Keep the Promise

7

"That brat's fruit?" Sengoku asked.

"Yes, I need to find it." Garp answered.

"Don't be ridiculous, you are a marine, you can't get emotional over such a thing!" Warned Sengoku. Garp, hearing it, stopped himself. He looked at him with furious eyes.

"I…am going to find it!" He stated. Then he walked away and got to his ship. He still was remembering the time his grandson died, he cried at war while having his face buried in the ground. He wanted to just do one thing, to find something that would make him remember Luffy. He doesn't want anyone to take his grandson's fruit away. He will find it. No! He must find it.

In the meantime. At Whitebeard's ship. Sailing to the Sabaody Archipelag. Ace got the information that Dark King Rayleigh helped Straw Hat's in a fight. He didn't really want to meet someone who was his stupid father's old mate, but he didn't have a choice. Rayleigh was the only one he could trust the 'task' with.

"We are nearing the island." Said Marco while transforming back to his human form.

"I know." Ace stared. He felt the aura, even through Ray tried to turn it down, someone with good instincts could definitely feel it. He walked to the front of Moby and glanced at the island. He saw a small figure. He clenched his fists and exhaled a large sum of air. When they arrived, someone greeted them, it was that old man, Rayleigh. He sat beside a tall woman, whose name was Shakky. Whitebeard watched as his son jumped from the ship and landed in front of the white haired man.

"You are Ace, right?" Asked Rayleigh.

"Yeah, you got my message, I just want to help Luffy's crew." Ace glared. Ray just stood there and watched him. He could see the resemblance to Roger in him. Eyes, Hair, Face, but Rayleigh knew that this boy does not have the same dream. He knew the only person who could inherit Roger's dream was Luffy. But he was…dead. They will need to wait again, for someone to inherit Luffy's will. 'I guess I won't be alive by then' he thought. As a 70's year old he really had to consider his health, he thought that he would get to see Luffy becoming the Joy Boy. Rayleigh believed in fate. He believed that Luffy was the chosen one, but after what happened, he began to question it himself. Maybe fate had other plans?

"Let's go." He said. Ace followed the man. He still wasn't sure, but If he could somehow help Straw Hats then he would gladly do it. They got to a bar and sat there in silence for a while. Rayleigh remembered Luffy, who was eating meat from that fridge in the corner.

"We need to…find those guys" , Ace started. He looked at Ray from the counter.

"I gave them all a vivre-card, but I do not think that they will come here, it has been 4 days since Luffy's…" he stopped for a moment, he looked at Ace who frowned.

"Ace-kun…I can help you become better." Rayleigh suggested. "We can send them a message to train for about 2 years and then meet again." Ace was shocked.

"2 years?! Do you think they can spend 2 years in grief, when not even being sure If they are still a crew!?" Ace shouted. He still cared for them, he didn't want them to disband, because Luffy's dreams and will is still there with them.

"You sure, you can win with 'that' guys?" Rayleigh asked and Ace stopped. He remembered the war and the damage that it caused to them. He remembered that sucker Teach and how he lost to him.

"I…don't want to lose anymore. I don't want to lose anyone anymore!" He exclaimed.
 
"Then do it! If you want to protect someone, you need to be strong!" Rayleigh looked at Ace with determined eyes. Then someone knocked and walked through the doors. It was Marco.

"Ace!" He shouted and Ace worriedly looked at him. "The…the!" Marco tried to catch his breath, Ace just stared in worry.
 
"Revolutionary Army!" He exclaimed.