One Piece - Past and Future Collide

How I came?

Luffy and Whitebeard sat down as the conversation began. "Old man, I want you to help me go back to my timeline." Luffy said. Whitebeard thought for a while, "That seems the logical request. Can't you go back the same way?"

Luffy sighed, "No, I can't." A goofy grin appeared on his face as he completed, "I don't remember how I came here." "WHAAA.." Everyone shouted onboard. Ace walked to his brother before punching him on the head.

"You idiot... You can't live without troubling me. I bet I still have to babysit you in the future." Ace said. Luffy's eyes however, remembered something tragic as his grin soon became empty. He gave a laugh, "Sorry, Ace. I wish that was true, but you were on your own journey with old man."

"Am I a big shot there? No way if you are this strong, I'll have to be stronger." Ace asked curiosity beaming in his eyes. Luffy began to become uncomfortable, unable to think for an answer. Ace was the reason he became this strong but Luffy mustn't tell the reason to anyone.

"Ace!!! That's enough. " Whitebeard shouted causing Ace to sulk up. "My son, you must know that knowing the future prematurely renders it meaningless." Luffy nodded in agreement as Marco and Jozu take him away.

"All right brat, Tell me." Whitebeard began and Luffy sighed before beginning.

'Before I came here, I was sailing with my crew from Elbaf. Our intent was to claim the ONE PIECE for ourselves.

Huuuhh...I wish Robin was here to explain. She would be the better one to explain all this.

The next  few days, we celebrated our new bounties and well , enjoyed Sanji's meals. Until  Vegapunk gave us information about something that's an even greater treasure than the One Piece. He said, "Chaos Tide is the biggest treasure this world can offer to a scientist like me."

To be honest...I don't know anything about that mad doctor. He is a strange one but he seemed obsessed about this.'

Whitebeard looked at Luffy with suspicion, "Is that all? I don't think this is everything." Luffy sighed, "I knew I could not escape your Observation Haki, but I cannot tell you anything beyond this."

Whitebeard got up and patted Luffy's head, "I know, Time travel is confusing and has a lot of limitations. I had someone on my crew before, who could jump in time. She also gave answers in these bits that are completely devoid of logic or reason."

Luffy smiled, "Are you talking about Oden and Toki?" Whitebeard was surprised, "You know about Oden?" Luffy nodded as they walked to Marco, "Marco, we won't stay in Sphinx for long, get the supply as soon as possible and we are heading out to look for the Chaos Tide."

Whitebeard murmured under his breath, "You knew what you were up to, brat. You definitely knew that of all the Yonkos, only I knew about the Chaos Tide." Luffy grinned, "I have the best archaeologist, she told me to look for you if I went into past and for Pineapple if I went into future."

"Pine...Apple?" Marco muttered as the remaining commanders tried their best to stifle their laughter. Ace was the first one to burst out, "Damn...I thought you were a parrot on Pop's shoulder but Pineapple is way better."

The group looked towards the horizon as Whitebeard's homeland Sphinx appeared on the horizon. Thatch walked upto a worried Luffy, "We need to resupply here. Ace told us that you also have a black hole in your stomach." Ace turned towards him angrily, "Also...? Do you want to say something, say it to my mouth. Depending on your answer, I'll either roast you or fry you."

"See...You still think about food." Thatch said as Luffy joined Whitebeard in enjoying the bickering duo. Marco looked at Luffy, "You know, your eyes say a lot about you. Those eyes, tell me how many dead did you see with those eyes." As if almost in a trance, Luffy replied, "Too many to count." The response shocked Whitebeard as the Moby Dick prepared to dock on Sphinx.

(End of Chapter Three...To be Continued...)