Over the course of the next few months the three boys became the best of friends. They would spend their days learning Haki from Luffy. Or they would go to Gray Terminal disguised in a very cliché manner. They would wear a long trench coat and the three boys would sit on each other's shoulders. Every so often they would find something to sell in the Town Center. Other times they would go into restaurants wearing the trench coat, eat lots of food and run away before paying the bill. Over the course of those months the boys had built a secret base in the woods. They would often spend days away from the mountain bandit's hideout at a time. Eventually they moved out of the bandit's hideout and lived in their ship like base. They even built a look out high up in the tree. They also raised a pirate flag with the traditional crossbones minus the skull. In its place was a red A, blue S & yellow L in the center.

Over the course of their next trips into the Town Center to sell things they found to add to their pirate fund. While the three boys were walking around without the trench coat they happened to walk into Sabo's father, Outlook III. Later that afternoon the three boys were sitting under a tree on the coast looking out onto the ocean. Ace and Luffy had just found out that Sabo had been born into a noble family but did not like the life that had been planned for him.

"Ace!, Luffy!" Sabo stood up saying his friend's names

"The three of us have to set out to sea someday!"

"We'll get out of this country and be free!"

"I want to see the wide world, and write a book about what I saw!"

"If I have to study in preparation for the voyage, then that's no problem!"

"Let's get stronger, and become pirates!"

"I'd become one even if you didn't tell me to!" Ace said

"I will become a pirate, defeat everyone in my way and become known across the whole world!"

"That will be the proof that I lived!"

"I don't care if the world doesn't accept me…"

"No matter how much they hate me…"

"I'll become a great pirate and stand above everyone else!"

"I won't run from anyone, or lose to anyone!"

"I'll make sure the whole world knows my name even if it's through fear!"

"Well then…" Luffy ran up to the edge of the cliff and yelled out his dream

"I'm going to become King of the Pirates!"

Ace and Sabo were surprised that Luffy would still want to become the King of the Pirates.

"I can't wait to see what the future has in store for you Luffy!" Sabo said

"You know there is one problem about the three of us becoming pirates."

"We all want to be captain."

"I had not thought about that." Ace said

"I thought you would be my navigator Sabo."

"You guys can come with me on my ship!" Luffy said grinning

"No way" Ace and Sabo said simultaneously

Later in the woods the three boys were talking with three cups on a tree stump.

"We can decide our future later." Ace said

"The three of us might end up sailing on separate ships someday."

"Have you heard that when you exchange cups of sake, you become brothers?" Ace said while filling the three cups.

"When we become pirates, we might not be crewmates on the same ship but our bonds will keep us connected as brothers!"

"No matter where we are or what we do, our bond will not be broken!" Ace said picking up his cup.

"With this, starting today, we're brothers!" Ace said and the three boys brought their cups together.

One day after a storm while in Gray Terminal looking for wood to repair their hideout some pirates confronted Ace, Sabo and Luffy. The trio had put up a fight for a little while. But soon they had been grabbed which prevented them from fighting back. Outlook as well as some guards forced Sabo to go back to High Town with him or he would have his brothers killed. Even though Sabo had been learning from Luffy and practicing with Ace, their Haki still was nowhere where it had to be to defeat all of the people Outlook had brought with him to recover Sabo. Sabo begrudgingly agreed to return with his father as long as Ace and Luffy weren't hurt. After Sabo was gone the boys were alone and had a chance to talk.

"Luffy!"

"Why didn't we do anything to help Sabo?"

"What if we did beat up Sabo's dad, the guards and the pirates, what would stop them from bringing more people to fight us." Luffy said

"Sure we are stronger than all of them."

"But there is a limit, we are only kids" Luffy said knowing Ace is going to be mad at that response.

