassuring squeeze. "No," He told him firmly. "We are going to get out of here and not look back."

"What about the rest of the guards?" Luffy asked between pants."

"You mean the ones that were chasing us?" Ace said dryly, his face pale and strained.

"They're going to die." Luffy argued.

"Do you want to volunteer to go back and get them then?" Ace spat harshly.

"Yea," Sabo replied to Ace sarcastically. "Try to start a fight right now. See how that plays out for us."

Ace sighed as he pulled the two of them sharply right, down a connecting hall.

"Not our job Lu." He told him, more gently.

"What do the bandits always say?"

'Protect your own.'

XXX

Luffy woke up with a cough as water spurted from his lungs and light flooded back into his vision. The teary-eyed faces of his crew swam slowly into focus. He forced himself to sit up just to be accosted by Chopper who tackled him into a tight hug which made the remaining water in his lungs rush out.

"What the hell idiot!" Nami said once his coughing had died down.

"Luffy couldn't help the bright smile that bloomed across his face as he looked up at his friends. "Oh man," He said happily. "I thought I was going to die for sure."

Apparently, that had been the wrong thing to say as three additional hands slapped him.

"Idiot!" Sanji admonished as he stepped away to light a cigarette which was unfortunately as soaked as he was. In fact, the entire crew was soaked, except for Chopper Robin and Brook of course. They must have all jumped in after him.

"Thanks, you guys!" Luffy told them. A smile once again breaking out over his face.

"You can thank us by not sitting on the railing of the ship next time." Nami told him annoyed. "You always say you won't fall but the second a wave hits or you get distracted we have to go save your sorry ass."

Luffy wanted to point out that usually it was Sanji or Zoro who had to save his ass, Nami liked to delegate the rescuing to the other crew members but the look on her face told him this might not be the best thing to say right now.

"Please try to be more careful next time Sencho." Robin told him concern in her eyes.

"As if he's capable of being careful," Sanji grumbled, clearly mad his entire week's supply of cigarettes got wasted.

"Shishishi," Luffy laughed as he stood up shaking himself off like a wet dog.

"Oi Luffy, What's that in your hand?" Zoro called suddenly interested.

"Huh?" Luffy looked down at his right hand, surprised to find a black glittering ball roughly the size of an egg clutched in his fist.

"I don't know." He admitted honestly. "I must have picked it up when I fell in." He stared down at it for a second, it looked like a pearl…except rotten. Could pearls be rotten? Why else would it be black? It reminded him of the rotten apples that would occasionally drift his way. It always made him mad that he couldn't eat them but considering how maggot filled they were even he didn't want to risk it.

There was only one thing to do with rotten things after all. Luffy pulled back his arm, ready to throw the thing back into the ocean when he was stopped by the crew.

""What are you doing?"

"Yea Luffy it looks really cool let's keep it."

He frowned, looking down on it. It was glittering like a jewel in the sunlight. He handed it over to his friends with disinterest before walking off to go change.

XXX

As expected of the new world the weather changed unpredictably and dark clouds had begun to form. By the time they gathered again for dinner it was a full-blown ocean storm and rain pelted them relentlessly.

"It's throwing us off course." Nami complained as she rubbed her forehead wearily.

"Just do your best Nami." Sanji told her in adoration. "I'm always here for you."

"Give it a rest," Zoro told him, rolling his eyes only to be slapped across the face with Sanji's soup spoon.

"Want to say that again idiot."

"I SAID…" Zoro began only to be hit once again by Nami who had a headache forming and was not in any mood to deal with them.

"Shut up," She said as she rested her head on her hand.

"Yea Zoro," Sanji retorted at Zoro who flicked him off in response.

"The thunder hurts my ears," Chopper complained as the thunder rolled above them again.

"It's just the sky's battle cry." Usopp told him as he spooned more dinner into his mouth.

"Would I lie to you?"

"Yes," Chopper said seriously. "You lie all the time."

"But not this time." Usopp told him.

"Ahhhh okay." Chopper agreed happily tucking back into his food earning some eye rolls from the crew.

They lapsed into silence once more, happily munching on their food amidst the sounds of the clapping thunder until Brook finally spoke up.

"If I might inquire Luffy, what is troubling you?"

That drew the crew's attention as they all turned to stare at their captain.

But Luffy wasn't looking at them. He looked to be a million miles away, staring intently at the galley doorway. His usually carefree face was pinched with confusion.

