Chapter Text
Three months before Luffy’s fifteenth birthday, Yamato shows up at Water 7 on a boat completely made up of minks and follows the sound of laughter only he can hear to find a fellow crewmate. When the laughter stops and he finds his destination, she is surprised to see that the cyborg isn’t the only one he knows.
“Robin! Brook! Franky!”
The three in question turn to him, equally if not more surprised to see him. “Yamato!”
Only after the greeting hugs are done, that they ask him. “I thought we were going to come to Wano to you? It is unexpected that you are here instead.”
“Ahhhh Luffy came to visit me a few years ago. I was sloppy and Kaido discovered that I was alive.” He grinned sheepishly. “After that it was pretty difficult to stay in Wano and actually get things done. My staying there was more harmful to everything we were building so Luffy took me away to Zou and we decided that I would meet back up with you guys when it was time.” Yamato beams and the rest could not help but beam back, the boy is so full of energy and so similar to their Captain in some ways. It is hard not to love him.
“And that idiot Captain decided that it was a good idea not to tell us, what if we had left without you?” Franky’s voice is fond even as he complained and the rest can’t help but laugh.
Luffy isn’t even here yet but they all feel the same thrumming excitement that comes before he’s about to drag them in some crazy adventure. And in some sense, that feeling is not wrong, because they are about to embark on a grand adventure spanning several lifetimes. Not yet though, not when most of their nakama are still missing. Well nothing to do but to go pick them up!
“Let’s set sail!”
~
Their next stop is at Alabasta to pick up a certain Princess. Like last time, Vivi will not be able to join them for all their adventures, a greater responsibility calling her name. But it is only fair that she is there to welcome their Captain back on the seas. She will allow herself this much before she has to go back and become Princess Nefertari D. Vivi of Alabasta Kingdom again.
Besides, it’s not like she’s going to be idle. The time spent with her crew will be used to plan how to gather the other allies they have among nobility and how to systematically start to take down the Celestial Dragons. Vivi knows that her crew is more than capable of taking care of the Gorosei themselves but the aftermath will be for her to deal with and she is not going to disappoint.
They will take the world by storm and destroy it so that they can rebuild a better one upon its ashes.
For now though, Vivi settles back within the crew, getting to know these people she had not had the chance to last time. Brook is so talented and she can understand Luffy’s insistence on getting a musician last time because his music never fails to draw her in. Franky is funny and a genius and the ship he built is a work of art (She does not cry when she realises that there is a space kept aside for her on the ship). Robin and her have settled in a somber sort of understanding and have a friendship where they share the feeling of knowing too much. Yamato and her get along great as well, both understanding what it means to have to stay away from the crew - though Yamato is lucky not to have to do that again in this life but she does not begrudge him for it, knowing that their childhoods were much different.
She can’t wait to see the others again!
~
They briefly stop by Drum Island to pick up Chopper and they all smile when their departure is greeted by a shower of pink sakura blossoms, having heard the story in passing at least once and therefore knowing what it means to their youngest.
Thankfully, Wapol had not been an issue, having been taken care of by a certain reindeer years ago.
Chopper also informs them that Sanji and Usopp often stop by when the Baratie comes this way. Usopp apparently has been constantly hopping between Drum, the Baratie and Cocoyashi after Banchina had decided to travel with Yasopp. And wasn’t that a surprise? Those who knew how he felt about his parents made a mental note to talk to him about how he felt about this when they had the opportunity. Thankfully, Usopp had had his nakama with him during this time.
Finding the Baratie had not been difficult as Sanji had left coordinates with Chopper, in anticipation of their meeting. Usopp had greeted them all with hugs and Sanji had done the same, adding a kiss on the hand for Robin and Vivi. Unlike last time, Zeff sent him off with his full blessings and dry eyes, knowing that only greatness awaited his son. The kids would be alright with their crew.
~
They were surprised at first when they found both JImbei and Nami at Cocoyashi but it made sense when they thought about it. Jimbei had refused to meet them at Water 7, saying that he would catch up with them on the way. They all knew that Jimbei had taken care of Arlong so it should not have been a surprise that he had used that incident as an excuse to visit Nami frequently.
