Ryusokcn - Tumblr Posts

　　　❝ sure. so long as you can forget that i was here. ❞

　not that he assumed the kid even knew his name or, much less, could identify him out of a crowd if he had toーbut he figured the revolutionary would be more at ease so long as they both had something to lose.

it didn't matter either way, though; rosinante's career in the marines effectively ended thirteen years ago the moment he woke up from a month-long coma. plus, his adopted father, sengoku, was no longer fleet admiral, so he felt no obligation to even act as his 'eyes & ears' on the ground anymore.

　❝ there are a couple people who think i'm dead, and i'd like to... keep it that way, if that's all right. ❞

@code01746 [starter call.]

" I would say I'm not here for trouble, but that's not entirely false. " Despite running into him, he's UNFAZED && the intention to keep going with his task remained INTACT. " Surely you can just forget I was here, right ? "

　rosinante huffed, but his accompanying smile betrayed amusement rather than annoyance. cheeky brat. he knows someone he would get along real well with. or not. maybe they would try to kill each other, actually.

　❝ first name doesn't matter. i doubt it'll mean anything; i 'died' back when you were probably still learning how to count. ❞

okay, he probably wasn't that youngーperhaps he was being a touch too hyperbolic. but, as gigantic as he was, rosinante always had a hard time telling ages at a glance. usually most people could compare their own height to their peers and make guesstimates from there. but, barring his brother and the 'executives' of the family, everyone looked like ants to rosinante.

even more so, at thirty nine, anyone younger than twenty-five automatically registered as a baby in his head. 'adult? what do you mean you're an adult? look at you!'

　　　❝ surname is, uh... donquixote. ❞

he uttered the name hesitantly and at a noticeably lower volume, as if he was bracing for some kind of explosion of anger or disgust.

　　he asked, though. it's not rosinante's fault. he asked!

The way the stranger responds catches his attention. A sudden shift in his mindset as he tries to study him. Not divulging himself to feign some sort of HEROISM to see what he was up to nor a simple shrug && continue on his merry way. He doesn't hide his thought, a mixture of confusion && INTEREST. Mission completion needed to be resolved by next sunrise. Spare time was abundant, && oftentimes, Sabo finds himself seeking personal interests in mix with the greater good's.

" Well you can't just say that and simply walk off, " Sabo replies, pinching the brim of his hat to greet him properly. " Can you spare a name ? I can assure you, once we go our separate ways... out of sight, out of mind as they say. "

By no means is this stranger obligated to humor him. The sense he gets from him doesn't hold any MALICIOUSNESS. Not a bad guy from what his instincts tell him.

　　　　　　　　yep, there it is.　❝ ...unfortunately. ❞

　not that rosinante blamed him at all; he had learned the hard way to expect that reaction since he was six years old. each stage of his life, the name was hated for a different reason; when his family's immediate connection to the celestial dragons was slowly forgotten by the commoners, his brother's gang rose to prominence in the north blue, and then soon after he crashed onto the world stage as a pirate. his brother. it always came back to his brother.

　❝ though, i'll just say outright: i'm not worth anything alive or dead to you. torturing me for info is useless because anything i have is ten years too late to be useful, and killing me won't mean much because, like i said, people have already tried that. ❞

　it seemed melodramatic, jumping to the two worst possible scenarios like that; this person didn't seem like that violent of a guyーbut, with that weight that surname carried, was it? was it really? he had seen (and lived through) people do much worse. he put his hands up regardless.

　　❝ i didn't say it to antagonize youーi told you because that's who i'm hiding from. you see why i'm in so on-edge now? ❞

Seems like there's more to him than he had bargained for.

It's peculiar, choosing to go with a more notorious name than one with little meaning. Far too unique ( and the speaker too HESITANT ) to not have some sort of tie to that infamous underground family. Not as much of a friendly smile moments ago. The name is recognized, and he doesn't hide the tell on his face.

" Is that so … ? "

Their information on the Donquixote Family was limited, but enough to know some inklings of their criminal syndicate that was more than just piracy. Attention now fully on the man, the mission can wait. Not when there's LOOSE ENDS to take care of. A man presumed as dead… Far enough in the past. Perhaps one who didn't care for the life of the head Donquixote.

