A/N: Oh my... I'm deeply sorry for all of you patient readers. This story was supposed to take less than a few weeks to write, but I managed to drag it over a few months... I swear, reciting a story you already know is HARDER than writing one yourself, trust me. I thought "Hey! All I have to do is write about what already happened! This will be easy!", but I was dead wrong. It's hard and very time consuming, but enough of my pathetic excuses, let's get on with it.
I do not own One Piece. I don't own any characters or any part of this plot. I DON'T OWN ANYTHING!
The archaeologists continued to wait in the field outside the tree of knowledge, surrounded by government agents. Robin had shifted her attention from Clover to the injured white-haired woman lying on the ground. They had met eye contact just moments before and Robin felt a strange shock jolt through her body. She was brought out of her musings when an explosion went off inside the tree of knowledge.
"Wha-what are they doing?" one of the archaeologists yelled, "They're gonna burn down the whole tree if they're not careful!"
"I didn't think they would take such drastic measures!" Clover exclaimed. Robin looked at the enormous tree nervously and back to the back to the marine leader who had a smug grin on his face.
"Now we're making progress!" he laughed. Hearing his den den mushi call, he picked it up and listened to the message being delayed.
"Chief! We've found the entrance to the basement!"
Upon hearing this, almost every single archaeologist tensed up, knowing full well that they had been caught. Robin began to chew her bottom lip, not wanting to see any of the archaeologists get hurt.
"They're appears to be some big tablet inside…most likely a Poneglyph! There are also a whole bunch of books and research notes regarding the ancient texts!"
"Hahaha… Nicely done!" he grinned while hanging up the portable transponder.
As if expected from the rest of the archaeologists, the arrogant marine let out a loud, maniacal laugh.
"Well, scholars of Ohara, it appears your death sentence has already been written in stone!"
The scholars couldn't stop gritting their teeth in frustration. Robin looked worriedly at Clover, clearly hearing the 'death sentence' part.
"Wow, I can't believe I came here just to say that… I better report this to the Five Elder Stars…"
"Professor! He's lying right?! They're not really going to kill, are they?" The young girl asked in a shaky voice. Clover continued looking forward, his stern face still showing signs of determination. "They can't kill someone just for learning about history!"
"Stupid kid! You don't know what you're talking about!" Spandine yelled at the girl, "They're trying to revive an ancient weapon to take over the world!"
"No! They would never do something like that-"
"Save your breath Robin. You won't do any good talking to an errand boy like him," advised the green haired scholar.
"What did you say old man?!" Spandine furiously yelled.
"They're on the line now, chief"
Spandine approved his agent and went to grab the den den mushi before being interrupted by Professor Clover.
"Hold on a moment. Before you put all of us to death, allow me to speak with the Five Elder Stars. Although there are still many aspects of the world that have yet to be discovered, we scholars have made great strides in the history of this land. At the very least, I would like to share our hypothesis on the void century with the leaders of the world."
Spandine looked at the old man before growling and turning to one of his agents.
"Please Robin, you have to get out of here. If you hear what I have to say, then you'll become a criminal as well…" Clover pleaded, preparing to confront the world leaders.
"But…Professor…"
"It looks like they found the all the scholars guilty…"
"I can't believe it… All this time they were trying to decipher an ancient weapon…"
The townspeople made their way to the western shore where the evacuation ship lay anchored. Not wanting to get involved in the mess between the navy and archaeologists, they left their homes without any hesitation.
"Bad news!" One civilian came running to the evacuating group of people, "A bunch of navy battleships are closing in on the island from the east!"
"This is bad! I don't wanna be around when they land on the island!"
"Hurry! We have to get to the evacuation ship!"
All of a sudden the panicked villagers' attention was brought to the forest in front of them after hearing gashing noises and the cutting of wood. Trees began falling one by one, throwing the townspeople into even more chaos.
"W-What is going on!?" one of them yelled.
A figure then burst out of the forest and continued sprinting towards the tree of knowledge, and evidently, straight towards the group of people. One of the villager's eyes widened upon seeing three sword scabbards on the man's waist and a sword in each of his hands.
"I-It's…the pirate hunter!" the man yelled hesitantly. The rest of the people seemed to reach the same conclusion and began panicking once again, clearing out of the way as to avoid confronting the demonic man.
"W-What on earth is he doing here!?"
"Everybody run! He's gonna kill us!"
The group of civilians scattered into the edge of the forest beside them, watching as the bounty hunter came running up to their previous location. He didn't give any evidence to suggest that he cared they were there, and kept sprinting towards the center of the island where all the commotion was taking place.
"Where…is he going?" one of the villagers asked aloud as the rest regained their composure and filed out of the forest. They all piled up in their original spot, staring at the back of the running swordsman.
