~Third~

Those weak of mind collapsed around them "That strawhat you wear it suits a fearless man like yourself quit well, yes, i've wanted to meet you Monkey D. Luffy"Rayleigh said, after that Rayleigh turned to Kamie climbing up the latter "I'm going to remove your collar now are you ready young lady?"Rayleigh asked.

"Whoa now hold on are you crazy? You can it'll explode"Pappagu said "Yeah it's true we've seen it happen before, stop you'll hurt her!"Chopper said "Bad idea, very bad idea!"Brook said "Stop him please"Chopper said turning to Luffy.

"Hey wait a second isn't Franky off somewhere looking for the key as we speak? Why don't we just wait for him to bring it back?"Usopp suggested "Yeah he's right Luffy please don't let him do it"Pappagu pleaded.

"It'll be alright just don't flinch"Rayleigh assured Kamie "I have no idea what kind of power that guy used earlier but one thing i know for sure is he's no ordinary man"Zoro said "So that makes it okay to risk Kamie's life? Damn it where's Franky with that key? What's he doing?"Sanji asked.

"I'm telling you just wait! This is a big mistake!"Pappagu said "It's fine Pappagu"Nicole said, they watched as Rayleigh set off the timer but just as it went off Rayleigh did something, even Nicole had a hard time catching exactly what he did, and boom, the collar went off but once the smoke cleared they saw Kamie was totally fine, not a scratch on her.

"Don't scare me like that, i thought i was too late, after all the trouble to find the key and you don't even need the damned thing"Franky said walking over with the key ring, Pappagu ran over to Kamie and hugged her.

"What the hell? How'd you do that? These weren't easy to find you know"Franky said referring to the keys "Oh nicely done, better luck next time then, here carry her, Kamie you're safe now nothing to worry about"Rayleigh said.

"How did you? Thank you"Kamie said, Rayleigh just shook his head "What's going on here? Look man i appreciate the help but seriously who are you?"Franky asked "He's Silvers Rayleigh also known as the Dark King, am i right?"Nicole called.

Rayleigh chuckled a bit turning to her "Your eyes are even sharper then your fathers miss Mihawk but i'm just the humble coating engineer Ray now, don't go calling me that other name" he said walking up the steps over to Hatchan.

"Looks like you'll live Hatchi, what did i tell you about walking around this archipelago you gotta be more careful"Rayleigh said kneeling beside Hatchan "I know i'm sorry"the fishman said "Thank you for everything i appreciate you saving my friend here"Rayleigh said turning to Luffy.

"So what was that about you wanting to meet me?"Luffy asked "Let's save that for later, first we need to get out of here"Rayleigh said "Luffy they've got us surrounded"Nicole said before they heard some guy over a speaker.

"Alright you criminals release the Rosswalt family, an admiral will be arriving shortly, i recommend you surrender immediately and don't blame us for whatever happens you rookies!" the guy said "Well we're just innocent bystanders, why's the navy treating us like accomplishes?" Law asked.

"On the upside i got to see Strawhat Luffy do something crazy so no complaints there still i rather avoid fighting an admiral"Kid said "Sure but if you're expecting me to help i've used my power enough for today, it's all up to you now it'll be hard for me to stay if the navy discovers who i am"Rayleigh said.

"I don't need a senior citizen to fight for me, the longer we wait the worse it'll get, i'm out of here, if you babies can't take care of a few marines then sit here while i show how a real man takes care of things"Kid said walking off but Law and Luffy were quick to follow seeing what he said as a challenge.

Nicole sweatdropped "I bet they just wanna show off for the old generation that the new generation is better"she muttered making Rayleigh laugh "Do all captains act like children or just those idiots?"Nami wondered "Hey it's gonna get ugly out there let's use this chance to escape waiting around is just plain crazy"Usopp said.

"Hatchin, thank you i'm sorry for causing you so much trouble"Kamie said as she was carried over by Franky, never mind all that i'm just glad that you're alright"Hatchan said "Kamie i should of known better then to let you go to that amusement park it's my fault this happened to you" Pappagu cried.