" Should I be worried about who you are ? Any blood relation to Doflamingo Donquixote ? "

　❝ for a while, it was a lot of moving around. first protective custody with the marines, then sailing around just trying to find a place to... go, y'know? ❞

　rosinante latched onto the topic, something he felt the younger man would relate to. although information was scarce (even when he was still with the marines) he knew enough about the revolutionary army to know they were also somewhat nomadic. also being chased. perhaps that's why he felt comfortable enough to drop his guard and speak about his woes in the first place.

　❝ it's gotten a lot easier since he took over dressrosa. unfortunately. ❞ the ex-marine was deliberate with his wording, a glumness in his voice betraying, although things were 'easier' for him, he wasn't exactly happy about the tradeoff. ❝ as long as i stay far away from that place, i'll be okay. a bit miserable, but... hey, i'm alive. that's something, right? ❞

" I didn't exactly have the intention of dragging you somewhere. Or doing anything like that. " While he has taken more extreme methods for information in pressing matters but, he wouldn't for this. Sabo was WARY, yet still doesn't get the sense of hostility towards the other through the colors of observation. Hopefully, his presence would be the same. Not to mistake his trust as a WEAKNESS.

He doesn't have any current reports regarding the Warlord and underground crime boss, so his knowledge of the individual falls through the cracks of his memory. His focus returns to the Donquixote before him. Hiding from his own family ? Very few reasons for that, likely to stand opposed to something that Doflamingo was doing… or perhaps something else ? Only information could sort out the truth from the speculation && theories.

” That's a long time to be hiding from him. Never found a place you could settle ? “ Away from his reach ? Unlikely if his connections are as vast as he fears. " Sounds pretty tiring. "

　　❝ rosinante. ❞

　he let his guard slip a little further; if the younger man was offering a name, he may as well be polite and introduce himself properly. it was only fair.

rosinante took the card with an etiquette that was polite & practiced: eye contact, a nod of acknowledgement, and gripping the corners with both hands. he was careful to slide in into a small pocket sewn into the inside of his shabby coat rather than allowing it to get crushed or wrinkled in his jean pocket.

it was a quite the contrast: a man looking so ratty & disheveled showing such respect for piece of paper. but he supposed, even after all this time, those few short years he spent as a noble as a childーclasses on etiquette, manners & allーhad somehow altered his brain chemistry. a piece of paper deserved more care than himself, it seemed. what an interesting priority system his brain had.

　❝ thank you. though, i'll say i'm not suited for any kind of active combat. i don't really do that. not anymore. ❞ he could have sworn his old chest wounds started to itch as the words left him and the memory filtered in. he resisted the urge to start pawing at himself, afraid that any bizarre movements would put his companion on edge again. ❝ infiltration & espionage i have more luck with but... not by much. ❞ hey, doflamingo hasn't found him yet. that has to count for something.

CURIOUS to say the least, having a protective detail with the marines. Even for a short period. Provided a bit more convincing to the revolutionary that he truly has long been defected from their relative's life of crime ( but still taken with a grain of salt ) .

The Revolutionary Army is spread out to ensure their army wouldn't be so easily wiped out if Marines catch wind of their whereabouts. Only moving when danger is lurking right around the corner. He remembers the base of their operations seldom moving around. Sometimes movement causes more RIPPLES in the water that others can NOTICE. Their locations are kept heavily behind counter-surveillance techniques && disruptors to encrypt their communications. The only contact to them made by outsiders were through special cards with numbers to assist anyone in need. && hopes that it was in good faith rather than capture.

Brows furrow once the topic momentarily shifts to information his group had suspicions about. What can't be told to him was the knowledge of missions being made to send members there, but a strange lapse in memory of exactly WHO was sent that way ( if any, Sabo still feels like the names are just out of his reach ). It's enough to garner a troubled, almost FRUSTRATED look on Sabo, giving away that he might know more than he lets on in the moment.

" I suppose," Sabo concedes. From the inner lining of his pocket, he pulls out a card with a number. He hands it out to the other. " If you're tired of running though, I'm sure there's something we can work out. It's not going to be for free, " given who the other is, he might need to INTERVENE as well in that, if the other decides to make contact, " but you can say I was the one who gave you this card. My name is Sabo. " About time he gave a name, didn't he ?