Ch 92 - I am a Sincerely Good Girl
"Luffy's mad again…" Emmy said quietly as she proceeded to wipe down the bathroom to avoid any additional damage to the floorboards.
The crew had arrived on an uninhabited, tropical island earlier that day. They had left Long Ring Long Land after winning Chopper back. Captain Foxy decided to switch tactics and at the last minute, suggested that he and Luffy duke it out one-on-one in a boxing match instead of a team race. Robin had explained to Emmy that it was most likely he wanted a situation where Emmy could not use her powers like she did with the ring game. After a tedious and aggravating fight full of tricks from Foxy, Luffy bested Foxy after Luffy discovered that the treacherous' captain's Slow-Slow Beam had a weakness to mirrors and could be reflected back on him.
The group had left Emmy to stand guard and take care of Merry while they went to go find any food or medicinal supplies they could stock up. Every now and then, as Emmy went along her daily chores, she would feel emotions come and go from her bonds like waves in the ocean and she would report it out loud in hopes that Merry would chime in.
She was desperate to hear from the ship since Merry had not spoken to her ever since they came back down to the Blue Sea. Something was definitely wrong and Emmy was worried.
"Oh...now he's happy again...Wait...now he's mad..," Emmy said. She straightened up and got to her feet, "And now he's back to happy...I wonder what is going on. Everyone else seems to be fine...A bit nervous but fine.."
She heard footsteps running on the deck above and then they came down the stairs towards her.
"Emmy! Do we have any spare water barrels?" Usopp asked as he came barging in.
"Idiot! Knock before you enter a bathroom with a lady in it!" Sanji shouted, giving him a swift kick in the head, "Apologies, Emmy-chan. Didn't mean to startle you."
"Emmy's always cleaning at this time…" Usopp whined, "And she would've locked the door if she was going to go-"
"I don't want to hear it!" Sanji roared, "Do not ruin the perfect image of the ladies on board."
Emmy carefully folded a wet towel and then draped it over her arm. "We have five barrels full of fresh water down here in storage. Do you think that's enough for us to spare any, Sanji?"
Sanji nodded. "Ah. Giving away two won't hurt us since there's a couple more barrels up in the galley."
"What do you need them for?" Emmy asked.
"C'mon. Help us roll a barrel over back to everyone and I'll explain everything," Usopp said.
Emmy bit her lip. "But I-"
"Merry is not gonna get any cleaner than this," Sanji said, "And I have a feeling we're going to need your calming presence around."
Emmy blinked. "Did you come across a wild animal?"
Sanji shook his head. "Worse...I'll explain as we walk."
The three of them rolled two barrels of water off the ship and down the coastline of the tropical island. Usopp and Sanji told Emmy that they had encountered a shipwrecked group of people, who had been trying to survive on this island for about a month. Their ship was returning from a gourmet tour of the gourmet town, Pucci, when a frog crashed into them by swimming freestyle. It destroyed the ship and they were the only survivors.
"Oh, that's terrible. No wonder you want to give them some of our water," Emmy said, "They must be starving too. Do they need any food?"
"Actually, we found enough on the island and I cooked them a hearty meal already," Sanji said, "This is for them to take when they leave."
"Oh. They're leaving the island?" Emmy asked, "How?"
"That's what we're wondering too," Usopp said with a gulp, "But...this guy says he can help...And we don't know what to make of him so we might need you to figure out his intentions."
"That's why we might need your calming presence, Emmy-chan."
"Oh dear," Emmy said, "Does he seem - oh, what was the word Robin taught me the other day? - nefarious to you?"
"No...He's actually a marine," Sanji said, "And a powerful one at that...Admiral Aokiji. Have you heard of-"
"He's here?!" Emmy asked and then to her nakama's surprise, she started to move a little faster.
"Wait. You're not scared?" Usopp asked, "We're pirates! He's a marine!"
"Yeah...and when Robin-chan first saw him, she looked like she saw a ghost," Sanji said.
Emmy smiled. "I've met him before with Gramps. He was kind to me."
