new_world_dr | [Text]

[Kings indeed! He laughs along with the pun, enjoying it more than any normal person probably ought to, but look. Dumb puns? Sign him up. He sets his knife blade-end in the fire for now to help clean it - lizards can make you sick, fish usually don't, he learned early on, and he'd wiped the blade off after gutting the monitor but hadn't any better way to sterilize it until now - then holds up his prizes.]

The fish weren't hard, they basically caught themselves. You made a great hook. This guy, though, he thought he'd come steal my bait while I wasn't looking, and I was faster.

[He sets the monitor down beside the fire, then takes the few steps toward the waves to rinse off the fish. When he comes back, he drapes them over the nearest driftwood log, then selects one and sits down, and uses the back of his blade to scrape the scales off.]

How were the crabs?

["He made a poor choice that we will benefit from."

Rosinante watches quietly for a moment while he scrapes the scales away. It's such a mundane, soothing motion. And although he knows that he can't do it himself, by rules alone, there's something he finds really pleasant about this whole thing. The sound of the scales being scraped, the smell of the fish and the cooked crabs, the birds calling in the distance.

This place is beautiful. The food is good, he's absolutely thrilled at unseasoned crabs and he's excited to eat fresh caught fish and lizards. This really is a treat. He's glad that he managed to end up on this island today, that he found himself on this beach. He got to meet Rosinante, who is so different and so amazing, he got to try new things, and a part of him feels young and healthy again. Maybe once in a while, the sun and heat are good for a person.

He wants to take Law here.

"Good! I saved some for you, you should enjoy your work too."]

Oh, no, go ahead, you're the one who hasn't eaten in days.

[In fact, he's not even going to look over at those crabs. Enjoy them, your majesty, he's working on the fish. With one side down to bare skin, he slices neatly along the ribcage in a fillet, still attached along the dorsal side, then slices it into strips, easily detached with a tug. He sets the knife back down on a rock, then holds the half-prepared fish between the two of them and tears off a piece for himself. It's not bad. He's had better, always liked ocean fish more, but it'll do.]

Here, you take that and I'll get this big ugly thing carved up to cook.

[Rosinante looks a little bit like a scolded kid for a moment, a bit amazed again at how Rosinante picked up on that bit of unwanted truth. Did he say it? He can't remember bringing up any timelines for his last meal. Then again, with his mental state currently, there's a lot he doesn't remember clearly. So he leave it at that, and smiles again.

He won't turn down the other crabs at all, he's honestly glad to have them for himself, working through them with as much elegance and dignity as possible considering the situation. They're messy to eat, but they're so good even after sitting for a bit. This is something he wants to do again someday, but maybe with seasoning and wine, and more people.

And just when he thinks things can't get better, there's fish. There's something visceral and surreal about this part to him, it's kind of primal to just tear at raw fish like this. But even that has it's own appeal.

"Have you eaten one of those before?"

On the note, a little lizard draws itself, so it's obvious what he's writing about.]

Caught one once when I was a kid. A little one, not like this. Ate it raw, like the starving idiot I was, and I was sick for a week.

[He steals a piece of the fish as he turns to talk, then sets about butchering the monitor. The crab skewer gets reused to collect smaller pieces but much of the rest can go straight on the fire. He's no chef, there's nothing gourmet about the preparation, but it will work to feed them. He spares a minute to get up and grab some large leaves growing in the undergrowth behind them, just to have something to put food on, and picks up another stick to whittle away at while he's at it.]

I know some places they eat these, or crocodiles, or big snakes.

[There, now that he has "plates" he can work on preparing that other fish, too, and with the fistful of edible seaweed he had found earlier they can even have a sort of salad. Not a bad spread.]

["They make you sick if you don't cook them? Didn't know."

It's good enough information to have, although he's not sure when he'll have to worry about eating lizards again. This hopefully won't be a long term excursion, he has so much to do, so much to achieve. And he wonders about how it would make a person ill for a moment, but he also is more interested in their neat little spread than thinking about lizard flesh induced sickness details.

