The day was young, the sun floats within the cerulean sky sharing it's radiant rays that'd envelope anyone outside for a nice warm hug that everyone deserved. But then there was Sanji, the sun could never reach him no matter how much the warmth would poke and prod at the blonde. He was a dark cold void that sucked up everything that came to him and it'd disappear as if nothing had touched him. Sanji's been like this for a while now... A month. He doesn't let his downed spirits reach the rest of the crew though so he wears an invisible mask. Everyone knows he's hurting in one form or another, they just know better than to push him since they already knew what was a matter. Today, someone crosses that boundary.

"Quit complaining Usopp!" Franky hollard towards the opposite end of the ship while the cyborg made way for the bow. "I'm grabbing some as we speak!" Franky knelt down and threw an oversized barrel of cola over his shoulder, the contents within racked at the end of the barrel with great force, knocking the man off balance. "You're still out here?" Franky cocked his brow after regaining some balance. Sanji nodded his head, leaning even more against the railing of the ship besides the figurehead of the Sunny most of all not bothering to share a glance with his crew. Franky frowned as he expected words rather than an action. "C'mon brother, you need to find a coping mechanism."

"I don't see how you all can act as if (Y/n) was never with us," Sanji sighed.

"That's not it," Franky huffed and took a rest against the railing with Sanji to his right. "It's not like (Y/n) died, she's on Law's crew so it's not like you'll never see her again either," Sanji has heard that argument twenty million times beforehand. "Sanji, (Y/n) left for personal matters but most of all for our safety. Now the entire world knows she used to be a Straw Hat, says it right on her updated Wanted Poster. So we should respect (Y/n)'s act of selflessness," Sanji sighed despite Franky's meaningful words. Franky sighed as well to feel defeat, then it dawned on him. "Did something happen between you two that you aren't letting on?"

Sanji nodded briefly. "(Y/n) left because I told her my opinion on the decision... She then slapped me and gave me the rose back and now... Now she's with Law..." Sanji began to tear up. "I couldn't bring myself to take the rose back... Especially since (Y/n) admitted that he liked me in return but, ya know, I poked the bear and now she's gone..."

"You were only rejected," Franky perked up with a howl into the wind. "Don't let (Y/n) get to ya, go after Nami or Robin again or even cook until this slump is over... No use in fretting over the past," Franky lied his hand upon Sanji's back. "It's been a few weeks Sanji, you really need to get over this. You both can remain friends at the very least."

"I guess..." Sanji sighed once again. "I just can't help but wonder what (Y/n)'s doing over on his crew."

"I'm pretty sure she's doing fine... If not, she's probably giving him hell like we all know she is," Franky's joke got Sanji to snicker.

"Yeah well I'm going to cook for a bit," Sanji replied back, stretching out his back with a pop here and there that gave him ultimate relief. "Is there anything you have on the mind to eat?"

"I'm fine with whatever you cook," Franky waved. "Have fun!"

"You too," despite how little of a talk that was, it was enough to get Sanji back on track if not a little while. Sanji's thoughts of you were soon replaced with his waking hunger for desserts that made his mouth water. "Creme Brulee and red wine," Sanji grinned rubbing his stomach in anticipation. The cook stepped within the kitchen, just to stop in his tracks and find Chopper and Luffy running around the kitchen chasing after black ball like dogs in a game of fetch. "What the hell are you two doing? You're making a mess in my kitchen!"

"We're playing with (Y/n)!" Chopper cheered, and immediately Sanji grew confused. He resumed to watch the two kids of the crew chase around the ball that seemed to float in the air a bit like a gas that left a trail of black mist like smoke. It did make him think back...

"She's... Not here," Sanji frowned tearing his eyes off the sight.

"Then what the hell is this?" Luffy stretched out his arm and snatched the black ball from the opposite end of the room and so his arm stretched back to normal. Luffy opened up his hand and that ball of black mist solidified to have a very small body and one red eye. It had the body type of those dwarves he'd seen a few times before. This was no doubt, your shadow doppelganger... But smaller?