Nami’s leaving was met with half support and half skepticism. None of the villagers forgot what Nami had been through for them and they all knew that after having gone through what she had, there was no way that she would live a normal life. And from the many times Jimbei had visited, they knew him as well and trusted him but they didn’t quite know what to do with this crew that came out of nowhere? Wasn’t Jimbei a Captain so why was he joining another crew?
Nevertheless, Nojiko bid his sister farewell after instructing Jimbei to watch over her.
~
Shimotsuki Village was a surprise to everyone but Yamato in how much it resembled Wano. What was also a surprise was the way their first mate came aboard with a girl that looked eerily similar to the marine Tashigi announcing that she was joining the crew.
All too used to the way Zoro was, they badgered him for an explanation until finally it was the girl - Kuina, and oh hadn’t they all heard that name at some point even if they didn’t quite know the entire story behind it? - answered their queries.
She bowed in the traditional way Samurais did before introducing herself, “I am Shimotsuki Kuina. Zoro is my sworn brother. Last time, I died when I was still young and Zoro carried Wado Ichimonji in my name to fulfill our dream of becoming the World’s Greatest Swordsman. My spirit was attached to the sword so I already know all of you even if you do not know me. Luffy said that means I’m already part of the crew.”
Well, if Luffy had given their permission, then who were they to deny him. Their Captain wasn’t wrong to say that Kuina had been part of the crew if her spirit had been around - even longer than them all even if she had joined along with Zoro. “Besides, we could use some more estrogen on this ship.” Nami added to the twin chuckles of Robin and Kuina.
((If there was a badly hidden man watching them from behind the nearest trees, then they followed the sworn siblings’ lead and ignored it until when they set sail again and they both bowed in that direction.))
“Ah but if your sister carries Wado Ichimonji in this life, you’ll have to find another sword in this life no, Swordsman-san?” Robin asks, eying the swords at Zoro’s hip in curiosity.
The green-haired man grinned, “There’s an old man in this village. He’s the one who forged Enma and Sandai Kitetsu. This time, he forged me swords that were mine from the beginning.” He lifted his blades, introducing them to his crew. “This is Kogarasu Maru, Onimaru Kunistuna and Juuchi Yosamu.”
The blades were all black, which was telling of the level he had achieved. None of them were surprised though, Zoro was their first-mate and the World’s Greatest Swordsman, just like in another life, he had been the King of Hell.
“Well, let’s go. Our Captain is waiting.”
~
They pick up Koby on the way, the pinkette having been the one to track them all down, having hitched a ride with on a fishing vessel of all things.
He’s accompanied by a man who looks very much like the person he will one day grow up to be and two women who share his hair colour - most probably they were his family. He bids them goodbye with a hug each before he simply jumps over to their ship. Some of them wonder what he told him for them to seem so okay about the idea of their son joining a pirate ship.
Once all reunited, the Strawhats take a moment to just look at each other, seeing them as they currently were and remembering what they were in different lifetimes. It feels so right to have them all here, together again. There’s one person missing though and the next destination is to find him.
~
On Luffy’s fifteenth birthday, he wakes up knowing that his wait is over. He bids farewell to Dadan and the bandits and makes his way to Foosha where Makino wishes him happy birthday before also saying goodbye and waving him off with her blessings.
Luffy makes his way to the beach, the sound of freedom beating in his ears, when he spots a familiar figurehead approaching - an elephant in tribute to an old comrade who still walks this Earth but who has done so alone for so long. The Eternal Liberty is a brigantine, easily thrice the size of the Thousand Sunny but Luffy knows she is as if not faster than her predecessor and she is beautiful.
But more than everything, she is home, carrying his nakama to him. NIka can sense their presence coming closer, all as excited as he is and Luffy really can’t wait anymore.
He grabs two trees and prepares himself. “ Gum gum slingshot!”
He overshoots and lands in the ocean. It doesn't really matter anymore because the ocean greets him with familiarity, wishing him well on his voyage as she pushes him to the surface. Zoro jumps after him anyways and drags him onboard where he is greeted with laughter and fond rebukes.
Luffy laughs and laughs even as he stretches his arms long enough to be able to pull everyone in a hug at the same time. He is so so so so so happy that he thinks that everyone in the world must be able to feel it.
This is going to be the most fun ever!