"No there isn't anything for you to be sorry about Pappagu i'll cherish the memory of that Ferris Wheel ride forever"Kamie said "Strawhat told me almost the exact same thing"Pappagu said and told her what Luffy told them earlier "Luffy"Kamie said.

"Follow them try to brake through in one shot"Zoro said "That sounds like a plan if we happen to get separated in the chaos let's meet up at grove 13"Rayleigh said "I know my way around, grove 13 got it"Zoro said, Nicole sweatdropped "You'll be lucky if you find your way out of the building"Usopp said.

"Mister giant what about you?"Rayleigh asked "All of us were on the verge of becoming slaves now i'm gonna escape somewhere with them"the giant said "Very well try not to draw attention to yourself okay?"Rayleigh said "Old man! Strawhat and your crew! I will repay the favor if we ever meet again! Thanks for everything!"the giant said waving them off as the crew made their way out of the building.

As they excited the building, Nicole wished she could use one of her moves to burn it down but she had a feeling this place wouldn't be running anymore after this, more then anything she was just glad to get out of there.

The marines ran in for a blind attack, the Strawhats rejoined their captain and fought their way through the marines to the Rosy Life Riders that helped them escape, they made their way to Shakky's bar and hid out for a while as Rayleigh told them exactly who he was.

"What? You were on Gold Roger's crew?!"Luffy asked "I was, in fact i served as his vice captain the name is Silvers Rayleigh nice to meet you"he said shocking the others "Why didn't you tell them slip your mind?"Shakky asked Hatchan "We only needed him to coat the boat so i didn't think about it"the fishman said.

"Wait you didn't know who he was?"Robin asked "Not his face but i sure know his name"Usopp cried "He's in so many books, he's legendary"Nami cried "It's a name definitely everyone's heard at least once"Sanji said "So how do an octopus and a big shot pirate know each other?"Zoro asked.

"Hatchi rescued me, i was stranded at sea and he found me that was over twenty years ago but i'll never forget it for as long as i live"Rayleigh said "Hatchi was still just a little kid when it happened but he saved Rayleigh's life"Shakky said "We remained good friends after that incident till he joined up with the Sun Pirates"Rayleigh said.

"However, if Gold Roger was executed 22 years ago, how come you, the vice captain, are still alive? Your crew was captured by the navy right?"Sanji asked "We weren't captured, Roger surrendered to them, i suppose the government claimed that they'd "captured" him, to show their power"Rayleigh said.

"The Pirate King surrendered? Why?"Nami asked "He could see the end of our journey, it was probably about four years before he was executed when Roger caught an incurable disease, it was a disease that nobody could cure or stabilize, even Roger suffered from it but one man, the most well known doctor of his time, a man called Crocus of the Twin Capes had the skill to ease his suffering"Rayleigh said.

"We asked him for help and he joined as the ship's doctor for our last journey and then ,three years later, while holding off Roger's disease we did what they said was impossible and conquered the Grand Line"Rayleigh said.

"Crocus? From the Twin Capes? Oh how nostalgic!"Brook said "What? I thought that old man had been at those capes for fifty years, so he was a part of the Pirate King's crew?"Usopp asked "Come to think of it he did say he had been a ship's doctor for a while, so he was a pirate for those three years?"Nami asked.

"If you met him then that must mean he's still well, Crocus only had one condition that we let him look for a certain pirate crew whom he wanted to find"Rayleigh said "Hey Brook! That must mean he went off to sea to look for your crew"Usopp said "So Crocus even did something like that for us?"Brook cried.

"He was only a crew member for three years but he was without a doubt a part of us, at my age i would really like to see him again"Rayleigh said "So what happened after you conquered the sea?"Sanji asked.

"After that Roger became known all over the world as the Pirate King, it's not like he'd been called the Pirate King all along, titles like that didn't mean much for a man on the verge of death but Roger was happy about it, he was a man who loved doing everything in a grand style, be it celebrations or battle even though he knew he wouldn't live much longer he seemed to enjoy himself"Rayleigh said.

