Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece, obviously.

Chapter 2-

Word count- 1600

3D2Y

Luffy's coma was longer than it had been the first time. The great influx of memories of 17 years of life and 19 years of life collided in his brain. His body shut down for a while. The memories were sorted. The future Luffy and past Luffy fought for dominance. The past Luffy stood no chance against the might of the Fifth Emperor of the Sea.

The Heart Pirates left him in the care of Rayleigh. Jinbe had just awoken from his coma, and he too, sat by Luffy's side.

Not a day later, Luffy came up from the depths of his consciousness, and opened his eyes to the coast of Rusukaina Island. It was warm and clear, with the dangerous forest behind and sparkling sea in front. He caught on to the situation, eyes widening in disbelief. A million thoughts buzzed through him, but he shoved them aside when he felt two auras beside him.

Rayleigh chuckled as Luffy sat up abruptly. "Good to see you're finally awake, Luffy-kun," he said. How long was I asleep for?

"Aa." He met Jinbe's eyes and gave a slight nod, noting the same glint in them. He had traveled back too. Luffy rested back on his hands, twitching at the bandages that encased most of his body. His eyes were shadowed by his hair. Ace was dead. Again. If only he had come a day earlier.

Luffy pulled himself from his mind and focused as Rayleigh explained his suggestion to train. The Dark King described his plan to give the Straw Hats the message to train. As he spoke, Luffy gave his full attention, wanting to hear his mentor's voice.

He smiled at the end. Not his usual large grin, but a much smaller, gentle smile. "Of course."


Not a day later, newspapers were printed out with the story of Luffy's return to Marineford. The Straw Hat Pirates received the message once again. 3D2Y.

They began their two year training, pushing their limits harder than ever.


On Rusukaina

Luffy and Rayleigh were left alone on the island. They now stood in the clearing with the safe tree.

"Tell me about your devil fruit," Rayleigh said.

Luffy hummed in thought. "It is a Mythical Zoan, the Nine-Tailed Fox. I can use up to five tails, and they can harness the power of lightning. I can also travel in and out of a sort of shadow dimension, though only for two seconds. I wish to increase that time, as well as the amount of tails I can summon."

"I will train you in Haki. Because you're already proficient with it, we can try to activate Advanced forms," Rayleigh explained.

Luffy remembered how evolved his Observation Haki, during his battle with Katakuri. It takes experience. He was so much stronger than me, but I had to be better. If it took more impressive odds, then that meant…

"Sparring?" he concluded.

Rayleigh nodded. "You will not use your Devil Fruit. These spars focus purely on Haki," he said. "Outside of them, you can train your Devil Fruit."

"Is there an Advanced Conqueror's Haki?" he asked out of curiosity, for he never came across one who possessed it.

Rayleigh narrowed his eyes and gazed intently at Luffy.

"There is indeed," he finally said. "But it is not to be taken lightly."

Luffy tilted his head. "What does it do?"

But his mentor shook his head. "Perhaps you should find that out for yourself."

He was left with many questions unanswered, and a horrible sense of foreboding. How dangerous could it possibly be?


He was pushed to his limits. As he grew stronger, Rayleigh grew stricter. His mentor held back less and less as the two years wore on.

Constant sparring and training left him with a myriad of pains but brimming with satisfaction anyways. It took a while to get used to not having the Gomu Gomu no Mi. Some days he would throw back his arms and forget thy wouldn't stretch.

At lunch, instead of trying to reach further than he actually could, Luffy would use his shadow dimension. It gave him the experience to further his time to five seconds and travel far faster.

Two years, and he felt more alive than ever.

His Haki strengthened, rising to meet his mentor's. There was always something new to learn in Haki. There was always some form to discover and implement into their spars. It truly was a lively time.

He felt complete.


The Time of Meeting

"It's good to be back," Luffy whispered.