"Gramps?" Sanji asked.
"Kind?" Usopp asked at the same time, "He seems to be more of the aloof type to me."
Emmy's smile only grew warmer. "Sometimes leaving others alone is an act of kindness."
They got to the coast where the rest of their friends were and sure enough, there stood Aokiji, supervising Chopper and Luffy, who were helping the survivors load up a raft. Aokiji stood at almost 10 feet tall and could look well over the top of the raft without even trying.
"Kuzan-san!" Emmy called out and rolled the barrel right to him, much to Usopp's protest.
He looked down his shoulder at her with a blank expression. "Ah-ra-ra-ra...Look who we have here."
"How are you, Kuzan-san? It's been awhile," Emmy said with a small nod.
"It has, hasn't it?" the admiral replied with a scratch of his chin, "I could be worse...could be better too."
"I- Usopp! Stop being rude and go help everyone load up the supplies," Emmy scolded when Usopp was reduced to whispering harsh warnings in her ear and then she returned her attention to the admiral. Her smile returned. "Are you really going to help all these people?"
Aokiji shrugged. "Ah...Well, it's nice to put in some work once in awhile."
Luffy laughed as he secured the final rope. "Shishishi. Yeah. It feels good. You're a pretty sensible guy. So what're you gonna do anyways? Are you gonna swim while pulling these guys and all this stuff?"
Aokiji scoffed. "No way," he said and then marched right to the edge of the water.
"Step back a bit!" he warned everyone and then he dipped a hand into the cool, blue sea. Almost immediately, a gigantic yellow and purple Sea King surfaced and it bared it's sharp fangs at the admiral.
"Wh-What the heck?!" Luffy exclaimed.
"I bet that's the guardian of this area of the sea!" Usopp gasped, "Hey! Get out of there. RUN!"
With a thunderous roar, the Sea King charged at the man with his hand still in the water but Aokiji was unfazed.
"Ice...Age!"
In a blink of an eye, the surface of the water crystallized and everything before them turned into ice, including the Sea King. The waves stood motionless like carvings of glass and the ice stretched as far as the eye could see. A strangled gasp erupted from the crowd of pirates and castaways.
"The...The sea froze!" Nami whispered in horror.
"D-Devil Fruit," Usopp choked.
"This is the power of a Navy Headquarters' Admiral," Robin said softly. Emmy was hit with a wave of fear and anxiety in that instant and she turned to face the historian.
"Robin...It'll be okay," Emmy said and she slipped her hand into the historian's. Robin instinctively flinched at the unexpected touch but Emmy's grip was firm and her hand stayed where it was. It took a beat for Robin to register that it was Emmy's hold and when it did, she smiled weakly.
"Th..thank you, Little Pirate."
"Mah…" Aokiji said as he returned from the coast line and then pointed towards the Sea King, "That should last for about a week. Take your time and head in that direction. You should be able to get to the closest inhabited island in about four days. It's a little cold so dress warmly while walking."
He walked away from the crowd and he was several yards ahead before everyone recovered and the cast aways yelled out their thanks.
"Th-Thank you, Mr. Marine! We're saved! We're saved!'
Aokiji gave a casual wave over his shoulder but did not look back, leaving the pirates for the send off. The castaways were eager to show gratitude to them as well for treating their injured and sharing their food and water.
"I guess there are different kinds of pirates," one of the castaways laughed jovially, "We really appreciate all your help."
"Make sure to stay warm," Emmy said as she and Chopper wrapped heavy blankets around the children, who were sitting on the raft.
"We won't forget your kindness, Straw Hat Pirates!" another castaway said.
The pirates waved them goodbye with happy smiles on their faces. Luffy hopped from one foot to another and yelled his best wishes to them but as soon as they disappeared on the horizon, his hands slammed across his body and he started to shiver.
"Whoa! It's cold. It's cold! Emmy! Where's my jacket?"
"Like she actually brought one with her? No! Emmy-chan, don't go grabbing him one," Sanji snapped when Emmy started to sprint back towards the ship, "How the hell were we supposed to know it would turn into this weather? If you're cold, just get away from the ice."
