Differences, Age and On To War

_________ POV Narration _________ 

"So that's it?... That's Raftel?" Garp asked as he stood at the precipice of the Sky Archipelago with his arms crossed firmly.

"Indeed... It looks just like the day we left it..." Rayleigh sighed as he ran a hand through his blonde hair.

"It's strange, back then there weren't even any tales about it... Almost as if Roger was the first to find it." Francisco pondered, his eyes also firmly set on the island in front of him.

Shiki also seemed to have similar thoughts as he stared at the island.

"I guess I wasn't expecting something like this. Roger, that bastard, said he left all of his treasure here... But anyone that knew him knew he was a broke bastard..." Garp sneered, before shaking his head. 

Rayleigh wanted to refute Garp's words for a moment, but in the end, he just shook his head with a crooked smile on his face.

'Roger was many things during his life... But he was never great at managing his finances. 

Hell, none of us were. Crocus spent money on new materials all the time, Gaban was a gambler, and I always had a new wardrobe for every island we went to...

We did collect quite a bit of treasure, but it was likely less than what most greedy pirates would while on the New World. Granted we didn't focus on treasure through.' 

The blonde-haired pirate couldn't help but feel melancholic when staring at that island, remembering the days Roger had first set foot on the island.

He was proud to have witnessed that moment. To witness his captain achieving his dream. Even if Roger was, in the end, not fated to be the one to free the world. 

Garp also didn't really need much of an explanation. It didn't matter what wealth Roger possessed at the end of the day, Raftel in itself likely contained wealth, and Roger just said whatever he could to attract more people. 

Rather than tall tales that could be easily called fantasy by the government, he used something that could be considered 'tangible'. 

Big Mom looked at the island with a bit of concealed greed. She had sought after the One Piece as well in her time, but only now was she that close to it.

And of course, one of the rookies she had disregarded ended up being the one to grab it. He had gone and become the pirate king.

Though by the stories she heard about Wano from Shiki, Luffy was already well above her level in strength.

Whitebeard just looked at the island with a wide smile.

He very much remembered his first interaction with Luffy, how the young pirate had so brazenly challenged him, claiming that only he would become the King of Pirates.

Well, it seemed that he was right.

'To think he'd progress this much in a mere 2 years... The world is truly a strange place.' The Tremor Fruit user couldn't help but shake his head a bit.

On one hand, he felt odd at being surpassed by so many people. He had once firmly held the title of the 'strongest' after all.

But then again, he was not one to put much value on those titles.

Instead, the emotion that he felt the most was joy. The joy that he got to see Roger's will be carried on into the next generation. The joy that his sons and daughters would also get to see the fruit of Roger's labor, a free world.

 Few men knew just how much Roger had sacrificed in order to set things in motion. What he had given up. 

Whitebeard was one of the few people alive who actually could have obtained the one piece long before Luffy ever set out on his journey. He had both the manpower and the personal power to do so.

However, he had no interest in it. Even now, as he stared at the gigantic golden temple, one that was surely filled with riches, he felt nothing in particular.

He knew that no matter the wealth hidden within that temple, it was nothing compared to the family he now had, and the bonds he had built over the years.

To him, this war was a fight to protect his family and to show them a better future. But everyone had their own reasons for participating in the war. 

Shanks, for example, wanted to see his captain's dreams finally be accomplished. Same for Rayleigh, though it would've been a lie to say that they didn't care for Luffy at that point regardless. 

Big Mom had her greed, but what overpowered that greed now was her respect for Enel. And she joined the war to fight for her family as well. 

Most of the Marines were different, however. They were looking to upturn the system, to show the world what actual justice meant, to rid it of its unfair overlords. 

Their views now ironically aligned perfectly with the Revolutionary Army, a group they had all mostly detested in the past. 

Whether it was fighting for the World's freedom, for profit, for true justice, for family, or loved ones... All of the people that Enel had gathered all had one thing in common, no matter their backgrounds... They were willing to fight. 

They were willing to put aside their differences. To discard any misgivings they might've had with each other, and band together to strive towards one shared goal. 

Enel couldn't help but smile as he took a moment to look at everyone present. He stood with them at the edge of the island, staring at Raftel with a smile.

"Finally here..." 

Before he even knew it, his islands were hovering above the grand temple, he couldn't help but smile as he felt the Straw Hats and Vegapunks on the ground.

"Huh...?" Enel blinked a few times before rubbing his eyes and earlobes and trying again. 

"What's wrong, Captain?" Francisco immediately noticed his confusion.

"Well... Garp, Francisco, let's go down for a moment. Anyone that wants to can tag along!" Enel clapped, turning around to the cadres of his army with a smile before vanishing into a flash of light.

"Tsch, bastard went ahead of us!" Garp immediately hopped off the island, followed by Francisco, who just sighed and leaned off the edge, allowing himself to freefall off the island.

"..." Shanks and Rayleigh looked at each other, their gazes a bit complex, before jumping down as well.

Whitebeard stroked his rounded mustache for a moment before nodding and jumping down as well, only leaving a 'GuRaRaRa~' behind him. 

