Chapter 7: Some secrets are better left hidden and the future begins to change

Disclaimer: I Don't Own One Piece... I'm done with the witty disclaimer thing

Just a quick side note, I'm really sorry for the late update! Unfortunately, things are going to be a bit hectic in my life for a bit, so I can't solidly say that I'll be able to update anytime soon again. However, please don't think that I'm going to abandon this story at all, I have so many interesting ideas planned and I'm super excited to start using them. If, and this is a big 'IF', I ever decided to drop the story I'll be sure to post an author's note letting you guys know.

Anyway, sorry for the random authors note I just wanted to clear things up, without further ado let's get this chapter started.

O-O-O

Luffy never did like seagulls, and he expressed his distaste of them with a rather creative imagination. Of course, he never spoke ill of them aloud as they were quite vicious, although he wasn't sure how they seemed understand him, so the young pirate would merely glare and think of the tastiest ways of cooking them. It wasn't the most useful past time, but a rather entertaining one nonetheless. Fortunately, there were no seagulls flying around in the dead of night so he was left to ponder his thoughts alone.

He wiggled his legs over the side of the boat letting them dip in the water, its icy cold feeling sending shivers down his spine. It was a full moon so the light was strong enough that he could see his reflection, though it was distorted by the ripples from his feet. Had this been another night he might have laughed at how strange he looked, but tonight his thoughts hovered elsewhere.

To be honest, he was supposed to be sleeping at this time, his crew were rather strict about his health so much so that it bordered on obsessive. The teen shivered casting a look at the sleeping bodies of his new friends, as though with a simple thought they would awake. He had waited for the two to fall asleep and quietly, being so silent he briefly considered changing careers and becoming a ninja, moved from the tightly packed one room cabin to the tiny deck of the boat.

A part of him was rather worried Nami would wake up and find him not sleeping, then lecture him on the importance of rest for the body. That would not be good, as it would no doubt lead to an irritated Nami and a confused Luffy which was never a good combination. But the primary cause for his restlessness was the nagging feeling that he was being left in the dark. Luffy was certain his new friends were hiding something, although he had only met them about a week ago, the way they interacted with each other – it felt as though they had known each other for years.

Or at least they had known him.

It was the little things that really had him suspicious, for instance when Nami consistently caught him attempting to sneak food from the stockpile, or when Zoro was quick enough to catch him before even he knew he was going to fall. So strange was this, that it aroused a touch of suspicion within the young pirate, one that was so strong no matter how hard he tried he couldn't really shake the uncomfortable feeling of vulnerability whenever he was around them. It was frustrating, after all being the captain meant you were supposed to trust your crew with anything, but here he was withholding himself from doing so.

He frowned, never had the young boy expected having crewmates would be so confusing.

There was a chance though, that they were simply very open friendly people, the frown deepened. That couldn't possibly be the case, they were far too cryptic to be naïve. Contrary to popular opinion, he was not in fact stupid, perhaps a little slow, but he knew when something fishy was up and right now that seemed to be the case. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully; the gesture had seemed to help Ace on more than one occasion when his mind was to cluttered with information to discern left from right. Idly he wondered how his brother was doing, it had been some since he had last heard from him–.

No! He had to stay on track and ignore such distractions.

With a tired groan, he muttered under his breath, "What would Gramps do..." and flopped back onto the boat lying on his back and staring blandly up at the stars.

His grandfather was quite good at these situations, Luffy never could get away with hiding food when he was younger. The old marine had always somehow or other found the stash and eaten it, much to his grandson's chagrin (little did he know it was less due to his horrid skills at hiding things and more due to his Grandfathers equally massive appetite).

Luffy yawned loudly, it appeared that he was far more tired than he had thought. As his thoughts glazed over with a fog of fatigue, he decided firmly that he'd be much better off simply ignoring the whole thing. The childish pirate captain supposed that having secrets was not after all a bad thing, thoughts of his father briefly crossed his mind, but he hoped silently that with time perhaps those hidden things would come to light. Bonds were not built in days and even though it felt wrong he would be patient, these were the first friends he'd ever truly had, that fact was reason enough for him to tread lightly.

With that he promptly fell asleep, snoring quietly his mind filled with endless mountains of meat and adventures of awesome proportions. Had he been thinking clearly, he would have remembered to return to the cabin.

The next morning was not pleasant...

O-O-O

When Nami awoke the next morning both Zoro and Luffy suffered the full extent of her frustration and for the first time, or millionth for the swordsman, learned the true depths of despair. It was after this and when the navigator had regained her calm that the small crew begin lazing about for the rest of the day, waiting patiently for the next island to come into view. Although only two of them truly knew their next destination.

