Luffy loved the color red.
Ever since he was a kid, it had been his favorite color.

It was the color of meat!
It was also the color of Luffy's favorite vest.
Apples were red! Those were yummy.
Shanks, his hero, had red hair, so he loved that too.

Red reminded him of watching the sunset back in Fuschia Village.
Now that he thought about it, red was also the color of the ribbon around his treasured straw-hat!

What else was red? Let's see...
Oh yeah!

Ace!

Ace was red!

Red always reminded him of his big brother. It reminded him of how warm his hugs were, when he came to see him. How much his punches hurt, when he called Luffy an idiot for worrying him.

Ace was a red fire. Red meant powerful, just like Ace. Just like his Flame-Flame powers.

Luffy was certain, red would always be his favorite color.

But now...
Now he was watching a red magma fist punch through Ace.
Now he was seeing a great, gaping, red hole in his brother's stomach.
Now he was hearing his once powerful, strong, invincible, yet still red brother tell him his last words during his final moments.

And as red blood streamed out of Ace's body...
Even after he hit the ground almost silently with a beautiful smile on his face...
Even as Luffy raised his head and let out a cry of anguish and rage that could be heard all across the Grand Line...

Luffy decided...

that he...

didn't like...

the color red...

any-...

more...