On the ground, the situation was a bit... Confusing.

Enel was in front of the Strawhats, it was just that... They didn't look quite like he remembered them.

"Enel! You finally arrived! Shishishi~!" Ok, Luffy looked the exact same as before, somehow even more energetic. Enel also remarked that he felt overwhelmingly powerful somehow... 

"Of course I have... What happened here?" He asked as he looked at the rest of the crew.

Brook, unsurprisingly, also looked the same, although he also felt much stronger than before. "It is a long story~ Yohohoh~" 

Franky looked more cyborg than human, even more so than before. His metallic limbs and torso were a lot more 'human-like than ever before, but Enel could tell they packed a lot of high-tech weaponry with just a glance.

"Indeed, but we did become more 'SUPER' over the years~" His voice sounded just as human though. 

Other than that, all of the Straw Hats... Were older?

Zoro had a full greyed-out beard and long hair. His muscles were just as well defined. His will seemed to be sharper than ever too. He looked to be around 60 or 70 at that point. "Heh, I bet you my blade can reach him now..." The swordsman, although older, still kept his spirit it seemed.

Sanji had surprisingly aged much more gracefully, only sporting a trimmed beard, accompanied by a sharper jawline. He looked to be in his fifties. "Who cares about your blade, moss head?" Sanji smiled 

His legs were a lot thicker now, visibly larger than before, almost twice as much. It somewhat reminded Enel of what a professional and roided-up triathlete looked like back in his old world. 

He also wore shorts, showcasing his rather large and well-defined quad muscles. 

What was clear to Enel was that his rivalry with Zoro had not really changed at all... 

"Stop fighting you old idiots!" Thankfully, the resident Navigator was still in charge of wrangling the manchildren. 

Nami had also aged gracefully, not looking much different, but gaining a more mature charm. Enel couldn't quite guess her age at first glance... It also didn't help that her voice sounded just as young as before. 

"Heh, some things never change!" Ussop was a lot easier to guess though. He also had a long, curly beard. His long nose remained unchanged, but his eyes gained a much sharper look. 

He strangely wore a piece of high-tech armor that covered most of his body, he also had a helmet hooked on a belt on his hip. 

This armor was present throughout the Straw Hat members for the most part, the only exceptions being Luffy, Brook, Zoro, and Sanji. 

Now, even when looking at Enel, he held no fear in his eyes, none of his previous panic. Even if he was still afraid internally, he at least learned to not let it show. 

Chopper also grew a beard, he was taller, and much more refined-looking. He was still wearing a doctor's gown for the most part though. he was also wearing the same high-tech suit underneath his coat, alongside a monocle.

Jimbei was also looking like an old man, his body had undergone quite a few changes, his shark teeth becoming more pronounced and arms becoming even more filled with muscle.

He was also wearing a high-tech suit, which stuck close to his skin and showcased his muscles even further. 

Vegapunk and Sentomaru were also looking different. Of course, Vegapunk looked the exact same in appearance, but Enel felt that each satellite now packed a lot of augmentations that he hadn't seen in the past.

"Enel! It sure has been a while... You have a lot to catch us up on, but I am assuming we still have some time, right?" Stella, Vegapunk's original body, now fully turned into an android, spoke out. 

"There is time... But I still need an explanation here." Enel sweated a bit as he felt Garp and Francsico approaching them.

He then took a look at the one Straw Hat Pirate he cared about the most. Robin.

Sure, they all looked different, and it was surely bizarre, but the biggest change in Enel's eyes was still Robin. She was currently looking like she was around 60, and although she had aged well the signs were still showing.

She now had long, flowing gray hair, and her face was also much older, the lines around her eyes and nose showcasing her age.

But regardless of all of that, Enel couldn't help but find her beautiful, even though he had to 'stare' at her through a veil. She was wearing a suit of armor as well, but unlike the others, she was covering her face with a mask.

Enel could hazard a guess as to why, but he first waited for her to speak up.

"Well..." 

Robin was, at the end of the day, the one to explain things properly to Enel.

She went on to tell him about the One Piece and about the Time Bubble.

Enel just tilted his head and listened. He found it difficult to believe... In the few moments he had spent in his awakened form, he had felt no such 'Time Bubble' around the island.

He did feel a strange barrier, but he figured it was just something related to the mist that constantly shrowded the island, and didn't give it much thought. 

Apparently, Vegapunk had tried to contact Enel, to call him to spend some time in the bubble before it fell as well. But the time bubble had affected the Den Den Mushi the most.

Even being in its vicinity was harmful to them, and all of their means of contacting Enel had died off during the first year they spent in that bubble. 

It also didn't help that Vegapunk was hyper-focused on his research. Research that Enel could see the fruits of... 

Behind Vegapunk stood special Pacifistas, they all took the forms of the Straw Hats, but Enel could tell that they were all spliced in genes and races, they were essentially upgraded versions of the Seraphims in a sense. 

But also not quite, Vegapunk didn't have any Lunarian DNA left to give them the overpowered traits of that race. 