"Are you saying we can't handle them all?" Ace said furious at his little brother

"I'm saying we have to use our heads instead of just our muscles." Luffy said

During Luffy and Sabo's time reconnecting after everything was back to the way it should have been in Dressrosa, Sabo told Luffy about the night that was coming. Sabo told him how he met a man who turned out to be Dragon randomly in Edge Town after the fire was started in Gray Terminal. He told Luffy what he knew about ending up in Dragon's care after his ship was destroyed by the Tenryubito. Which wasn't much, Sabo told Luffy about the day he woke up in the infirmary of a ship covered in bandages. The person who had been looking after Sabo's wounds was a tall man with curly purple hair and a giant head, none other than the Okama Queen Ivankov. Iva told Sabo that he had been out for a few days after the explosion destroyed his boat and that they were heading for the Grand Line. He would later talk to Dragon who told him that he would be better off presumed dead for the time being and that he would be welcomed to join the Revolutionaries in their fight to change the world.

Sabo told Luffy that when he finally walked around on the boat he was surprised to see some familiar faces, he was shocked when he realized that they were from Gray Terminal. What Dragon didn't tell him was that he had saved most of the residents of Gray Terminal from dying in the fire. Sabo told Luffy that Bluejam was involved he really didn't know any of the details. What Sabo told Luffy next really pissed him off. Sabo told Luffy that all of the Nobles as well as the King up in High Town knew that there was going to be a fire. What Sabo told Luffy really made him hate nobility even more than he already did. Sabo said that they were going to be getting rid of all the trash for the Tenryubito's visit to Goa Kingdom.

The last thing Sabo told Luffy before the brothers departed from Dressrosa to go their separate ways for the time being was that he was glad things turned out this way. He would have rather become a pirate like Ace and Luffy but he did not regret his choice in becoming a Revolutionary. Luffy had a lot to think about but this was definitely the best path for Sabo. Luffy would have liked for Sabo to become a pirate but he had done so much good for the world even if the rest of the world didn't see it in the same light.

"Things are going to get very interesting around here and really soon." Luffy said cryptically

Ace hit him over the head

"What is that supposed to mean?" Ace screamed at his brother.

"Sabo can't be happy that he had to go back to his old life." Ace said angrily

"You are right about that Ace."

"Sabo isn't happy with what he had to do. But he did it to protect us."

Luffy could only hope that his interfering wouldn't change the past too much.

After the incident Bluejam the pirate captain hired by Outlook to find Sabo returned and began talking with the boys he had previously restrained. Being down a few men the pirate Bluejam wanted their help with a job. They really didn't have a choice. This fire had to happen whether Luffy liked it or not. The two boys agreed to help with the plan. It was easy all they had to do was carry boxes to various locations around Gray Terminal. Ace had no idea what was going on.

Luffy knew there was going to be a fire he had seen it already once before. After putting the pieces together something just clicked in his head after he remembered what Sabo had told him about Bluejam being involved somehow. He was furious when he realized what he had agreed to do. The boxes they were going to be carrying all around Gray Terminal would likely be full of explosives. They were going to be helping burn the place to the ground. Luffy kept his cool until the pirates and the boys had parted ways.

Once they were far enough away from Gray Terminal and back in the woods Luffy went ballistic. All Ace heard was the sound of trees shattering as they were being attacked by wave after wave of black fists. Ace knew that there had to be a reason for Luffy doing this. But he was going to have to let Luffy wear himself out. At his current level Ace was no match for Luffy when he was going all out like this. Almost an hour later the constant barrage on the trees and the landscape came to an end as Luffy fell down exhausted.

"Luffy, what's up?" Ace said concerned which was rare for him at this age.

All Ace heard out of Luffy was a constant heavy breathing, trying to catch his breath. While catching his breath Luffy was thinking that now would be as good a time as ever to tell Ace some of the details about himself and his future. He was also going to have to deal with a dumbfounded Ace as well as his reaction to telling him his brother was going to "die".

"Ace" Luffy said with his breathing finally under control and sitting up

"How do you think I got so good at Haki?" Luffy said not sure how Ace would respond

"You said you learned from your master, right?" Ace said confused

"That is right, but how old am I?" Luffy said

"How old are you?" Ace repeated the question confused

Before he could say anything Luffy spoke up.

