As an ex-outcast and current pirate, Franky's life was an endless string of battles and yet there are some fights he can still see in his mind's eye. It is usually the desperate, hopeless ones; panic and instinct blurs them in the moment but later, something not too different from fear sharpens the memory crystal clear. He knows it is why Zoro will cut down an enemy pirate with brutal lethality for backhanding Robin across her face, why Ussop ruthlessly knocks out a marine who reaches for an unconscious Zoro.

The Straw Hats aren't usually vindictive but that doesn't mean they can't be and two years has only honed this peculiar viciousness they bare solely in the defense of each other. Their separation has taught the crew that defeat is worse than death-and none of them are going to make the same mistake twice. This means that even if all of them are stronger, some dishearteningly so, come hell or hail but no Straw Hat will ever again go into battle alone.

This is why Franky doesn't think twice about stepping in front of a crouched Luffy with his arm raised to fire at the marine's flamethrower. Luffy and the others can defend themselves from it but Franky can deflect it, sending the heat and flames flying back with twice the firepower.

Then he hears the snarled no and Franky freezes in his tracks.

When his vision clears, he finds himself already thrown on the ground and the enemy blasted away by Luffy's Red Hawk. Luffy, breathing heavily, turns away from the resulting explosion of flames to lock Franky in a gaze.

"No," Luffy repeats and the word is still the harsh order it was mere seconds ago. Franky, sprawled on the ground, can't find a word to defend himself; the savage determination in every line of Luffy's stance is alien because it is towards Franky. "You don't get to do that."

And Franky hears, you don't get to do that, you don't get to put yourself in danger for me, you don't get to try and save me because I'm your captain and it's my responsibility and my right.

But Luffy, with wild eyes and almost brittle anger, snarls the order again, and Franky realizes he's wrong, the emphasis is wrong, the meaning is wrong.

You don't get to do that.

Franky has never met Luffy's brother but he understands, with breathless certainty, how the man must have died.