In which death is never the end...

[geuna.livejournal.com]

Title: Waking Up From Death
Pairing: Nakamashipping, implied Zosan, implied Sanji/Nami
Rating: PG
Word Count: 300
Topic: Time

This one is for vampire_otaku, thanks for the inspiration to get this idea out! Thanks to yuki_kokoro for editing for me!

A/N: Because this is how it works in MY universe…

Sanji died…

He didn't consider it a bad thing. He had been the only one left. It was a testament to his own strength that he had waited this long. He had lived for them, but now his time was up. It didn't matter to him if he would find heaven or hell, or nothing at all. He had no expectations.

He never expected to see them again...

When he woke, his head was resting on a warm lap, fingers petting his hair. When he opened his eyes he saw Nami's beautiful smiling face... "Nami-san..." He could see others as well, happy faces leaning over him, greeting him with soft smiles, tears of joy and barely concealed excitement. Of all the things he had expected, this was...

For an instant Sanji didn't think he could handle the happiness he felt, like he would break from all of it, or be destroyed if it turned out too good to be true…

Then he remembered… like they all remembered when the time came.

Death was never the end. Not knowing had caused immeasurable pain to all of them at one point, but on some level they all knew.

Sanji had lost track of how many times they had been reborn. Sometimes they were completely different people, sometimes they were friends, enemies, lovers, but they were always together.

Time meant nothing to any of them.

Now they were telling him to hurry up. Luffy had gone ahead because for once he wanted to be the oldest. Zoro didn't waste much time in following him, if only to make sure he got there before Sanji did.

But Sanji didn't care about any of that. He grinned and followed them to wherever they were going.

He wondered what lives they would lead this time around…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Omake:

It was the first time Sanji had ever seen the guy, but he stood out, and his face pissed Sanji off for some reason. After all, the older boy wasn’t ugly, though maybe kind of grumpy looking. But what was he trying to pull with that green hair? And those spikes? Why did he even care? Sanji was already late for his lunch “date” with Nami, so he shouldn’t be stopping for any reason...

But despite all that, Sanji couldn’t withhold the urge to kick the green-haired punk in the shin and walk away, feeling oddly at peace with himself after he did it.

Some people were giving him weird looks, but he ignored them. The marimo’s tall, wide-eyed friend with the weird hat looked at Sanji in confusion but didn’t do anything as his friend cursed viciously and clutched his leg.

Sanji wasn’t surprised when the guy actually did come after him, grabbing Sanji by the collar and spinning him around. “You fucker!” he snarled. “What the hell was that for you little brat!?”

Sanji grinned. “I have no idea, but I feel a whole lot better.”

The guy twitched. “Why you...”

The strawhat guy laughed loudly as he came up behind his friend, but he didn’t look very worried. “I like this kid, Zoro!

And so it began, again...

Comments

[yuki-kokoro.livejournal.com]

You make me so happy with the thought that they are endlessly reborn together. Imagining the Strawhat crew separating has always made me ache somewhere inside and you've just wrapped it all up happily. ^^ The never-ending adventure... *happy sigh*

And the omake! The thought of a younger Sanji just strolling up, kicking Zoro in the shin, then strolling away slays me! XDD

"What the hell was that for you little brat!?"
Sanji grinned. "I have no idea, but I feel a whole lot better."

Sanji... you're my hero. XDDDDDDDDDDDD

EDITS: "And those spikes" and "feeling oddly at peace"

[geuna.livejournal.com]

Heehee, well, when a see all of Eda's eye-catchers I think of these words (the mob universe, the caveman universe, the ancient Japangu special universe) as realities that the Strawhats have been reborn into.

Well, I hint that though they are always reborn together, it's not always happy, and they are not always friends. For instance, with the mob reality they were technically pitted against each other, even though they sort of found peace at some point. Sometimes things can go badly, but when it comes down to it, things usually end up the same. ^__^ Sorta. Sadly, though, this means that a number of their lifetimes have been tragic in the end. The lifetime Sanji came from was probably one of the better ones, even though he was very lonely until the end...