The shadow climbed into Sanji's hand from Luffy's. "It's so tiny..." Sanji lifted his hand until the shadow was level with his face. The red eye was such a beauty, like a ruby. "It's not her... But it's close enough," Sanji fought his wandering thoughts and lowered his hand and gave Chopper your shadow, he did not want to be reminded of you now of all times.

"Why is her shadow here?" Chopper questioned all the while snuggling the shadow to his cheek. His ears twitched, and he made a sour face. "There's really faint crashing noises coming from it... Like broken glass," Chopper didn't like the noises at all and folded his ears upon themselves.

Sanji didn't think much of the noises. "Not sure why that thing is here, it does mean that (Y/n) can't be invincible cause she needs 100% of her shadow to become one with it and become a logia... And that can't be good," Chopper and Luffy were downright surprised by not only how much information Sanji just pulled from his brain but also how well he could talk about you judging by the fact he was just a depressed sack of nothing for the last few weeks.

"That really makes me wonder how long her shadow has been here," Chopper held the shadow out atop his hoof and the little shadow person rematerialized again due to the previous frenzy of cuddles.

"Probably a long time judging by the size," Sanji grumbled as he tossed around pots and pans for a large meal to be made.

"Yeah," Luffy grumbled too while he picked his nose. "Her shadow used to be taller than me... Now it's the size of a kitten."

"If that," Chopper corrected and gazed within the red eye of the shadow missing you more than ever before. "I hope (Y/n) is alright~"

You in turn saw Chopper's big blue nose as he stared into the eye of your eye. It all felt like forced happiness and so you force your body overcame with pain to open your normal eye and like a blessing the scene of your three crewmates disappeared from your sight to only face the cold stone floor of which you lied upon, just barely breathing whilst crimson leaked from your open wounds. Glass and medical instruments cluttered the floor not so far from your reach.

The door to the room echoed as it opened, and a flurry of footsteps to follow. "(Y/n)!" Law barked as Bepo passed out to crash upon the floor. "What the-What the hell did you do?" The Surgeon stuttered as even he could not find the correct words to describe the scene laid out before him. It was another episode Law knew better than most. Worst than the last one too.

"What's wrong with me Law?" You sniffled with tears that stained your eyes, Law's features softened, he knelt down and took a seat upon the floor despite the mess of crimson. "It all hurts..." You wept. Law couldn't stay mad at you, he reached out and pet the hair on the side of your head.

"You visited them again didn't you?" Law already knew the answer, he almost didn't even bother to ask.

"I can't help it," you hiccupped, one of your eyes remained red.

"Goodnight (Y/n)," Law retracted his hand and a syringe that contained a clear substance poofed into his hand between his inked fingers. He proceeded to insert the medical instrument as the needle penetrates your skin, everything felt cold. "As always... By the time you wake up you won't feel a thing."

...

A man of blonde stepped into his captain's quarters and without words he dropped a long parcel of brown upon the table before the man with pale skin. The Captain's eyes of crimson glanced at the parcel then back to his first mate.

"I'm not opening it," He tossed the package back at the blonde. "Even I know better after losing my arm."

"Then I will open it," The blonde huffed and proceeded to open the parcel by tearing back the paper and there lied within it was a withered rose dusty like ash and a tattered piece of parchment. "A Wanted Poster and a rose."

"Then toss it... I don't need secret admirers."

"(Y/n) has a new Wanted Poster," the blonde announced, and his captain lit up to the mention of your name. As expected, he handed over the parchment as his captain grabbed the air to signify that he wanted it. On the poster was a picture of you, actual you instead of your shadow doppelganger. In the photo you were clearly drained of all energy, your hair remained disheveled, but despite your exhaustion you wore a face of a warrior marching into battle. In one corner of the background, stood Trafalgar Law and what looked to be cut off in the top of the photograph was a man with blonde hair who looked to be either holding you for support or holding you down for restraint. Either way, it looked like you were about to kill.

"Shadow Claw (Y/n) of the Straw Hats..." Kid's lips of crimson arched into the most sinister of grins.