"My diet at home is pretty simple, now that I think about it. This all sounds exotic to me."

He really wants to try crocodile meat now, snake too. They sound exciting, and he decides that once he finds Law and all is settled he's going to take him on a food tour so that he can share the experience with him. It's just so fun, being outside of armed guard, being away from responsibilities, just for a bit.

"Food tastes better outside."

Or when he's so hungry it aches, that probably works in the meal's favor too.]

Probably like raw chicken does. It's just fish that's okay to eat raw. And steak, I guess, but I can't say I've had that, I've just heard of it.

[And given the opportunity to try he'd probably pass it up. Red meat? It's okay, but hand over the coleslaw instead. Or this fish, honestly.

Food does taste better outside though, and he laughs a little at that and nods.]

Satisfying, isn't it? Fresh food on the beach. What do you normally eat at home?

[That makes sense, there are a lot of foods, meats in particular that shouldn't be eaten as is. There has to be some preparation to keep a person safe, but as a rule Rosinante doesn't eat a lot of meat anyway. So it's not a problem for him in the end.

He pulls at the fish more for another bite. It's really good, but he's starting to think that he might not enjoy it so much if it wasn't part of the whole experience. But that's fine too. He's fine with his enjoyment being situationally shaped.

"I eat a lot of salads, fruit, fish and eggs too. And energy bars and drinks, I don't particularly enjoy them but I eat a lot of them. My magic takes up a lot of energy, so I need more calories than I would otherwise to keep up."]

Sounds pretty tasty, though. The magic's that draining?

[Sort of like what Law had told him about his own ability. That incredible fruit takes so much strength to wield. For magic to be similar, limited by a user's stamina, it's little wonder this double of his is so hungry, since he's been using magic nonstop on top of just needing food anyway.]

"[It can be. Some people don't struggle that much with the cost, they have enough energy to spare. I'm not that fortunate though. So I need to be careful, since I rely on it daily. It's started to really affect my health."

That's not a lie, at all. Rosinante's health is compromised on multiple levels, so he uses magic to compensate for what he can't do otherwise. On top of that, his fruit's gift is something frightening and exhausting, and it makes it even harder to stay healthy.

It's a part of why he's so much thinner, so much more fragile looking than his counterpart. The other part being vanity, shaping his looks to suit a role, but he'd always be fragile looking regardless because of the sheer amount of draining magics he uses.]

I hope writing isn't too hard for you. You don't have to if you'd rather rest up.

[A few more minutes and the smaller cuts of lizard are done. Not bad either, he decides. A little chewier than chicken, but similarly bland in taste, though the smoking from the fire. He eats his fill and there's plenty to share.]

So where were you before here? Since you said you'd been on something of a journey since this all started.

["I'm fine! I'm feeling better now that I've eaten, so I can handle this much at least."

Rosinante is happy to try lizard, but he's disappointed in the flavor. But he's still hungry, so he works on his share of things in comfortable silence. Mind starting to wander a little, but with company he's actually not doing too badly. He perks back up at the sound of Rosinante's voice though, and he's thoroughly happy to hear it each time. He's never heard his voice as an adult, even when he projects to Law it's not the same as actually hearing it. He didn't know what he might have sounded like until today, and it's really something he's pleased with.

He's even more pleased with the chance to talk about his unplanned vacation.

"I found myself at a small town first, and Baby 5 was there! She was so little and cute, and we had ice cream. I was going to try to get her back to Dressrosa since she was alone, but I fell and landed somewhere else. Then I ended up at this giant indoor marketplace, it was massive, I've never seen so many stores in one place. And I spent absolutely everything there."

He looks embarrassed at that, he's old enough to be responsible with money. But he's hardly ever allowed to actually handle the funds, he's given an allowance of sorts, and he doesn't often actually get around to leaving to spend it. So this fool and his money was quickly parted.

"In my defense, there was freeze dried ice cream and hoodies that Law might actually wear. And he's picky about clothing. And they said they'd deliver the things to my home for a fee."]

Baby 5?

