Inner Conflict & Resolve!

Darkness, that was all Boa Hancock could see around her. She lay motionlessly on the ground unable to move or speak. Her body ache more places than not. Her skin felt sensitive to the point even the sensation of the wind blowing on her was excruciating.

"H-Hancock...."

A voice reached her ears.

"Hancock..."

The voice was weak, barely audibly, and distant. After a while of hearing the voice, Hancock finally answered.

"...Who's there?"

Her voice was just as weak.

"H-Help."

"I said, who is there?"

She somehow found the strength to turn her head.

"?!"

Her eyes peeled up open. Laying not too far away from her was a bloodied and beatened up Luffy.

"Luffy?!"

She struggled to get up but nothing below her neck would move.

"Help, Hancock..."

Luffy mumbled as a pool of blood formed under him.

"Don't worry, Luffy! I'm coming! Move, dammit!"

She continued to struggled to no prevail. At that moment, she saw the monster they were fighting appear. It slowly walked towards Luffy wearing a cocky smile.

"Stay away from him, you beast!"

Hancock roared at the appearance of the monster.

"Come on, come on!"

She became even more desperate and gave it her all to move. Yet, it was no use.

"Hancock..."

Luffy mumbled with half-closed eyes as the monster stood beside him.

"Luffy! Luffy!"

Hancock no longer tried to move and could only call out his name. Tears gathered in her eyes as she watched as the monster lift Luffy off the ground by his leg.

"Don't touch him! Don't touch Luffy!"

She wore a demonic expression as tears flowed from her eyes. The monster looked her in the eye and grinned. With one swift motion, pierced Luffy's chest.

"......"

Hancock's eyes widened and her jaw dropped. The image of Luffy's limped body reflected in her tears. Her mouth quivered before it started moving. Yet, no sound came from it. She stayed like this until the monster dropped Luffy's body in a pool of blood.

"...Luffy."

She mumbled as her eyes quivered in her head.

"Luffy....."

She turned away from the body and looked up in the endless darkness above. After a while—

"AHHHHHHH!!!!"

She let out a heartbreaking shriek.

"Ahhh!"

She sat up and screamed.

"Hancock! Hancock!"

Someone grabbed her shoulders.

"Hancock, calm down!"

"Huh? Huh?"

She turned to the person holding her.

"Luffy?"

"Hancock, are you alright?"

"......"

Hancock silently looked at his face before touching it.

"L-Luffy?"

Tears flowed from her eyes.

"Luffy!"

She sprung on him and pushed him to the ground.

"Woah, Hancock! Easy, you're pretty beaten up!"

"Luffy! Luffy! Luffy!"

She ignored his advice and started rubbing her face on his chest. Luffy became silent and just placed his hand on her back. He rubbed it as she cried.

"........"

After sometime, Hancock was sitting some distance away from Luffy with her back facing him.

"It's ok, Hancock. I know that you were just worried. There's nothing to be embarrassed about."

"....."

Hancock didn't say anything, but Luffy could she how red her ears were from behind. He scratched his head a bit and stood up. He quietly walked over to Hancock and turned his back to her. He sat behind her and lean against her.

"?!"

Hancock's body flinched when she felt him pressing against her.

"L-Luffy."

"Thanks, Hancock. I couldn't have beaten that guy without using Gear 4 if it wasn't for you."

He leaned his head against hers.

"Thank you for sticking with my selfishness. You're a really great partner and I'm glad you came to this island."

"I-I...."

Hancock was stumped for words. She didn't know how to respond to Luffy's words. After a while, the only thing she could do was nod.

"Hah~! But man, that monster was strong!"

Luffy snickered.

"But you were able to almost kill him. That gave me the chance to take him out. Your last attack was so cool too."

'Huh? I did?'

Hancock wore a confused expression.

'To be honest, I can't remember how the fight ended. I only remembered my desire to protect Luffy no matter the cost.'

Thinking that, Hancock—

"It was nothing. You made a promise to Rayleigh and I'm just glad you were able to keep it."

She decided to just roll with it.

'This is my chance to look cool, I won't blow it!'

"Hahaha, thanks again."

Luffy oblivious to what she was thinking. He stood up causing Hancock to frown.

'I was enjoying Luffy's body heat.'

She looked up at him and saw him wearing a big smile on his face.

"With this, the only one that's left is King! I finally get to fight him!"

"Are you going to fight him alone?"

"There's no meaning if I don't beat him by myself, is what I was going to say."

He looked down at her.

"But it be unfair to leave my partner out after we came so far together."

He stretched his hand out to her.

"Hancock, you're pretty much involved in this battle as much as I am. You've protected me so many times that I don't think I'll ever repay you."

He showed her a pure bright smile.

"I want to keep fighting with you until the end."

Hancock looked at the hand in shock and then back at Luffy. She slowly took the hand and Luffy pulled her up.

"So what do you say, Partner? Want to kick King's ass with me?"

Hancock's eyes watered. She quickly wiped the tears and gripped Luffy's hand tightly.

"Let's do it, Partner!"

Luffy grinned and nodded.

"Hm!"

After night fell, the two moved to a cave to spend the night. Hancock was left alone after Luffy declared that he was going to gather some food.

"Partner..."

Hancock mumbled absentmindedly.

"He called me his partner again. That's twice now. Isn't that the same as calling me his wife?!"

Her body wiggled like a snake as she replayed the scene in her.

"Oh, Luffy! I love you! I love you so much! If I wasn't in love with you before, I'm definitely in love with you now!"

She danced across the cave numbed to the pain from her injuries.

"I want to stay with you forever!"

She froze.

"Oh, that's right. Tomorrow's my last day here. After that, we'll be separated for 6 months."

She sat down on a rock.

"After that, we'll go our separate ways again and won't see each other again for who knows how long."

She curled up and hugged her knees.

"...I'm going to miss him. I don't want him to go."

She mumbled. She sat in silence before springing to her feet. She puffed out her chest.

"Stop being selfish, Boa Hancock! Luffy must return to his crew! He trained so hard and fought so many beasts just to reunite with them! You can't get in his way!"

She slowly became deflated again.

"You can't get in his way no matter how much it hurts you...."

She stood in silence for a while before lifting her hands to her face.

*PAH*

She smacked her jaws as hard as she could.

"Get a hold of yourself! You can't afford to make Luffy see you like this! Stay focus! You're gonna help him beat that beast tomorrow and then you'll send him off to accomplish his dreams with your head high!"

She threw her hands in the air shouted. She slowly bring her hands down. Her eyes was overflowing with resolve.

The next morning, Hancock and Luffy would leave to hunt the lord of the island, King! The final battle was close!