"Oooh. Th-This is just like w-winter," Usopp said with chattering teeth as he and Luffy trudged towards the grassier and warmer part of the coast.
"Hey! Look! I can ice skate!" Chopper yelled excitedly, skidding smoothly on the ice while balancing perfectly on one hoof.
The boys instantly forgot about the temperature drop. "Whoa! That's amazing, Chopper!" Luffy yelled when Chopper did a double axel.
"Just as you'd expect from someone born on a winter island," Usopp laughed.
"Everyone, if you all want to play on the ice, then we should go get our jackets," Emmy advised, "We can come back when we're dressed more appropriately."
"Yes, Emmy," her nakama chorused with Sanji adding an extra 'chan' at the end.
They headed back towards the ship but then they had to stop when they reached the border of a thickly dense forest. Aokiji was sitting before them with his head tilted into his hand. He was staring at them with an intense puzzlement.
"Hrmmm…" he grumbled and then scratched his chin.
"What?" Luffy asked.
"How should i put it...You're just like your gramps, Monkey D. Luffy…" Aokiji stated which made Luffy tense up entirely while Emmy gave a proud smile, "You're a free spirit…or should I say, you're hard to figure out?"
"Have you seen Gramps recently? Is he well?" Emmy asked.
Aokiji shrugged as his answer while Luffy began to sweat. "Your Gramps is your Gramps," he said slowly, "You know he really helped out a while back. The reason why I came here was to have a look at Nico Robin and you two. Now that I think about it...maybe you should die here now, huh?"
"What?!" Emmy gasped and now it was Robin's turn to grip her hand tightly.
"I knew it," Zoro scowled.
"The government is still taking you guys lightly," Aokiji said, "But if I reflect on what you have already accomplished, it's clear you have a backbone and a fighting spirit. Although your group is small, you're gathering shrewd members. If you continue on, you'll become a problem later. I've dealt with many outlaws so I know trouble when I see it. It worries me to think you'll turn out."
"W-W-Wait! Hold on just a minute!" Usopp protested, "Before you said you'd let us go. That you were only here to check us out."
"The reason I especially regard you guys as dangerous is…" Aokiji said and he stared coldly at their newest member, "You, Nico Robin."
Robin tensed considerably and Emmy hurriedly put herself in front of the historian. She studied the Admiral with utmost intensity but he was almost as hard to read as he claimed Luffy was. Almost.
"So you're after Robin after all!" Luffy seethed and it answered Emmy's question on what was making Luffy so mad throughout the day, "I'm going to beat the crap out of you!"
"Her bounty amount isn't just an indication of her strength," Aokiji said, "It also is an indication of the level of danger she poses to the government. That's why you got a 79 million belli bounty on your head at the age of eight. I'm impressed that you managed to survive this long on your own. You betrayed people and ran away. You gained people's favor and used them. You've survived in the underworld by being quick to switch sides. So this is the group that you chose as your next hideout, huh?"
"Oy, you jerk! Watch your tone. Don't you dare insult Robin-chan's character like that!" Sanji demanded, "What grudge do you hold against Robin-chan?!"
"I don't have any grudge against her," Aokiji said, "If we have any connection at all...it's that I let her get away once. That's about it. It was a long time ago, though. I'm a different person now. You guys will eventually realize it too. In the not-so-distant future, you'll regret that you took in a troublesome woman. As proof, the organizations Nico Robin had something to do with up until today all got annihilated...except for her. I wonder why...Nico Robin?"
"K-Kuzan-san," Emmy said softly, "I'm a different person now than I was before too...I've learned that bad things happen to good people...And...that might be what has been happening to Robin her whole life but it's not like that now. She's with us. She'll be okay. We won't let anything bad happen to her any more! We promise."
Aokiji's thoughtful expression returned to his face and he studied Emmy. "You of all people should not be making that promise."
Emmy's entire body jerked back in surprise. "What do you mean?"