The journey there was rather uneventful in pirate terms and they only really had a small delay in which an unknown pirate crew decided foolishly to challenge them. Neither older members of the crew were interested in dealing with the marauders, feeling rather like adults playing in a child's sandbox, and simply watched quietly as Luffy had his fun.

By watching quietly, they truly meant glaring rather hideously at the foolish pirates daring them to do something stupid. Neither of them had noticed yet but both had already adjusted somewhat to the oddity of being in the past and the smooth almost seamless transition from wizened New World veterans to East Blue rookies was truly a welcome change. The two had not left the Grandline in years and it was nice for a while to enjoy the simplicity of life on the outside.

Honestly both navigator and swordsman were still a little wary of this whole time-travel thing, the thought that they would simply wake up and suddenly be back in the future weighing heavily on their minds. But even this could do nothing to damper their excitement of the coming months. Scattered across the world were the comrades they had been to hell and back with and now without any explanation they would be doing it again.

The thought of exploring new islands and fighting strong opponents excited Zoro, and Nami too though she'd never admit it, more than anything else had in years.

Unfortunately, though, when they arrived on Syrup Island their glorious plans of redoing their adventures hit a snag, one that sent both of them into a silent fury and Luffy into the throes of confusion.

Apparently, their sniper was missing.

O-O-O

"AH, you must be Luffy! Usopp told me all about you."

The girl in the in the pale blue dress grinned brightly enough to outshine the sun, but not the dark deathly feeling of gloom that had settled over the two older pirates. Luffy on the other hand simply grinned back and swallowed another large mouthful of meat.

"What's a Usopp?" He replied ever so tactfully and blinking in confusion, "Do I know you?"

The four were sitting in the large dining room of Kaya's, for that was the girls name, house a massive plate of food resting on the table in front of them, which Luffy was quickly burning through. Nami thought rather furiously that when she saw that lying long nosed bastard she would make him rue the day he went against the natural order of the time-line and Zoro simply smiled rather kindly at the Kaya which spoke of horrors to come that quite possibly were worse that any of Nami's horrid thoughts.

"Oh, how rude of me, I'm Kaya and its less a what and more a who. . . " Her smile dimmed and was replaced with a serene look of peace. Behind her, Merry, who was her butler smiled kindly as well. "He said you might not recognize the name, but..." As if rehearsed Merry handed her a letter at this very moment. "... he left you guys a letter that explains everything!"

She then handed the letter to Nami who sat in between the two boys and, while the other two glanced over her shoulder with interested eyes, she tore it open and read,

'Hello my future captain! It is I your glorious subordinate!'

Nami's right eye begin to twitch furiously,

'It is with great regret, that I, the legendary Usopp must speak to you for the first time through writing. Unfortunately, the sea has called to me and with great hesitance I must respond!

No doubt! My friend, that you are horribly confused with all sorts of questions burning in your mind, who is this mysterious seer? How doth he knows me? Is he handsome? He is.

But now is not the time for such trivial thoughts, all will be explained when we meet! But for now, to assuage your thoughts and fears know this, I am the seer who can see your future! A demonstration you ask?! I know for a fact that you have arrived on my humble island with two lowly servants, a hideous witch and an alcoholic swordsman!

Pretty damn cool right?

Anyway, with great regrets I must leave now, but we shall meet again soon, come my friend! I will await your arrival at the sea restaurant, Baraite! Come quickly for we have much to discuss.

Sail well my friend!

Your glorious subordinate, Yasopp's son.'

The three pirates sat still for a time, their faces frozen in looks of disbelief. The message having extracted a unique response from each of them. Luffy was quite ecstatic and immediately excited for what was to come. Nami on the other hand was practically boiling in pure unadulterated rage and barely keeping a lid on it for fear of exposing her rather ridiculous, at least in east blue standards, strength. And finally, Zoro simply got up and walked out, the ground shaking very briefly after his departure was blamed on a rare earthquake.

They quickly left Syrup Island dragging with them their captain and happily boarding the Going Merry, which Kaya said was a gift for Usopp saving her life. Then in search of adventure and maybe a tad bit of vengeance they set off for the Baratie.

O-O-O

End

Well thanks for reading! If in fact there is anyone still reading this fic, haha. . . I'll try to get the next chapter out as soon as possible but right now my life is extremely crazy so it's getting difficult to focus the important things and write. Look forward to chapter eight sometime in the next six months. . .

Anyway. let me know what you think and by all means feel free to let me know what's wrong with the chapter in a review, it's very helpful. Also, thanks again for all the encouraging people reminding me to update, seriously sometimes I need the encouragement. Sorry about the short chapter but honestly there wasn't much left to cover in syrup island. Usopp and Sanji will in fact be showing up again soon I was originally having a bit of a cameo in this chapter but ultimately decided against it for continuities sake.

On a quick side note anyone else getting super excited for Wano?

I know I am!

Have a good one!

Adkop