As the Vanguard was docked and tied, the crew disembarked with a renewed pep in the step. Rose Island was indeed beautiful, but if one looked hard enough, they fould see some tension. Marines and pirates walking on opposite sides of the street, with civillians mixed among them without care.
Shops and bars were scattered here and there, with some stalls selling food or trinkets lining the street our crew was walking on.
"You were right. This is a nice place." said Aden.
"I usually am, captain." replied Robin with a teasing smirk.
"Okay. Task distribution. Buggy, you get some supplies. Dried meat and fruits, nuts, you know the deal. Don't bother with water. I can do that anywhere." Aden used his captain voice.
Buggy just nodded with a 'Yea, Captain.' and walked away.
"Nojiko, you go get some info. How long for the Pose to set, overall situation on the island and such. You have illusions, use them."
"Roger, roger." she said and disappeared behind an illusion of a large, dangerous looking man, and walked in the opposite direction from Buggy.
"And me?" Robin asked before he could say anything.
"Hmmm.....Find some medical supplies shop. Get whatever you need to do your job as our doctor." he said handing her a stack of Belli.
"Will do, Captain." Robin took the money, their fingers touching fleetingly, and walked towards the town square, following directions on the posts.
"And i will go look for a new weapon. The daggers are useless to me now. I don't even use them anymore." Aden said to himself as he went looking for a weapon shop.
Having walked around for almost an hour, sometimes stopping at one of the food stalls to sample local cuisine, Aden found a weapon store a bit out of the way from the main streets, but clearly well maintained.
A small blacksmith workshop was out front, the forge hot. An anvil was placed in clear view of anyone walking by, be it by random choice or design, Aden did not care.
The shop itself was a grey building with windows displaying a variety kf weapons and armor pieces. Above the door the name plaque hang. 'Arms and Armaments Armory, Owned by Armad Brothers'
The S in 'Brothers' was crossed out signaling one of the brothers was no longer working at the shop. A rugged looking man was hammering away at the anvil. Forging what seemed to be a katana.
"Good afternoon." Aden opened with respect.
"A'ternoon. Watcha wan'?" replied the blacksmith roughly, but respectfully. It was just the way he speaks, Aden thought.
"I am im need of a new weapon. I even have my old one to recycle the material if possible.
"S'possible. Er'thing's possible, wen ya kno' watcha doin'." the man said still not looking at Aden.
"I can see you are in the middle of an important stage. I'll wait." Aden suggested, as he had nothing to do anyway.
"'Preciated. Plant it righ' there. I be wit' ya soon." the blacksmith said, nodding his head to a nearby bench.
Doing as asked, Aden chose to take a nap, the stable ring of a hammer lulling him to sleep.
"Bad idea, blacksmith." was all Aden said as he opened his eyes.
In front of him, the blacksmith stood with the newly forged blade pointed at Aden. Not finished, just the metal.
"Klakakakaka!" the blacksmith laughed in a deep tone "Was jus' checkin' 'f ya ar' brave or stupid. Now ah see, ye ain't no pushovah. Name's Ring." Ring said as he shook Aden's hand.
"Aden."
"Aye, ah kno' who you is. Da news be flowin' with yer exploits." Ring said with a smirk.
"And you approve?"
"Course ah do. Dem navy scum killed me older brother, Hamma. We was pirates, see. Wen dey offed'em, i ran. Like a coward. Been workin' here eva since." Ring spilled his heart out.
"Why tell me all this? We literally just met." Aden asked, confused.
"Dunno meself. Mayhaps ya is da sign ah was waitn fo'. Ta go back out there." Ring said with a spark in his eye.
"Sounds to me like you're asking to join me." Aden said with a smirk.
"Nay. But when ya see wha' i can do, ye'll be askin' me." Ring boasted.
"Alright old man. I'm game. What can ya do?"
"Ol' man!!?? Ya bastard, ah'm just thirty-four."
.
"So not only are you a blacksmith who can make damn near Grade level swords, but you are a shipwright as well?!" Aden stood up in shock after talking to the 'not-so-old man Ring.
"Well. Da sword quality may be a bit of exaggeration. But it is damn close. Da only reason ah'm not there yet is recources. No' hi' 'nuff quality metal, see." Ring admitted, scratching his head.
"As to da shipwri' thing? Yea. Ah'm darn good.
Was trained by a fishman shipwri' as a kid.
Der was two more kids back den. Popsicle and Cony Foam or somethin'. Cannae rem'ber. Da fishman name was Tom tho'. Cannae ferget dat one." Ring said with emotion.
"Welp, i'll take your word for it. But the most important question is....How strong are you?!"
Aden asked seriously.
"Wanna tes' meh?" Ring stood up, ready for a fight.
"Sort of. You remain standing, and you can join. Then you can tell me about your combat abilities." Aden said, preparing to unleash his Haki. After his clash with Shanks, he could now release his own Conqueror's. Not yet very refined, but more than enough to knock any normal schmuck unconcious.
"Wat do ya mean...?" Ring tried asking, only to be nearly knocked to his knees.
He knew about Haki, even experienced it before. It always felt like a wall crashing down on him from all directions. But this was like a storm trying to tear him apart. His palms got sweaty, his knees went weak and his arms felt full of lead.
"Phew." Aden whistled "You are one tough bastard, aren't you?" he asked rhetorically, stopping his Haki barage.
"O'....o'course. Still hav' me dream to follow." Ring said as he straightened up with a sigh of relief.
"And what would that be?" Aden asked, truly intrigued.
"Ta forge a blade fit fer killin' gods." Ring said with passion.
"Well, let's start on that, shall we? I need a weapon. Something that would fit my power set. Let me give you the details." Aden said as they sat back down.
"What do you think he's up to this time?" Nojiko asked Robin back on the ship.
She learned it would take nearly a week for the Log pose to set on the next island. So she went and got the Tri-Log Pose. Still had to wait a week, as they got delivered that morning, but at least could choose out of three.
"Surprisingly, i think he will behave this time. This island has a sort of calming effect on everyone." Robin simply stated, still putting away all the medical equipment she bought.
"Yeah..he will find a way to cause chaos, as per freaking usual." Buggy said in a seemingly upset tone, but he was fooling noone. He enjoyed the excitement, the renewed sense of adventure.
"Still, it's getting late..." Nojiko looked in the direction of the setting sun.
"Pshh...He'll be fine. Besides gives us a chance to relax for a bit." Buggy chimed in, already shuffling his cards.
"I guess you're right." Nojiko relented and sat down to play.
"Robin?" came a single word from Buggy.
"*sigh* Very well. But be ready to lose." Robin replied, putting away one last glass vial into a cabinet, and sat down at the table.
"Ohohooo. Tough words for a doctor." Buggy trashtalked.
"Means i can read people with surgical precision." Robin shot back calmly.
"Oh no.... Aden infected her with his puns." Nojiko added with a giggle.
Buggy set the cards and they started the game.
.
"Okay ..Tha's sumthin'...." Ring was flabbergasted by Aden's description of his abilities "But ah think ah can cobble sumthin' together....Well...Les get smithin'!" he said with a fire in his eyes as he stoked up the hot coals.
Aden stood there watching Ring work, and at the same time observing Buggy lose another game of cards. Robin won most of them to the shock of noone. Nojiko decided she will never play cards with her again, feeling her wallet get rather light.
As the sun disappeared beyond the horizon, the light of the forge and the clank of a hammer echoed in the night.
(*Message as usual* ill see yall next time)