String of Fate (One Piece)

Chapter 34: Familiar Friend

Rizu POV 

"You what?!"  I ask in disbelief and completely sweat at his words.  Rosinante nods his head solemnly as he looks down at the ground.  "Yes...It's quite the problem...." he mumbles to himself and I sigh out as I try to wrap my head around just how that happened. 

I rub my temples as I think it through.  "So you haven't found Law yet in these years of you being in the North Blue.  But you heard something or think he might be in the Grand line.  You went to reverse mountain to enter but as you were entering you caught a different current and ended up in the East Blue?"  I summarized.  Rosinante nodded his head while looking distressed.  

I sigh out as I furrow my brows.  "That's the first that I heard of such things.  Just how do you catch a different current when the currents are pushing you up stream?"  I ask in disbelief and he shrugs his shoulders in response and deflates at my questions. 

"Don't worry.  At least you are alive and kicking.  You still can get to the Grand Line."  I say as pick up my bag and fix my mask.  "Where are you going?"  Rosi asks as he stumbles to pick up his stuff.  

"Well we're going to the Grand Line, aren't we?  We need to pick up a Log pose and I need to get my spear before we leave."  I say as I look at him.  "What?!  Your going to the grand line too?!"  he asks in shock as he places his mask on.  I nod my head as I start to walk towards the main street.  

"Hey wait Rizu!"  Rosi calls out to me as he picks up his stuff and follows behind me and trips over his foot.  I turn around and catch him before he falls and pull him back up.  "Thanks...." Rosi says as he scratches the back of his head.  I chuckle and continue walking where we are in the same spot where we were, the execution platform.

I smile under the mask and nod my head towards the execution platform as I turn around to start heading to the shops.  "Let's go Rosi-san."  I say in a joyful tone as I walk down the main street.  

We walk in silence  as civilians talk and chatter in the streets.  "So...."  Rosi begins breaking the not so quiet atmosphere around us.  I turn my head to him and nod my head telling him to go on and that I'm listening.  "Your mask...A new design?"  Rosi asks me as he looks at my mask.  I nod my head and hum.  "Yeah, I had made this with another person.  We both put our ideas in and it's a bit different from the ones I had made before like the one your wearing.  But I like this new design."  I say and I lift  my hand to touch the mask fondly. 

I hear Rosi hum beside me as I look at the shops and look trying to find a store.  "So Rosi, seeing that you are now here in the East Blue and trying to get to the Grand Line.  Is Law that hard to find?"  I ask as I peak over some of the people to look at the stores. 

I hear a sigh come from him.  "I hear rumors and some things to find that boy....Right as I'm about to find him, I ask around and find that he has already left or I'm too late.  Or that it was nothing and he is in some other place.  While I also run into some trouble dealing with pirates and marines as well, thinking I'm someone suspicious."  Rosi says tiredly.  I chuckle and look back at him seeing his shoulders shrunk.  

"Well I mean your looking for a boy who's roaming the North Blue who is gathering his crew right?"  I ask.  Rosi nods his head in defeat.  I pat his shoulder, "You'll find him.  Don't worry and suspicious wise...."  I say and look around seeing glances and stares at us. "It's hard not to stick out like a sore thumb when you have a mask and wearing that fluffy jacket...Even though it's not feathery like your other one but it's still...."  I trail off as I look at his full outfit seeing a black fluffy coat paired with jeans and a black button up shirt.  

Rosinante looks down at his outfit.  "What's wrong with the mask and jacket?"  Rosinante asks me and I look at him with a look under my mask and sigh.  "Not many people wear masks here like a full mask and it's not very common to see.  But you add a mask plus a warm jacket like right now, it's pretty warm.  It draws attention."  I inform him and he looks at me and chuckles.  

"Like your any better.  A lady like you wearing a bright pretty outfit and has a huge spear on her back where she has a full mask on as well."  Rosi-san says and I chuckle lightly as I nod my head.  "Indeed, that is very true.  We do stand out quite a lot."  I say and we both laugh. 

As we continue to talk and laugh about various things, we soon arrive at the shop I was looking for.  "You sure seem different as well Rizu."  Rosi says to me in a light tone.  I nod my head and smile brightly under my mask.  I stop and look at the sign.  "Well Rosi, let's stop in here."  I say and enter the shop. 

"Welcome!"  A man says with a huge smile on his face as he rubs his hands together.  I look around with Rosinante trailing behind me.  I look at the shelves and see one last log pose.   I grab it and head towards the counter.  "I'll take this.  But do you have another one in stock?"  I ask as I take out my wallet. 

"I'm sorry ma'm but that is the last one till we get another batch.  This will be 15,000 belli."  he says and I hear some sounds behind me.  I take out the desired amount and hand it to the man as I take the log pose.  I pat Rosi's shoulder bringing him back.  "Let's head out.  I have one last stop before we head to the Grand Line."  I say. 

Rosinante follows after me.  "Where are you going now?"  he asks as he pulls out a cigarette and lights it.  "To the weapon store."  I say and nods his head as he puffs out smoke.  

I enter the store and see the same man from earlier.  "I'm here to pick up the spear."  I say and he looks up from what he was doing and nods his head with a smile as he runs in the back to grab it. 

"Thank you for your business."  he says and passes me the spear.  "Thank you."  I say as I inspect the shinny finish on it and the sharpness of the blade.  I press the button seeing that it still works fine and retract it as I place it on my belt. 

"Ready?"  Rosi asks me as he leans on the doorway.  I nod my head as I fix the bag on my shoulder.  "Ready, let's head to the Grand Line."  I say with a joyous tone.  He chuckles and puts out his cigarette.  

We walk out onto the street and make our way to the dock.  

______

I untie the rope around the boat that I had attached and had Rosi sit in my boat with his damaged one attached.  I jump in the boat and kick off the dock pushing us out to the sea.  I sit down as the current takes us out and I smile under my mask.      

'I'll be off now Gol D. Roger.  The King of the Pirates!'