"I am seven years old" Luffy said

"How do you think I am capable of using such advanced techniques?"

"Your master taught you."

"Yes, but when did he teach me?" Luffy said getting ready to tell Ace a little of his future.

"How the hell should I know?" Ace said annoyed at the questions

"Exactly, being seven years old I shouldn't know any of this. Yet here I am using the same forms of Haki Vice-Admirals and above use as well as the strongest pirates in the world."

"Is that true?" Ace asked rather surprised at where this conversation was going.

"Yeah it is" Luffy said

"When I first met you, you wanted nothing to do with me."

"The next day I show up and show you up. I reveal to you something that we have no business knowing here in the East Blue let alone at our ages."

Not sure where Luffy was going with this Ace sat down and let him continue.

"At first we hung out because you two wanted to learn from me, but the more time we spent together the closer we got. We even became brothers so that the sea wouldn't tear us apart someday when we set off on our own."

"In a matter of two days you learned about stuff it took me seventeen years to learn even existed."

"Luffy" Ace interrupted

"Wait, Did you say seventeen years?" Ace asked flabbergasted

"Yeah I did"

"Well that kinda makes sense."

"Sabo and I knew there was something different about you."

"We didn't know how to explain it."

"It was like you didn't quite belong here."

"You knew far too much about the world outside of the East Blue and Goa Kingdom."

"So tell me, how do you know about all of this?" Ace concluded

Kind of shocked that they could tell, Luffy began talking again

"I know so much about the world because I have lived this once before."

Ace looked at him dumbfounded, that was not the reason he believed was coming

"I made a wish to come back to this time to change a few things."

Ace couldn't believe what he was hearing

"You went back in time to change a few things?"

Ace said then thought to himself for a few moments before he began to ask Luffy questions

"When are you from? Why would you do something so crazy? Why would you give up everything you have worked for up to that point and simply throw it all away? What did you lose that made you want to come back to this time?"

"I expected you to have questions, so I will answer them the best that I can."

"I am from thirteen years in the future."

"I did this because I wasn't happy in my time."

"I gave up everything because I believe that I can do it all again, this time I will be stronger so that I can protect those close to me."

"Someone very close to me"

The first answer shocked Ace. The second answer was very straight forward typical Luffy. The third answer surprised Ace. The final answer was mysterious but Ace could see the hurt in his eyes when he said those words.

"Thirteen years"

"Someone very close to you"

"In your future you are what, twenty years old?" Ace asked

"Yeah, that is right" Luffy said

"What is my future like?" Ace asked curiously

"What you want me to spoil it for you?" Luffy said trying to hold back the tears that were forcing their way to the surface when he thought about Ace's death.

Ace noticed that something was wrong and dropped the subject knowing that it must be a very personal one, something he didn't like talking about. Luffy was relieved for the time being.

"Ace" Luffy said no longer trying to hide the fact he was getting upset.

"There are things I will tell you when the time is right."

"What you do with that information is up to you" Luffy said

"Well, when do you plan on telling me?"

"Like I said, when the time is right I will tell you."

"So you know what is going to happen here in the next few days?"

"Yes, I do."

"That is why I was destroying the forest; I still don't know what the right thing to do is."

"Alright then, tell me what is going to happen here in the next few days." Ace asked genuinely curious about knowing how the problem with Sabo would turn out. He was not ready for what he was about to hear. He soon would understand why Luffy went on that rampage.

"Tomorrow we are going to carry out Bluejam's plan and we are going to be moving crates of explosives that will be ignited tomorrow night. The fire from all of those explosives is going to engulf Gray Terminal and it will burn to the ground."

"Come on Luffy, that isn't funny." Ace said

"Don't go making stuff up just cause you think I will believe it." Ace said annoyed and worried that the words out his brother's mouth were nothing but a lie.

Ace looked at Luffy whose expression hadn't changed in the slightest since he mentioned Bluejam and Gray Terminal burning.

