String of Fate (One Piece)

Chapter 4: Off to North Blue

A couple years later

Rizu POV 

"Ji-chan."  I called out to the older man who has trained me over the past three years that I have been stationed at this base.  

The man who I call out to sniffles and wipes some tears that threaten to fall down from his eyes.  "Rizu, be careful will ya.  You became way stronger than you when you were back than, your now 11 years old!  I'm so proud of you!  Become stronger the next time we meet!"  Garp says as he wipes his tears and pats my head affectionately.

I feel a bubbly feeling and smile underneath my mask.  "Thanks Garp-jiji!  I definitely will get stronger!  Thank you for training me all this time!"  I say and lift up my mask to show him my smile.  

He grins at me and ruffles my hair.  "It's no problem at all!  I'm proud to call you my granddaughter and student! Gahhaha!"  he laughs at the end while smiling proudly.  

I smile yet again and feel really happy at that word "Granddaughter".  

I hear men shouting from the marine ship.  "Men come aboard!" and soon marines walk up and make their way to the ship.  

I grab my bag that was laying on the ground next to me and hug Garp.  "Thanks for everything!  I'll become stronger and show him!"  I say and start running towards the ship. As I run I turn around and wave at him and yell "I love you Ji-chan!  Thank you for everything!  Take care of your health!  I'll miss you!"  I say and board the ship.

As I was running towards the ship, I failed to notice that as soon as I mentioned him, his face became stern and unhappy.  Garp wiped his tears and shook his head, ridding of those thoughts and watched as his dear student and granddaughter figure board the ship. 

Garp looked at Rizu and thought 'Sakazuki, you don't know how much pain you put that girl through.  She works hard day after day just to appease you and for you to acknowledged her.  She has grown and changed since she got here.....Rizu was quiet and reserved, she didn't act her age, but now you could say she acts more her age and is a lot happier than she was before..'

Garp sighed and remembered Rizu's words "I love you Ji-chan! Thank you for everything! Take care of your health! I'll miss you!" and his heart clenches and cries outloud. 'My grandsons have never said anything like that before!' he thought.   

As I board the ship, it starts pulling away I hear a loud cry and turn back to see Garp crying and wiping his tears away but has snot running down his nose.  I see from the corner of my eyes to see men blink and sweatdrop at the vice admiral.  

I smile slightly and chuckle lightly underneath my mask and see him wave slightly at me.  I wave back to him and say "Thanks for everything Garp-jiji." 

As the ship gets farther and farther away from that marine base, I stop looking back and face towards another direction.  "Now let's see what awaits me at this new base."  I say to myself and walk to an empty spot on deck.  

Flashback

I see a notice on the marine poster board, the sign reads "Assignment in the North Blue, will be taking available men."  

I read it over again thinking of this itching feeling in the back of my mind telling me something about this.  Almost as of it's telling me to go and do this assignment.  I shake my head and walk off to my regular training spot with Garp.  'No, I'm staying here with Garp a bit longer.'  I tell myself.