Would it be wrong of Chopper to say that he was a little jealous of Percy's powers?
As a doctor, being able to heal at the cellular level, which is what Chopper was almost positive that Percy was doing, was a power that Chopper would kill for; Chopper's powers just made him more monster-like than before he ate a Devil Fruit.
"You must be a son of Neptune," Rayleigh guessed from his place at Shakky's bar, "I thought children of the Big Three were banned cuz of some prophecy or whatever."
"They were," Percy agreed, "But I'm a son of Poseidon, not Neptune."
Rayleigh's eyes went wide, "By Kami, Roger was right."
Nami took a seat next to Rayleigh at the bar, "I think you have some explaining to do, Mr. Rayleigh."
"Rayleigh, you really didn't tell them who you are?" Shakky scolded the old man.
Rayleigh laughed, "I didn't think it necessary while we were escaping the auction house."
He took a swig of his whisky, and sighed, "In the old days, they called me Silvers Rayleigh. I was Gol d Roger's First Mate."
"Eeeeh!?" exclaimed everyone except Percy.
"He's in so many books he's legendary," Nami cried.
"Rayleigh's definitely a name that everyone knows," said Sanji, "But I thought the Navy captured Roger's crew. What's a big shot pirate doing on the Grand Line? And why do you know that Nami and Percy are demigods?"
Rayleigh rose an eyebrow, "I know lots of things about the world. I even know about you, Black Leg Sanji."
At this, Sanji choked on his own cigarette.
"Sanji-san!" cried Brook, "Are you ok?"
"Fine, fine," Sanji coughed, then glared at Rayleigh, "It's nothing."
Zoro's eyes narrowed. Robin and Nami gave Sanji concerned looks.
"Anyway," Rayleigh said cheerfully, "The Navy didn't capture Roger; he turned himself in."
"What?!" everyone exclaimed.
"The King of the Pirates turned himself in?" Nami gasped.
"Sure," Percy muttered sarcastically, "That explains everything."
"He had a fatal disease," said Rayleigh, "He fought it for four years before deciding to turn himself in."
"So tragic!" Brook cried.
"With his final words, he turned an example of Navy power into the start of the Great Pirate Era," Rayleigh said wistfully, "But what the world never knew, was that Roger was a son of Mercury."
Percy blinked, "Uh…you mean Hermes?"
Rayleigh finished his whiskey and set it down with a 'clank!' "Nope, I mean Mercury. Roger taught us all about the Roman Gods and prophecies and all that."
The old man eyed Percy and Nami, "So imagine my surprise when I meet not one, but two demigods today who appear to be Greek."
"How can you tell?" Nami asked curiously.
Rayleigh pointed at the celestial bronze spear strapped to Nami's back, "You fight with Celestial Bronze, my dear; Roger always said the stuff was damn near extinct. He used a sword made of Imperial Gold."
Nami's eyes shone with excitement, "Sounds expensive!"
"My girlfriend, Annabeth, mentioned it once," said Percy, "She said it's super rare."
"Clearly forces beyond my understanding are at work here," said Rayleigh, "Roger always had a suspicion that the Greek Gods were real. He wanted to do more research after Raftel."
Percy shot to his feet as if Nami had electrocuted him, "I had a dream," he told his crew, "While I was out cold, I mean. These old guys said that I'm proof that a whole world exists beyond Raftel, and that nobody could know, not even the rest of…what was it? Mary Joys?"
Sanji choked on his new cigarette, "Damn, that sounds like the Five Elders."
"Why do you know so much about Marie Jois, Sanjichin?" Kaimi asked innocently.
"Don't worry about it," Sanji waved her off, "The more important story here is what Percy's saying."
Percy had never seen Robin look so excited.
"I thought it was a myth," Robin said excitedly, "My mother told me once when I was a child about huge continents full of people and countries and new animals. You're saying that it's real? That after we reach Raftel…"
"We'll be able to get Percy home!" Luffy cheered.
"I can introduce you to all your brothers and sisters," Percy told Nami.
"Wait what-."
"That must be part of why Roger was executed," said Zoro, "He knew the truth."
Everyone went quiet.
"The truth that an entire world exists beyond Raftel," Percy echoed the words spoken in his dream, "That would undermine all the power that the World Government holds, wouldn't it?"
Franky whistled, "With that kind of knowledge on our side, the marines are gonna try everything to bring us in."
"And you'll cross that bridge when you get there," said Rayleigh, "Now then, you wanted to get your ship coated, right? Since you've helped Hachi so much, I won't charge you."
Everyone cheered while Robin got to her feet.
"Wait a second, Rayleigh," said Robin, looking troubled, "What is the Will of D? The Poneglyph on Sky Island had Roger's name inscribed on it. How could he interpret that writing? Please tell me! Did he learn what happened during the Void Century?"
Silence.
"Yes," Rayleigh said at last, "We know. We learned all of it. But Miss-,"
Robin gasped.
"Don't be so hasty. This is your adventure, you know. I can tell you what you want to know, but maybe after seeing the world, you'll have a different outlook on it. Would you still like me to tell you?"
Percy watched Robin sigh, "No, I'll pass, thanks."
She glanced at Franky and smiled, "I'll continue with my travels."
"Are you sure, Robin?" asked Usopp, "It looks like you're passing up a great opportunity."
Then, hit with a stroke of brilliance, Usopp asked the golden question. "Hey, Rayleigh! The legendary treasure Roger talked about at his execution, is the One Piece real?"
"STOP!" Luffy roared. Everyone flinched and Usopp fell down.
"I don't wanna know!" Luffy scolded Usopp, "That'll ruin the adventure that we're risking everything for! I'd rather give up being a pirate than follow any path other than finding out for ourselves!"
"Do you think you have what it takes to rule the sea?" Rayleigh asked Luffy.
"I don't wanna rule anything," Luffy pouted, "Being King of the Pirates is about being more free than anything else!"
"Well, that's that," said Percy.
"I guess I'll head over to your ship now," said Rayleigh, "I'm gonna move it to somewhere more secluded than Grove 1 because I need 3 days to complete the coating process."
"Why three days?" asked Percy.
"You may be able to get to Fishman Island without bursting like a rotten fruit," said Rayleigh, "But for the coating to work properly, it needs time to set."
"Three days it is, then," said Zoro, "We'll need to split up to make ourselves into smaller targets. We'll regroup at the Sunny in 3 days."
"Who's that guy strategizing over there," Sanji grumbled, "It sure ain't Zoro."
Luffy grabbed Zoro's hand and everyone had the pleasure of watching Zoro's face go as red as a tomato.
"So cute!" Nami whispered to Robin, who giggled and agreed with her.
"Percy, you can come with me and Sanji," said Nami, hanging off Sanji in a way that brought tears of joy to the cook's eyes.
"Brook, I'm scared of the marines," Chopper cried, clinging to Brook's pant leg, "Can I go with you?"
Brook patted Chopper on the head and assured him that yes, Chopper could go with Brook.
"Big game," Usopp muttered to Percy, "Brook's just as much of a scaredy cat as Chopper."
"You are such a hypocrite," Percy said good-naturedly.
"Indeed I am!" Usopp said proudly, "Which is why I'll be tagging along with dumb and dumber here-," ("Oi," Luffy and Zoro protested in unison) "So they don't get lost."
"Just so they don't get lost," Robin said teasingly, "Looks like that leaves you and me, Franky."
Franky grinned and held out his arm for Robin, "M'Lady."
The Strawhats were laughing and talking about where everyone would hide-
When Bartholomew Kuma dropped from the sky.