CHAPTER 4

DESPERATE FOR SOME HOPE

"Sencho, hold on. In a little we'll be on our ship and we'll treat you" said a pirate who was holding his weird-looking captain.

"Hai. Okama way" whistled the wounded but nevertheless happy captain, Bon Clay.

"Oi, someone is there. He must be injured"

"Check on him"

The men noticed that in the middle of the desert was a woman. She must have been heading towards the shore but her exhausted body didn't make it and collapsed in the middle of the way.

"Oh my, she's Miss All Sunday" Bon Clay recognized immediately his ex-partner in Baroque Works "Poor pretty woman, what happened to you?"

"Captain what are we going to do with her?"

"Take her on the ship, too. We'll take care of her. She's a friend" the captain ordered and one of his men took her on his shoulders.


Zoro was that exhausted that he could have slept for a whole week. His body was aching reminding him that the wounds he had received from Mr 1, Daz Bones, wouldn't heal easily. He really needed to rest. He was desperately trying to rest, but he couldn't. And all these because a certain black haired archaeologist was messing with his mind.

"How is she? Chopper was frantically saying that she was on the verge of death. She might have already died" he thought and then sighed "Why do I even care?" he cocked an eyebrow and after turning on the other side of the bed he tried to convince himself that he didn't care in the least.

"First of all, she's an enemy. And a considerably powerful one, by all means. She had been exploiting a whole flourishing country along with her boss for the past few years. That woman is dangerous. And she had left me"

Much to his dismay, Zoro understood that the problem was lying beneath. The reason why he didn't feel comfortable with her wasn't because she was Vivi's country enemy. The reason was a very personal one.

He never forgave her for turning her back at him, Kuina and Sensei, like this, like she was never with them. She had not left even a clue on how to search for her. She didn't want any connection with them "Ungrateful woman. After all we've done for you"

Flashback

When Zoro and Kuina left Sensei and Robin alone, an unnerving silence emerged between the two of them. What's more, Robin was slightly afraid because of the fact that she didn't know for how long she was unconscious. Maybe it was long enough for the man to call the Marines. She had to get out of there and find a way to leave this island.

"T-Thank you. That you saved my life and took care of me" said Robin looking straight in his eyes.

'It was really nothing. Oh, my name is Koshiro. I'm a swordsman and owner of a dojo" the man retorted "You can stay as long as you want, until you get better at least"

"No, I'll leave. It'll be better for both of us"

"You're afraid that I'll give you in?" said Koshiro reading her mind.

"Why would I think of something like this?" said Robin losing her cool. The man was really something.

"Because you were in a pirate ship. So I could assume that you have a bounty, which I could take advantage of" he stated matter-of-factly.

"Yes, you're right. Anyway, I don't have a bounty and nonetheless I'm leaving now" she turned around to leave. She didn't have anything to take with her. All her belongings were left on the previous ship.

"Nico Robin, even if you weren't that infamous, your eyes would betray you" he said causing her to turn around again and face him.

"What do you mean?" she said, her blue eyes wide open giving him a better view of them and justifying his statement.

"Your eyes are exactly the same as your mother's, Nico Orvia was your mother, wasn't she?" she said smiling fondly at her.

"How do you know my mother?" she gasped.

"She had come once or twice on the island for quite a long time, before the destruction of Ohara" he said sympathetically as her eyes became wet "You see we have quite the history. She was an exceptional historian and person. I'm sorry for your loss" he said and patted her lovingly on the shoulder.

"A-Arigatou" she managed to say between her sobs.

"You know, she had talked to me about you. About her pain that she had to endure for leaving you behind. Anyway, I know that you can't trust me, but at least take some rest"

"Sensei, will you tell me more for my mother?" said Robin as she rested her body on the bed.

After a little, Zoro and Kuina entered again the room. Robin leaned in Sensei's ear and whispered " Can you do me a favor? Don't tell them anything for me. I don't want them to be connected with me. I don't want them to suffer like me" she finished and Koshiro nodded in agreement.

"Zoro, Kuina, from now on she will be living with us" he said with his trademark smile.

"For how long?" they asked with wide open and confused eyes.

"For as long as she wants"

"Oh" they both said and Zoro whispered at her "Do you trust her? We know nothing about her?"

"I don't know, but I trust my father" she said and smiled at Robin who said "Thanks for everything"

"You're welcome… uhh… onee-san" she said.