The scientist and his satellites had likely not managed to copy over Nika's fruit either. Mythical Zoans were not among the types of fruits that Vegapunk could replicate. 

Still, the Seraphs were not the only things that Vegapunk had built, he had prepared other strange weapons as well. And Franky had worked alongside them too by the look of things.

Still, Enel looked at all of them and sighed.

"Jeez... You guys really went and managed to give Bonney even more work than before." The Emperor shook his head and sighed before turning back to Robin. 

The Archeologist just crossed her arms and gave Enel a blank stare. "I remember it being quite effortless for her to use her devil fruit..." 

"Maybe, but that doesn't mean she feels like using it all the time, it does take energy... Thankfully, she should be able to bring you back to your primes without much issue.

Also, why are you covering your face? Do I not even get a kiss after all this time?" Enel just offhandedly answered her question and placed one of his own.

"... I am much older now Enel. I'd rather you not see me like this." Yep, Robin was still a woman at the end of the day, she had covered her face when she saw Enel's Flying Archipelago approaching in the distance. 

She was by no means ugly, but she did feel a bit insecure about her age now like all women tended to get at some point. 

"Well, I'll be dammed! Didn't think I'd ever see you this flustered over nothing..." Enel couldn't help but stifle a laugh as he eyed Robin with a friendly glance. 

"I am not flustered, Enel... I simply do not wish to be seen by you in this state. I only ask that you respect my wishes, and nothing more." The atmosphere immediately became a bit more strained as Enel's face fell, his attempt at teasing Robin backfiring quite miraculously.

"Fine." In the end, the Emperor just nodded. He wanted to say more, but at that point, he didn't feel like pushing it.

By Robin's explanation, the Straw Hats were no longer the same people he knew. After all, who knew what changes they had undergone after so many years? 

In the end, he set his gaze back on Luffy, just as Francisco and Garp landed behind him.

"Holy shit!" Garp immediately reacted as he looked around at the crew with a confused gaze.

"Huh... I guess Bonney wasn't the only one able to control time?" Francisco was a bit less shocked at the sight, especially since he didn't know most of the Straw Hats. He only really knew that they were supposed to be younger than Enel and the others. 

"Well, she's one of the only ones alive I'm sure..." The Lightning Emperor turned to him and flashed him a smile.

He was about to continue, but a slight tremor hit the ground as Whitebeard also landed on the ground, followed by Rayleigh and Shanks. 

Before they could even comment on the strange circumstances of Straw Hats, Enel already responded to their queries. 

"This was the work of a previous user of her fruit. I'll brief everyone on that later. Bonney will help them get back to a more appropriate age where necessary." Enel turned around and clapped his hands. 

 Shanks and Rayleigh still looked at Luffy with a bit of worry and expectation in thier gazes.

"Shanks, Rayleigh... I did it... I became the King of Pirates!" Luffy shouted, his energy rolling to such an extent that it shocked all of the old men present.

'Shit... This kid went and became a monster already...' Francisco sweated a bit. He felt strangely small in front of Luffy now, he had never felt that way, not even in front of Xebec or Kaido... 

'Has he surpassed Enel?!' Garp also felt the same, but more so than a tinge of fear, he felt overwhelming pride. 

The Lightning Emperor couldn't help but smile.

'I wonder what surprises he'll bring during the war... I'm sure it will be satisfying enough...'

"We'll continue the meet and greet on the ship... We still have some preparations left to do..." Enel looked at everyone with a serious gaze before turning into a flash of lightning and taking to the skies. 

"Shishishi~ See you all in the skies!" Luffy shouted before stretching his hand, it immediately broke the sound barrier and reached the nearest sky island, to which he grabbed the edge and allowed himself to be pulled up.

"Oi, you brat! You better greet your grandfather properly!" Garp immediately jumped after him. Francisco just sighed and followed Garp, somewhat excited to find out more about the current Straw Hats. 

"Gurararara~ That brat became even more absurd!" Whitebeard's legs immediately flexed, and he jumped with enough force to create a gigantic cloud of dust, which Sanji proceeded to blow away with just a swipe of his leg. 

"Well then..." The cook said as he looked up to the skies. "Let's follow our captain." Zoro continued, a wide smile spreading across his lips, looking almost demented.

Robin also looked at the sky, her gaze a bit more complicated before she nodded.

Most of them flew up using thier suits, Sanji used Moon Walk and Robin grew a large pair of wings. 

Rayleigh and Shanks looked at each other and shook their heads. They wasted no time in climbing jumping back up towards the islands. 

Franky simply walked towards the Thousand Sunny and tapped its side. In an instant, coloured chains sprouted from his open palm and engulfed the Sunny, swallowing it whole. 

After that, his legs unfolded slightly to showcase some combustion exhaust pipes, which immediately activated and sent him flying towards the rest of his crew. 

And just like that, the Strawhats and Vegapunk joined the fleet... And they were headed straight for the Holy Land, at last. 

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Hope you liked the chapter!

More details on the progress of the Strawhats and Vegapunk's invention will be shown during the war, which is starting in the next 2 chaps ;) 

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