"W-Well, that sure was…strange."
"What is the pirate hunter doing here? Did he come with the marines?"
"Maybe the marines captured him and he escaped! Now we have an escaped demon running around the island!"
"Why would the marines capture him? He's a bounty hunter, isn't he?"
"Yeah, but…"
"Look it doesn't matter why he's here. We have to hurry up and get on that evacuation ship! With millions of marine battleships and Roronoa Zoro here, I don't care what happens to this island anymore!"
"Yeah, you're right. Come on everyone, let's go!"
And with that, the villagers continued making their way to the western shore where the evacuation ship was docked.
Zoro kept racing towards the 'huge ass tree', as he had called it before, and where he thought Robin was located. This was the first time he had left the shore in his three days on the island, so he really had no idea where he was going. He decided that going to the tallest thing in the direct center of the island would yield some results.
Coming to what seemed to be the last line of trees, Zoro swiftly cut his way through, only to run out onto the island's shoreline.
"W-What the…?"
Zoro scanned the area, unsure of how he ended up there. He had been running in a straight line towards the giant tree and somehow ended up on a beach. He looked at the ground a few feet in front of him and was met with the campsite which he and Robin had been sitting at just this morning.
"What the hell?! Why am I back here?! This damn island is screwed up!" Zoro swore colorfully at the island's changing layout. Turning back the way he came, Zoro started from the beginning, literally, and made his way back towards the tree.
"Damn it, damn it, damn it! Those marine thugs must have already been there when I heard that explosion before. I can't waste anymore time!" Gritting his teeth and holding onto Wado Ichimonji with his right hand, Zoro sped through his previously made path of fallen trees, noting to take a different course this time.
"Is that right?" a grim voice belonging to one of the five elder stars asked over the transponder.
"Yes, the evidence is clear. These people deserve nothing less than the death penalty," Spandine concluded.
"Well, I suppose there's nothing we can do, seeing as how they've broken the law so deliberately. It's a shame, but we must enforce our rule…"
"Save your mock sympathy for someone else, elder stars. You're wasting your breath!" Clover harshly interrupted. Spandine gritted his teeth at the old man.
"Ah, Professor Clover," the snail relayed, "We're familiar with your work. You've contributed much to this world's culture. It's unfortunate a man of your caliber took the wrong path…"
"It is mankind's duty to uncover the history of their world and their origins. No matter what that history may be and what authority you have, no one has the right to forbid us from learning it."
The elder star began explaining the threat of Pluton, the ancient weapon, as Robin listened from afar. Clover told her to escape, but she stayed and listened to their whole conversation. Professor Clover was conveying large amounts of confidential information, but Robin couldn't help but listen in shock.
"Though we still have much to analyze regarding the threat of this once prosperous nation, we at least know its name." Robin watched as everyone including the marines tensed up, "Since I've said so much already, would you like me to tell you?"
"Grr… Kill him!"
Robin heart raced as Spandine took a pistol out of his coat and pointed it at Clover. Without a second's hesitation he pulled the trigger and shot Professor Clover.
"PROFESSOR!" Robin screamed at the elderly man's falling body. The other scholars began screaming and rushing towards him, but Nico Olvia could only watch in despair.
"You've left us no choice… Ohara knows too much…" the elder star paused before continuing, "You may issue the attack…"
"Professor!"
"Don't let even a single person escape!"
"Well then, using this golden transponder snail given to me by Admiral Sengoku, I invoke the buster call!" Spandine laughed as he clicked the button on the snail's shell, "And that's a wrap!"
"Robin…" the professor looked up at the girl leaning over him as blood soaked his robes, "Get to the evacuation ship…"
"No! I'm staying here! I don't want to be alone anymore…"
A gigantic flame burst out from the base of the tree of knowledge, filling the air with smoke.
"W-What the hell are they doing!? They're gonna burn the whole tree down!" Roche exclaimed, pointing to the huge tree behind them.
"Do you government thugs realize how many important documents are in there!?" another scholar spoke up.
"Hey, don't look at me… It's not like I started the fire…" Spandine shrugged his shoulders, "Nothing we can do about it now… Those from the Government, pull out."
"Hurry up and save the books…" Clover ordered. The scholars quickly obeyed as they ran to into the tree of knowledge trying to save as many documents as possible, while attempting to put out the fire.
"Alright men, let's get out of here," Spandine said, turning to leave. His pink haired agent nodded before looking at Olvia.
"Right. I'll grab her…" he said walking over to the white-haired woman, "Get up."
Spandine looked back at the woman, "There's still valuable information we have to pull from her. She can't die yet."
