End of the first season
Rosinate was sitting on top of a tree smoking. He made sure to be careful not to burn the tree with his cigarette.
So much has happened in such a short time...
First the Sabaody incident, then Impel Down and then Marineford.
Eleven years ago he and Law were saved by Natsu and Zeref on Minion Island. He never knew why they did it and he is forever grateful to them, but sometimes, just sometimes, he wonders what would have happened if they hadn't been there to save them.
He never told anyone, but sometimes he has a dream... A dream where the Dragneels never appeared on Minion Island.
A dream where Doflamingo shoots him and he dies...
Every time he has this dream he feels his hands and feet cold and stiff that it takes several minutes before he can move again.
It all felt so real...
The pain that the bullets inflicted upon impacting his body.
The disappointment that comes at the moment when his older brother, who promised him that he would protect him from everything, shot him in cold blood.
The sadness of seeing Doflamingo being able to point a gun at someone from his own family again without any remorse.
Rosinante tries to convince himself that it's just a nightmare and that it wasn't real, but when Doflamingo was looking at him in Marineford through those sunglasses... He wasn't able to look back at him.
(Deep in his heart, Rosinante knows this... He knows what Doflamingo is capable of.
He did it once 29 years ago, shooting his father to death and beheading him to try and get back to Marie Geoise.
It wouldn't make a difference if he did it a second time with his younger brother, a spy and traitor who stole the Ope Ope no Mi to save a boy who was going to die soon.)
Did he regret his decisions? ... To be honest, no.
This family is crazy and it is very likely that their level of madness will only go up as time goes by.
Garp, Sengoku and Whitebeard being part of the same family, Sabo in love with Smoker, Kizaru feeling attracted to Marco, all the Whitebeard Pirates... He suspects that whoever manages to make Luffy fall in love will surely burst a few brain cells.
He was 200% sure of this.
(Later a bet was opened for who will be Luffy's partner where all the Whitebeard Pirates, some Marines who know Luffy like Koby, the Red Hair Pirates, the Buggy Pirates, the Heart Pirates, the Straw Hat Pirates, the Eustass Pirates, Baroque Works and even the revolutionaries were active participants.
Many believed that Luffy would stay single until he was more than thirty, but they were shocked when he announced to the world who will be his queen and the family that comes with this romance. He even takes on TWO fucking Yonkos for her.)
(No one won the bet so Nami kept all the money since she is the one who arranged the bet.
She smiles even in her dreams.)
As for Sengoku... He still respects him as a good Marine and loves him like a good father, but he's not able to talk to him, at least not yet.
Everything Sengoku did at Marineford has crossed a certain line... He shouldn't have hurt his family.
-Rosi!!!- Natsu was standing just below the branch where Rosinante is sitting.
Rosinante, finding himself immersed in his own thoughts, inadvertently chokes on cigarette smoke and burns the tree, which he initially wanted to avoid. Natsu ate the flames and when Rosinante fell off the branch, Natsu caught him before he hits the ground and takes any damage.
-Be more careful, Rosi. You could hurt yourself!- Natsu stands him up on the ground.- C'mon, it's time for dinner!-
Rosinante nodded and followed the pink-haired man. As they walked back to camp he listened silently to the training plans Natsu had for the Straw Hats once they meet at Amazon Lily.
-For now it's a good idea to keep a low profile since the World Government will now be like a mad dog ready to bite anyone.- Natsu commented with his arms behind his neck.- By the way we can help Luffy's crew to be stronger. Luffy, Robin, Vivi, Nami and Sanji always had instructors to teach them since they were little so they just need to have a harder training than before while the rest need to level up a bit to be at least close to the level of the rest of them.- Natsu placed a hand on his chin thoughtfully.- Hmm... Rayleigh will arrive in a few days so he can train the others and improve their Hakis while I train Luffy, Robin, Vivi and Nami. Zoro and Sanji can train with Croco and Mihawk since they are on their island...-
-I can help a little... At least in the use of pistols and in the art of espionage.- Rosinante proposed.- Apart from Luffy, I think it will be quite useful for others.-
-Good idea. It's a shame Luffy never managed to learn this... Even Ace was able to learn 10% when they were kids.- Natsu sighed.
Rosinante chuckled a little as he remembered how all those times Luffy had espionage classes ended. At least Ace managed to steal cookies a few times without getting caught.
++++++++
-Jinbe... Thanks so much... For everything!!-
-No need for that... It is I who should be thanking you...!! Back in Impel Down, I asked you to bring me to a certain death... Only to ultimately survive, however shamefully... Yet I feel sure that the day will come when I can lend you my strength once more. At any rate...- Jinbe gave Luffy a friendly smile.- Two years from now... Let us meet again, on Fish-man Island!! I will be looking forward to the day when you and your crew come to call!!-
-Yeah!!! Goodbye, Jinbe!!-
-Goodbye, Luffy-kun.-
Jinbe left, leaving a promise to meet again in two years.
Two years... I wonder how much will have changed by then.