"Eventually, at the captains orders, the Roger pirates disbanded, we all went our separate ways and one after another everyone disappeared, i have no idea what our comrades whom we risked our lives with are now nor what they are doing"Rayleigh said.

"Then one year after the crew dissolved Roger turned himself in and was arrested, it was decided that he would be executed in the town he was born in Roguetown in East Blue, i hear that on that day countless pirates who are famous today were gathered in the square"Rayleigh said.

"My father was one of them"Nicole decided to cut in shocking the others but Rayleigh just smirked "Is that so?"he asked, Nicole just nodded and Rayleigh chuckled "Anyway the Pirate King's execution was the center of attention for the world, i didn't go, his last words to me were 'I'm not gonna die, partner' "Rayleigh said.

"I'm sure both the word government and the navy were surprised, they had intended for the execution to be a warning to all pirates who saw it but Roger's last words raised the curtain on the great pirate era 'My treasures? If you want them, they're yours! Look for them! I left it all at that place' just a few seconds before the flames of his life went out it flickered and he turned it into a blazing flare that covered the entire world"Rayleigh said.

"I've never laughed as hard as i did that night, i've never cried as much as i did that night, nor have i ever drank as much as i did that night, he led a marvelous life as my captain"Rayleigh said, Luffy shivered from excitement.

"Seems like we just heard quite the story, it sounds like a completely different story coming from someone who was involved"Nami said "Then it's almost as though Roger intended to start this pirate era"Usopp said.

"I can't say anything for sure about that, Roger died, the ones creating the current era are those who live right now, i'm sure there were a lot of people who received something from Roger in the square that day, Shanks whom you know well was one of them"Rayleigh said.

"Pops you know Shanks?"Luffy asked stuffing his face with food "If you're from the East Blue then maybe you know a pirate named Buffy as well? Those two were swabbies aboard our ship" Rayleigh said "Shanks was onboard the Pirate King's ship?!"Luffy asked.

"What? He didn't tell you? It was about ten years ago, i encountered him by chance on this island, he'd lost his trademark straw hat and his left arm, when i asked him why he excitedly started telling me about you"Rayleigh said.

"Ever since then Monkey D. Luffy i've wanted to meet you someday, if Shanks hadn't told me all of those things about you, i wouldn't have told you any of this either, anyway you did well to make it this far, he must be awaiting your arrival in the New World"Rayleigh said.

"Really? Yeah he must be! I wanna see him again too!"Luffy said "Now then getting down to business i believe you wanted your ship coated right? Then it's high time for me to return to my real work"Rayleigh said "That reminds me i wasn't sure exactly how much the coating would cost"Hatchan said.

"Ah don't you worry about it Hatchi, i couldn't possibly take money from friends of yours" Rayleigh said "Oh wow you're the best Rayleigh"Hatchan said "Not sure why but he's doing it for free thanks"Usopp said "We certainly appreciate it that's very generous of you"Sanji said "We just saved a ton of money"Nami cheered.

"Rayleigh i have a question, what exactly is the will of D? There was a poneglyph on sky island Roger's name was inscribed on it in that ancient form of writing how does he know it how can he use that language? Please tell me do you know what happened in the world during the blank century? The missing history from nine hundred years ago?"Robin asked.

"Yes, we know"Rayleigh simply said "We learned all of it, the entirety of the missing history but miss you mustn't be so hasty just keep moving forward, see this is your journey now we and Ohara might have hurried too much for our own good"Rayleigh said.

"I'm sure that's not what you wanted to hear, even if i told you everything about that history here and now just as you are, you couldn't do anything about it, once you've taken the time to really see the world it might change your outlook and possible lead you to a different answer but if you still insist on hearing it, i can tell you everything, it's up to you"Rayleigh said.