I kind of loved the idea of Luffy wanting to be older than the others for once. And since Zoro “left” soon after Luffy did they turned out to be around the same age. Assuming this is a Earth-like world they ended up in, it is likely that Luffy and Zoro are going to the same school, or are at least in the same age group. Sanji on the other hand ended up being far younger and would probably not be going to their school (yet). Since Sanji and Nami left around the same time I assume they would be around the same age and thus know each other. ^__^ I like the SanjixNami friendship puppylove idea, I can’t help it!

HAHAHAHA!!! I assumed that Sanji would feel a subconscious urge to get one up on Zoro for being reborn first.

Thanks for the edits and the review!

[lacquerdragon.livejournal.com]

It's kismet, over and over again. This made me feel all fuzzy inside -- thanks for a great fic! And I love the idea of mommy!Nami, especially with a baby!Sanji. <3 WHEE.

[geuna.livejournal.com]

(laughs) Well, I sort of didn't say exactly how old everyone was in death on purpose. It's up the reader to choose for themselves. I figured for incoming nakama there should be someone waiting to greet them, knowing that at first they aren't going to remember everything. And yes, Nami IS the mommy, as she will always be.

Thanks you for the review! ^__^ I love warm and fuzzies!

[hinas-otaku.livejournal.com]

Wow, that was amazing! I love to see novel approaches to fanfiction - normally I shy away from anything that even hints at AU but the idea that they would be together WHATEVER the circumstances is just so wonderful. Definitely deserves to win! ^_^

(Thanks for helping me out with how to edit entries after I posted mine like a spaz, by the way. Technology is not my friend ^^;)

[geuna.livejournal.com]

Heeh, I know a lot of people shy away from AU fanfiction for obvious reasons, but for me it just seems so right. No matter what the world, what the pairing, or what the circumstance it's all possible. And even when their lifetime is over they can look back on what they have done, shrug/frown/laugh at it, and move on to the next. There is also probably a great deal of love between all of them in the end, because they have all probably known each other in very intimate ways, over and over again. And since all those memories are retains… well, there is a lot of nakama loving here.

I figured at everyone would wait for each other in the end, no matter how long it takes. At the same time, I think they would understand if someone chose to go ahead, or try something new. After all, though they end up together things don't away play out the same way... ^__^

(scratches head) Honestly, I think I'm having a brain cramp because I don't remember helping you. T__T Not being rude, I just really can't remember!

[hinas-otaku.livejournal.com]

Lol! Don't worry, it wasn't anything big - it was a few days ago, I uploaded an entry and it had the lj cut in it twice and I didn't know why. You left a comment telling me how to edit entries after they've been loaded. I'm quite glad you can't remember, as it means you'd probably forgotten what an idiot I am! ^^;

[geuna.livejournal.com]

Oooh, that wasn't me, dear. I've pretty positive, though I do remember seeing someone else's post about that. ^__^ But either way it's no biggy.

We've all done silly things like that at one time or another. You're NOT an idiot. Heck, I'm still doing stuff like that! I'm still having trouble with this hard html, and it's the easy stuff I can't remember. It takes me foreeever to build a post half the time!

[hinas-otaku.livejournal.com]

He he, oh well. Thanks whoever it was - I can't remember, as I deleted the entry and the comment went with it. And thanks to you too, for making me feel like I'm not the only one ^-^
I'm gonna stop posting comments that have nothing to do with your drabble now =p

[monotrouble.livejournal.com]

Oh this is completely wonderful! I absolutely love the idea of the straw hats being a crew (and themselves) forever, and you present things very nicely.

[geuna.livejournal.com]

^__^ It would make SO much sense, you know? Heeh, I would assume Zoro probably knew at some level, too. He always had a strange relationship with death. ^__^

Thank you much for the review!

[vampire-otaku.livejournal.com]

*cheers* Reincarnation! Glad I could be of some inspiration... :D

Sometimes they were completely different people, sometimes they were friends, enemies, lovers, but they were always together. *squeebles* So sweet!