"How can you call her like that?"Zoro whispered again irritated.

"I don't know, but she seems a good person. I like her"

"Tch. What's with her?"

End of flashback

"Hehe, now that I think about it, Kuina had her own way of judging people and it's quite similar to Luffy's" Zoro thought with a smile that fainted at the moment he thought of a wounded archaeologist "What if Chopper was right? She must already be dead" the mere thought for some unexplained reason panicked him.

"Maybe I should go and search for her. Kuina would be very sad to see her in such condition. Sensei, too" unfortunately, he couldn't settle on a decision. He was wavering from one thought to another "But then again, she said that she had made up her mind. Who am I to interfere with her life? She had made clear from the very start we met that she didn't want us to interfere. Besides, she had made a decision and I have to pay respect to it. Even if I don't like that decision at all" he sighed "Why everything is so unclear and complicated?"


"Oh Miss All Sunday, you're finally awake! You've been seriously wounded"

"Bon Clay-san? Where am I?" she said to her ex-partner and then thought "I wasn't supposed to be alive. How did he find me in the middle of the desert?"

"You're in my ship. We found you in a very bad state and I couldn't leave you alone. Thanks god, you're fine now" he said and spun around himself merrily "Okama way"

"Thank you very much" she said and stood up from the bed.

"Where are you going?" he said in protest.

"I'm leaving. You've already done enough for me"

"Ok. But you can leave after having a bath and eating something"

"That would do. Thank you" she said as more happily as she could.

"By the way, what are you planning to do?"

"Well, I don't really know, but I'll be ok" she said and sighed.

"I see. The bathroom is that way. Take your time"

Robin locked the wooden door behind her, took off her clothes and got under the steamy water.

"Uhm. It feels so good! But it won't last long. What should I do?" she closed her eyes and started considering all her options. To her dismay, nothing good came to her mind "Things would have been better if I was dead, but it seems that the universe in its entirety conspires against me"

When she got out of the bathroom she took a bite of the food that the crew's chef prepared and started getting ready to leave.

"Robin-san, you can sail with us for some time if you want. We can leave you on a nearby island or something" Bon Clay offered , willing to help his friend.

"No, it's ok. Thank you very much" she had considered the idea of staying with them. She even trusted Mr 2 a little, but she didn't want to cause him problems. He was a really good person.

"If you change your mind, we'll be here until noon. Bye Robin-san" he said waving a white handkerchief and trying not to cry, because he didn't want to destroy his make-up.

Robin started making her way along the shoreline, thinking mostly of what she could do and other than that of her encounter with Zoro.

"What am I going to do?" she said desperately.

A the moment that she was about to turn to Bon Clay's ship, she recognized a ship with a familiar flag. She started running towards it and when she stopped in front of it she was sure "Mugiwara's ship. Zoro's sailing on that ship" she thought and an idea popped in her mind.

"This is my chance" she smirked while climbing to the ship with the help of her devil fruit powers.


Some hours after her stealthy invasion in Going Merry, the Straw Hats were ready to set sail. She was hidden inside the rooms of the ship and thanks to her Hana Hana no Mi powers she was able to watch everything that was going on outside.

Bon Clay and his crew sacrificed their freedom, helping the Mugiwaras escape securely and without having to confront the forces of Captain Hina. Bon Clay's actions really moved her but then again "Fortunately, I didn't stay on his ship, or else I would have already been captured by the Marines"

After that she witnessed the heartfelt farewell to their new friend Vivi. Thankfully, the Princess had decided to stay to her country and cater for the needs of her people "Things would have been really strenuous with both of us on board"

That's the perfect time.

"At last we're out to the sea" said Robin who was still standing inside the room.

Zoro, whose back was facing her, turned around just to see those damn blue eyes. He was frozen for a moment but immediately his fighting instinct took control of him, his hand grabbing automatically Wadou.

"What do you want here? Revenge?" he yelled and unseathed his katana.

"Oh my, that wasn't the reception I was expecting form him" she thought and then tried to amuse herself with the crew's reactions. Everyone was screaming and yelling until Luffy's calm attitude took control of the situation.

"How?... You still alive?" he asked bewildered. He was that sure that she was dead.

"First of all, I recall telling you not to point your dangerous weapons at me" she said calmly and then a Hana Hana hand took Wadou and placed it back to its seath. Needless to say that Zoro was both sweatdropping and speechless.

"He, that damn woman has guts" he thought.