He flitted through the streets of Sabaody, taking in the great mangrove, and the false cheery faces. It is what the world will become, he thought. These faces were just a facade against the terrorising of the new Navy under Fleet Admiral Akainu. He frowned and continued on his way, feeling the auras of his crew around the nearby groves.

Closest to him were Sanji and Zoro, by the coastline to the east. He sprinted through the shadow dimension, driving to them at an incredibly fast pace. Luffy caught the curious looks of onlookers when he came into existence and back out again.

He arrived in time to see a great gallon sliced in two. The sea heaved in massive ways, with the ship upturning and rocking. He smiled at Zoro, sitting on the sail and sheathing his katana. Sanji turned to face him with a grin and wave.

"Long time, no see!" the cook said cheerily. Luffy returned the greeting, and Zoro came beside them. The Monster Trio was united. Luffy chuckled and patted Zoro's shoulder, who was pouting like a child and trying to hide it.

"I got on the wrong ship… again," the swordsman added the last part in a whisper. Sanji began to make fun of him, and a bickering war continued, with Luffy laughing loudly beside them.

He lead the way to the next aura. Tony Tony Chopper.

They walked there, enjoying their time together, though Zoro and Sanji would never admit it out loud. The two kept chucking insults at each other and butting heads, neither gaining ground.

Luffy found Chopper smiling and munching on cotton candy. He called out to the little reindeer and Chopper looked up. He ran up to the Trio, tears flying. The reindeer jumped up, and Luffy closed him in a warm embrace. So fluffy, he sighed.

The swordsman was the first to stop fighting, and greeted the new arrival. Sanji stopped after, and happily talked to the reindeer. Luffy smiled at their close bond, and gently dropped Chopper to the ground. He shut his eyes and focused on the auras of Sabaody, honing in on a pair. Usopp and Nami.

"That's a lot coming from you, Nanabun (Number Seven)," Zoro smirked.

"What was that!?" Sanji lit up, outraged. Luffy and Chopper left them behind, on their way to meet with Usopp and Nami, heading to the Thousand Sunny. Bystanders stared at them, some looking like they made a connection. It's not like the Straw Hat Pirates were ones to disguise themselves. Luffy had the first time around, and it didn't do much to stop the Pacifistas recognising him.

They crossed over to the next grove. Luffy noticed the aura of Usopp stop and face them a few streets away. Nami followed the sharpshooter's movements. Not wanting them to wait, Luffy burst into a quick run. Chopper changed points and followed close behind. The distance between them and Zoro and Sanji increased. The two turned a corner, sparing the dilapidated buildings no glance.

"Luffy! Chopper!" the two called. Nami ran up and crushed the two in a hug, suffocating them of precious air.

"Can't breathe- dying…" Luffy managed. Nami let go of them sheepishly. Usopp smiled when Chopper grabbed at the cotton candy he held in his hand. He gave it to the reindeer now dancing in joy. Shouts came behind them and the two wayward members of the crew became visible. Sanji's eyes turned to pounding hearts, and the chef wiggled up to Nami.

"Nami-swan!" he screamed. They all ignored his outburst.

The Straw Hats cleared the last leg of their journey. Up ahead was a tall hill, a rundown shack atop of it. The distant shape of the Thousand Sunny Go finally appeared. Luffy saw Robin and Franky on the deck.

He crossed into shadows and propelled himself over. "YO!" he said plainly.

"SUPER!" Franky called, tilting at an angle and hitting his metal hands together. The others showed up and they prepared to move.

Luffy shouted to Rayleigh in farewell, and thanked him once again. As they pulled out of the area and made towards the ocean, a skeleton landed on deck. Brook was finally here. Luffy took his place at the foot of the mast and looked over his almost complete crew.

"Everyone, we are ready to sail once more. I know you have spent these past two years training. I bet everyone's really really strong now," their captain started. "We may be back in time, and not even in the New World, but in this adventure, we are definitely gonna complete our dreams. I believe in you all!" The crew cheered and awaited his orders.

"LET'S SET SAIL! TO FISHMAN ISLAND AND OUR DREAMS!"