Robin watched as the officials began walking away, dragging the older woman with them. She blinked her teary eyes and continued staring at the woman, new thoughts and old memories dashing through her mind. Olvia looked back in regret, blinking the upcoming tears away.
"Robin, hurry… We're done for, but you can still escape…" the professor spoke to the girl, the physical pain and fatigue evident in his voice. Robin ignored the scholar and stepped slowly towards the parting agents. More tears formed in her eyes and her nose began to run.
"Robin, don't…" the professor called.
"Y-You're my mother…aren't you…?"
Olvia stopped walking, evidently pulling the agents to a stop. She kept her face hidden, her long hair casting a shadow over it.
'I'm sorry, Robin. I can never call myself your mother again. After all these years… After all the things I put you through… I don't have the right anymore. You don't deserve to be the daughter of a criminal…' She thought as the agents pulled her forward.
Robin's face began to twitch. She wiped her eyes with her small arm in attempt to keep her tears from falling.
"P-Please answer me…" she cried, "Are y-you my mom?!" Olvia tried as hard as she could not to cry.
"Eh…?" Spandine mumbled, stopping in his place, "Hold on… That girl your kid or what?"
Olvia gasped and put a hand over eyes, "N-No… I'm sorry little girl, but your mistaking me…for someone else." Robin listened, not bothering to stop the many tears falling down her face.
'Olvia…' Clover stared at the woman in shock.
"Oh really? What a strange little brat…" Spandine said before turning back around, "Whatever, let's go."
Robin whimpered silently as she watched the back of the woman get farther and farther away. She quickly jumped forward and began desperately yelling.
"I-It's me… It's Robin! I know y-you probably d-don't recognize me… I g-grown since l-last time… I've b-been waiting for you a-all this time!" Nico Olvia dropped to her knees crying, her face in her dirty hands. "A-Are you sure…you're n-not…my mom?!"
The young girl slowly walked towards her as she cried uncontrollably, "Just once… I-I wanted to hold your hand…and w-walk together l-like a family…" Her tears rained down her face and onto her purple dress, "I studied hard…s-so I could come with you…on y-your next journey! I b-became an archaeologist…so you w-would take me…to sea with you!" Robin took one more step closer.
"I can read the Poneglyphs too!"
Cannon fire could be heard from the battleships surrounding the island under arrest.
"What'd she say!?" Spandine spun around in shock.
"Robin! NO!" Professor Clover yelled at the girl.
"So please…look at me! Let me stay with you!" she cried and shook her head, "Mom!"
Olvia was crying just as much as the young girl, "R-Robin…"
Cannonballs rained down on the island, exploding as they contacted the earth as well as the tree of knowledge itself. Robin didn't seem to notice.
"That's it, I'm getting out of here!" Spandine frantically yelled.
"Chief, what about the girl? She said she can read Poneglyphs too…" one of his agents pointed out.
"Yeah, you're right. I'm not sure if it's true or not, but try and remember her face. Make sure she doesn't escape the island," he ordered.
"I'll get Olvia…"
Another barrage of cannonballs came down on the island near the agents, frightening Spandine like the previous.
"Forget her! There's no time for that! You're priority is protecting me!" the chief yelled as he ran off towards the shore.
Smoke from the cannonballs began to surround the three archaeologists in the open field. Robin walked up next to her mother, not bothering to wipe the tears from her flushed face, and grabbed her hand. Olvia turned to look at her daughter, sitting silently next to her, her tiny hand locked in her own.
"I've w-wanted to do this…for a long time…" the girl cried. Olvia turned to look at her with a smile as tears fell down her face.
"Robin!" exclaimed the woman as she hugged her daughter.
"Mommy!"
Clover looked at the two with wide eyes, not sure whether to be happy or sad, "Robin… Is it really true you can read Poneglyphs?"
"I had to learn…" she cried, "It was the only way I could be with you…"
"That's wonderful, Robin. You must've studied so hard. I'm so proud of you." Olvia brushed the girl's black hair behind her ears and stared into her teary eyes. The young girl hugged her mother and continued crying.
"Fortunately, the only ones who know about this are those government officials. We can't afford to waste anymore time," Clover pondered aloud. "Olvia! Take Robin and run! You may still be able to reach the evacuation ship so she can leave the island!" the old scholar yelled.
Just then, the three heard footsteps closing in through the fog and a green haired man burst through the smoke clouds panting heavily. Their eyes widened in shock upon seeing the man and Robin stared at him in disbelief.
"Z-Zoro…?"
A/N: Yay! Another chapter about things we've already seen/read! How original!
Next chapter will be the last chapter of this story, so I'll try and get it up as quickly as possible.
Leaving a nice review would certainly expedite the process! Thanks everyone!