[The rest sounds pleasant enough, sure. Maybe not the losing all his money part, but he gets the feeling that this guy doesn't get out much, or at least not in comparison to himself. Which is hardly fair; most people shouldn't have to have spent as much time as he has just roaming and putting all those basic survival lessons to actual practical use. He did say he had been in the Marines but man, Rosinante just can't picture someone like that commanding a crew, or leading a mission of any sort. Maybe he's underestimating him because of how much smaller he looks, though, and how dressed-up he is.

But also. Baby 5 is alone somewhere and that makes him worry. That girl is so vulnerable on her own. Hopefully a small town means she's safe and being cared for by people who know hospitality and warmth, that she won't just be stolen and sold off or whatever else people think to do with young girls who only want to make others happy at the expense of their own well-being. Dark, but god, that poor kid.]

Do you remember anything about the town, or the island? How long ago was it?

[Rosinante pulls his phone out suddenly, and opens the app for pictures. And within, he scrolls through a mess of random photos, until he comes across pictures of the town that Baby 5 is in. Or was in, but that's okay too. He knows just how to find her, there's a list after all, and even if she hasn't made a post he'll be able to figure out where she is and help her. And most importantly, keep her away from Doffy.

"This is it, but we should just call her, or text her. She's in the contacts."

And then he realizes. He has a phone. And his own text comes back to him. Where he spoke to the world they're in about how all were welcome and valuable in Dressrosa, how airships would come for them if needed. His ultra high tech, high speed airships that traverse the skies with ease, using magic to travel at incredible speed.

Why the fuck didn't he think of this before?]

Contacts? Wait, how many people are in that list?

[Surely not everyone in the whole world. Maybe just those who have used this newly-appeared network? Is he there? Maybe so. Can he be removed? Can he change the name? He'll have to play with the SmartSnail more than he has. He's been too busy being shuttled from one strange island to the next to pay much attention to the unusual new piece of technology, but that will have to change. Already the many uses of the thing have been alluded to, but it's just so unfamiliar that he hardly knows where to start.

He'd pull his own out but he has his hands full of food so instead he just leans over to look at the photos. Nowhere he knows, though. He'll just have to check in on her remotely.]

["Quite a few." After Rosinante looks at the pictures, he scrolls through the contact list, after pulling it up. It's extensive. "And most wouldn't enjoy being on it."

He isn't too concerned for himself. He's a public figure, and he's been able to keep things private well enough that wouldn't be publicly known anyway. But for some, just having their name listed alone could be dangerous. And while he searches through, looking through the contacts for Baby 5's name, his whole stance changes. He's all business now, firm and determined as he scrolls and sends a message. She's there, now all he has to do is wait for a response and then track her. She's part of his family, and he has a responsibility to take care of her.

And how at risk she was while he was lost, forgetting even basic things, is making him furious at himself.

"It's easy enough to track another SmartSnail location down. We'll find her."]

You can track people with these?

[Never has he wanted to kill one of the poor den den mushi before but by god does he want to right now, as he pulls his own out of his pocket, even if his fingers are coated with ash and fish juice, and eyes it with a distinct sense of horror.]

Do you know if that can be blocked? Or if I can take myself off the list?

["How did you think I was able to send airships out for rescue?"

Rosinante sighs, and shakes his head.

"One of my staff members destroyed one, after failing to block our information from the contacts. And it showed back up within a few hours, eyeing him irritably but otherwise acting as normal."

He's sent news to his staff finally, and the noise of the barrage of texts is obnoxious to him. But he's fine with them coming for him, that means he'll be easily able to help Baby 5.

"I have an airship on the way."

No, no, no...

[There has to be a way to do something. To change his name, to regularly change his number, to mask the signal by putting the damned thing inside a block of lead and shoving it to the bottom of the ocean. If Doffy finds out these can be used to track people, if the Marines find out, then he's as good as dead. He looks over at his duplicate with genuine fear in his eyes because this is something he does not understand well enough to solve on his own and he seems to know what he's doing. Or someone on his staff does. Someone must have a solution.]

Doffy already knows I'm alive. If he finds me, he'll kill me. Again. Please, if there's a way to keep hidden on these phones, I need to know.