"As much as I wish I was lying this is the truth. This is really going to happen."

"That is the reason Sabo's dad came to get him. He didn't want his son to die."

"Well that is almost nice of him." Ace said trying to find a positive in the matter at hand

"All of the Nobles as well as the King know that Gray Terminal is going to burn."

"They planned it themselves." Luffy said really pissed off

"They are getting a pirate like Bluejam to this start the fire so that they can place the blame on him and keep their hands clean."

"They are getting rid of all the "trash" in the kingdom." A friend told me all about it last year.

Ace looked shocked and disgusted that somebody would do that to another person.

"They are doing all of this to impress a Tenryubito."

"What is a Tenryubito?" Ace asked curiously but being careful as this seemed to another touchy subject.

"The short version is that a Tenryubito or World Noble sees all the people of the world as less than human. They think we are here to do with as they please." Luffy said his temper rising

"On the Grand Line right now people are being kidnapped and they are being sold off as slaves to the Tenryubito."

"The government just looks the other way, they pretend not to notice that on a certain "island" at the end of the first half of the Grand Line there are Human shops all over the island."

"You can't do anything to these bastards. If you do anything to them the government sends an Admiral after you."

Luffy stopped there; he could see Ace was even more disgusted at those "people" than he was at the nobility of this country.

"All of this is going to happen and we are going to be a part of it, we are going to help?" Ace said disgusted in what he had unknowingly agreed to.

"Yes, that is true." Luffy said rather emotion less and disgusted in himself for helping with this cruel plan

"However there is a bit of a silver lining to this." Luffy said, the hope returning to his face

"That friend who told me that the Nobles knew all about this."

"He was told by the survivors that when they were stuck with nowhere left to go a strange wind created a path for them to follow to a ship that would get them to safety."

"We really have no idea how many people live here, as horrible as it sounds there will be people who will not survive tomorrow night."

"This friend of mine is going to play a part in the events that unfold tomorrow night."

"Luffy, who is this friend of yours?"

"He has to live in this country or he would not be able to play the part you said he is going to."

"You wouldn't like it if I told you who it was." Luffy said looking down at the ground

From that Ace had a terrible feeling he knew who it was.

"Luffy, don't tell me it's Sabo."

Luffy continued to look down at the ground while trying to avoid eye contact with Ace. That was all Ace needed to confirm his worst fears.

"The three of us are all going to be involved aren't we?" Ace said rather calm for what he had just heard

Luffy just shook his head up and down

"Is that why we had to let Sabo go with his father?" Ace asked

"Yeah" Luffy said

"I don't know what would happen to us or him if he hadn't gone with his father."

"We are all going to make it through this no matter how bad it seems."

"However I am sure you are going to hate me for my decisions later." Luffy said cryptically we will have to see how things play out.

With that the boys went back to their hideout to get as much sleep as they could. They weren't going to sleep well tonight with all of the things that were going to happen tomorrow.

Well the next morning came and things had stayed relatively the same, aside from Luffy telling Ace about what was going to happen later in the day. Like last time they helped move the crates around Gray Terminal. Unbeknownst to Luffy, Sabo's night had stayed exactly the same as last time. Luffy and Ace hated not being able to help their brother. However their best chance for things to turn out like last time was to follow as close to the plan as they could. They didn't tell any of the residents nor did they make it apparent to Bluejam's crew that they knew what they were moving for them. Everything had gone according to plan.

Later that night the fire started and the giant gate that connected Gray Terminal to Edge Town was closed preventing the "trash" from making their way into the city. It also technically prevented the gigantic inferno from spreading further into the kingdom. As far as Luffy knew the whole tragedy had been duplicated. He really wouldn't find out about the people from Gray Terminal until he hopefully met up with Sabo again someday. It may or may not be in Dressrosa since both brothers unknowingly showed up to win Aces fruit that had reappeared after his death. He could only hope that the weapons Doflamingo was selling would be enough for him to see Sabo again.

Luffy knew that he had to prevent himself and Ace from getting captured by Bluejam and crew. So they got out of Gray Terminal as the fire had started to spread. They made it back to the mountain bandits hideout before Dadan did anything foolish and went looking for them like last time. This meant that Ace wouldn't discover his Haoshoku no Haki yet but Luffy knew he would find some other way to help him draw it out.

The few days before the Tenryubito's arrival passed and they had not heard anything from their brother. Luffy figured that the next time they would hear from Sabo would be in the letter he is going to send or in 12 years in Dressrosa, It would probably be no sooner than that.

Finally the day arrived when the Tenryubito would arrive at Goa Kingdom. Luffy had gotten up early to make sure he made it to the port Sabo told him he left from. There he saw all of the people eagerly awaiting the arrival of the "people" he hated so much. Luffy pretended not to notice that Ace had followed him to the port.

Finally the Tenryubito's ship was in sight. Everyone was surprised to see a ship sailing out into the open ocean. Ace and Luffy were now standing side by side as Ace knew he couldn't hide his presence from Luffy. They were surprised to see the officials making such a big deal out of such a small vessel going out to sea. They tried all they could to get the ship to turn back but to no avail. The people were just worried about the little ship ruining the ceremony.

The next thing that happened made everyone cringe. A shot was fired from the government ship crippling the small fishing vessel and setting it on fire. Not long after a second shot was fired from the huge government ship. This shot destroyed the boat leaving it in large chunks floating in the ocean. The next thing Ace and Luffy heard disgusted them. All the people were worried about was the Tenryubito would be angry. Nobody cared about the wreckage of the ship the small boy was on.

"Luffy, don't tell me."

"Was Sabo on that ship?" Ace asked fearing the worst.

"Yeah, he was the one sailing out to sea." Luffy replied ready for whatever Ace was going to throw his way.

"This next answer is going to determine what I do next Luffy."

"So tell me, do you sense Sabo among the wreckage?"

Luffy stood still as he searched the waters around the wreckage. The next words out of his mouth would be some of the most important he would say for years to come.

Luffy stood there with tears in his eyes as he replied to Ace. Ace saw the tears and feared the worst. But he was glad when heard words finally come out of the younger boys mouth. "He is alive." That was all he said as he began crying tears of joy. Last time he had to rely on Dogra for the news that Sabo's boat had been destroyed by a Tenryubito. He was glad that he was able to see it first-hand this time.

They stood there for a while as the crowd died down and eventually disappeared. They stayed in that spot monitoring an unconscious Sabo. Hours passed neither boy saying a word. Finally day turned into night and as they were getting ready to leave they felt a strong wind propel a small rowboat across the water, pick something up and take off. All the while Luffy had been using his Kenbunshoku no Haki. He had sensed someone familiar. He still had not gotten the chance to get to know his dad but he had finally met him on an island somewhere half way through the New World. After the boys saw the boat appear and vanish Luffy finally spoke up.

"Ace, Sabo is going to be ok."

"Are you sure Luffy?" Ace asked full of hope

"I sensed two people in the boat that disappeared."

"One was an unconscious Sabo and the other was my dad."

"Your dad?" Ace said very confused

"Not here Ace, Let's go."

"Since when did you think you could boss me around?"

"Whatever, we need to get out of here."

After the two boys made it a safe distance into the forest they began talking.

"Ok Luffy, tell me who that was?"

"Who picked up Sabo?"

"His name is Dragon."

"He is my dad."

"I will tell you more someday, I don't think he has made a name for himself yet."

"Someday that name will be known around the world." That was the last thing the boy said before they started to head back to the mountain bandits hideout.

On the way back Luffy was thinking

'Sabo was safe and sound with Dragon. I hope that this was for the best? I knew that Sabo had worked hard and accomplished a lot after his boat was destroyed by that Tenryubito the first time. I only hope things turn out as well this time around for him. It would have been amazing to see what he would have done as a pirate but I wouldn't feel comfortable changing the future that much.' Luffy thought to himself

"Luffy" Ace spoke up

"Did Sabo become a pirate the first time?" Ace asked trying to find the right words. Time travel was a pain to ask about.

"No, he didn't become a pirate" Luffy said

"So, what did he end up doing?" Ace asked curious about how his brother would turn out

"He ended up following my dad and made a name for himself that way."

"Do you know about any of the adventures he went on?" Ace asked

"I know only about one because I was there with him, we didn't have time to catch up and exchange stories about the adventures he went on." Luffy said

"Could you tell me about the adventure you went on with Sabo?"

"What I can tell you is that we stopped a weapon smuggler and returned the rightful king to his thrown."

"I thought you hated kings."

"I don't like rulers who hurt their people."

"This king was kind to his people."

"He is only of a few kings who really deserve to be where he is."

"Don't worry Ace, Sabo is going to become a great fighter under Dragon"

Luffy said trying to change the subject.

"We have to improve your skills in Haki."

"We promised Sabo that we would set out on our seventeenth birthday's right?"

"We have seven years. That is plenty of time for you to improve considerably."

"I have ten more years. This is going to be fun."

The next morning the two boys began to spar. Luffy didn't use his full strength at first. But soon he realized that Ace would be better off sparring against someone stronger than himself. After a year Ace had learned that he had the Haoshoku no Haki. He still had a ways to go before he could really control it and use it near any people. The boys continued on training for six more years after that. During that time Ace had learned to use Busoshoku no Haki and he was pretty good at it. He still couldn't figure out how to use Kenbunshoku no Haki. During those years Garp would irregularly drop in to see how his grandson and adoptive grandson were doing. He would train the two boys when he had time off. Ace and Luffy did their best to hide their Haki training from Garp. However after a few trips Garp had discovered that they learned to use Haki. He did really care how they learned it. With Luffy and Aces understanding of Haki Garp's "training" sessions got harder. All in all he was glad to see his grandsons learning Haki so young. He still believed that they would be fine Marines someday.

During their seven years they would go into the mountains and hunt for food. Only one of the boys had to go and get food but the other would still tag along to help carry back the animals they had killed. They would still go to Gray Terminal every once and a while to find things to sell. They would still go into town and dine and dash as they did when they were kids. Only now the two growing teens would eat so much some places were forced to close for the rest of the day or sometimes even the rest of the week.

Finally after Aces seventeenth birthday it was time for him to set off and see the world. Luffy had told him stories about his travels as a pirate, omitting the fact that he found the One Piece and became the Pirate King in his time. As Garp had brought Ace to Mt. Corvo in secret seventeen years ago he couldn't leave from the main harbor on the coast. Ace and Luffy had one final talk in the woods before he set off on his journey.

"Ace, one last thing before you go." Luffy said trying to warn his brother about the very person who would cause him so much pain.

"Yeah, what is that Luffy?"

"Watch out for Marshall D. Teach he also calls himself Blackbeard."

"I will, thanks Luffy"

"I am serious Ace, he is trouble. He may not seem like it but he is just biding his time. A good friend of mine told me all about him."

Luffy was talking about Marco and some of the other Commanders of the Whitebeard Pirates. Luffy became good friends with them after they met up in the New World just by accident on the island where Ace's and Whitebeard's graves were located.

"Alright Luffy I will be careful around him."

"But I can't be too careful we are pirates after all."

"That's all I ask as I can't tell you all the details."

Ace and Luffy finished their conversation and walked over to the cliff where a boat was ready for Ace. Ace climbed down into the boat and got ready to leave.

"Take care, Ace"

"Sure! See you later, Luffy! I'll be going on Ahead!"

"Right! And when I set out to sea myself in three years, I'll be much stronger"

"Nihahaha" Ace laughed and pushed the boat away from the cliff face

As Ace was sailing away the bandits and Makino were waving goodbye. Woop Slap was there as well but he was just standing there grouchy.

"Just you wait! I'll make a name for myself real soon!"

With those words Ace set off from the coast at the base of Mt. Corvo.