"I thought it was a little quiet in here," Sanji said.

"Luffy?" Usopp leaned over to wave his hand across Luffy's face. Luffy blinked, apparently coming back to reality.

"hum?"

"You didn't even finish your first serving," Sanji said disapprovingly.

"Are you sick?" Chopper asked. They didn't know which was more unbelievable, that Luffy was sick or that he didn't even ask for seconds.

Luffy looked at them questioningly before turning his gaze back to the door.

"There something there bro?" Franky asked. Luffy took a slow bite of food as he looked up at his crew.

"How should I know?"

The crew all relaxed as his usual wide grin settled back onto his face and he tucked into his food once more.

XXX

Dinner was more quiet than usual but no one seemed to notice over the noise of the rolling thunder outside.

Afterwards Robin asked Zoro to help her save the garden before the storm wiped it out. They covered the flowers with tarps and tied down the bigger plants so the wind wouldn't uproot them.

"Does this storm seem a little strange?" Zoro asked Robin as they retreated under the roof.

"Strange how?"

"I'm not sure," Zoro said. "Something just feels…off."

Robin regarded him carefully before wrapping her cool hand around his wrist. "Listen to your instincts." She told him seriously. "They are not to be ignored. There are many troubling things in the new world."

Zoro and Robin were interrupted as the figure of the captain made his way onto the deck. His right hand clenched into a fist. Without so much as noticing them he made his way across the wood and to the railing. Zoro was about to call out to him when Robin covered his mouth. He looked over at her in surprise, but she shook her head, her intense gaze on the captain.

Luffy hopped up on the railing, winding his arm back. Zoro caught the quick but distinct glimmer of the black pearl before it was hurled back into the ocean. The black dot sailed across the sea, disappearing into a wave far off the bow of the ship. Luffy had thrown it back into the ocean.

Now Robin removed her hand and called out to him.

"Sencho?"

"Oh," Luffy said as if noticing them for the first time. He jumped back down to the deck and made his way over to them.

"Why did you do that?" Zoro asked, confused. It was probably worth something and considering they practically lived on donations and paired with Nami's hackling ability it could have helped.

"It was rotten." Luffy told him. "Don't worry about it."

Could pearls be rotten? Zoro didn't think so but he shrugged nevertheless. He had learned by now not to question his captain.

XXX

"DON'T!"

Zoro was awakened that night by the sounds of an argument, one which was growing progressively louder. He sat up with a groan as he looked around the darkened room. His friends were asleep besides him in their bunks.

Due to the storm they had called it in pretty early that night, retreating to their shared rooms. Brook had played them a few soft songs while Usopp told some tall tales, his specialty. The pearl incident had all but been forgotten. Now he realized with a sudden beat of his heart, something was off.

"No! I won't let you."

Zoro stiffened as he sat up, kicking the blankets off him.

"NO!"

He fumbled for his shoes as he made his way between his sleeping crew mates and out the door onto the deck. The storm must have passed by now as the rain had subsided, but the dark clouds remained. So much so that Zoro couldn't see any hint of the moon. The deck of the Sunny was completely dark.

At least the yelling had died down a bit. It was replaced by harsh whispers that were half swallowed by the waves.

"Why should I?... I don't want to."

Zoro scanned around the deck, finally finding the familiar figure of his captain, perched precariously on the railing. He was sitting cross legged on the edge and his back was tense.

"Nobody will let you," He whispered back. He was silent for a long minute as if listening.

Zoro frowned as he approached, listening for who Luffy was talking too. As far as he could tell there was nothing but the sound of the waves hitting the boat.

"Why should I trust you?" Luffy hissed.

"Luffy?"

Luffy spun around so fast he almost lost his balance. His dark eyes searched Zoro's face for a moment before he turned completely around, his back to the ocean.

"Hmm?" He questioned. He spoke like Zoro hadn't just caught him arguing with the damn ocean.

"What are you doing?"

Luffy glanced back at the ocean quickly before resting his cheek on his hand. "Don't worry about it." He told Zoro, his tone perfectly natural.

"I feel like I should." Zoro said crossing his arms, confusion painting his face. Since when was Luffy secretive. Something was going on with him and he was starting to get concerned.

Luffy thought for a minute before reaching behind him and putting his straw hat on his head. "Zoro," Luffy tried again, fixing his first mate with a look.

