Soliloquy of the Broken Soul

Escape and Pain

She had instantly noted the high fever the moment his skin touched hers. He was also hopelessly pale and was so light in her arms it was almost as if he was merely bone; which wasn't completely inaccurate.

The first thing she did was put a cold compress on his forehead and hook an I.V. up to his small wrist. She took his temperature and grimaced at the numbers. Marco walked over and noticed the scowl.

"How bad is it, yoi?" He asked hesitantly.

She looked up and displayed the thermometer. "110° F. Honestly, I'm not sure how he's still alive." She sighed and placed the device on the side table.

The second she did so, the door to the room opened again and she looked over to see Thatch with Ace and Sabo in his arms and Luffy's hat clutched in his left hand. Aria's frown deepened as she saw the two kids.

"You two," she pointed at two nurses on stand by, " Do a run down of those two and hook them up to I.V's. "

She then turned to Marco and Thatch. "I wanna know everything you got on these boys. Don't leave anything out." She directed sternly. Then she turned to the rest of the room. "If you've already been treated or are perfectly fine and could walk it off then get out. I don't have the time to consol you. You're pirates for crying out loud! You know how to put a band-aid on!"

After a few moments of shuffling about 90% of the Pirates that were once occupying the room had left and Ace and Sabo had been put into hospital beds next to Luffy's with new I.V's in their wrists.

Thatch placed Luffy's straw hat by his side, and almost as if sensing its presence, Luffy moved a hand so it was touching the hats rim; a reassurance it was there. Thatch smiled and walked back to Aria and Marco.

The nurses and Doctor set to work while Marco and Thatch relayed all the information they had gathered so far. Aria had frozen in the middle of what she had been doing and looked them straight in the eyes after hearing about Luffy's situation. There was pure rage in her brown eyes as she looked at them.

"They put this kid in solitary confinement for what? How long?" She hissed.

Marco and Thatch shook their heads.

"We aren't sure how long they were there for, yoi." Marco said sadly. He then turned to Thatch, "by the way, what happened to those two?" He pointed to Ace and Sabo.

Thatch shrugged. "I think they just wore out finally. The blond wasn't doing so great to begin with. It was weird though cause it was actually Ace who passed out first. One minute they were running behind me, next, Bam! Both out cold."

All three sighed and looked at the boys. Aria furrowed her brows together as worry gnawed at her. It wasn't so much the other two, Ace was it? And the blond that bothered her. No, it was this one. Luffy. The others seemed to just be over worked, injured, and have some major malnutrition. But if what Marco and Thatch had said was true, and this child had been locked up alone for what could be years, there would be a problem.

She's seen full grown men go practically insane after a week of being stuck in solitary confinement. But years? And a child? She had no idea how bad the mental scarring would be; but she did know it would take a very long time before he was anything like what his brothers remembered to be 'normal'.