A/N: Been pretty inactive here as of late. But it's wonderful to see that there's still people out there reading my fics. I think that's just absolutely honouring. Thank you all so much. So, this is going to be a very, very slow and possibly not even finished project, but I have three fics ready to go with it so... yeah. Pairings... there may be some, may not be, I don't know. If there is, it'll be marked in the chapter's header so everyone will know, and people can avoid if they don't like. Yes, usually it's 30 themes but... I wanted to be different. So 31 it is!

Much thanks to Clarobell and Magnet for helping me think up the themes. They are not in numerical order but who really cares about that?

Theme: Death

Pairing: Gen.
Warning: Sadness. Not death!fic but... sadness.

Disclaimer: I don't own OP. Ever. Nada. Nope.

31 Themes Challenge

30. Death

This was it. His brain couldn't handle this kind of emotional blow and his body could no longer stand up to any of the stress it was going through. Luffy stared at the body of his broken and dead brother, eyes wide and unable to take in the sight that lay before them. This couldn't be happening... Not Ace. Not after everything else that had happened. Bon-chan. ... His crew.

"Zoro..."

The swordsman's broken body disappeared right in front of him and Luffy had felt more than heard the man's name rip from his throat and out of his lips. His best friend, his first mate, near death... was gone.

"Nami..."

Her voice... it had run straight through Luffy's heart and made him feel like he had been impaled a hundred times upon Crocodile's hook again. She screamed his name... and then was gone. Leaving Luffy's fingers clutching thin air in hopes of reaching some last strand of her. Some last piece of her.

"Usopp..."

The long nose had fought his best, been his bravest and showed that he could stand up to things like this just as well as the others could. He had fallen, just like any of them and the paw guy's hand had swept him away, too.

"Sanji..."

Too lost in rage at everyone being taken away from him, at losing to something that frightened him more than words could say, the blonde had rushed in to fight the giant. Had rushed in to save what was left of the crew. Had rushed in... to be taken away as well.

"Chopper..."

Watching his colossal form rampage and try to take down the Pacifista made Luffy's heart ache more than he thought was possible. Chopper was risking his own life, like all of them had, by using a gargantuan creature... but it too, failed.

"Robin..."

Her eyes had been so wide as Luffy had reached for her... and missed her horribly. He couldn't get to her, couldn't save her, as she reached for him and hoped that Luffy would be able to grab her hand and take her away from this. He had been so close...

"Franky..."

His eyes had cast immediately to Nami, who had stared in pure horror as the cyborg was gone in an instant.

"Brook..."

The skeleton had jumped in front of Sanji and Usopp instantly, protecting them without a hint of concern for his own safety. His skull face had been more expressive at that point in time than Luffy had ever seen it...

These last moments, these last things... ripped through Luffy's head as he stared down at his brother's lifeless form. Then Bon-chan had been taken as well. By the poison guy. Some part of him strongly believed the Okama was still alive but... it didn't change the fact that Bon-chan had sacrificed himself like he had. Now... his brother was gone as well. Taken right in front of him just like everyone else had been.

Everyone important. And as Luffy howled his pain to the battlefield, a screeching, painful, throat ripping, heart wrenching and breaking noise that made everyone pause for a moment, he felt his heart shatter into nothingness. Felt his chest heave and his stomach clench. For the first time in his life, Monkey D Luffy, Captain of the Straw Hat Pirates... wished for death.

-End

A/N: Done and done. I've had the idea for a while but never been able to quite process it. Point out grammar and all those other lovely mistakes if you do so desire but this is quite fresh off the press and has not been beta'd so. Yeah. Thanks everyone! (coughreviewcough)