"Secondly, I'm alive thanks to you, Monkey D. Luffy" she sat on a chair and continued "I told you that I wanted to die but you ignored me. What did you think, that it was just a craziness? Now I have nowhere else to go. Let me stay on your ship"

"Ok, if I have responsibility I can do nothing else. You can stay with us" he said seriously.

"LUFFY" everyone yelled and Zoro thought "I said that I didn't want her to die, not that I want her on the ship with me. My past is haunting me"

"Guys don't worry. She's not as bad as you think. She's a good person" said Luffy grinning.

When Robin listened to what he said, she wanted to laugh and at the same time cry "Huh, to think that I'm a good person. I don't think that you'll have the same idea when you'll betray me" But deep enough she didn't want something like that to happen. And even deeper she knew that Zoro wouldn't do that to her.

Then Usopp started his interrogation while Zoro was sitting under the mast, listening carefully to what she was saying. Finally, he could know everything about her or what she was willing to reveal without distorting the truth. He was sure that she remembered everything of their common past, but he wouldn't show any acknowledgement on his side.

"So, at the age of eight you had a bounty and for the next twenty years you were chased by the World Government" Usopp concluded from what she had said to him.

"Yes, we know that, go on" yelled Zoro internally.

"Being a child I couldn't survive alone, so I had to protect myself by joining other pirate crews or being with various villains"

"So that's why she was with those pirates when we save her. And now she's declaring that she's using us for her own protection and no one does anything to get her out of here"

"Through experience I've become very good at stealthy operations, so I would be an asset for a crew who isn't used at doing things stealthily" she smile contently.

"So she's quick, strong and stealthy. She tells us openly that she can kill us at any time and still no one throws her overboard"

"You seem rather confident about your skills. What kind of operations you're good at?" asked Usopp with a professional look.

"Oh! Assassinations"

"Luffyyyyyy. That woman is way too dangerous" he screamed.

"Baka. She had to make it that clear in order you understand?" thought Zoro angrily.

"You may can fool our idiotic Captain but not me" said Nami "If you do anything suspicious I'll personally get rid of you"

"Way to go Nami" applauded Zoro.

"It's a shame then. I'll keep all those jewels for myself"

Of course Nami's attitude changed abruptly at the sight of the bright jewels.

"I really liked you from the start onee-san" she shrieked because of happiness.

"Oi witch, that was really underhanded" yelled Zoro at her, but Nami was already occupied with something more interesting.

After seeing all his friends being wrapped around her little finger, he grunted and headed for the upper deck "Was this the way she earned the trust of Sensei and Kuina? But even now I don't understand when I had begun trusting her. What a fool I was. The moment I begun accepting her, she left us. I'm sure she'll do the same thing this time, too. And I won't be fooled for the second time"

Lost inside his thoughts he didn't even noticed that she was in front of him, staring intently at him.

"Are they always so cheerful?" she suddenly asked.

"Yes. They're always like that" he said and she gave him a hearty smile before going to sit on the railing on the other side of the deck.

"What is she planning this time?"

The way they were sitting reminded both of them how they used to be at Shimotsuki Village. Robin would be sitting under a tree, reading a book and he would sit on the opposite tree sleeping. Other times she would be chatting with Kuina about books or swordsmanship or she would be watching them practice.

It was so nostalgic.

By his calm and peaceful face she could tell that they were thinking about the same time, about the same moments. She really wanted to know if he remembered as she did. She was dying to find out, but he wouldn't give her an answer so easily.

"What are you thinking of, Kenshi-san?" she asked expectantly.

"Kenshi-san ? What the…? At least he used to call me by my name back then" he angrily thought, frowing a little and letting her acknowledge his indignation.

"That's none of your business" he snapped at her "And it's Zoro, woman"

"Still woman, huh? Even though you know my name now" she thought and tried not to laugh. He was so fun being around.

"Why aren't you saying anything?" he said bluntly and he became red because of his anger.

"Fufufu. Because I have nothing to say, Kenshi-san"

"Argh" that was the only thing he could utter before leaving her quickly.

Still smiling, Robin turned her head towards the sea "How much I've missed him. I wish Kuina was here, too"

It had been so much time since she felt that happy. If only that feeling could last forever. But she knew deep inside that in her case she wasn't allowed to hope for happiness, for dreams, for love or even worse for life.


Phewwww, that was really longer than I expected.

I hope it isn't boring and you enjoy it!