Chapter Text
Rain fell heavily from the sky hiding tears that fell down the man's face as he tried to walk. The thunder that sounded covered his harsh berthing and footsteps. Lighting lit the sky and now the man could see in front of him, and he wished he couldn't. The ground below hum was dyed red, instead of the bright green it once was. He stumbles again hearing the shouts behind him getting closer, they know they've finally got him and so does he. This is his end. And he doesn't care. He can't find it in himself to care. Not after he lost them all, it was not worth it, not to him.
Dying was better than being alone.
But he was going to choose how he was going to die. And it will not be in their hands, he refuses to give them satisfaction. So, he kept moving using the long sword in his hands to keep him up. He could see it, just a few more steps in front of him was the sea. The sea that he loved so much. That gave him and his friends so many adventures and made them feel free. Looking at the sea it was anything but calm. There were broken parts of ships along with body's left floating moving as the waves raged dragging them down into her depths never to be seen again, just like him. He got closer to the water now hitting his feet, he needed to get further out. So, with the last of his energy, he leapt forward into the waiting waves that dragged him under instantly sword still in hand.
As he slowly sank into the sea's depths, he looked up watching as the light that the moon and stars gave faded, getting darker and darker. He did not fight as he sank deeper and deeper as his lungs burned with the demand of air, but he didn't care. It didn't hurt as much as he thought it would, it was peaceful as he slowly sank to the sea floor as he felt the oxygen in his lungs run out. He needed to breathe his lungs felt like they were on fire, and when he finally did, when he finally took a breath water came rushing in filling, he felt relief.
Soon his strength began to leave him, the sword he tried so desperately to hold onto began to slip from his grasp. He didn’t want to let it go. He desperately tried to keep hold of it, only to fail and feel it slip from his hand as it sank faster than him. It was Laws sword, he’d leant how to use it when Law had shoved it into his chest when the older man was dying telling him to used it and fight. And now that same sword was sinking with him after fighting so many battles with its previous owner and then him.
He looked up as his eyes began to grow heavy, slowly they finally fell shut never to open again, a smile greased the lone man face. It was nothing like his other smiles. Not big and carefree, no this was a small sad freeing smile.
Maybe he’d meet them again in the next live...
It was peaceful the way he’d died. Under the night sky that shined with so many stars and that bright moon.
Monkey. D. Luffy, the Second Pirate King died the way he lived, how he wanted, free.
Monkey. D. Luffy shot awake gasping for air. One hand shot to his chest to try and regulate his rapid heartbeat. Luffy looked around him frantically trying to figure out what happened and where he was.
He died, Luffy knew that for sure. He knew he had to watch as the Marines killed his crew and those he cared about. That was real. So, was this fake then was this what after death was like.
He looked around after finally being able to calm his heartbeat. Luffy was now able to process where he was, he was back in the treehouse his brothers and him made together.
How was he here?
He didn’t know, was this even real or was it just some sick joke.
Luffy looked next to him to see his big brother Ace sleeping peacefully next to him. His big brother who looked like he did when he was ten. How was that possible? Luffy watched as his brother's chest raised and fell with every breath Ace took. His brother was alive. Ace, his kind caring big brother was alive.
Luffy reached out to Ace wanting to touch him to make sure this was not an illusion but as he watched his hand stretch out in front of him, it was then that he finally realized how small his hand was. Luffy brough his hand back towards himself along with his other hand. Slowly he turned them over, examining them. This couldn’t be right, why where his hands so small. Luffy looked past his hands at to his legs and why where his legs so small? Luffy stood up, forget that why was he so small?!?
Things began to add up in his mind. He was small like when he was seven. He was in his old treehouse. Ace, an alive ten-year-old Ace where there laying asleep next to him. Luffy had somehow time traveled. He had no idea how this was possible. He’s never heard of something as crazy as time travel.
He couldn’t... He couldn’t. Why can't he breathe?!?
He needed to get out, he can't be in here not, now yet. It was too much, all too much. The knowledge of what had happened, what will happen.
Luffy stumbled down the ladder falling to the ground below. It would have hurt if he wasn’t made from rubber. He gasped for air, trying to get more of the cooling night air into his lungs but it wouldn’t work, why was his body not doing what it was supposed to? How could it forget to breathe?
He wasn’t far enough away, he needed to be farther away. Luffy stagged up upon shaky legs as he tried to get away from the tree house. Luffy stumbled over his own feet as he tried to get away. Farther and farther, he stumbled into the forest pushing bushes and tree branches out of his way as he went. It didn’t take long till Luffy made it to the cliff that overlooked the sea that had not long ago taken his life.
Luffy collapsed to his knees, his vision blurred by the tears that had not yet fallen from his eyes. He still couldn’t breathe...why? This has never happened before, what was happening to him?
He wished Law was here, he’d know what was happening to him, he always seemed to know what was happening. Law would know what to do. What would Law say to him? What would Law tell him to do?
Luffy didn’t know what to do, a pained gasp left him as his vision began to blur from lack of oxygen. Luffy became vaguely aware that he was going to pass out if he couldn’t get his lungs the air they needed.
As he began to panic more worried that if he did pass out then this could all just be a dream.
Luffy lost more and more control over himself and his Haki that he’d been keeping a firm grip on was beginning to react.
The Voice Of All Things began to speak. Luffy had kept it shoved away where all of his crew and friends had died not wanting to listen to the silence that came from where their voice had once been, it was too painful.
Luffy was assaulted by voices from all around him. His hands came flying to his ears covering them, not wanting to listen. But that is when he heard all of their voices once again. Luffy froze completely and stopped breathing, his eyes staring out in front of him but not really seeing what was in front of him. They were all alive. Far apart from each other but alive. He could hear their voice once again.
