Deal For The Shipyard Part 2
"Would you be willing to hand over ownership of the shipyard to me?"
He stared at me, dumbfounded, and it looked like he was out of touch for a second. And then, he laughed, loudly.
"HARHARHAR! Thanks ta no sleep, I thought you just said ya wanted ta take ownership of the 'Forwilth Shipyard'! I really DO need a vacation Rosa! So, whatcha actually wanna do?"
"That wasn't a joke."
"HARHARHar.. har.. what?"
The tone of the room changed, and it became serious.
"I was completely serious about it. And I still am."
He was dumbfounded again, and turned to Rosalina.
"Is he really....?"
She nodded, smiled, and then spoke "He is indeed very serious. Alongside how serious he is, and that slight hint of confidence is backed up by a plethora of ideas circulating around just owning the shipyard."
"..."
"Well, I'll let you in on something: these ideas, if they're brought to life, will make us all wealthy beyond our dreams."
I smiled, looking at him.
He was confounded, looking back and forth between me and Rosalina for a few seconds.
"Ro-Ro-Rosa? A-are ya actually buyin this?"
"Of course! I have put my trust in him with this."
"Speaking of trust.." I stopped them from continuing to speak for just a second. "..Rosa, I have another slight change in plans. I'm coming up with this on the spot, but it would be great for business growth."
"Oh?"
"Please no more! I jus wanna relax!"
Ignoring Branson's complaint, I just continued.
"So, I heard there was a new group of bounty hunters around here, and who have helped our business grow, a little too much. So, Rosa, I'm planning on leaving for the Grand Line pretty soon, so I want you to do a couple things."
"Can I assume they have to do with this group of bounty hunters?"
"Yes. Um.. I would like you to become the leader.. or.. main figure...? of them and bring them to the Grand Line with the shipyard. That way, since it is on the water, it can grow as much as needed without much limit. I do also want you to help Branson with paperwork, or do it yourself, so that he can take that vacation and then come back and work WITH you. And then, with those two things, the foundation for that floating mall would be created, not just being a shipyard, but a bunch of stores as well."
"Hm. Are you missing a few things?"
"You're right! Uh.. I also wanted to potentially bring in some, or a whole company of ship builders to have work at this new shipyard. It would be pretty-"
"Whoa! Whoa whoa whoa! Slow down! Ya two are actin as if I said yes! It's already a buncha work just doin one thing, why would'ya wanna add more to it? And WHY the Grand Line? Why not jus.. the rest of the East Blue?"
I looked at him for a second. 'Does he not want to move to the Grand Line? Is there something I'm missing?'
"Why NOT the Grand Line?"
"Uh.. cuz.... It's dangerous there! Yeah! That's it!"
'Is he trying to fool me? That can't be the reason, and the fact that he started to sweat a little means something else. Wait..'
"Didn't you say you got an order from in the Grand Line? Why would you do that if you didn't want to go?"
He was caught in his own web. "Uh.. uhm.." he then sighed, not having an answer. "Fine.. it's cuz I don't wanna die, is that so hard ta understand?"
I just listened, thinking over what he said. 'Is my view so different that I have no fear of the Grand Line while he has an absolute terror of it? I forgot that people are scared of the Grand Line! Did the manga and anime really make me desensitized to such strength? Or was it the fact that I survived against someone who went against my own captain? Or is it because I went against Rayleigh to gain Haki? Wow! I'm just desensitized to it!'
"Sorry about that Branson. I completely forgot that people have other views for a second! So.. you don't want to go to the Grand Line?"
"That pirate graveyard? No! I don wanna die!"
"Mmmmkay then." I thought for a second, and then Rem came up behind me, tapping my shoulder, causing me to turn around.
"Uh.. captain? Are you almost done? I wanna go around the town and see everything!"
Her eyes were sparkling at the end.
"Almost, I just gotta think of something really quick."
I turned back to both Branson and Rosalina, then asking"Are you absolutely sure you don't wanna go to the Grand Line?"
"YES! I DIDN THINK I HAD TA SAY IT THIS LOUD, BUT NO! I DON WANNA DIE IN THAT HORRID PLACE!"
He had gotten slightly angry at the end, most likely because I had just gotten that rather than the first time. I was slow, even with the ability to think faster.
"Okay then." I smiled, as I had an idea. "So, since you don't want to go, I have a new, revised plan. Rosa? I have some things for you to do. You ready?"
Rosalina sat down, and I realized I had been standing the whole time as well. So, after sitting down and Rosalina saying "Go ahead, I would love to hear this new plan revision."
"First off then, I do still want you to help Branson here with the paperwork while he recouperates. And I do still want you to take control of the Black Blood group, they would be a great help to this new plan. Second off, once Branson is done with his vacation, I need you to have a ship built. One that could fit the whole shipyard within it."
"You wanna build a SECOND SHIPYARD?"
I looked at Branson, who I think was going insane from just how out of this world my plan was already.
"BESIDES! HOW YA GONNA PAY FER IT? YOU MAY BE A CO-OWNER, BUT HAVIN A SHIP THAY BEING BUILT WILL COST A LOT!"
I didn't think of that before hand, but I had a quick answer, smirking.
"Simple. Bounties! And maybe trading in ships for it too!"
Flabbergasted was the only word to describe Branson's reaction. Completely tired of my answers he wasn't expecting, and ready to go and sleep for a week.
"Anyways!" I had more plan to explain. "Using that, it becomes a second store, one that you, Rosa, would be in charge of, since Branson doesn't want to go to the Grand Line. And~... You know what else? This can be the main store Branson! You won't have to leave!" I turned to him while saying that, and then turned back. "And the shipyard ship, I want you to captain it, Rosa. Hopefully it can be big enough to build whole ships, have them rebuilt or fixed, and ordered from, along with the fact that bounty hunting will skyrocket as soon as you enter the Grand Line! So money wouldn't be much of an issue with that! And! Another thing!"
I turned to Branson once again. He had a face saying 'Why. Why would you do that? Really, again?'
"Since Rosa will be taking the bounty hunters, business will shrink a little, so, a couple of workers may need to go with Rosa on that Grand Line journey. Would that be okay?"
Rosalina turned to him as well, and Branson was berrated by two people hoping to get a positive response.
He just sat, his eyes closed, and then yelled out: "FINE! DO WHATEVER! I DON CARE! GO DIE FOR ALL I CARE!"
His yell made everyone in the room jump a little, surprising even me. Djane jumped as well, which I had never seen in the couple months I knew of him, and have seen him.
"Oh.. Oh-kay then. Uhm.. I'll just continue then, Rosa. Uhm.. where was I? Oh right! Bounty hunters, shrinking business, less workers.. uh.. a couple of workers here going with you Rosa would be best, so that you can do that work alongside the... Bounty hunting work? Yeah. And third.. or fourth of all.. I don't remember which it was.. um.. grow to have a need for multiple ships, and make up the mall somehow! Then, money rolls in, and you can grow it however you want! You good with that?"
Branson had left before I started, and it was just the five of us sitting around while I talked to Rosalina about business.
"Uhm.. yeah. That's a good plan. As for.. Branson... Maybe we should have waited a couple days for him to be able to think straight again before springing this all on him. Do you think?"
"Mmmm, probably. But I wanted to get all of that out before I left. Seems that's gonna be a few days then." We both looked at the door, I was because I didn't know some things he thought, and Rosalina for a reason I couldn't tell.