Checkmate

Chapter Two

In the past couple days, he'd learned a great many things.  An era ended, an era began.  A young rookie with the name of 'D' had taken to causing a ruckus on the ocean, though he had not been seen since the war that claimed Whitebeard's life.  Another man with the name of 'D' had stolen Whitebeard's title.  Sengoku had retired, leaving Sakazuki to take his place.  Doflamingo had succeeded in his plot to take Dressrosa, and had become a Warlord.

But that didn't shock him as much as learning about Law.

Little Law, who Rosi had last seen sick and dying, was now a pirate - the Surgeon of Death - and a Warlord to boot.

The Warlord meeting was in less than a week.  Law would be there, did he know Rosi was alive?

Not likely, Rosi thought as he sat at his desk, sifting through newspapers that Sengoku had brought him - and that Sakazuki had neglected to mention.  Sakazuki likely wanted to keep this to himself, to keep us on our toes - Law, myself, and even Doflamingo....

The only reason Cora had found out about Law and his status was because of Sengoku.  The man had kept tabs on Law, though the only thing he had to show for it was a Wanted Poster kept rolled up in his desk - he wasn't Garp, after all, flaunting his relationship with notorious criminals to anyone who would listen.

"It's the only picture I have," Sengoku had said as he handed over the Wanted Poster.  "A surprisingly hard kid to track, but I did my best."

Sengoku went on to explain how technically, he wasn't even supposed to be on base - he'd been ordered to go check out a small marine base a few days away, but he'd complained of a bad back and sent someone else in his steed.  

He didn't want to think about how if Sengoku hadn't been on base, he wouldn't have known about Law.

Rosi folded up the poster and slipped it into his coat pocket, eyes narrowed.  Sakazuki was trying to play the politician's game and get a leg up on Law, and he knew for a fact that Law hated surprises, unless it was onigiri.  

He had to contact Law, before the would-be disaster of the Warlord meeting.

Setting down his papers, he got up from his chair - briefly stumbling - and swiftly hurried out the door.  The only thing that kept him from tripping and falling was the unexpected and out of place baying of a goat.

Rosi flailed about, trying to regain his balance.  "A goat?  But - why?"

"Sorry about that," said Sengoku, who stood next to the goat, an amused smile crossing his face.  "He likes to follow me around."

Rosi stared at Sengoku.  "Did you feed it or something?"

"Garp's rice crackers I confiscated, yes.  Going somewhere?"

He nodded, straightening his jacket.  "Actually, yes.  Do you know if there are any Den Den Mushi available with a connection to the Warlords?"

Sengoku picked up the goat and eyed him as they walked - Rosi hadn't told him where they were  going, but the older man seemed to catch his drift.  "Sakazuki likes to keep matters involving pirates within the reach of his hands.  I'd say you can find a Den Den Mushi like that in his office."

Coincidentally - or perhaps not - that was the direction Rosi had been aiming for.

On a totally unrelated note, Rosi asked if Sakazuki was in his office.

Sengoku answered that he was not, in fact, in his office - he was out on a lunch break with Borsalino.

"I'll need to get in there," Rosi mused thoughtfully.