"No i'll pass and continue my journey"Robin said "It'll all make sense to you one of these days, i'm very sorry for what happened in your home land of Ohara but that doesn't change the fact that Roger didn't decipher that writing, we were all pirates remember? Not geniuses or scholars, no match for Clover or the other great minds of Ohara, see captain Roger could just hear its voice"Rayleigh said.

Robin glanced over to Nicole remembering how she heard the ponyglyph whisper back in sky island and connected the dots, the ponyglyphs through whatever reason had a voice, what that meant she wasn't sure "Are you sure about this Robin? Seems like your passing up a pretty big opportunity"Usopp said.

"Hey old guy i've gotta question of my own, the treasure Roger talked about, the legendary One Piece tell me is it really?"Usopp was cut off "THAT'S ENOUGH!!!"Luffy yelled at him "I don't wanna know where the One Piece is hidden, i don't even wanna know if it exists"Luffy said.

"Every single one of us put our life on the line and set out to sea without knowing anything i'd rather give up being a pirate then know i won't go on a boring adventure, we need to sail and find out for ourselves"Luffy said, Nicole smirked a bit she had a hunch someone might ask about it and she knew that was exactly what Luffy would say.

"Sorry sorry i knew that it just slipped out of my mouth that's all i don't wanna know either, ah i just remembered i have i'll die if i learn anything about the One Piece disease, don't say anything old guy you'll kill me, keep it to yourself"Usopp said.

"Oh in that case let me ask you, do you think you can do it? The New World far surpasses anything you can imagine, your foes will be powerful knowing that you think you can still rule this mighty sea?"Rayleigh asked.

"What, i don't wanna rule anything being the Pirate King is about being more free then anyone" Luffy grinned "I see"Rayleigh chuckled a bit "Your ship is in grove number 1 right? I guess i'll head over there now and get started, what do you plan to do anyway? At any moment an admiral could be here looking for you"he said heading out.

"That's right,we'll only be a nuisance if we stay here so maybe, we go shopping"Nami said "What are you insane?! We're being chased by the world government! We gotta hide!"Usopp yelled at her "He's got a point if we stick together that makes us an easy target for those marines and it'll be easier for the old guy to finish his work if we each find somewhere to lay low in town for a while"Franky said.

"Right then i say we split up, keep track of the work and when it's done we meet back here"Zoro said, it did sound like a plan but an uneasiness started to gather in Nicole, she felt that something bad was right around the corner and not just the admiral, anyway Rayleigh passed out pieces of his vivre card as the group went outside the bar.

"Since i happen to be a bit notorious myself i think i'll move your ship from grove number 1 and work on it somewhere more secluded, i'll need three days to complete the coating process" Rayleigh told them "Why's take so long?"Luffy asked "It needs time to seal so i can't go any faster"Rayleigh said "Then it's three day of survival in the woods for us"Brook said.

Nicole tensed, this pit of dread in her guts was telling her they wouldn't survive until the end of the day, only Zoro seemed to notice but decided not to ask right now, she had been acting weird all day.

"Let's meet at sundown three days from now, i don't know what grove i'll be on then so use the vivre cards to find me wherever that leads you that's where i'll be finishing the coating and waiting for you, it probably a good idea to pick up some supplies for your underwater voyage to fish man island"Rayleigh said.

"Luffy, all of you thank you for everything"Kamie said "You guys are awesome"Pappagu cried "And i'm sorry, sorry i caused you guys so much trouble, i owe you my life, do your best to stay clear of the marines"Hatchan said "Hatchi get plenty of bed rest okay?"Chopper said.

"See you again in three days we'll be there to send you off"Shakky said "See ya later nice lady" Luffy said before he laughed a bit "We're up against an admiral we need to make sure none of us get killed"he said "Stop saying scary stuff like that!"Usopp yelled at him.

Just then that pit of dread in Nicole's gut turned into a crushing weight as she sensed that one of the admirals had arrived on the archipelago, she could tell it wasn't Aokiji and for all their sake she hoped it wasn't Akainu.