Zoro searched Luffy's face seriously, reading the emotions the boy wasn't expressing. The two of them seemed to communicate differently than other people. To them action worked better than words. Others called them unpredictable and rash but Zoro knew this not to be the case. They always did what was necessary instead of wasting time with useless chatter. As such Zoro had always been able to understand Luffy and vice versa.

Zoro saw that ever-present fire in his eyes, that same self-assured confidence that made him follow him in the first place. His jaw was set in determination the same way it always was he was facing off with an opponent. Luffy was fighting, in what way Zoro didn't know.

"Don't be scared." He told him honestly, which seemed like an odd thing to say considering Luffy knew how infrequently Zoro got scared.

"Do you need any help?" Zoro asked as he leaned to look over the railing. As he suspected there was nothing down there but inky black water.

Luffy shook his head casually leaning against the railing like Zoro as they both stared out at the dark sea. The ocean always looked much more inviting in the daytime.

"Okay."

Personally, he was curious as hell. If there was a fight, then Zoro liked to be smack dab in the middle of it. But he trusted Luffy completely. Their captain was not as dumb as everyone gave him credit for, at least not when it came to the stuff that mattered.

"Zoro?"

"Yea?"

"Go to bed."

Zoro blinked at him. "You coming?"

"Nope," Luffy told him.

Zoro just shrugged as he pushed himself up and made his way back to the boy's bedroom. As he was turning Luffy held up his hands, quickly flashing Zoro his open palm and two fingers.

Seven.

The swordsman nodded with a yawn as he bid Luffy goodnight, so he could resume his one-sided argument. As he shut the bedroom door behind him the blonde cook rolled over sleepily, sending him a curious look.

"What's up?" He questioned lazily.

"Nothing," Zoro said, wondering if the blonde had heard Luffy arguing as well.

He made his way back to the couch and flopped back down.

XXX

The next morning the straw hats were awoken roughly by an angry Nami when she slammed the door open.

"Nami go away." Usopp complained as he pulled a pillow over his head.

She sighed. "Get up you guys." She said rubbing her temples wearily. The storm knocked us off course more than I predicted. We are caught in a lull tide." She told them earning groans from the crew.

"How long?"

Nami just shrugged. "It's impossible to tell. It could be a day it could be a month."

"Will our supplies hold?"

Sanji yawned as he got out of bed, "We just restocked so they should, a month might stretch us a little thin, but I should be able to make it work. Granted nobody raids the fridge."

"Speaking of our fearless leader?" They looked around, surprised to see Luffy's bunk empty.

A thrill of fear ran through Zoro as he too got up and pushed passed Nami onto the deck looking around for the straw hatted teen. To his relief Luffy lay on the deck, sleeping soundly with his hat besides him.

Nami wasn't joking, the water around them was perfectly still, barely rippling. Although the storm from yesterday had lifted, the clouds remained overhead, warning of more rain coming this afternoon.

Satisfied that everyone was still safe Zoro made his way to the kitchen to start his morning drinking. Sanji yelled after him about conserving resources but he ignored him.

However, when he walked through the door he frowned.

The pearl sat exactly where Nami had left it on the counter. Except he swore he had seen Luffy throw it away.

He picked it up, turning it over in his hand. No doubt about it, it was the same black pearl that Luffy had accidently pulled from the ocean the other day and the one he cast back into it.

Luffy had said it was rotten. Zoro was starting to think the same thing.

It occurred to him how defenseless they were. Caught in the open with nowhere to run. He was going to need a stronger drink.

If nothing else this would be an interesting week.

7 days to go

XXX

Halloween story! Updates every Friday until Halloween! My favorite time of year. I started writing it in August and I have half of the chapters done so hopefully I can stay on schedule.

Gasp, this isn't an ASL story. Nope, no Asl (Although they are so awesome) but there is a reoccurring ASL flashback. But I love the Straw Hats so I wanted to write a story with just them. It's not what I usually do but I love horror stories and I love Halloween.

BTW I will go into it later but this takes place somewhere between the time skip and the Straw Hats going to punk hazard. So I guess after Fisherman Island or something.

Also why didn't they just use the coup de burst? Well for starters as you may have guessed there is more at work here so it wouldn't help. And as far as the SH are concerned that has a limited distance and they don't know the area the lull tide encompasses so they could manage to get even more stuck in still water if they mess with it. (Plot holes are my mortal enemy)

Next chapter should be up Friday! Good luck with school guys.