All of them. Luffy let out a shaky breath, his hands dropping limp by his sides.
That’s when Luffy realized that this, this was real. He was really here, back in his seven-year-old body with everyone he ever cared about alive once more. It was relaxing to hear all of their voices once again. His breathing returned to normal as he sat there just listening. For the first time in a long time Luffy felt relaxed and happy. For the first time in a really long time, he was thankful for the voice of all things.
Luffy doesn’t know how long he sat there just listening to all of their voices but by the time he came back to awareness the sun was starting to rise. A sigh escaped him as he lent back on his hands staring at the sky wondering if someone else was staring at the same sunrise. Listening to the voice of all things more closely he began to listen for a certain voice, needed a little more confirmation. And there, their voice was now louder than the others, making it easier to listen to. Luffy shoulders relaxed more hearing it.
He needed to plan. Him, Monkey. D. Luffy needed a plan. He hated plans. Luffy never followed them, preferring to just go with the flow and let the waves guide him. But he couldn’t afford anything to go wrong. He can't just go with the flow this time. If he did then it would just end up the same and he’d waste the second change he was given for whatever reason. No, he had to plan, and he had to follow it.
Law would be laughing now if he heard him, or maybe he’d be frustrated and a little happy that he finally realized you needed plans sometimes.
Time was a tricky thing. He couldn’t just go changing it, if he did then it would just make the future unpredictable. And he needed it to be predictable then he’d have the upper hand and if he was going to stop all those events that happened then he was going to need every advantage he could get. As he read in that book he was forced to read, knowledge was power and Luffy finally understood that.
So, he couldn’t just go get his crew now. He also couldn’t stop the events that made them who they are, which hurt as he knows most of them and caused his crew great pain. Luffy lowered his head. What type of captain was he? Letting his crew suffer even if he knew they would be alright. Luffy shook his head, no he can't afford to think like that, not now when he needed to think he can go down that hole later when he had a plan.
So, he had to leave his crew where they were at the moment. Law would be alright he knew he was with at least some of his crew. Should he tell someone? He was at the current moment he was a seven-year-old. If he had to, Shanks would be the best choice. Luffy thought bringing a hand to his chin in thought. With Shanks he’d know what was going on in the seas and be able to ask Shanks if he needed anything maybe the red-haired man might be able to find out how time travel was possible.
So, there were some pros in telling Shanks along with the personal one, he’d get to see his father figure. Last time he’d see him he’d died in front of him protecting him once again but this time the man lost more than an arm. Luffy had been forced to watched as Akainu killed him, unable to do anything but watch helplessly just like he had to with Aces death. The only difference was that Luffy had been too far away this time.
But there were some down sides to telling Shanks. For one thing, Shanks might just think he was crazy. Two, in telling Shanks it might cause Shanks to act slightly differently than last time, he might just be being paranoid but changing even one thing could cause a ripple effect. Which would once again make the future unpredictable.
Maybe he could just tell Shanks enough to get him to believe him, only things he knew would not have that much effect on having him know. That makes the option to telling Shanks more of an agreeable option.
Now if he was going to tell Shanks he needed to get a Den Den Mushi which sounds easier than it is. Goa Kingdom is probably going to harder to sneak into since the fire they set in Grey Terminal. High Town was already aware of him which means he’d have to be sneaky which he wasn’t very good at though he has gotten much better under certain circumstances.
Now when he had the Den Den Mushi just him knowing Shanks number might be enough to persuade Shanks that he is a time traveling pirate king. If not there are some other things, he would say which most certainly will.
Luffy knew he couldn’t set sail till he was seventeen again, so he had ten years to train. Luffy tried to use his observation Haki to see if he managed to keep the skill, control and strength of it. He was surprised to find that he did in fact have full control over it and it seemed to be even stronger than before, which was a pleasant surprise. So Luffy had ten years to improve his body strength and maybe he’ll get a sword as well he got used to using Laws one and at the end, he’d been quite good with it.
Luffy Only had about seven years to teach Ace but he’d have to do it in away where Ace wouldn’t even realize or that could cause problems. He didn’t want Ace to be asking questions about how he knew these things.
The plan, if you can even call it that at this point was to steal a Den Den Mushi call Shanks explain to Shanks get him to believe him and maybe for some help with things, but nothing that could change the future just yet. Then it was to train with Ace and alone, if he could get Shanks to believe him then if he started teaching Ace anything that he shouldn’t know he can just say Shanks told him. That could work.
He also couldn’t get his crew, but he would use the voice of all things to keep track of them. Luffy would be able to see them when the time came for them to meet just like the original time.
Before Luffy could continue to plan or anything similar he heard a familiar voice yelling his name. “Luffy!!!” It would appear Ace is awake and looking for him Luffy mussed. Luffy whipped his face trying to get rid of any evidence that he had been crying before standing up. Now with a plan in place Luffy felt better but he wasn’t ready to face Ace, but he had no choice, so he turned around as his older brother came running into the clearing by the cliff.
“Luffy where were you!? Do you have any idea how ugh!” Ace shouted storming up to Luffy not noticing that Luffy had frozen, Luffy had forgotten at this point in time Ace still had trouble saying he cared. “What were you thinking running off without telling me where you were going! What if something had happened?!” Ace raged getting closer and closer to the frozen Luffy. When Ace was close enough the ten-year-old boy raised his fist hutting Luffy on the head though it didn’t hurt it was enough to bring Luffy back. “OW! Ace what was that for?!” Luffy asked trying to act like his seven-year-old happy self.
But that child was gone, broken by the world and now all that stood in his place was a war hardened Pirate King.