[Another note comes up. Fast. "You won't die. I won't let him, you wont let him. There has to be a way, I'm sorry that I was more concerned with my own struggles. I should have thought to address this from the start."

The words are in red at let, and let him, and there's a strong shift in the lettering. And he leans back, trying to push back anything in his mind but thoughts and focus, he has to get this done for his companion's sake.

"I want you to wait for a text from me."

He doesn't know if his magic can alter a SmartSnail, or if it's pointless to try. But if he doesn't try he's doing a disservice to his counterpart. So he focuses, and that dark magic swirls around his poor confused SmartSnail. Quiet, hidden, darkness, alone, mist, every word and feeling for isolation and concealment possible coming up from his mind to his magic.]

Did it work?

[He waits, as requested, not really sure what he's waiting for. Why a text? What in the world is magic going to do, when all he's seen it used for is very cool but relatively simple things like writing or holding a parasol?

The answer comes soon enough when the text arrives, though he isn't initially sure what's so special about it. The message itself, after all, is mundane. But then he notices the sender - or rather, the lack of a readable one, and nods slowly. Okay. That's good. That's maybe all he needs and if not, it absolutely helps.]

Yeah. Yeah, it's showing it as coming from a sender it can't recognize, or... I don't know how you'd describe this. But it didn't come from you even though it did.

[Rosinante sighs, feeling relieved at the fact that it worked. It's not perfect, but it's a start until he can do more research. But he's not sure how long the enchantment will last, that's a risk on it's own. Sometimes his formed spells last for months, years. Other times they hardly last as long. But his SmartSnail seems fine, so maybe it's going to work out.

He takes another bite of food, then another, working through his share at a higher speed now. He's still exhausted, still behind, and something long term and complex like this needs far more energy to form it. He's going to be in bad shape after this, just trying it with his own SmartSnail was a foolish decision outside of desperate times, but there's an airship on the way. And he'll be able to go home, and get medicated and fed and he'll be alright.

"I can't promise you this will last. But if you hand me your SmartSnail I'll use the same spell on it. And that should at least buy us time for research."]

[There's only a moment's hesitation before he nods and passes it over. There's still a lot of faith he has to place in this version of himself. The magic isn't something he understands and its abilities are a mystery. Sure, hopefully he will do for him what he had just demonstrated on his own number. But he might add something, like make it easier for his version of Dressrosa's staff to track him. Might create some sort of alert that will go off on his own phone if this one moves into a certain area or sends or receives messages from certain people.

Yes, he's paranoid, but not without reason, as far as he figures. The guy is a head of a powerful old nation. Not just that, but his taste for decadence and his particular kingdom of choice both set off warning bells in Rosinante's head, even though they've had a pleasant interaction on the beach here. It's unsettling. He can see why Sengoku disapproves.]

I'll text you after you're done, and I want to see the result to make sure it worked.

["You need to try to learn for yourself. What if it ceases? I've never made a spell like this before, ever. Even that's not enough though. We can hide you forever, but Doffy is still a problem."

It's never easy, is it? Nothing is. He can't even be friends with his counterpart, not really. Simply because of distrust, for one reason or another. But he can try to help him. He can do his best to keep him safe, regardless.

This time, the magic's draining effects can be seen. He looks worse, thinner, his skin paler, sick and weak looking. The first go at this energy, this specific forming of the chaos was a test. This time he does better, working harder to make sure that he gets a stronger spell, a more effective enchantment. It hurts, he's back to where he was before he'd eaten and healed a bit. But it's worth it, to keep him alive.

This one has suffered enough. He lost his life. He didn't get to see Law grow up, he didn't get to enjoy the blessings that Rosinante himself has experienced. So he's not going to leave him to the wolves, or more the flamingo. And once the enchantment sets, he hands the SmartSnail back with trembling hands.

"Lets test it."]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

I will never get a chance to use this again I'm not passing up on the opportunity k

you did the right thing lmao

no subject

back at you tbh

sob omg

no subject

1/2

[Text, blurred/error contact information]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject