Warm Memories and Brotherly Bonds

Chapter 5: Enter Ace and Sabo... the Brothers Meet

"This certainly explains a lot," Robin said softly as it went dark around them once again.

"So that's why the hat means so much to Luffy," Chopper said, his eyes bright. "He treasures it so that he can give it back to Shanks someday."

Franky and Brook were both crying their eyes out as Usopp stood behind them, hiding his own eyes behind his arm to hold back the tears. "A promise between real men!" Franky cried, "No matter how much time passes, they're always working to that one goal!"

"Now they understand that you should keep a promise no matter how hard it is to keep!" Brook cried out. "It's so inspiring! To keep such a promise after all this time!"

"Shanks really is something else," Sanji said, his tone full of respect. "I get it now... so after Luffy becomes the king, he wants to fight Shanks and his crew."

"Something to look forward to," Zoro grinned, resting his hand on his swords. "Now this is a battle I can't wait for."

Just then, the darkness faded away until they were standing in the middle of what appeared to be the forest they had been in when they first arrived.

"This isn't getting old!" Franky called, staring around him. "It's SUUUUPPPPPER, cool!"

"What happens next?" Chopper asked excitedly. "I really want to see more. I don't see Luffy anywhere."

"Take this!" shouted out Luffy's voice through some trees.

"I have a good idea," Nami said, and they poked their heads through the plantlife to see Luffy there face-to-face with a large gorilla that was at least three times bigger than him. Luffy had just jumped up, his arm stretching out as he tried to throw a punch. The gorilla dodged it and Luffy fell to the ground, but he wasn't going to give up that easily. He got right back up and tried again... but yet again he was having trouble aiming his punch just right.

"Well, it seems that the smaller monkeys aren't enough anymore," Robin commented as they watched him jump around and throwing punches.

"Yeah, but he still sucks at fighting," Franky said.

After the gorilla grabbed hold of Luffy's arm and slammed him into the ground, Luffy bounced up again, tilting the straw hat on his head as he threw his arm back shouting out, "GUM GUM..." but then his hand got caught in the tree behind him, and like a bungee cord, he was pulled back and swung rather pathetically from the branch.

Garp, who had been watching the whole thing, sighed, "Stupid kid."

"Yeah, I can't argue with that," Sanji nodded as he exhaled the smoke.

"There's something I need to tell you, grandpa," Luffy said as his grandpa walked up to him, and moved the hat back so that he could see Luffy's face.

"Yeah, what is it?" he asked.

"I decided I'm not gonna be some pirate," Luffy told him.

"Notice how he said 'some pirate'," Robin smiled.

"Oh no..." Usopp said, suddenly filled with dread, "Is he really gonna tell his gramps his dream?"

"Ehhhh! Garp's gonna kill him!" Chopper shouted fearfully.

But at the moment, a big grin appeared on Garps face as he asked, "So you finally came to your senses?"

"Wait for it..." Zoro said, and sure enough...

"Yeah! I'm not gonna become any pirate!" Luffy cried out happily. "I'm gonna be the King of the Pirates!"

"He's dead," Sanji said, shaking his head.