"You really don't remember any of it, do you?" he asked, "What you did?"
Emmy blinked. "Remember wha-?"
"STOP IT, YOU JERK! EMMY AND ROBIN'S PAST DOESN'T MATTER!" Luffy roared.
Robin jerked her hand out of Emmy's hold and she crossed her arms together. "Just get to the point," Robin yelled, "If you want to capture me, go ahead and do it. Leave them out of this! Treinta Fleur!"
"No, Robin! Stop it!" Usopp shrieked.
Her arms sprouted out of Aokiji's body, holding his legs in place, his arms to his side, and his chin tilted back.
"Ah-ra-ra…" Aokiji said, unaffected by his current position, "Maybe I talked too much. I'm disappointed, Nico Robin. I had too high an opinion of you, thinking you were a little smarter than that."
"Clu-"
"Feel Feel Pacify!"
Robin sank to her knees, her arms dropped to the side just as Aokiji fell to the ground in a flurry of petals.
Emmy's eyes were brimming with tears and she pleaded to her friends. "Please...stop...No one wants to kill anyone. Everyone is just scared. Please...stop. You'll only make this worse."
Zoro sheathed his swords while Sanji unbraced his legs. Luffy was the last one to lower his fist and when he did, he gave her a solemn nod.
"Ah-ra-ra…"Aokiji got up to his feet and brushed the grass off his white pants. "Looks like there's at least one sensible person amongst you. It's true. I have no intention of killing anyone...Unless they tried to kill me first, of course."
"You were merely testing Robin," Emmy said as she slowly walked up to the marine to get a better feel of his emotions, "You...are concerned not just about what you said before. About our crew. You are concerned that your...decision in the past...to let Robin go...That it was a mistake."
Aokiji clucked his tongue. "Tsk. Be careful, Monkey D. Emmy…That power of yours is dangerous. More than you know."
"Maybe," Emmy replied, "But I know Robin isn't. Not to us."
"Are you willing to bet your life on it?" Aokiji asked, "Even the lives of your nakama?"
Emmy nodded without hesitation. "But even if I'm wrong, wouldn't that mean, based on your prediction, Robin would cause the annihilation of our crew? So you'd get your way anyways. We would be destroyed and you don't have to worry about us. If we're gone, we won't be in your way so then you can go catch Robin. So...there really is not a downside for you to let us go. Right?"
A smirk grew on Aokiji's face and then it turned into a wide grin. "Your Gramps was right. You are a sincerely good girl."
Emmy blushed. Aokiji put his hands behind his head and he stretched out his back. "Well then…" he sighed, "Well then, since we do owe you one...I'll let you all go this time...But that makes us square for what you guys did at Alabasta...But, Nico Robin, I'm telling you this now. Once you betray them, and I know that you will, I'll be coming after you and no one, no matter what they say or do, will be able to persuade me otherwise. Bye."
With that, he turned on his heels and headed deep into the forest.
"Thank you, Kazuki-san," Emmy said and bowed to him as he walked away, "Safe travels! If you see Gramps, please give him our best!"
When he was out of sight and hidden behind the trees, Emmy straightened up and was suddenly hugged from all sides by Nami, Usopp, Chopper, and Sanji.
"That was amazing, Emmy!" Chopper shrieked.
"I was so scared!" Usopp sobbed.
"I'll knock off 3000 bellis from your debt for that one, Prude!"
"Emmy-channnn, you are so beautiful when you negotiate!"
Emmy blushed again when they stepped away. "I was just saying what I felt," she said and then turned to Robin, who seemed frozen in place on the ground. Her blue eyes, that were usually so sharp and clear, were unfocused and clouded with emotion. It took her awhile to regain her composure and once she did, she shakily got up to her feet. Wordlessly, she stumbled over to Emmy and pulled her into her arms.
"I am so...so sorry, Little Pirate," Robin whispered, "I'm so sorry to put you through that. I didn't mean to...I didn't-"
"I know," Emmy said as she hugged Robin back, "You are a good person. Just like me."