And having Sanji kick Zoro for no apparent reason pwns. Totally PWNS. As well as their interactions as they become reaquainted with one another. :D

[geuna.livejournal.com]

I've been thinking of the idea for the longest time, but it just sort of popping in that as to how to get in out (in 300 words XP).

Neeheehee, I felt Sanji might have some sort of subconscious desire to one up Zoro for being reborn first. And this is a Sanji who is probably closer to the age of 15-16 while Luffy and Zoro are probably closer to the ages of 18-19.

Heeh, I might have to write another fic that is about Sanji and Zoro waiting for some of their nakama and doing a little reflecting. After all, they can't choose WHERE they are going to be reborn, they can only wait for each other and make sure to do so around the same time. Fate is the only thing that brings them together in the end...

Thank you so much for the inspiration!

[vampire-otaku.livejournal.com]

Wheee! Sounds like such fun! That would definitely be interesting to read.

:D Glad I could help!

[kumani.livejournal.com]

Aw.. Strawhat reincarnation and Baby!Sanji makes me happy and now thanks to that second story everytime I get the the urge to kick someone at random on the street I'll wonder if we were enemies in a past life.


*goes of to write a drabble about reincarnated Stawhats*

[geuna.livejournal.com]

(LAUGHS) That's awesome! ^__^

Thank you much for the review!

[kotszok.livejournal.com]

LOL What an adorable omake, and such a happy restart! I hope it truly is like that. ♥ Funtimes to be had for all! :D

[geuna.livejournal.com]

Heehee, it would be them with fun times now and then! ^__^ Thank you for the review!

[ptps.livejournal.com]

@__@ Weird concept, but I like it. Very dream-like. I like the line about Luffy moving on first for some reason >>;

And the omake is the cutest shit ever. XDD

[geuna.livejournal.com]

Heehee, it just goes to show you how comfortable they've gotten about the whole thing. I have a feeling that Luffy would be just as carefree as always, though, still wanting to jump headfirst into things know his friends won't be far behind. ^__^ Happy you liked it!

[the-shy-wolf.livejournal.com]

Where as I tend to avoid death fics I LOVE reincarnation fics. And it was so in character. ^_^

And much much love for the omake. ^_~

[geuna.livejournal.com]

Where as I tend to avoid death fics I LOVE reincarnation fics.

Here-here! I totally agree! ^__^

You know, I didn't think people would like the omake so much! I'm really glad they did, though. ^__^ Thank you much!

[hypnosprostatis.livejournal.com]

X3 I seem to always be reading death fics and sad things. Thank you so much for this! XD I feel butterflies!

I would love to think that this is the way it goes for real. Life with the same best-friends and enemies forever. ::fuzzy feelings::

[geuna.livejournal.com]

Heeh, I'm glad you liked it. I tried hinting that things are not always perfect, but how they need to be. I think it makes a lot of them think sometimes, how they can be good friends in one life, lovers in another, then enemies. We can also assume that by chance some of them never meet at all... (drama-drama) This is why I love AU the possibilities are endless!

[ptps.livejournal.com]

Hi,

sorry for the spam post, but could you please redate this entry? It says "2007" in the date and it's kinda of... like the only entry in the year 2007 archive. lol

[geuna.livejournal.com]

Thanks for telling me. I have been using the family computer for a while since my computer is getting worked on, and we found out recently that somehow the computer time had switched to 2007. This had been effecting a number of systems since a lot of things “expired” because they thought it was 2007. It also effected any and all lj posts I made. >_<* I had forgotten completely about the community posts I had made during that time. ~__~ I hope this wasn’t stuck at the top of the page forever or something...

[xtwilit-angelx.livejournal.com]

Oh, it's the best ending ever! I love this idea, and it always made me sad whenever a manga would end (not that One Piece has ended yet!), and they would all separate, or die, or something. It just makes me all so much more happier to think that they would be reborn together!

And how Luffy wanted to be the oldest for once made me cry with laughter! :D

(Go, Sanji, go! Kick his shin, you know it's your way of saying "hello again!" Yay!)